* Rhode Island One of Six "Supercommunities" Helping Traumatized Children.
Rhode Island has kicked off its efforts to transform social services across the state to being "trauma informed."

* In accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, the Department of Children, Youth and Families is advertising for promulgation new and amended rules. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the proposed rules. The proposed rule is also accessible through the RI Secretary of State’s Proposed Rules and Regulations Database Search http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The RITS invites you and your guests to join them for their Spring Show opening of the New Hope Art Gallery on Tuesday, March 19th from 5 PM to 7:30 PM! We are very happy to announce the return of Tommy Rocket. Tommy visited at our very first opening in 2010 to film us for his RI cable access show. He announced to his audience the news of our wonderful gallery which features 2D art by local artists and residents of our facility. Tommy is back to film our much larger gallery space that now features paintings, drawings, photography, 3D mixed media art and Sculpture with over 125 pieces of art each show and interview our many artists. The Gallery has expanded again for the Spring opening with our new garden wing. See you there!

* The Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) is seeking a title IV-E Waiver from the federal Administration for Children and Families. Click the link to view the IV-E Waiver Application. If granted, the IV-E Waiver will allow DCYF to use federal funding more flexibly to support expansion of existing and development of new home and community-based evidence-based services.

We would like to receive public input on the Department's efforts to implement a broader array of community-based services to support children and families within their own home and community settings. The comment period is open from March 1 to March 30, 2013. Please email comments to: Lee.Baker@dcyf.ri.gov.

* We are very pleased to announce that the 2013-2014 DCYF Post Secondary Tuition Assistance Program (PETAP) application is available on line at www.dcyf.ri.gov . To the right of the page, click on Post Secondary Tuition Assistance Program. An Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) is posted to provide assistance.

Please note that while the final deadline to apply is June 1, 2013, students are encouraged to apply by our priority date of March 1, 2013. Please contact Princess Sirleaf Bomba at 528-3815 or email princess.bomba@dcyf.ri.gov for questions or concerns.

* The following amended and adopted DCYF rules are effective January 22nd, 2013. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the amended and adopted DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The following new and revised DCYF policies are effective October 2nd, 2012. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the new and revised DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The following amended policy is effective on July 31, 2012, Obtaining Custody of Child Through the Dependent/ Neglected/Abused Petition.   The amended rule is also accessible through the RI Secretary of State’s Proposed Rules and Regulations Database Search http://www.rules.state.ri.us/rules/.

* The following amended and repealed DCYF rules are effective April 26th, 2012. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the amended and repealed DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The Department has completed the 3rd quarter Program Improvement Plan report and submitted it to our federal partners on March 27, 2012 for review and approval. The department has successfully completed all the benchmarks for action step 2.3: Improve use of kinship placements through Casey Peer T/A process.

The Q3 Report also includes the National Standards Measurement Plan and Quarterly Status Report, as well as, the Item-Specific and Quantitative Measurement Plan and Quarterly Status Report. Click here to view the PIP Quarter 3 Report.

* In accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, the Department of Children, Youth and Families is advertising for promulgation an amended rule, Mental Health Emergency Service Interventions for Children, Youth and Families.   Please refer to the Memo to Interested Parties for additional information. The proposed rule is also accessible through the RI Secretary of State’s Proposed Rules and Regulations Database Search http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* Chief Judge Haiganush R. Bedrosian hosted the conference "The Family Court, DCYF and the Schools: Putting Children First" on January 26-27, 2012. DCYF Deputy Director Kevin J. Aucoin and Assistant to the Director Mike Burk presented DCYF's perspective on how to improve educational outcomes for children and youth involved with DCYF. You can view their presentations in either PDF or Powerpoint.

* The Department submitted its second quarterly PIP report to the Children’s Bureau on December 30th. The PIP contains five overall strategies and eight action steps. The Action Steps are:

Action Step 1.1: Formalize concurrent planning/ permanency goals in practice
Action Step 2.1: Strategically utilize Permanency Support Teams (PST)
Action Step 2.2: Establish a process for coordinated case reviews
Action Step 2.3: Improve use of kinship placements through Casey Peer T/A process
Action Step 2.4: Improve notice and opportunity to be heard for foster parents
Action Step 3.1: Implement consistent supervisory practice model.
Action Step 4.1: Implement Family Team Meetings
Action Step 5.1: Increase the availability and individualization of services

Each Action Step contains a number of benchmarks that need to be accomplished before the Action Step is considered to be completed. The PIP contains 41 benchmarks, of which the Department has accomplished 18 by the end of the second quarter.

Click the link to view the PIP Quarter 2 Report.

* The following amended and repealed DCYF rules are effective December 09, 2011. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the amended and repealed DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The following amended and repealed DCYF rules are effective November 01, 2011. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the amended and repealed DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The following new, amended and repealed DCYF rules are effective October 20, 2011. These rules were advertised for promulgation in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act (Title 42, Chapter 35 of the Rhode Island General Laws). Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the new, amended and repealed DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* In accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, the Department of Children, Youth and Families is advertising for promulgation the amended and repealed rules. Please refer to the Interested Parties Memo for additional information. You may click this link to see the proposed DCYF rules. These rules are also accessible through the Secretary of State's Rules and Regulations Search Interface http://www.sec.state.ri.us/ProposedRules/.

* The following Emergency Rule - Clearance of Agency Activity has been filed with the Secretary of State and will remain in force for 120 days. Click this link to view the DCYF Clearance Request-Results - Facility (DCYF-035A) form.