REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 10, 2024
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Travel for San Bernardino County Resource Parents to attend the California State Foster Parent Association 47th Annual Training Conference
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve expenses in an amount not to exceed $30,000 for 20 San Bernardino County Resource Parents to attend the California State Foster Parent Association 47th Annual Training Conference in Sacramento from October 2, 2024 through October 5, 2024.
(Presenter: Jeany Zepeda, Director, 387-2792)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact discretionary general funding (Net County Cost). The total estimated cost for the 20 individuals attending the California State Foster Parent Association (CSFPA) Conference will not exceed $30,000 with 57% ($17,100) federally funded and 43% ($12,900) funded through Foster Parent Training and Recruitment Funds. Adequate appropriation is included in the Human Services Administrative 2024-25 adopted budget.
|
Expense |
Average Cost per Attendee (20 total) |
Total |
|
Airfare |
$250 |
$5,000 |
|
Conference |
$500 |
$10,000 |
|
Hotel |
$570 |
$11,400 |
|
Rental Car/Taxi/Shuttle |
$100 |
$2,000 |
|
Total Cost |
$1,420 |
$28,400 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Children and Family Services (CFS) is dedicated to the safety, protection, and permanency of children in the county and the promotion of child and family wellbeing. The most effective means of preserving every child's right to be raised in a safe, permanent family is by empowering society’s ability to support and strengthen families.
CFS values and depends on the collaboration with community agencies and private citizens to protect the County's children. Working within its mission, CFS respects the dignity, integrity, and uniqueness of each family and adheres to the philosophy that intervention and removal is warranted only when children are found to be at substantial risk in their home. Foster care provides a safe home and nurturing environment to children who have been removed from their home because of abuse or neglect. San Bernardino County Resource Parents (Resource Parents), who are licensed through the CFS resource family approval process, must meet licensing standards set forth by California Department of Social Services Written Directives.
The State encourages networking and support for Resource Parents. Throughout the year, Resource Parents from across California who are members of the Foster Parent Association participate in local, state, and national training conferences. These events provide an optimal growth experience for Resource Parents through trainings and by engaging with others in the community. These conferences bring together Resource Parents who have undergone continuous training to care for foster youth, allowing them to share their experiences, as well as provide an opportunity to learn from nationally recognized experts in a multitude of disciplines.
Conference organizers recruit experts in child welfare and related areas surrounding caring for children in foster care. Scheduled speakers for the CSFPA Conference include representatives from the California Department of Social Services and also includes a regional meeting providing foster parents a forum to share relevant issues and experiences with foster parents from other counties.
CFS selected Resource Parents from all parts of the county to attend the training conference and participate in several workshops designed to enhance the knowledge and skill sets of parents caring for foster children. These Resource Parents are in good standing, currently have placements of County children, expressed an interest in attending, and CFS feels they will benefit from the topics at the conference.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on June 18, 2024; County Counsel (Daniella V. Hernandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 26, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on August 19, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on August 20, 2024.