3. Dear Friends,
The past two years have seen
remarkable change here at the
Department of Children and
Families.
Addressing social service needs in
a state with 19 million people is
a mammoth challenge. However,
it is also a mammoth opportunity
to help millions of Floridians, and
position each of them to achieve
the American Dream.
That’s the reason we launched a
bold strategic plan last year for
our system of care.The plan was
about efficiency, empowerment,
engagement and accountability.
We are now implementing the
change that is required to realize
meaningful transformation.
We believed the brand of the
agency had to change to coincide
with our strategy.We launched a
new website and a new logo, the
first efforts to build a new brand
for DCF in many years.The logo
highlights our priority – children
and families together surrounded
by a strong community network of
support.
But branding alone doesn’t create
change.Action and innovation
create the kind of change that
builds world-class organizations.
Real change is in the projects and
programs we have prioritized for
improvement. Real change is in the
measurable improvements we see
in the lives of families and children.
Real change is in action.
I promised efficiency
improvements that would
modernize our service delivery
and provide our employees with
the tools and time to do their
critical work.And we are delivering
them.We have implemented
performance scorecards to
measure DCF in investigations,
diversion services and foster care,
domestic violence, mental health
and more.These management
scorecards are not just improving
performance but highlighting the
great results we are achieving
every day in a transparent,
collaborative way.
We continue working to
implement Governor Scott’s
priority initiatives of reducing
state spending and increasing
government efficiencies.We have
employed an enterprise-wide
approach to improving agency
productivity that has enabled us
to eliminate redundancies and
standardize processes.The result
has been an overall reduction in
administrative costs and greater
efficiencies across the board.
We reduced our back office
operational costs by more than
$140 million in our first two
years.This has allowed us to
deliver on our promise to invest
in improvements to front-line
workers and serve more people
in need.We have reinvested this
money for new technology, new
processes and in some cases, more
equitable pay.
Empowerment is about changing
how we do our job. If you
empower people to make
decisions and to lead, you not only
improve efficiency, you improve
people’s lives.
Community engagement is the
single most significant cultural
change we are pursuing in our
system of services. Our Partners
for Promise initiative works to
fully engage communities by
connecting businesses, faith-based
organizations, nonprofits, and
individuals who want to donate
their time, talent and resources
to help in their own back yard.
Through collaboration with
our community partners, we
have signed up more than 1,500
Partners for Promise.With their
help, we are able to do more for
those in need than we ever could
on our own.
We have a unique mission, a
unique vision, and all of our
employees and partners have a
unique passion. Every day, we are
helping to improve children’s lives,
providing food, shelter and medical
care to those who need it most,
and keeping vulnerable adults safe.
The following pages tell the story
of our successes over the past
year. I hope you will join me in
celebrating these accomplishments
on behalf of all Floridians.
Best Regards,
David E.Wilkins
Our Message
Secretary David E.Wilkins Governor Rick Scott
2012 Year in Review
3
4. Marianna
Navarre
Niceville
Pensacola
Port St. Joe
Panama City
Fort Walton Beach
DeFuniak Springs
Crestview
Milton
Bonifay
Chipley
Northwest Region
Strategic Vision
Under the leadership of Secretary
David Wilkins, the Department of
Children and Families is moving
in a bold, new direction that will
transform the way the agency
operates and delivers services. DCF’s
StrategicVision focuses on four key
areas for reform and modernization.
This strategic approach will identify
proven best practices across the
state and implement those that
improve business processes, drive
efficient delivery of service, and
ultimately deliver better outcomes
for Florida’s children and families.
• Build a New Brand
• Build a World-Class Child
Welfare System
• Fully Engage Communities
• Modernize Service Delivery
How we ServeYou*
3,252 Adoptions
45,567 Adult Protective Services Investigations
154,400 Background Screenings
31,495 Benefit Integrity Investigations
187,997 Child Abuse Hotline Investigations
36,980 Child Care Facility Inspections
61,976 Child Welfare (Children Served)
52,386 DomesticViolenceVictims
4,633,603 Food Assistance Clients
19,595 Foster Care Children andYouth
43,930 Homeless Clients in Shelters
200 HumanTraffickingVictims
3,418 Independent Living for Former
FosterYouth
3,589,379 Medicaid Clients
316,725 Mental Health Clients
63,589 Refugee Services Clients
190,769 Substance Abuse Clients
189,382 Temporary Cash Assistance Clients
*Source: Department of Children and Families
FY2011–2012
Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
4
5. Chattahoochee
Quincy
Tallahassee
Gainesville
Macclenny
Jacksonville
Tampa
Arcadia
Belle Glade
Miami
St Augustine
Chiefland
Live Oak
Lake City Orange Park
Yulee
Deland
Bunnell
Madison
Starke
Palatka
Daytona Beach
Monticello
Crawfordville
Inverness
Palm Bay
Bartow
Orlando
RockledgeKissimmee
Cocoa
Vero Beach
Brooksville
Wauchula
Wildwood
Lake Wales
Sebring
Sanford
Ocala
Altamonte Springs
Stuart
Tavares
Okeechobee
Lakeland
Fort Pierce
Naples
Port Charlotte
Sarasota
Bradenton
New Port Richey
Venice
Labelle
Immokalee
Largo
Fort Myers
West Palm
Beach
Delray
Beach
Riviera Beach
Sunrise
Fort. Lauderdale
Hialeah
Key West
Miami Beach
Florida City
Opa-locka
Marathon
On the front lines statewide
Central Region
Northeast Region
SunCoast Region
Southeast Region
southern Region
Florida*
19,057,542 Total Population
3,994,950 Age 0-17
11,403,197 Age 18-64
3,359,395 Age 65+
17% Below Poverty Level
8% Unemployment Rate
Dec. 2012
*Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Department
of Economic Opportunity
2011–2012
Indicates DCF locations in
your community
2012 Year in Review
5
6. DCF named Government
Leader in Social Media
— SaintPetersBlog
Social
Media
Seven days a
week, DCF
posts useful
information
for our
followers.
Building a New Brand is an emotional and steadfast commitment to
consistently deliver on the vision and promise of an organization. Brands are built on a relationship
of trust.The Department of Children and Families is committed to providing the best service in the
most efficient way possible, every time.We have changed the way we do business, improved processes
in every program area and are acknowledged as one of the best-managed state agencies in Florida and
the nation.
Check out our blog
Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
6
BuildaNewBrand
7. The Florida Department of
Children and Families introduced
a massive rebranding effort that
has redefined the way the agency
looks and operates, but more
importantly, how DCF serves
Florida’s children, families, and
vulnerable adults. In 2012, we
created a new logo, website, and
social media presence.
DCF’s digital presence has
increased exponentially
over the past year.The
development of a new
website at MyFLFamilies.com,
social media, and email and
text communications have
allowed us to connect with
Floridians and stakeholders
like never before.
2,093 Likes
We post news, photos and tips useful to Florida families.
1,620 Followers
Whether discussing news articles or live tweeting events,
there is always a conversation going on. It has allowed us
to connect with families, foster youth, reporters, legislators
and even celebrities.
251 Followers
We have Pinterest boards about everything from child welfare to mental health, but
our most popular boards are about parenting tips and family activity ideas.
