state and county the cases of illinois, texas,...
TRANSCRIPT
The Cases of Il l inois, Texas, New York City, and New Mexico
STATE AND COUNTY INNOVATIONS IN PRACTICE
WITH LATINO FAMILIES
How Jurisdictions Address ¡ Immigration Status & Services ¡ Foreign Consulate Involvement ¡ Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) ¡ Relative Placement ¡ Language Access Unique Innovations
OVERVIEW
¡ 13,000 children in care ¡ Diversity in Immigration and Language ¡ Citywide Local Law 73 ¡ Resource rich ¡ Director of Immigrant Services
Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/html/home/home.shtml
NYC ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDRENS’ SERVICES (ACS):
BACKGROUND
¡ ACS shall not inquire about a person’s immigration status unless… needed to determine program, service or benefit eligibility or to provide services
¡ CWS are provided without regard to immigration status
¡ Protections against disclosure of immigration status to DHS and guidelines for discussing the sensitive nature of immigration status with families.
¡ PRUCOL immigrants are eligible for public benefits
Source: ACS Executive Order 41 (2003)
NYC ACS: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad policy for notification of custody of foreign national children § In some cases, may be required to notify when
children are dual citizens of U.S. and another country
¡ Worker notifies ACS court unit attorney, who notifies consulate.
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition)
NYC ACS: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ Worker and ACS attorney screen for SIJS eligibility ¡ Case referred to outside immigration attorney, paid
for by foster care agency and reimbursed by ACS ¡ Guidelines and resources for child welfare agencies
to develop expertise in SIJS
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition)
NYC ACS: SIJS
¡ Can do placements with undocumented relatives
¡ However, must be able to demonstrate visible means of financial support other than the foster care rate
¡ Relatives in other countries can be considered as a discharge resource
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition)
NYC ACS: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ Language Identification Tool
¡ Family members not allowed to interpret for another family member.
¡ Bilingual worker recruitment ¡ Telephonic interpreter system ¡ Outstationed Spanish language interpreters to field
offices ¡ Secondary review of translations ¡ Language determination incorporated into data system
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition); Annie E. Casey Foundation (2007)
NYC ACS: LANGUAGE ACCESS INITIATIVE
¡ Asociación Tepeyac de New York ¡ Community Education Forums ¡ Cultural Competence Training ¡ Interpretation ¡ Family Case-Conferencing ¡ Assistance in Engaging Families ¡ Information & Referral to Support Services Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation (2007)
NYC ACS: IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE
¡ 30,000 children in care ¡ Border state ¡ In 2000s, large increase in immigrant children, most
from Latin America (Mexico) ¡ Immigrant children and children of immigrants
underrepresented in foster care
Source: Vericker, Kuehn, & Capps, 2007; DFPS immigration policy lead
TEXAS DFPS: BACKGROUND
¡ Verification of immigration status is required for the purposes of service.
¡ Worker assessment guide for child immigration status.
¡ Services are provided without regard to a parent or child’s immigration status
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad consular notification policy for foreign national children only.
¡ Lead immigration attorney notified by worker to contact foreign consulate.
¡ Contract with ISS for home studies when consulates are unresponsive § Except in the case of Mexico, they go through border
liaisons. ¡ MOU with various Mexican Consulates in renegotiation
§ 4 border liaison staff designated as direct contacts for Mexican consular requests (home studies, other services)
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700; DFPS immigration policy lead
TEXAS DFPS: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ 3 immigration specialists (non-attorneys) at the state level
¡ 1 state level immigration attorney
¡ Caseworker/regional attorney screening and referral to immigration specialist for assessment and processing of SIJS
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: SIJS
¡ Can do placements with undocumented relatives: unlicensed and unfunded
¡ CPS staff must explore all available permanency options,
including return to parents, relatives and/or significant others in the U.S. or in the country of origin
¡ Placement in foreign country based on published criteria for deciding whether to repatriate a child
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ May not use family and friends as interpreters ¡ Spanish language website ¡ Contracted telephonic interpretation services for
intake ¡ Need for and effort to provide language services
and assign bilingual workers documented in data management system
¡ Must attempt to match placements with language needs
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: LANGUAGE ACCESS
¡ Procedures for repatriation ¡ Procedures for transportation of undocumented
persons § Border checkpoint crossing issues
Source: Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700; DFPS immigration policy lead
TEXAS DFPS: UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS
¡ 16,000 children in care ¡ Large Latino population ¡ Illinois New Americans Integration Initiative ¡ Burgos Consent Decree
Source: http://www.migrationinformation.org/integrationawards/winners-illinois.cfm
ILLINOIS DCFS: BACKGROUND
¡ Families have the right to: § receive DCFS documents and correspondence in Spanish § receive services in Spanish § Have children placed with a Spanish-speaking, bilingual
foster family § have access to a Spanish-English interpreter § Brochures in English and Spanish
¡ Estabished § Office of Latino Services § Latino Consortium
Source: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/library/index.shtml; http://www.latinoconsortium.org/; www.state.il.us/DCFS/docs/Burgos_Bro.pdf
ILLINOIS DCFS: BURGOS CONSENT DECREE
¡ Workers are required to establish ancestry of every child taken into protective custody.
