The project continued to successfully prevent the "abandonment"
of enrolled children. During the first 4-year project period,
8 parents or primary care givers clients died, with all 13 of
the affected children having
a permanency plan implemented at the time of the parent's or caregiver's
death.
During this reporting report, 3 parents died. The 3 parents had custody of a total of 4 children. (2 additional birth children were in the custody of a grandmother.) 2 of the 4 children were HIV+. Permanency plans were in place for all of the children at the time of the death of the custodial parent, although in each case the plans were finalized only a few days prior to death, and in 1 case, the plan was later changed. For 1 of the children, the death of the mother initiated a change in living arrangements for the child; in the other cases the child was already residing with the party indicated in the permanency plan. The cases of the families are explored in greater detail in a separate report prepared for project management.
Figures 5 and 6 show the permanency goals and progress of clients in custody planning. 25% of the 202 children ever known to the Family Ties Project since 1996 have had their "permanent" legal plan implemented in conjunction with a triggering event, typically the death of the custodial parent. Arrangements ranged from, most frequently, third party custody to custody of the other biological parent, and DHS custody. Parents or guardians of another 23% of the children have initiated a legal process to plan for their children, that is, attended at least 1 meeting with an attorney at which general life planning options were discussed. For the other 52% of dependent children, life planning is at an intermediate stage, ranging from the formation of an agreed upon plan (4%), to legal action taken (14%), or a legal plan secured (14%).
However, 20% of the children have yet to be seen by legal services (Figure 6), including 8% of those enrolled for more than 1 year (40 from Figure 623 from Figure 7.) The most common permanency goal for those children for whom planning has been initiated is third party custody with a nonbiological parent, selected for 32% of children. The permanency goal for 35% of the children is to date undecided. Considering those who have not yet been seen by legal services as well as those who remain undecided, a considerable proportion of Family Ties clients may be vulnerable in the event of death or incapacity of the custodial parent.
Figures 7 and 8 show the permanency goals and status for the 38 children enrolled during project year 5. In comparison to all children ever known to the project, their permanency goals and cases are obviously at an earlier stage of development; however, 10% have already had their legal plans implemented. 60% have yet to be seen by an attorney. A legal plan has been initiated for 24%.
Family Ties Project workers have found that it can take months and even years for some families to plan for custody. 2 In order to engage clients in life planning, their more pressing survival needs must first be addressed. In addition to the basics of housing, food, income and medical care, families typically need mental health services before they can begin to cope with the demands of custody-related issues. In response, the project and subcontractor staff learned in the first years of the project to be flexible in their expectations of clients' life planning. This flexibility has continued. Typically, clients receive services over a number of years. The project carries "non-progressing" cases for extended periods until clients are ready to take the next step toward life planning. The case studies undertaken in conjunction with this report provide examples of the ways in which cases may progress, or not.
Of the 4 cases of mothers' deaths reviewed, 3 of the mothers had been enrolled in the project from 2.5 to 3 years, with periods of inactivity or no contact ranging from 12 to 18 months (measured by case conference data). The client, a family member or a case manager on behalf of the client resumed contact following periods of inactivity during the mother's final hospitalization. The fourth client family was actually enrolled after the mother's death, after having been provided legal services by UDC School of Law through a direct referral. This client's case management agency had apparently assisted with a will and other planning documents some years before the final illness, however, the documents could not be located. The family then sought assistance through a hospital social services department on behalf of the children who were in its care, and UDC/SOL responded. Project funds were used to pay costs incurred in publication of notices necessary for determination of custody.