Integrated Children's Protective Services

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2010

The Integrated Children Protective Services (ICPS) program offers voluntary mental health and substance abuse services to families with unfounded, inconclusive or unsubstantiated child abuse cases. In the past, many families in Family and Children Protective Services (FCPS) had multiple allegations and investigations by FCPS before a substantiated finding of child abuse. The ICPS program offers mental health, alcohol and drug counseling and case management services as, before or shortly after the first point of contact with FCPS. By taking the initiative with preventive and early intervention services, families have an opportunity to address and correct attitudes and behaviors that result in substantiated findings of child abuse. This program offers multi-disciplinary case planning and services based on family strengths. A parent partner, often one who has been through child protective services, can be called upon for the service team. The service follows evidence-based practices from the University of California on family focused programs. The inclusion of an alcohol and drug counselor is vital as research findings show that 81 percent of FCPS cases involve substance abuse. Collaborative case planning by the team reduces duplication of efforts and potential conflict from uncoordinated interventions. Implementing the ICPS program has prevented many families from becoming verified abusive and entering into court-order child protective services. The results include savings in program expenses, not only within the agency, but also within the court system. Since 2004, the number of out of home placements of children decreased by 56 percent, from 134 to 75. Most importantly, the program reduces the childhood trauma of abuse and intervenes before abusive behaviors are learned and passed on to the next generation of parents.