34,180Views
Our My Florida Families blog puts a face on DCF’s services. Guest bloggers include
domestic violence survivors, adult protective investigators, foster parents, physicians
and more.
85,739 Subscriptions
Our email and text alerts allow us to communicate directly with stakeholders and
citizens on everything from emergency food assistance and foster care initiatives to
human trafficking awareness. Subscribers choose the topics and delivery method they
prefer.
17,693Views
DCF’sYouTube channel features videos on everything from foster parenting and
community partners to public events and how-to guides.
Social Media
*Statistics current as of 12/31/2012
Connect with Us!
13.5 MillionVisits
The new website at
MyFLFamilies.com features
interactive maps and calendars
so visitors can quickly find
services, contacts and events
in their area. In addition to
services and reports, the site
also has preventive information
and helpful tips, such as the
Drug Free Teens page at www.
myflfamilies.com/DrugFreeTeens
and the Parenting Resource
Guide at www.myflfamilies.com/
ParentingGuide.
2012 Year in Review
7
8. Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
8
Building a World-Class Child Welfare System
means we must continually evolve, adapt, and raise the bar on excellence and performance. Most importantly,
we must find and keep the best talent by creating opportunities for new leaders, bringing forth fresh
perspectives and re-energizing the path for growth. Empowering people to make decisions and to lead will
improve the organization, and improve people’s lives.
BuildaWorld-ClassChildWelfareSystem
9. The Department of Children
and Families reached a halfway
point in 2012 on a long-term
Child Protection Transformation
project.The goal is to transform
Florida’s child welfare system
of care by introducing a new
safety assessment process called
the Safety
Decision Making
Methodology,
professionalizing
our workforce
and enhancing
technology.
Under the new
methodology, the
Abuse Hotline,
child protective
investigations and
case management
services are
working
together in a
more integrated
way.This has
allowed us to
gather complete
information,
conduct
higher quality
investigations, and better ensure
the child’s safety and family’s
success. Appropriate practices
have been put in place to allow
for flexibility to deal with the
unique challenges associated with
each child and family.Technology
has also been aligned to support
the work.The right strategies and
solutions are in place to achieve
lasting child safety, permanency and
well-being.
Chapter 39 Changes Make
Child Protection Proactive
During the 2012 Legislative
Session, Chapter 39 of the
Florida Statutes saw a major
change that shifted the focus of
child protection from reactive
and risk-based to proactive and
safety-based.
Using this model,
our investigators
have found that
families are more
receptive to help,
and that joint
solutions are being
developed on
behalf of a child.
Families report
that under the
new approach,
they are being
asked questions
that best address
the family
dynamics and
set the stage for
identifiying needs
that will keep a
child safe. Judges
and attorneys
across the state report that a
focus on safety can better target
services for a family to prevent
removals and achieve earlier
reunifications.
It is expected that the new model
will prevent families from needing
multiple interventions to address
abuse and neglect. In addition,
fewer children may experience
out-of-home care while parents
engage in services.
Abuse Hotline: From Call
Center to Command Center
In 2012, the Florida Abuse Hotline
transitioned to an integrated
Command Center. One of the
major changes has been an
overall improvement of the
quality of information provided
to investigators. In addition,
technology enhancements were
made to the Florida Safe Families
Network (FSFN), telephone and
workforce management systems.
Major goals of the Hotline
transformation were:
•• Increase accuracy and quality
of information for child
protective investigators
•• Improve accessibility for
customers and mandated
reporters
•• Implement improved web
reporting system. See
FloridaAbuseHotline.com
•• Automate background screening
23%
36%
InvestigatorTurnover Rate
20122011
Child ProtectionTransformation
Right For Kids
Ranks Florida:
4th
in nation for
overall child
welfare performance
1 of 11 states with
24-hour response
system to hotline
calls
1 of 12 states to
consistently visit
children in foster
care monthly
Go to the Abuse
Hotline Website
2012 Year in Review
9
10. 20122012
Identification
Badges Issued
Legislation
Passed
Project Launch
System
Integration Work
Identify System
Needs
Concluded
Florida Safety
Decision Making
Methodology
Test
Project Vendor
Selected
Started Florida
Safety Decision
Making
Methodology Test
Statement of
Work Finalized
Child Protection Transformation
Abuse Hotline Transformation
Improvements in Child
Protective Investigations
With support from the Florida
Legislature last year, DCF was able
to increase the base salary for
child protective investigators and
supervisors. DCF also established
75 entry-level positions for child
protective investigators who can
learn the job and assist current
child protective investigators with
their workloads.
DCF established new
identification badges
with hologram images
of “DCF” and the state
of Florida covering the
front of the card to
prevent duplication.
The phone number is
provided on the back
of the identification
badge.To connect to
the Hotline even faster,
you can use a
smartphone
to scan the
QR code on
the back of
the badge,
which will
prompt the
phone to call
the Hotline
directly.
Child Protective Investigators ID card includes the CPI’s
photo, as well as hologram images of DCF and the
State of Florida.
New shirts provide a professional look
for investigators.
See Secretary’s
Message
Florida Department of Children and Families
10
myflfamilies.com
11. Requirements
Complete
Implemented
New CPI Career
Ladder
Implementation
Service InitiatedMulti-agency
Implementation
Team Established
Design Complete
Regional
Implementation
Planning Initiated
Training
Complete
Transformation
Complete
Finalized
Florida Safety
Decision Making
Methodology
Development
Complete
Begin Transition
Professional
Attire for CPIs
Measuring performance is central
to promoting accountability. Since
the first Community-Based Care
Scorecard was produced a year
ago, performance on more than
half of the measures has improved.
The scorecard evaluates DCF’s
contracted foster care agencies in
four categories to determine how
well they are meeting the most
critical needs of
at-risk children
and their
families.
The four categories are: Safety,
Family Preservation, Permanency,
and Health & Education.
Our community-based partners
have improved performance on
measures related to child safety
and permanency. More children
receiving family preservation
services are staying safe with their
families. Children also have been
placed with adoptive parents more
quickly.
Community-Based Care Performance
The timeline illustrates the events of the 2012 Abuse HotlineTransformation and Child ProtectionTransformation
MyFLFamilies.com/about-us/planning-performance-measures/cbc-scorecard
Child Welfare
Improvements
40% improvement in
academic indicators
45% improvement in
dental care visits
25% increase in overall
healthcare
4.2% overall
improvements in
child protection
investigation processes
See scorecards
2012 Year in Review
11
12. Fostering Florida’s Future
Recognizing that Florida needs
additional quality foster families
who can provide safe and loving
homes to children in need, DCF
launched the Fostering Florida’s
Future Initiative in June 2012.The
initiative is designed to recruit and
support foster parents and help
ensure the success of children
in foster care. During a press
event at the Florida State Foster
and Adoptive Parent Association
Annual Educational Conference,
Secretary Wilkins announced his
intention to recruit 1,200 new,
high-quality foster families.
Other partners in support of
this bold initiative include former
foster care youth, foster parents,
community-based care agency
leaders and the Guardian ad Litem
program, as well as the Secretary’s
wife,Tanya Wilkins, Statewide
Advocate for Foster Care and
Adoption. Over the past year, Mrs.
Wilkins has chaired a workgroup
of foster parents, DCF staff and
community-based care staff to
address recruitment and retention
concerns.The group has served
to guide implementation of the
Fostering Florida’s Future action
plan.
