Accounting for success in child welfare fiscal services

Highlighting training, support, and leadership development to improve child welfare fiscal services.

Lean on an external partner to address operational gaps

County child welfare programs regularly face obstacles with their fiscal services, which leads to significant operational gaps. These gaps can result in backlogs of work, delinquent state reporting, and inaccurate financial reporting, negatively impacting those involved. The consequences of these tend to include cash flow issues, fiscal audit findings, and the need for state-issued corrective action plans.

Often lacking the resources or expertise to resolve these issues internally, struggling counties can look to improve their fiscal services landscape with an external partner. Finding the right organization to assist with consulting and strategic planning can address these challenges and translate to remarkable success. In this article, we’ll detail some of the benefits of working alongside a trusted partner and the ways it can impact child welfare fiscal services.

Day-to-day challenges faced by county child welfare fiscal departments

County child welfare fiscal departments face a myriad of unique challenges that require innovative approaches. Staffing and knowledge gaps from high turnover and a lack of succession planning can leave departments rife with knowledge and skill deficits. In the big picture, this can mean detrimental backlogs and inaccuracies in reporting. This also translates to training deficiencies. There are few training opportunities and, historically, no consistent formal training has been provided for child welfare fiscal work. Those transitioning into vacant leadership roles also encounter limited support with supervisory skills development and technique guidance.

Outdated practices and gaps in specialized knowledge create a ripple effect of inefficiency. Detailed knowledge is required of federal and state programs, demanding a robust and adaptable skill set from team members. Departments tend to fall behind on the latest compliance changes for federal and state initiatives, which can result in missed funding opportunities and fiscal audit findings. A lack of standardization contributes to inefficiencies as well. Without a standardized playbook, a county’s child welfare fiscal practices wrestle with laborious tasks and inaccuracies.

Refining operations with a new child welfare fiscal services approach

When considering the nuance and complexity that county child welfare fiscal departments must navigate, it’s clear that fiscal services must be tailored to the unique needs of each county government. There is no “one size fits all” method that can be applied.

Partnering with experienced consultants can provide the customized services and time-limited support that’s desperately needed. These consultants can refine operational processes until efficient, documented processes can be sustained independently. This approach can support:

  • Competent and cross-trained teams: Each fiscal team member has the opportunity to both excel in their role and also understand the roles of their co-workers, fostering internal monitoring practices that ensure accuracy in billing and reporting.
  • Enhanced education and support: Demonstration and technical support at individual, departmental, and county levels eliminates communication barriers, improves processes, and removes organizational silos.
  • Leadership development: The fiscal officer is better equipped to successfully transition into leadership and supervisory roles, gaining competencies in both fiscal work and supervisory strategies.
  • Improved performance and retention: Overall the performance of the fiscal department improves, leading to higher job satisfaction and staff retention.
  • Timely, accurate reporting and reimbursements: Quarterly reporting is brought up to date, ensuring timely and accurate state reimbursements and strong county cash flow.
  • Improved compliance: Significant improvements were observed in Title IV-E Quality Assurance reviews and Act 148 reporting, with fewer findings related to eligibility determinations and claim errors.
  • Standardized contracts: A standardized approach to contracts streamlines processes related to negotiation, implementation, monitoring, and enhances reporting and service quality.

CAI’s successful partnership with county child welfare fiscal departments

Facing a severe backlog and multiple audit findings, one motivated county turned to CAI for assistance. Through comprehensive training and process improvement, the county not only cleared its backlog but also achieved its first error-free audit in years. The fiscal team’s enhanced skills and knowledge led to timely state reimbursements, which stabilized the county’s cash flow.

Struggling with staff turnover and outdated practices, a different county benefited from the CAI proprietary review tool and strategic planning. The implementation of cross-training and a standardized approach to contracts significantly improved their reporting accuracy and service quality. Their fiscal department now operates with higher efficiency and staff satisfaction.

An additional county’s small fiscal team was operating with limited resources, resulting in challenges in keeping up with federal and state regulation changes. CAI’s targeted support helped this county stay current with new initiatives, maximizing the use of non-county funding sources. This resulted in fewer audit findings and enhanced services for children, youth, and families.

A partner for healthy county child welfare fiscal departments

CAI Health and Human Services consulting professionals make a significant impact on the operational efficiency and financial health of county child welfare fiscal departments in Pennsylvania. Through expert consultation, tailored support, and innovative tools, CAI not only addresses the immediate needs of these departments but also reinforces their foundations to foster sustainable success.

CAI works with counties of all sizes, currently supporting child welfare annual budgets that range from $1 million to $54 million. Whether a county fiscal department comprises one staff member or dozens, CAI provides custom solutions tailored to their specific needs. With this support, counties can ensure their fiscal departments operate with the highest levels of efficiency, accuracy, and compliance, ultimately benefiting the children, youth, and families they serve.

Interested to learn more? Fill out the form below to dive deeper or discuss how CAI can support your county.

Let's talk!

Interested in learning more? We'd love to connect and discuss the impact CAI could have on your organization.

All fields marked with * are required.

Please correct all errors below.
Please agree to our terms and conditions to continue.

For information about our collection and use of your personal information, our privacy and security practices and your data protection rights, please see our privacy policy and corresponding cookie policy.