Program development for family strengthening & support at the Mckinleyville Family Resource Center

The McKinleyville Family Resource Center (MFRC) is in need of a case management revision plan that entails program development. The MFRC receives case referrals from Child Welfare Services (CWS) through the Differential Response system. Differential response (DR) is a method used by CWS to implement early intervention for families. DR is defined as "developing a broader set of responses to reports of possible child abuse or neglect, including prevention and early intervention, engaging families to address issues of safety and risk, and improving access to services, including allowing voluntary access by families." (Differential Response, 2013, n.p). DR referrals are outsourced by CWS into community based agencies such as Family Resource Centers. The purpose of this project is to develop a case management manual to guide MFRC caseworkers through the DR process. This will foster a cohesive case management team, and help the MFRC develop early intervention methods. This project uses secondary data developed by Strategies and Matrix Outcomes Model through Family Development Matrix Pathways Project, (2011) to build on the case management manual. This program development will entail developing a revised case management program manual. Currently, this case management system needs to be developed further to establish consistency and enhance service at MFRC through DR referral processes to engage families to make a meaningful and enduring change.