Measuring Academic Success
The K-12 report card was originally designed by
the education team and stakeholders in DCF’s
Northwest Region.They pulled together a team of
stakeholders committed to improving the educational
outcomes of children in foster care and, through their research,
identified key domains that make a real difference in a child’s
educational performance.
•• School stability
•• Attendance
•• Educational performance in math and reading
•• Student involvement in extracurricular activities
•• Caregiver involvement with the school
•• Addressing Individualized Education Program needs
•• Graduation progress
•• Behavior and the child’s connection to a mentor
After rolling out this creative educational approach in the Northwest Region, the CEO of the community-
based care agency presented it to Secretary Wilkins, who embraced it as a “culture changing” approach and
rolled it out across the state.
We are approaching 100 percent utilization of the report card by case management.The data is being
analyzed to identify where children’s outcomes are improving and to share best practices across the state.
Increase in the number
of foster youth getting
a diploma or GED
70%
First Lady Ann Scott (right) and State Advocate for Foster Care
and AdoptionTanyaWilkins (left) read to children.
Florida Department of Children and Families
12
myflfamilies.com
13. Awareness Campaign
•• A new website at www.
fosteringflorida.com provides
information, stories of
Florida’s foster parents,
and links for inquiries to
community partners for
further information and
service.
•• Social media allows
opportunities to learn and
share via Facebook,Twitter,
YouTube, Pinterest and blogs.
•• DCF’s community engagement
initiative, Partners for Promise,
furthers the recruitment and
public recognition of foster
friendly businesses.
Quality Parenting Initiative
•• The Quality Parenting
Initiative is designed to
support foster parents
and children in foster care
by providing training and
other supports for their
individual needs.
•• A quality assurance review
was conducted on abuse
and neglect investigations
of foster parents and foster
care referrals.This led to a
new policy on responding
to complaints about foster
parents that balances
protection of children with
the dignity and rights of
caretakers.
•• The home study format for
prospective foster families
was redesigned to be more
focused on the job of
fostering, less intrusive, and
more family-friendly.
•• Child protection investigations
and foster care actions related
to the removal of children
have been redefined to ensure
children are moved in a
planned and sensitive manner
with as little disruption as
possible.
A Family for Every Child
•• Recruited 606 new families as
of December 2012.The goal
is to recruit 1,200 new, quality
foster parents.
•• The Foster and Adoptive
Parent Association, DCF staff
and community-based care
staff are working together
with other community
partners to target recruitment
for children who are
teenagers, those with special
needs, and sibling groups.
Letting Kids be Kids While in
Foster Care
•• Secretary Wilkins issued
directives in January and
March 2012 emphasizing his
requirements for normalcy
for children in foster care and
encouraging practice change
throughout the system of
care.
•• Posters featuring young
people engaged in a variety of
activities were designed and
disseminated in June 2012.
PDF versions of the posters
are available at:
www.fosteringflorida.com.
•• AYouth Bill of Rights titled,
Childhood Only Happens Once,
was developed with advice
from current and former
foster youth, and is available
on the website.
Academic Progress for
Children in Foster Care
Just like their peers, children
in foster care do their best
academically when they receive
support at home, school, and
in the community. Early in his
administration, Secretary Wilkins
made educational outcomes
of children in foster care a
priority. DCF partnered with
the Department of Education,
community-based care agencies,
parents, the courts, and other
community stakeholders.The
areas of emphasis include:
•• Focusing foster parents’
attention on supporting
educational achievement
through the Quality Parenting
Initiative.
•• Electronic data sharing with
school districts across the
state.
In October 2012, a workgroup was
formed to develop an electronic
feed from the source of the
information directly into the DCF
system from school districts.The
data will be used and analyzed to
determine effective interventions
and solutions to improve the
educational outcomes of children
in foster care. DCF will use the
information to ensure that best
practices and evidence-based
solutions are shared throughout
the state.
Fostering Florida’s Future Action Plan
FosteringFlorida.com
Congressapprovedanamendment
to the Family Educational Rights
and Privacy Act (FERPA) that
will allow education agencies
to release education records to
child welfare case workers. This
change facilitates better sharing of
academic information.
See video
2012 Year in Review
13
14. To Fully Engage Communities, the Department leverages Florida’s
abundant local solutions to identify needs, fill gaps, and replicate best practices statewide. Partnerships
with both public and private organizations help to combine the time, talent, and resources in bringing
about meaningful change that transforms lives.
Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
14
FullyEngageCommunities
15. Engaging the Faith
Community
The Department of Children
and Families stepped up efforts
to partner with faith-based
organizations in 2012. Here are a
few highlights:
•• Together with the Florida
Department of Juvenile Justice,
DCF hosted the 2012 Faith
Symposium in Orlando, with
more than 500 community
and faith-based organizations
attending. Participants learned
about DCF and DJJ priority
initiatives and how to get
more involved in them.
•• DCF laid the foundation for
an innovative program called,
My Florida Caring Neighbors.
Through the program, a faith-
based network of volunteers
and coordinated resources
help strengthen and support
families with a goal to
prevent child abuse, neglect
or abandonment. Faith-based
communities
participating in
the program
would develop
and operate
community-
based and
prevention-
focused
mentoring
and support
activities, which
would help
strengthen
families and
keep children
safely in their
homes.This
approach
prevents the need for
involvement of child
protective services and foster
care services.
•• The
Department
worked to ensure
that child welfare
issues were a
top priority
for the Florida
Faith-Based and
Community-Based
Advisory Council.
The 25-member
council, within
the Executive
Office of the
Governor, consists
of distinguished
leaders in the faith
community from
across the state.
Just over a year ago, DCF launched
a major initiative called Partners
for Promise.The intent
was to strategically
engage communities
statewide in our
mission, recognizing
that when we
combine the
efforts of many, we
can do more for
those who need a
helping hand.
A year later, more than
1,500 businesses, faith
organizations, non-profits and
individuals have committed to
partnering with DCF to give their
time, talent and
resources to help
improve the
lives of
Florida’s children,
families and
vulnerable adults.
By focusing on five
key areas – the
Five Promises for
Florida – DCF and
its partners are
improving the
health, safety and
well-being of Florida’s
most vulnerable residents.
Partners for Promise
See our brochure
Local Church Keeps Community Running
As a DCF Partner for Promise, First Baptist Church of Naples serviced 175 cars at no cost to the owners
during their car care event.Volunteers assisted in changing oil, checking tire tread and tire pressure,
checking and replacing car lights, brake fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, as well as many other standard
automobile services. Financially challenged single mothers, widows, widowers, and seniors qualified for this
service to help keep their vehicles running and safe.
Individuals
Faith Based
Business
35%
6%
10%
49%
FLPartnersForPromise.com
Lt. Governor Carroll speaking at
the Faith Symposium.
2012 Year in Review
15
16. Businesses Invest inTheir
Communities
The Department of Children and
Families launched a progressive
outreach campaign to establish
and build stronger relationships
with Florida businesses to
help strengthen communities.
