The Connecticut strategic planning technical assistance effort included a comprehensive assessment of the State’s existing procedures and services for program improvement. An important aspect of this assessment included using information systems to determine the points at which clients tend to drop out of the system (i.e. between referral for a substance abuse assessment and getting to the assessment, between assessment and enrollment in treatment, once enrolled in treatment, etc.) in order to strengthen efforts of retention and engagement of clients in services.
CFF worked with the top State management in the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services to examine current practices and services for families involved in child welfare and affected by substance abuse and to make recommendations for improvement.
CFF acted as consultants to Senator Ruth Solomon who authored legislation to expend $10 million of TANF funds to provide substance abuse services to welfare- and child welfare-involved families. Senator Solomon credits CFF with generating her proposal and in providing guidance on writing the legislation. After the legislation was signed by the Governor and was being crafted for implementation by the State agencies, the State offices contracted with CFF to assist them in analyzing the existing State system, develop their implementation and contracting plans, and in the development of the State agencies’ vision and principles.