Washington DCYF FAST Project

ABSTRACT Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families FAST Project Purpose This proposal is to support Washington State Departmplement of Children, Youth and Families implement a Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management framework through the development of a customized Family Advocacy and Support Tool (FAST) in order to provide action planning and outcomes management for children and families in their care. The FAST, is a functional assessment, that organizes information and operationalizes the TCOM framework which is rooted in the following guiding principles: • The belief that all interventions and assessments should be culturally responsive and respectful. • People should have a voice and choice with regard to participating in any assessments and interventions. • All interventions should be personalized, respectful and have demonstrable value to the people they serve. • Collaborative processes inclusive of children and families, should be used for all decisions at all levels of the system. • Consensus on action is the primarcy outcome of all collaborative processes. • Information about the people served and their personal change should always inform decision making at all levels of the system. • All of our work should be accomplished with respect to the earth and our impact on it. Qualifications The CANS is a functional assessment tool that has been in use in child welfare, children’s behavioral health, educational and juvenile justice systems since the late 1990s. Developed by John S. Lyons, PhD while at Northwestern University, the CANS is now used across the United States, Canada and over 10 countries internationally. It is estimated that 80% of children served in public behavioral health and child welfare systems in the United States have had a CANS. Since the development of the CANS, other similar tools have been created including the Adult Needs and Strengths Assessment (ANSA), Family Advocacy and Support Tool (FAST), Crisis Assessment Tool (CAT), and the Readiness Inventory for Successful Employment (RISE). During the last 30+ years Dr. Lyons’ work has received support from the organizations that he has worked in which contributed to the development of his team and the evolution of the Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) approach: University of Ottawa, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, and most recently at the Center for Innovation in Population Health (IPH Center) at the University of Kentucky. Established in 2019, the IPH Center provides a platform for the TCOM approach to flourish in a research setting that can draw multi-sector collaborative 1 relationships with key partners in the academy as well as throughout the human service sectors. Within the context of the IPH Center, TCOM and its tools, such as the FAST, broadens the strategy of personal transformation to addressing population health improvement. Methods 1. TCOM Implementation a. TCOM and FAST implementation, technical assistance, consultation b. Customized FAST reference guide development and editing c. Customized FAST certification course on TCOMtraining.com d. Vignette development, customized to Washington State 2. FAST Training a. TCOM Overview and FAST Orientation b. FAST Training of Trainers c. FAST Certified Trainer Coaching and Support d. FAST Trainer Collaborative Meetings Qualifications of Key Staff April D. Fernando, PhD is an Associate Director of the IPH Center and an Associate Professor, Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health at the University of Kentucky. She leads the TCOM Implementation, Development, and Educational Support (TIDES) program at the IPH Center. As the Principle Investigator (PI) she will provide overall project leadership and provide clinical insight and support, ensuring that the workforce is properly trained and supported in the TCOM approach and the use of TCOM tools. 2