Ellen Brown

The board meeting agenda covered various agency reports, including updates from the Office of Family Independence, Office of Child Welfare, Division of Aging Services, and Division of Child Support Services. Administrative reports addressed rule change proposals from the Office of General Counsel regarding DCSS and RCCL. Additionally, the board conducted votes on the final adoption of proposed DCSS rule amendments and the publication of proposed RCCL rule changes for public comment.

This document outlines the Department of Family and Children Services' (DFCS) "blueprint for change plan," designed to transform the agency into a leading family and children services provider globally. The plan encompasses three strategic pillars: developing a robust workforce through enhanced staffing, expertise, and ongoing learning; fostering constituent engagement via advisory boards, feedback mechanisms, and public roadshows; and adopting a specialized practice model to ensure child safety and strengthen families. The chosen practice model, Solution-Based Casework (SVC), is grounded in family lifecycle theory, relapse prevention, and solution-focused family therapy, aiming to establish strong family partnerships, focus on daily life patterns for protection, and identify preventative solutions for children's safety, permanency, and well-being.

The joint meeting included updates from the Division of Aging Services regarding efforts to mitigate social isolation and loneliness among older adults, including evidence-based screening tools and successful program initiatives. The Division of Child Support Services presented its performance outcomes for the 2023 federal fiscal year, highlighting collections for current support and arrears, and performance against federal benchmarks for paternity establishment.

The meeting featured an administrative report which included a presentation by the Deputy Commissioner of Finance regarding the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 and Fiscal Year 2027 Budget. Following the presentation, the Board unanimously approved and adopted the Amended Fiscal Year 2026 and Fiscal Year 2027 Budget.

The meeting agenda included agency reports from the Office of Family Independence, Office of Child Welfare, Division of Aging Services, and Division of Child Support Services. Administrative reports covered an easement in Cherokee County and a proposed rule change for the Division of Child Support Services. Key board business involved votes on the proposed Cherokee County Easement and the proposed DCSS Rule Change.