A Better Way Inc

Social services - during 2023-2024 our social services programs consisted of 4 different programs, the largest of which were the alameda county parent engagement program (pep) and the alameda county another road to safety (ars) program. Additional social services programs include, alameda county parent education services (pes), and santa cruz county parent partner program (scppp). The pep, pes and scppp are dedicated to improving outcomes for families navigating the child welfare and juvenile justice systems. Ars is an early intervention / differential response service for families who are at risk of having their children removed from their care due to child abuse and neglect safety concerns. The pes program is a parenting education service designed to equip parents involved in the child welfare system with a variety of parenting skills to increase the parent's capacity to better manage family issues. For fiscal year 2023-24, the pep program received a total of 149 families referred for services of which 94 families were enrolled and working towards reunification. Pep supported parents in 353 child family team meetings, facilitated 62 parent support groups which included 74 fatherhood and 487 parent leadership participants. This program also attended numerous other county team meetings, panels, committees, and workgroups and provided trainings to the community. Ars had a total of 223 families referred for services of which 128 cases were enrolled in the program. 126 of those ars families were closed successfully with goals met. 101 families receiving ars services reported they were satisfied. Scppp received 19 referrals and enrolled 12 parents working towards family reunification. Scppp facilitated 22 support groups with a total of 75 parent leadership participants. The pes program served 296 parents and successfully graduated 96 parents who completed the curriculum series. 94 parents reported improvement of their parenting skills and overall family functioning. 96 parents reported they were satisfied with the class instruction they received.

Permanency - in fiscal year 2023-2024, a better way's permanency program, operating as a foster family agency (ffa), provided foster care, adoption, and transitional housing services to children and youth in the child welfare system. Our program supported children in achieving stability through reunification, permanency planning, and adoption services. During this period, we maintained 21 approved resource family homes, certified 14 new resource families, and placed 20 children in care. Additionally, we provided transitional housing support for non-minor dependents, ensuring they had access to safe and supportive housing as they prepared for independent living.

The training program at a better way provides hundreds of courses each year focusing on improving services to children involved in child welfare systems. Training audiences include: court dependent families; social services professionals; mental health clinicians; resource families/foster families; parents and caregivers; & system-involved youth. Courses are open to the community, and priority registration is given to our primary intended audience; caregivers and professionals who are or plan to be involved in lives of foster children and youth. We also provide mental health first aid certification courses upon request. 2023/24 data (title iv-e alameda, title iv-e solano, acbh training): hours delivered: 4214.5; number of people trained: 5439; number of courses provided: 482; number of agencies served:280