Businesses understand the value
of community investment, but may
not be aware of local investment
opportunities that align with their
core values.The Department
set out to make it easier for
businesses to get involved. Over
the past year, more than 750
businesses, large and small, have
partnered with DCF as a Partner
for Promise giving their time,
talent and resources to improve
lives throughout Florida.They have
engaged in many ways, including
support for DCF’s Camps for
Champions,
donations of
furniture, food
and other
supplies for older
foster youth
living on their
own, hiring foster
youth, and even
providing free
dental care and
health services.
On this page are just a few of
the many stories of how Florida
businesses are changing lives.
Holidays Bring Out
Generosity of Many from
Individuals to Corporations
During the holidays, DCF and its
community partners worked to
make the season brighter for some
of Florida’s struggling families and
children. Dubbed “Operation Santa
Cause,” the campaign called upon
organizations and individuals to
fulfill wishes of 12 featured families
and children in a very short time.
The result -- communities pulled
together and fulfilled nearly 30
wishes in all.A major contribution
from Walmart was a tremendous
help in exceeding expectations and
helping more families and children
in need.
AT&T Invests in Florida’s Future
AT&T sponsored 20 foster teens at a Science,Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics (STEM) Camp at Pensacola Naval Air Station.Teens in foster care
participated in the Ambition Aviation in Residence program, which simulates real-life
situations on an aircraft carrier.The teens learned about exciting concepts and career opportunities
in the fields of science, technology, engineering, aviation, and math.
Florida Dental Association Gives New Smiles
In conjunction with their Annual Conference, members of the Florida
Dental Association (FDA) offered dental treatment for 50 youth in the
Central Region at no cost.They brought three dental buses to be able to
treat all the children in one place.This event celebrated the outstanding
efforts of the FDA to help improve dental care for all children in
foster care, one of DCF’s top priorities. Many dentists statewide have
committed to provide services to foster children around the state. FDA
anticipates doing a similar event at their 2013 Annual Confernce.
Westgate Takes on Homelessness
Westgate resorts in Orlando coordinated a Central Florida Initiative called
“Hospitality Helps,” which brings corporate, government, and nonprofit entities together to implement
collaborative opportunities creating sustainable solutions for homeless families.Westgate hired several
homeless family members and supplied the families with apartments and furniture. They encourage
partners in the community to join them in this endeavor by providing any resource they can to help
more families transition out of homelessness.
A dentist provides dental care to one of
Florida’s foster youth.
The community stepped up to help a single father as part of
Operation Santa Cause.
Florida Department of Children and Families
16
myflfamilies.com
17. Camps for Champions Achieves New Heights
Thanks to our great community partners,
we exceeded expectations for the year
and enrolled more than 600 foster youth
while doubling the number of camps
statewide from 7 in 2011 to 14.
Participants had an opportunity to
develop life skills and further their
education in an energetic and
entertaining setting. DCF regions
across the state collaborated
with high-profile athletes
such as Myron Rolle, James Jones,Artis Gilmore,
Nolan Carroll, and Corey Simon
to promote camps focused
on leadership, wellness, and
character building. In addition
to the wonderful curriculum
and activities, a generous donation of 1,000
educational books was secured through Scholastic
Books.
Other major partners included AT&T, Cox
Communications, CenturyLink, the Pensacola Naval
Air Station,YMCA and the Florida SheriffsYouth
Ranch. Look for us to reach even greater heights in 2013!
Challenger Learning Center’s mascot,Astro Naut, poses
withTallahassee Democrat article about the CenturyLink
STEM Camp.
Experience Camps
for Champions
2012 Year in Review
17
18. Community in Action
Safe Harbor Act Protects
HumanTraffickingVictims
National statistics rank Florida
as the third-highest trafficking
destination in the country. Half of
all trafficking victims are children.
In June, Governor Scott signed
the Safe Harbor Act into law
after passage through the Florida
Legislature.The law significantly
changes the way child victims of
sexual exploitation are treated.
It allows children rescued from
prostitution to get help from
child welfare professionals
instead of being placed in juvenile
delinquency.This allows the
Department of Children and
Families, the Department of
Juvenile Justice, law enforcement
and our local partners across
the state to work together to
treat and help victims of this
abuse. Over the past year, DCF
provided services to more than
200 trafficked minors. DCF has
been extremely proactive in
coordinating with fellow agencies
and local organizations to bring
awareness to the issue and to
implement a solid community
support system.
Efforts Focus on Permanent
Housing Solutions
Through successful collaboration
of the state’s 28 local homeless
planning organizations, DCF’s
Office on Homelessness and
community partners, Florida
received more than $82 million
in federal funding to assist those
needing shelter.The Office on
Homelessness also saw a decline in
the number of homeless individuals
by more than 1,500 over the
previous year.
Emergency Financial
Assistance for
Housing Program
Through the Emergency
Financial Assistance for
Housing Program, DCF helped
pay overdue rent so that a
single mother and her two
children were able to stay
in their home, enabling the
children to continue to attend
their neighborhood school.
The mother called back a
week later to thank the state
for the help and to indicate
that she had secured a job
interview.
A single mother with two
children was advised by
the DCF child protection
staff to leave her home
after her live-in boyfriend
abused her child.The
Emergency Financial
Assistance for Housing
Program provided funding for
the security deposit on a new
rental home and enabled the
family to relocate safely away
from the abusive boyfriend.
A single mother and her
son had been living with her
parents to help care for her
terminally ill mother.After
her mother passed away, the
woman’s stepfather ordered
them out of the home. She did
not receive any child support
from the boy’s father and
had no extra money.DCF’s
Emergency Financial Assistance
for Housing Program provided
a security deposit payment to
allow this small family to find
safe, permanent housing of
their own.
beds
to provide permanent
supportive housing
added 1,000
Florida Department of Children and Families
18
myflfamilies.com
19. Partnering with
Lauren’s Kids to
Prevent Child Abuse
The Department partnered
with Lauren’s Kids, a
Florida-based nonprofit
engaged in child abuse
awareness, to launch a new
statewide public awareness
campaign and educational
initiative for prevention
of child abuse and child
sexual abuse.We plan to
work with Lauren’s Kids
on a “Safer, Smarter Kids”
curriculum for elementary
school students, which
teaches children about safe
and unsafe secrets and how
to tell a trusted adult.
The major goal of the
partnership is to prevent
child abuse and child sexual abuse through education and awareness across the state.
Billboard, television, and radio advertisements were developed to highlight the signs
of child abuse and direct people to call the Florida Abuse Hotline if they suspect a
child is being abused or neglected.To see the ads and other campaign materials, go to
www.dontmissthesigns.org.
A Look at DomesticViolence
A snapshot of Florida’s 42 certified domestic
violence centers reveals that more than 3,166
women, men, and children received assistance
and services during a single 24-hour period.
In the 2011-2012 fiscal year, the centers provided emergency
shelter to 15,997 victims and their children, a 6% increase over the
past two years. Children who fled the violence with their parent
account for 47% of shelter residents.
Centers also provided non-residential services to 36,389 individuals and counseling to 55,181
individuals. Additionally, advocates answered 98,763 crisis calls on local hotlines and assisted
with 90,129 safety plans.
