GOVERNOR CRIST UNVEILS FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND “ALL-IN-ONE” DEVICE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CASEWORKERS
February 21, 2008
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GOVERNOR'S PRESS OFFICE
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MIAMI – Governor Charlie Crist today unveiled the prototype of a handheld case management device that can help child and adult protection investigators, as well as case managers, better document their visits to homes of foster children and vulnerable adults. The Governor has proposed $9.8 million in his 2008-09 budget recommendations to purchase “all-in-one” devices for social work professionals within the Florida Department of Children and Families and their community-based care partner organizations.
“We can revolutionize how we protect Florida’s foster children by equipping every caseworker with cutting-edge technology that can verify the location and time of every home visit,” Governor Crist said. “This tool will help our caseworkers focus on doing casework, instead of paperwork – and doing it in a family’s living room, instead of behind a desk.”
Governor Crist made the announcement in front of the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Justice Center, along with Florida Department of Children and Families Secretary Bob Butterworth. They were joined by judges of Miami-Dade’s dependency court system and representatives of community-based care partners Our Kids of Miami-Dade/Monroe Inc. and Hillsborough Kids Inc. After the announcement, Governor Crist and Secretary Butterworth observed firsthand how case worker Herve Preval tested the prototype device during a visit to the home of a child in foster care.
“This is an exciting day for the Department of Children and Families and all of our partners in community-based care, and it marks a new chapter for the vulnerable children and families of Florida,” said Secretary Butterworth. “The device Governor Crist is announcing today draws on inspiration from businesses like UPS, and we believe the same technology will help Florida lead the nation in case management and protective services.”
In addition to the handheld device concept, Governor Crist and Secretary Butterworth also touted the possibility of new software which could provide case workers with a real-time “dashboard” of information reflecting necessary case reviews, visits and services needed for each child.
The concepts represent technological capabilities that will empower caseworkers and protective investigators to access up-to-the minute information that can improve the well-being of children in state care.
In theory, the capabilities of the prototype device would include the following:
· Global positioning system (GPS) mapping – would allow a caseworker to identify the locations of each day’s home visits. The software would then generate the most efficient route and schedule for the visits.
· Global positioning system (GPS) tracking – would allow caseworkers and protective investigators to verify the location and duration of each home visit.
· Camera – would allow caseworkers and protective investigators to document each home visit with a photograph bearing a date and time stamp.
The Department and partners throughout the child welfare system are also researching whether the device could provide other functions such as converting speech to text and the synchronization of the data collected throughout Florida’s child welfare information system.
Currently, caseworkers and protective investigators use a paper form to record home visits, which is then typed into the system after they return to the office. Using new technology, the department is striving to maximize each case worker’s ability to:
· Respond quickly and reliably to the needs of each child.
· Access information and notes during visits and interviews in real-time.
· Track critical dates for follow-ups and referrals.
· Receive alerts about upcoming needs or gaps in services.
· Prioritize care based upon severity of need.
Through these advancements, information would be made available instantly, and case workers could be empowered to take the actions that directly impact the safety of Florida’s most vulnerable children and families.
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