18 Miss. Code. R. 6-1-A-I-I
Under the umbrella of the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS), the Division of Family and Children's Services (DFCS) is authorized by state statute to promulgate regulations, policies and procedures necessary to implement the state's child welfare system and to ensure the safety, permanency, and well-being for Mississippi's families and children. DFCS is responsible for the Title IV-B Subpart 1 (Child Welfare Services), IV-B Subpart 2 (Promoting Safe and Stable Families), Title IV-E (Foster Care and Adoption Assistance), Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) as amended by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003, Chafee Foster Care Independence Program (CFCIP), Educational Training Voucher (ETV) and other federal and state programs.
MISS. CODE ANN. § 43-1-4
Powers and duties of department
The Department of Human Services shall have the following powers and duties:
Our mission is to lead Mississippi in protecting children and youth from abuse, neglect and exploitation by providing services to promote safe and stable families.
The mission statement must appear in training curriculum, conferences, publications, and any other appropriate communications i.e. email formats.
Our vision is for children to grow up in a loving family environment, safe from harm, without fear of disruption and with the opportunity to experience continuity of relationships, with all children having stability and a sense of belonging. Our goal is that no child experiences abuse or neglect and that the families we serve improve their abilities to protect and nurture their children as a result of our intervention.
* Competence- To be competent, we have technical skills and knowledge; we work with common sense; we make informed decisions; and we follow through to achieve successful outcomes.
* Integrity- To act with integrity we are honest in our interactions; we are accountable for our actions; and we do the right thing.
* Responsibility- To be responsible we do what we say we are going to do; we take initiative.
* Respect- To be respectful we treat others with kindness, compassion, dignity, and honor differences in our clients and each other.
* Personal courage- To be courageous we are loyal to the Mission of MDHS/DFCS; we advocate for our clients; we lead by example even when doing so carries risk.
* Collaboration- To collaborate we make decisions for the common good; we share resources based on need; we work together effectively in teams; and work with a collective knowledge of all programs and services.
"Administration" or "Management" refers to those activities deliberately designed and practiced that support, guide and ensure successful delivery of the DFCS's direct service interventions. Section A of this manual defines and describes these general Administration/Management activities. Policy Sections B-H defines and describes DFCS' direct service interventions.
Management, supervisory, administrative as well as direct services intervention practice shall be based on a common philosophy and shall be governed by similar expectations. Principles and ethics of the profession of social work will be embedded in all administrative policy and practice guidelines and direct service interventions policy and guidelines.
Family centered, strengths-based practice principles provide the model for child welfare practice with individuals and families, supervision and management of staff within DFCS, and collaboration with community groups and partners.
Engagement, instruction, assessment, planning, evaluation, advocacy and communication shall be practiced at the management/ administrative/supervisory level and at the direct service provision level.
DFCS leaders/administrators/managers/supervisors should model the practices and demonstrate the administrative skills expected of those they supervise.
The expectations for administration, management and supervision of each supervisory unit, DFCS team or family team include the following:
* The team is the focus. Teams should be clearly defined by composition, structure, purpose, functions, roles, and meeting frequency. Team members should be engaged to develop systems of expectations, outcomes or goals, communication, support and services to address DFCS goals and positive outcomes for the children and families we serve. Teams should encourage the individual, personal and professional goals of team members. Relationship and team building activities are essential to success.
* Strengths are emphasized. Teams should identify and assess the skills, abilities and resources available to perform work and achieve goals. The capacity of the team is broadened through a conscious, continual use and reinforcement of these strengths.
* Plans are made by the team rather than for the team. Ongoing strategic planning is a routine practice throughout the DFCS. Problem-solving skills should receive ongoing attention.
* Decisions are shared. To the greatest extent possible, individuals and teams should share in decisions affecting them.
* Continuous feedback is given. Individuals and teams should receive ongoing feedback about achievement of Administrative goals and direct services interventions goals. They should be apprised, by individual and team supervisors, of their individual and team effectiveness in achieving stated outcomes. Ongoing program assessment, Continuous Quality Improvement and individual performance evaluation are employed to ensure success of the DFCS's mission.
* Assessments shall be supported through the use of all available reliable data. Leaders, supervisors, managers and direct services staff should provide instruction and guidance based on DFCS data as well as client, staff and community feedback. Leaders should ensure the validity, integrity and reliability of DFCS data.
* Administrative teams shall be linked with a diverse array of other agencies or community teams, groups or domains that, likewise, develop defined communication and support systems to address DFCS goals and outcomes. These teams could be, but are not limited to, Implementation Teams, clusters of counties, community partnerships formed for specific purposes or DFCS intra-divisional teams.
* Communication is essential and ongoing communication is paramount to individual and team success. Routine, planned team meetings should be held to ensure more uniform application of policies and practice principles. Staff should be apprised of and adhere to the established chain of command. Team supervisors should develop clear communication plans and protocols in consultation with team members.
* Leaders must be visible. Leaders must schedule local site visits in order to solicit feedback, communicate values and vision, and to coach and model practice philosophies.
* Advocacy is basic to child welfare work. Administrative, supervisory and front line staff shall advocate for and clearly communicate the Division's purpose, vision, core values and practice philosophy and principles. Leaders shall intervene on behalf of staff, when necessary, and model and coach effective advocacy. Actual practice shall clearly reflect stated values and principles.
* Documentation ensures accountability. Minutes of team meetings shall be maintained in appropriate administrative files. Documentation in case files shall be thorough, concise and up to date.
* Successes shall be communicated and celebrated. Each core team shall identify successes and recognize successful practitioners.
The role of DFCS leadership requires responsibility and creativity necessary in organizational and institutional leadership.
The major tasks of the Deputy Administrator are to develop and establish the basic mission and goals of DFCS and to create an organizational culture and structure uniquely adapted to and capable of fulfilling the mission and accomplishing the goals, the Deputy Administrator must:
* promote and defend, build and protect organizational integrity through actions, behavior, and decisions which support and demonstrate the unity of policy, structure, and technology with the values and principles providing the foundation for the DFCS' distinctive competence - the unique and exclusive manner in which DFCS gets the work done in a way that only this organization and no other can get the work done.
* stimulate and engender in staff, and in external partners and stakeholders, trust, faith, and belief in the mission, methods, and values, as well as in organizational leadership.
Organizational charts show the official "chain of command" of DFCS and are subject to modification as needs change. Therefore official organizational charts shall be updated at least annually or as requested by the MDHS Division of Human Resources (HR) and will remain on file in that Division. Regional and county overview organizational charts may be developed to illustrate the organizational chain of command as assigned in local, regional, or state offices. (See Organizational chart attached as Appendix A)
Direct services interventions provided by DFCS are based on an ongoing assessment of outcomes articulated in DFCS' Child and Family Services Plan. DFCS shall conduct annual updates to this plan after evaluation of success with plan outcomes and the effectiveness of services in achieving these outcomes.
DFCS' Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) measures will be employed to determine whether modifications need to be made to the scope of services to achieve desired outcomes. DFCS shall evaluate the effectiveness of services purchased from contracted providers by implementing performance based contracting and develop requests for proposals to improve service delivery.
Performance based contracting involves a contract between DFCS and private service providers, which exchanges increased performance toward better outcomes for children for needed resources and flexibility to achieve the desired outcomes. Performance based contracting employs financial incentives/penalties in the contract to encourage achievement of the outcomes on behalf of children and families.
18 Miss. Code. R. 6-1-A-I-I