15,997
Domestic Violence
victims received
immediate shelter
Secretary and Mrs.Wilkins join Lauren Book (center) in Jacksonville
during her 1,500-mile walk across the state.
beds
available statewide for Domestic
Violence victims and their children
1,912
DontMissTheSigns.org
Explore the website
2012 Year in Review
19
20. In its promise to Modernize Service Delivery, the Department of
Children and Families is taking proven best practices in the private sector and applying them to our
overall governance and operational models.We provide our employees with the tools and time to do
their critical work.We put in place key measurement programs to know what success is and where
improvements are needed.
Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
20
ModernizeServiceDelivery
21. In 2011–12, the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health (SAMH)
office continued its focus on
system performance and quality
improvement using evidence-
based practices.The program also
worked to standardize the way
it manages services and provides
care for clients.The overall
approach has been to establish
and monitor standards regularly
for ongoing system of care
improvement. One major
aspect of this approach
was implementation
of SAMH managing
entities.
Managing
entities
consolidate
regional SAMH
programs into one
integrated system
of care under the
direction of a local
not-for-profit board
of community leaders and
stakeholders. Managing entities
are responsible for a broad range
of services including planning,
system of care development,
utilization management, network/
subcontractor management, data
management and reporting, and
financial management for all SAMH
services.This approach provides
greater access to care for those
in need at a lower cost to the
taxpayer.The implementation of
managing entities also allows for a
more flexible and innovative form
of management that will, in turn,
allow DCF to assume a broader
role in planning, training and
systems development.
By early 2013, DCF
will have seven
managing entities
across the
six regions,
making
this the first
time we have
achieved statewide
implementation.The
managing entities
model reduces the
management of 535 community
provider contracts to seven
managing entity contracts.
In addition, the SAMH office
developed and implemented
managing entity contract
performance-based measures to
establish general goals for the
managing entity and set targets for
measuring performance.
The measures fall within seven
categories, which are:
•• System of Care Development
and Management
•• Utilization Management
Systems
•• Subcontractor Management
and Subcontractor Relations
•• Continuous Quality
Improvement Systems
•• Data Collection, Reporting,
and Analysis
•• Financial Management Systems
•• Board Development and
Governance
See complete details on the
performance measures in the
online report at: www.dcf.state.fl.us/
programs/samh/managingEntities.
shtml
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Modernization
Reducing Prescription Drug Abuse
Admissions to substance use treatment as a
result of prescription drug abuse have increased
more than 250 percent from FY06–07 through
FY10–11.This has a significant impact on the
child welfare system. In FY10-11 almost 60
percent of the verified allegations of child abuse
reported to the Hotline involved parental
substance use. As a result, the Department
made pregnant women and women with
children who have prescription drug issues a
priority.To better serve the families with child
welfare involvement, DCF also established a
contractual requirement that Managing Entities
and child welfare entities integrate services.
This includes information sharing, co-location of
staff, and, most critically, treating the family as a
whole.
Public awareness was another key component
of DCF’s strategy to address prescription drug
abuse.The Department actively participated in
the Attorney General’s Statewide Task Force
on Prescription Drug Abuse and Newborns.As
the state’s safety net behavioral health system,
and in conjunction with task force members,
the department demonstrated the severity of
prescription drug abuse, especially its effects on
children and the dependency system. With the
task force, DCF collaborated with new partners
and used their networks to reach a greater
proportion of the population.The department
also provided technical assistance and training
to other professions, which developed the
workforce’s ability to better identify and treat
prescription drug abuse.
2012 Year in Review
21
22. ACCESS Improvement
Program Successes
•• Lowest error rate in food stamp eligibility
processes for 5th year in a row.The state has
received more than $39 million in federal bonus
money with $9.1 million awarded in 2012
•• Nationally recognized model for fully integrated
eligibility system
•• First in the nation to create a network of more
than 3,300 active community partners.The
community partner network has grown 48
percent over the last five years
•• Consolidated office space resulting in more than
$1.3 million in savings for the fiscal year
New Enhancements
•• Option for customers to receive email
notifications about notices in My ACCESS
Account
•• Centralized mail and scan functions so
customers have one place to send documents
•• Implemented document imaging barcode for
providers to expedite medical bill processing
and Medicaid eligibility approval
•• Implemented EBT security procedures
With more than 30 percent of Floridians on public assistance,ACCESS Florida experienced one of its
busiest years for eligibility determination and ongoing case management for food assistance,Temporary Cash
Assistance and Medicaid. Driven by a commitment to help struggling Floridians get the help they need, DCF
has continued to enhance and expand technology innovations, streamline workflow and improve access to
services for customers.
ACCESS is an acronym for Automated Community Connection to
Economic Self-Sufficiency—the ACCESS Florida Program.
Florida Department of Children and Families
22
myflfamilies.commyflfamilies.com
23. Reorganization and Efficiency
Over the past year, OPBI has
undergone several program
changes including a new Director
and Chief of Benefit Recovery.
OPBI contracted with Electronic
Training Solutions, Inc. to conduct
a process study.
Based
on their findings, DCF will adopt
processes to increase the recovery
of public assistance funds with
approximately 50 percent less staff.
The ACCESS Integrity program
successfully streamlined the fraud
referral process resulting in an
increase in efficiency and adequacy
of referrals.ACCESS Integrity
began online monitoring of social
media and issued warnings to
individuals of the fraud penalties
if they attempted to sell their
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT)
cards on sites such as Craigslist
and Facebook. Multiple EBT card
replacements were also tracked.
Customer Authentication
An identity theft prevention
project was initiated that will
ensure the individual applying
public assistance is, in fact, the
person they identified themselves
as.The project automates
identity verification by folding it
into the application and review
process. Prior to e-signature, the
application displays up to four
questions designed to be answered
by the applicant. The questions are
developed based on the person’s
history and presented in a way
that only the person completing
the application should know the
answers.
New EBT Contract
DCF signed a new contract to
process EBT services for clients,
saving taxpayers at least $8.6
million next fiscal year and an
estimated $21 million over the
next three years.
DCF signed the contract with
eFunds – a subsidiary of FIS
Government Services, the world’s
largest provider of banking and
payment technologies.
The contract includes innovative
fraud solutions targeted to
prevent an additional $4 million
in fraud annually.We anticipate
that the vendor’s fraud solutions
and dedicated fraud support staff
will also result in a 30 percent
increase in actionable EBT fraud
referrals.
Public Assistance Fraud
The Office of Public Benefits Integrity (OPBI) is composed of two
divisions,ACCESS Integrity and Benefit Recovery.These programs are
responsible for the prevention of, detection of, and recovery from
improper or fraudulent receipt of public assistance benefits.
Florida will be
the first state
in the nation
to integrate
customer
authentication
technology
into the web
application,
making us a
model for
other states
to follow.
2012 Year in Review
2323
24. Back-Office Improvements
Human Resources Strategic
Plan Project
While 2011 saw many
improvements in programs and
services for our clients, 2012
was the year of looking inward,
implementing changes to provide
DCF employees with the support,
systems and tools they need to
do their jobs well. Indeed, two of
our strategic goals – empower
front-line staff and effect program
improvements – are directly
related to the resources and
services we provide to our
employees.Toward that end,
DCF established the
development of a
Human Resources
Strategic Plan
as one of its
priorities for
2012.