¡ Guide for Parents who are Mexican Nationals, is distributed to all Latino subjects of reports
Source: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/policy/pr_policy_policyguide.shtml
ILLINOIS DCFS: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad notification policy for foreign national children from all countries
¡ Workers required to notify Office of Latino Services
upon § Taking protective custody of a Mexican or Mexican
American minor § Learning that a non-custodial parent lives in Mexico
Source: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/policy/pr_policy_policyguide.shtml
IL DCFS: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ 1st ever, established in 2001 ¡ Comprehensive provisions
§ Proof of Mexican nationality § SIJS § Cooperation with DIF
Source: MOU between the State of IL DCFS and The Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago
IL DCFS: MOU WITH MEXICAN CONSULATE
¡ Caseworker screens, refers to Immigration Services Unit
¡ SIJS policy guide with screening questions Source: www.f2f.ca.gov/res/pdf/PolicyGuideImmigration.pdf
IL DCFS: SIJS
¡ Immigration status of a relative caregiver should not hinder the placement of a relative child in the home as long as requirements for placement with relative and placement in unlicensed homes are met.
¡ Payment to immigrant relatives is processed through SSN or ITIN § If no SSN, DCFS assists relative in applying for ITIN
Source: www.f2f.ca.gov/res/pdf/PolicyGuideImmigration.pdf
IL DCFS: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ Policy requires developing case plan for emergency placement due to deportation proceedings if necessary
IL DCFS: UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS
¡ Border state ¡ Latino majority ¡ 2,300 children in care ¡ Rural/urban dichotomy
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: BACKGROUND
¡ State agency bound by laws of confidentiality—immigration status is confidential
¡ Serve children and families regardless of national origin or immigration status
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad policy for notification of custody of foreign national children
¡ Joint MOU with 2 Mexican Consulates requires
notification for Mexican nationals § “Mexican national” means any person who was born in Mexico
or elsewhere of at least one Mexican national parent, regardless of immigration status in the United States of America.
§ Provisions for location of family members, evidence and documentation, home studies, placement monitoring, repatriation to Mexico
Source: MOU between Mexican Consulates in El Paso & Albuquerque and CYFD
NEW MEXICO CYFD: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ Collaboration where a parent may have crossed the border with the intention of evading local authorities and laws involving child abuse
¡ Collaboration for Mexican parents whose children are born in US hospital or receive medical care in the US
¡ Joint participation in outreach activities: Mobile Consulates
Source: MOU between Mexican Consulates in El Paso & Albuquerque and CYFD
NEW MEXICO CYFD: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ Immigration liaison (non-attorney) responsible for filing for SIJS
¡ Data tracking on immigrant children and families
¡ Monitor compliance with consular notification
¡ Coordinate efforts with foreign consulates ¡ Resource and training to field staff
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: IMMIGRATION LIAISON
¡ Cannot consider foster care or kin placement with undocumented relatives
¡ Can consider relatives in other countries with home
studies
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ Protocol for providing language services in local offices
¡ Contracted telephonic interpretation services for emergency use and investigations
NEW MEXICO: LANGUAGE ACCESS