Dec. 4: Advisory Board, Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services
Covered by Documenter Antoinette Williams (notes)
DCFS staffing surge
The Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) has successfully filled 394 social service worker positions. DCFS Director Jacqueline Fletcher reported this to the Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services Advisory Board at its Dec. 4 meeting.
That’s a significant improvement since last December, when 152 of 401 positions were vacant. Fletcher expressed satisfaction with the staffing increases, giving credit to a salary raise. She said that when families see the same caseworker regularly, it builds trust and improves outcomes.
The number of face-to-face visits continues to improve but remains below target. Data presented at the meeting showed a steady increase in the percentage of clients visited at least monthly, from 73% two years ago to 86% in the third quarter of 2024. But that’s still below the goal of 95%.
Fletcher shared that DCFS is looking to try new strategies, including better scheduling and increased support for caseworkers, to increase face-to-face interactions.
Cleveland Angels
Gretchen Dupps, executive director of Cleveland Angels, shared an overview of the nonprofit organization’s programs Dare to Dream and Love Box, which provide mentorship and essential resources to foster families and youth aging out of care. Dupps also discussed the need for more African-American male mentors, as the organization has a renewed focus on targeted recruitment and community outreach to address this gap. She stated the importance of representation for the mentors who work with the youth.
The advisory board emphasized the critical role fathers play in family stability and child welfare. New initiatives such as listening sessions and mentorship programs are in the works to better integrate fathers into the child welfare process.
Fletcher commended Cleveland Angels, noting how important their work is in filling gaps the system is unable to address.
Data dashboard
DCFS advisory board member David Crampton presented the latest findings of the data dashboard. The dashboard is designed to track key metrics, such as adoption rates, face-to-face visits and placement stability.
Crampton discussed positive trends in placement stability, noting that stable placements means fewer disruptions for children, which is important for their long-term well-being.
Crampton also reiterated the importance of improving the numbers of face-to-face visits. Efforts are being made to improve the dashboard process, for better real-time feedback. Crampton wants to ensure the dashboard is not just informative but actionable.