The Human Resources (HR)
Strategic Plan represents an
exciting change in the way DCF
manages its workforce.Today, more
than ever, government agencies
are required to organize and
operate themselves as businesses,
continually driving performance
improvements, efficiencies and
cost-effectiveness.The HR
Strategic Plan makes specific
recommendations for building the
lean, high-performance workforce
DCF must have to establish Florida
as the undisputed leader for child
welfare, family independence, and
individual self-sufficiency
in the nation.
Office Space
Reductions
The Department of Children
and Families continues to
be a leader in finding the
most innovative and efficient
ways to serve Florida’s most
vulnerable citizens. Several
initiatives have been underway
to reduce office space and
improve service delivery.This
has resulted in an overall
reduction in lease space of
198,871 square feet and $3.5
million in lease costs during FY
2011-2012.
Lease space was reduced
through the following
initiatives:
•• By providing mobile tools
necessary to conduct
routine business functions
away from the office, the
agency was able to reduce
lease space associated
with individual offices.
•• Aggressive use of
telecommuting for certain
staff to work from home
where conducive.This is
especially utilized in the
ACCESS program.
•• Reduction of unneeded or
underutilized office space.
•• Consolidation and
reduction of space to
meet Department of
Management Services
space guidelines of 180
square feet per staff
person.
Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
24
25. Delivering Enhanced and
Effective Enterprise Services
In its second year of realizing
the strategic vision set forth by
Secretary Wilkins, DCF initiated
a series of projects intended
to streamline administrative
functions.The focus has been in
the areas of human resources,
budget, and information
technology in order to improve
operational processes and
practices that meet the objectives
of empowering front-line staff and
effecting program improvements.
Since the implementation
of administrative shared
services, DCF has
achieved significant
results in the following
areas:
•• Standardized
administrative
processes,
eliminated
duplicative
functions,
and increased
efficiencies utilizing
existing technology
has resulted in
savings of more than
$3 million dollars in the
areas of Human Resources,
Information Technology and
Budget Services.
•• Reduced the cost of
delivering administrative
services by consolidating
or eliminating non-critical
transactional functions and
focusing more effort on
delivering higher-valued
services.
•• Enhanced the effectiveness
of the administrative process
through implementation
of new technology in the
human resources budget and
information technology.
•• The Department also led
the Governor’s Statewide
Enterprise Efficiency Initiative
for vendor performance
management. During the
initiative, each agency
conducted a review of
its top services contracts
and identified aspects of
the business relationship
that could be refined or
renegotiated into savings for
the State of Florida. With
more than $10 billion in
contract value under review,
the initiative identified
$128 million in savings and
negotiated $178 million
in additional value. The
Department led the effort
with more than $38 million
in savings and $137 million in
additional value.
2012 Year in Review
25
26. In 2012, the Florida Legislature officially approved a Region organizational structure for the
Department of Children and Families, which moved DCF away from its old district structure.The
change consolidates 13 districts into 6 regions led by regional managing directors. Region offices and
their staff provide a direct connection to DCF for their communities. Featured on the next few pages
are highlights of region activity over the past year.
Florida Department of Children and Familiesmyflfamilies.com
26
Regions
27. Northwest
Helping to Understand and
Combat Poverty
The region’s AmeriCorps program
in Escambia and Santa Rosa
counties focuses on financial
literacy, early education and
nutritional education.AmeriCorps
members have helped 325
individuals in financial literacy
classes throughout the community
thanks to excellent community
partnerships. Members conducted
three poverty simulations,
educating more than 120
community members on what it is
like to try to pay the bills and live
in poverty. In addition,AmeriCorps
members work in neighborhoods
to grow community gardens,
providing more than 3,900 pounds
of fresh, healthy food and recipes
to local residents.
Business, Community Leaders
Join to Battle Homelessness
More than 40 organizations,
businesses and foundations
contributed to the construction
and development of the
Renaissance Community Center
in Tallahassee. The center is
a comfortable and welcoming
environment where homeless
individuals and families can easily
access an array of services such
as case management, employment
and training resources, mental and
physical health evaluations, housing
opportunities, counseling and
access to public benefits.A DCF
representative is at the center
each week to help visitors apply
for temporary public assistance
and sign up for MyACCESS
accounts.
Program SupportsYouth
Seeking College Degrees
The Fostering Achievement
Fellowship program at Tallahassee
Community College inducted eight
new fellows this fall, adding to
the ten currently in the program.
The Fellowship was designed to
assist young adults in making the
transition from a structured foster
care program to independent
adulthood. It provides academic,
career readiness and social
support
to assist
college-
bound
youth aging
out of care
pursue a
college
education
and have
a chance
to achieve
their full
potential.
Helping
Franklin County
Residents with
Fishery Crisis
The region
worked with
residents, county leadership,
business owners, volunteers and
service providers of Franklin
County to get much-needed
help to the area during the crisis
affecting area oystermen and
seafood workers. During two one-
day resource fairs,ACCESS staff
helped area residents complete
more than 70 applications for
temporary assistance, expediting
many of those applications for
immediate benefits and providing
information about temporary
public assistance benefits. In
October, staff helped sort through
and distribute 42,000 pounds of
food to more than 500 distressed
families. Governor Rick Scott
visited Franklin County that day to
meet with local seafood workers
and help deliver food.
Innovative Mentoring
Program forYouth
The department forged a
partnership with The Community
Trust Corporation (Generations),
Big Bend Community Based Care,
the Home Builders Institute, and
its existing community partners to
develop a program focused on 60
at-risk youth.
Mentors were
college students
attending
various
colleges in
Tallahassee.
Through these
organized
workshops
and activities,
youth bonded with their mentors
and formed a truly meaningful
relationship that will profoundly
impact their lives.
Counties: Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf,
Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa
Rosa,Wakulla,Walton,Washington
See local
information
Youth participating in the Home Builders Institute
Mentoring program.
238
Com
m
unity
Partners
& Growing!
2012 Year in Review
27
28. Better Support for Staff
DecreasesTurnover
During the 2011-2012 fiscal year,
the region’s turnover rate for
child protective investigators was
47 percent.Thanks to changes in
hiring practices, we estimate that
the turnover rate will be about
16 percent.We attribute this to
quality training, and working with
supervisors on counseling and
mentoring techniques.
Ensuring Safety of Children in
Group Homes
To ensure that children living in
group foster care are thriving,
the region’s Family Safety
Program Office began making
unannounced visits to group
homes to determine how children
were being cared for.We provided
feedback to group home operators
at every visit.
Partnerships Lead to Better
Outcomes
The Partners for Promise initiative
has established 193 partnerships
throughout the region. Here are
some examples:
•• Following several preventable
infant deaths, we participated
in the formation of a Safe
Sleep Task Force, composed of
representatives from several
child welfare organizations.
The group successfully raised
$10,000 to purchase more
than 200 portable cribs for
needy families to promote
safe sleeping habits and
reduce the likelihood of infant
deaths due to co-sleeping.
•• Discussions with residents of
an inner-city neighborhood in
Jacksonville revealed a desire
to create positive memories
for community youth.This
resulted in several initiatives
we helped organize, including
a Father-Daughter Dance
to bring fathers and their
daughters closer together, as
well as a day of parenting and
life skills classes. Additionally,
staff helped coordinate
the community’s first-ever
Financial Education Task Force
to develop approaches for
helping families improve their
financial health and increase
long-term self-sufficiency.
The Task Force includes
representatives from a
number of local banks.
