Kristina Trastek

The committee held a discussion regarding the Citizen Review Panel Annual Report, encouraging members to submit recommendations for service improvements to the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services. Additionally, the committee decided to cancel the third-quarter meeting due to a lack of cases meeting the review criteria. The committee subsequently entered a closed session to conduct confidential reviews of specific child welfare incident cases as designated by the Citizen Review Panel.

The meeting agenda includes a system change process update by the Division of Safety Permanence and the Bureau of Safety and Well-Being, followed by a review of the case review process for the Division of Milwaukee Child Welfare. The committee will also conduct a closed session to perform its duties as the designated Citizen Review Panel for Milwaukee County regarding the review of specific case files.

The agenda includes a review of the committee purpose, a presentation on the Stronger Families Program, a question and answer session, and a discussion regarding the meeting schedule for the remainder of the year.

This document outlines the Poverty Informed Care (PIC) strategy developed by the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council to improve service delivery and outcomes for children and families statewide. The strategy emphasizes treating poverty as a community and systemic issue, not an individual weakness, through a phased roadmap that includes foundational knowledge, organizational readiness, and ongoing implementation. Key priorities for 2025-2026 focus on reviewing policies, identifying opportunities, developing action plans, fostering common language, and ensuring leadership commitment. The overarching goal is to reduce stigma, build trust, remove barriers, and enhance access, engagement, satisfaction, health equity, and overall outcomes.

The meeting included a review of compliance with Open Meetings Law requirements, noting publication dates across various platforms. A significant portion of the discussion centered on the DCF Budget and potential government shutdown impact through 2026, affecting funding awards, and various social support programs. Updates from the Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services covered new abilities for staff to purchase food for families, utilization of the Dave Herbert Trust fund, new staff onboarding, condolences for a deceased worker, and security enhancements planned for the North 26th Street building. Subcommittee check-ins resulted in new member appointments for the Prevention Committee and the Critical Incident Committee. A deep dive presentation focused on Out of Home Care, noting trends like the decline in children in OHC and licensed foster homes, and the impending Chapter 56 Admin Code update designed to ease relative licensing. Case Management Agencies discussed challenges in recruitment, retention, and placement matching, citing factors like inflation and community violence. The youth justice side reported on struggles finding appropriate placements for children with significant mental health challenges. The session concluded with a Call to Action regarding the OHC presentation, focusing on addressing recruitment declines and placement needs.