Streamlining
Adult
Protective
Services
An innovative
case management
policy reduced the average
days to close cases from 52 to
30.This resulted in decreased
caseloads, allowing adult protective
investigators to focus on the more
complicated and difficult cases.We
encourage our adult protective
investigators to go in, assess the
situation, determine whether or
not the vulnerable adult can decide
whether they want to accept or
reject assistance, get services in
place if the victim wants them, and
then safely close the case.
Northeast
Counties:Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Dixie,
Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison,
Nassau, Putnam, St. Johns, Suwannee,Taylor, Union,Volusia
See local
information
Northeast Regional Director David Abramowitz makes it a
priority to be engaged in our communities. While visiting a
Children’s Home Society campus in Jacksonville,Abramowitz
took time to play basketball with a teenager in foster care.
189
Com
m
unity
Partners
& Growing!
Florida Department of Children and Families
28
myflfamilies.com
29. Transition to New Lead
Agency Benefits Kids
This year, the region successfully
transitioned services to a new
community-based care lead agency
in Hillsborough County, Eckerd
Community Alternatives. During
the transition, Eckerd and the
department partnered to hold
five community forums promoted
to obtain public
input related to the
system of care and
community needs.
Eckerd received a
civic award from the
USF Area Community
Civic Association, Inc.,
and the University
Area Community
Development
Corporation for
their grassroots
organizational
initiatives.
CPIs Collaborate
with Community Partners
Our child protective investigators
are working even more closely
with our community partners. In
response to a significant increase
in abuse reports, a child protective
investigator is now located at the
North Port Police Department,
where she works closely with the
detectives assigned to the Crimes
Against Children unit.
Sarasota County has seen a
significant increase in the number
of substance-exposed newborns
over the past two years, primarily
resulting from the abuse of
prescription drugs.
The birth of a substance-exposed
newborn always prompts a call to
the Abuse Hotline, which means
that investigators were spending
a lot of time responding to these
hospital cases.An investigator
and family intervention specialist
are now stationed at the hospital
to improve the timeliness of the
investigative response.As a result,
mothers are getting referred more
quickly, thus offering the best
possible chance to become actively
engaged with recovery services by
the time the baby is ready to leave
the hospital.
Region Leads State in
Partners for Promise
The region has aggressively
pursued Partners for Promise
goals.We have recruited 568
community partners. Here are a
few examples:
•• Thanks to Angels Against
Abuse, 10 children were
sponsored to attend a Camp
for Champions event.Angels
Against Abuse, whose mission
is to build awareness and
educate the community about
neglect and abuse against
children, has been a terrific
partner in the camp initiative.
•• Tampa Bay
Rays Pitcher
James Shields
and his
wife Ryane,
together
with the
Tampa Bay Rays, donate a
suite at Tropicana Field for
foster children.They decorate
it as the Big Game James
clubhouse so that foster
children have a place that is all
their own. At the end of the
third season of the Big Game
James Club, 60 foster children
attended a combined total of
51 home games.
•• In June, Layla’s House, 100
Black Men of Tampa Bay and
Champions for Children
hosted a barbecue for Bay
area men and children.The
organizations are partnered
to provide a venue in hopes of
encouraging fathers in lower
income areas to become
more involved in their
children’s lives.
•• Frank Zaitshik, the owner
and director of Wade Shows,
North America’s premier
carnival company, dreamed
of providing a free fair for
children in foster care,
adopted children, and those
living with relatives. His dream
became a reality for 6,000
children and families.Working
with the Florida State Fair,
DCF, 37 corporate sponsors
and 200 volunteers, the fair
took place in mid-December.
Mr. Zaitshik has committed to
making this an annual event!
SunCoast
Counties:Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry,
Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota See local
information
Children enjoy free fair as part of Miles of Smiles.
568
Com
m
unity
Partners
& Growing!
2012 Year in Review
29
30. Central
Homeless 2 Home Campaign
The Homeless 2 Home (H2H)
campaign was launched in support
of children and families in the
community who are homeless or
are at risk of becoming homeless.
The initiative was orchestrated
after a national broadcast placed
central Florida at the forefront of
homeless issues in the nation.
H2H serves as an umbrella for
all homeless-related activities
within DCF’s Central Region.The
initiative included a Facebook
campaign that featured local
families who needed help.
Through H2H, the region was
introduced to five local families
who went from homeless to
home with the support of
various community partners,
everyday citizens, and
their own hard work
and commitment.
The families have since
maintained affordable
housing and gainful
employment.
Assistance OutreachTeam
The region launched an outreach
deployment team to area motels
offering ACCESS and related
services where populations of
homeless or near homeless
families were identified.These
efforts made services directly
accessible to a population at
risk for being homeless.There,
Floridians were able to apply for
public assistance, check the status
of an application, complete the
interview for food assistance,
and ask questions regarding
benefits or pending applications.
DCF partnered with Workforce
Central Florida, an organization
that deploys their mobile
“One Stop” bus that is
equipped with satellite
internet services and
computers, and Second
Harvest Food Bank.The
program is currently in
three counties, and 518
individuals have been
served in the last six
months.
Panera Bread
Recruits Foster
Teens for
Employment
Community Based
Care of Central
Florida and Panera Bread recently
announced a hiring initiative that
focuses on the recruitment of
teens in foster care.The new
employment model breaks down
barriers that often exist for teens
in the foster care system, such
as transportation and uniform
expenses.
Local Spa Helps FosterTeen
Shed Unwanted Ink
Through Partners for Promise,
the region has developed a new
relationship with the Winter Park
Laser and Anti-Aging Center. In
early 2012, we learned of a teen
who re-entered foster care after
attempts to find a permanent
family had failed. In and out of
foster care much of his life, the
young man with ambition and goals
asked for help with the removal
of a tattoo on his face.The Winter
Park Laser and Anti-Aging Center
donated the tattoo removal
procedure to the youth to help
him achieve his goals.
Counties: Brevard, Citrus, Hardee, Hernando, Highlands,
Lake, Marion, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Sumter See local
information
Caption
FosterYouth gather to listen at Myron Rolle’sWellness and Leadership Academy.
259
Com
m
unity
Partners
& Growing!
Florida Department of Children and Families
30
myflfamilies.com
31. A SuccessfulYear ofTransition
In 2012, the region successfully
established a new lead community
based care agency in Palm Beach
County, garnered the support of
more than 200 businesses and
agencies as part of the Partners
for Promise initiative, and ensured
a smooth transition to the region’s
two new managing entities for
substance abuse and mental health
care.
Hunger Champion Award
The Southeast Region’s ACCESS
Program received the Silver and
Bronze SNAP Hunger Champion
awards this year from the U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Food
and Nutrition Service Outreach
Coalition.The prestigious award
honors local offices that provide
exemplary service in assisting
eligible clients in obtaining SNAP
benefits.The region has also joined
with 416 community organizations
that serve as service and outreach
partners to many areas, including
immigrant communities.
Partners Come in All Sizes
Outreach efforts through
Partners for Promise secured
support from agencies ranging
from community giants JM Family
Enterprises and AutoNation to a
local baker who makes birthday
cakes for group home residents,
and a forensic auditor who
reviews Adult Protective Services
financial exploitation cases. DCF
issued a regional “call to action”
and brought groups together
to combat domestic violence in
Broward County and assembled
stakeholders to improve services
and support to young people
who aged out of foster care so
they could participate in post-
secondary education.
Nursing HomeTransition
Program
When the Broward Homebound
program signaled they were
closing its program, the region
helped successfully transition
clients to the MaeVolen Center
without any lapses in services or
care. Staff established a process
to transition
individuals ages
18-59 out of
nursing home care
and back into a
community setting
through the
Nursing Home Transition Program,
earning a 2012 Davis Productivity
Award.
Southeast
Bringing Hope to
Those in Need
One of the region’s clients
was a woman who was
badly injured in Haiti’s 2010
devastating earthquake and
lost her right leg.The injured
mother was determined
to persevere and regain
her independence.Through
the vital support from
the department’s Refugee
Services program and other
community partners, including
a prosthetics firm, church and
nursing home, the woman
was able to walk again.Those
partnerships resulted in the
woman’s two-year ordeal
having a positive ending, which
included reunification with her
family, who thought she had
perished in the earthquake.
Counties: Broward, Indian River, Martin, Palm Beach,
Okeechobee, St. Lucie See local
information
Taylor’s Closet provides girls who are
at-risk and in foster care the opportunity
to shop for designer clothing.
223
Com
m
unity
Partners
& Growing!
2012 Year in Review
31
32. Local Partnerships Benefit
Community
The region has more than 130
active Partners for Promise
committed to serve our clients
in need. One partner – Neat
Stuff – provided more than 1,800
children with new school uniforms,
shoes and accessories.
This organization
was highlighted last
year on ABC’s “Secret
Millionaire,” which
made a donation to the
organization.
Another community
partner, Sant La Haitian
Neighborhood Center,
is helping clients
applying for assistance
in their neighborhood
and in their language.
In collaboration
with our faith-based
partners, the region
created the ShareYour
Heart program to
address unmet needs
of children, families, and vulnerable
adults in the community. Share
Your Heart brings together a
coalition of faith-based partners
and provides them with the
knowledge, skills and ability to
meet the social, emotional, physical
and spiritual health needs of our
communities.
Child Protective Investigations
Performance Improves
Child Protective Investigations
performance in the region rose
from last place in the state to first.
A year ago, Miami child protective
investigators’ turnover rate was in
excess of 40 percent.Today, that
number has dropped dramatically
to 3.4 percent. In addition, all
performance measures for child
protective investigators places
them in the top rankings statewide.
This was accomplished by getting
the right people into managerial
and supervisory positions,
improving communications, and
using a common set of assessment
tools throughout the child welfare
system.
Pilot Addresses
Overrepresentation of African
American Children in Care
Statistically,African-American
children are disproportionately
represented in every level of the
child welfare system, statewide and
nationally. In Florida, these children
comprise more than a third of the
foster care population.
To address this disparity, DCF
launched a pilot initiative in 2012
to reduce child abuse and neglect
among African-American children
in Liberty City, one of Miami’s
most impoverished neighborhoods.
While African-American children
make up just 23 percent of the
child population in Miami, they
represent 60 percent of all youth
in foster care. In partnership with
the Urban League of Greater
Miami and
community
leaders, DCF
unveiled the
“Breaking the
Cycle” grassroots
initiative in Miami.
As part of the initiative, community
forums were held where
caregivers, community partners,
and other stakeholders met to
help implement
community-focused
solutions.
Customized parenting
courses were
developed, taking
many specific cultural
differences into
consideration.
In September,
25 participants
graduated in a
ceremony attended
by their families,
and other guests.
Three new groups of
25 participants are
expected to complete
the program and
graduate in 2013.
Parents have shown their
enthusiasm by planning a Parent
Community Forum where they
gather to discuss the effectiveness
of current programs, the
possibilities for new programs,
and the resources they have found
most valuable in their community.
Southern
Counties: Miami-Dade, Monroe
See local
information
Neat Stuff provided more than 1,800
children with supplies for school.
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m
unity
Partners
& Growing!
Florida Department of Children and Families
32
myflfamilies.com
33. A Breakdown of Our
2012–13 Budget
Administration $86,161,403 3.00%
Executive Leadership assures the Department services meet the highest standards for quality and integrity
Investigations $312,493,471 10.86%
Child and Adult Protective Investigations consider allegations to determine the safety of children or vulnerable adults
Family and Community Services $945,496,433 32.87%
Committed to the safety and well-being of vulnerable adults and permanency of children while preserving families
Mental Health $585,814,090 20.37%
Supports mental health services including crisis intervention services, community treatment, and residential programs
Forensic $130,153,956 4.52%
Supports forensic mental health services
InformationTechnology $177,436,815 6.17%
Develops and maintains information technology empowering frontline staff to provide world-class services to Floridians
Public Assistance $439,022,816 15.26%
Supports the planning, management, evaluation and delivery of public assistance
Substance Abuse $199,769,515 6.95%
Supports a continuum of community-based substance abuse prevention, treatment, and detoxification services
TOTAL $ 2,876,348,499 100.00%
$2,876,348,499
Budgeted for
Programs and Services
2012 Year in Review
33
35. The future is exciting for those who work at the
Department of Children and Families, and the
hundreds of social service agencies in this great
state. In the upcoming year, we will focus on
completing the change journey for many significant
initiatives.
•• The Child Welfare Transformation’s largest
change program, related to implementation of
the Child Protection Safety Framework, began
January 2013.
•• Our Community Based Care
organizations will continue
to raise the bar with their
additional operational
improvements in the areas of
child well-being, independent
living and crossover kids.
•• The department will launch
a new, aggressive awareness
campaign focusing on child abuse and substance
abuse prevention.
•• Our ACCESS Florida and Public Benefits
Integrity offices will implement several new
initiatives related to Public Assistance Fraud.
•• Our ACCESS Florida program will begin
development of a new Medicaid Eligibility
System.
•• The department will be working to design a
performance measurement system to reward
our top-performing employees.
These improvements are all designed to help us
perform our job better, and to, most importantly,
help those who need our services. To that end, we
will embark this year on a strategy to dramatically
redefine how we deliver services to those most in
need. People’s lives truly change when people invest
their time, talent, and resources in helping others.
Our vision is to shift the cultural mentality from
that of “acceptance” of long-term entitlements
to “empowerment and hope”
through focused, life-changing,
self-sufficiency initiatives.
This can be accomplished by
integrating front-end protection
and education services with
community engagement and
support.The services available and
delivered to our clients should
focus on helping people move
from a place of need toward self-
sufficiency.This involves a “small town” mentality
of people helping people and true community
ownership versus reliance solely on government
service delivery.
Over the next several months, we plan to expand
upon this vision and develop an operational plan
for implementation. Realizing positive change in
our agency is exciting. Realizing positive change in
people’s lives is everlasting! Please join us on our
journey.
These improvements are
all designed to help us
perform our job better,
and to, most importantly,
help those who need our
services.
Realizing Higher Standards of Excellence
Through Diligent Execution of Service Delivery
2012 Year in Review
35
36. Our People Our Partners Our Communities
+ + =
Mission
Protect theVulnerable, Promote Strong and Economically Self-Sufficient Families, and
Advance Personal and Family Recovery and Resiliency
