Policy and Practice June 2017

from the field By Sixto Cancel

Is the Case Management System Hindering Young People?

T hirteen was the age I woke up. I realized I had spent 13 years being abused by a racist, adoptive woman. I was couch surfing and was not allowed to be in the house most days. I want to say I was “hard” enough to hold my own but that is a lie. I was smart enough to run when I needed to, and to talk my way out of situations. After having to record my abuse and countless investigations that resulted in nothing but therapy sessions, police reports, and other services, I had re-entered foster care at 15. Fast forward 10 years. I am now the CEO of a tech nonprofit— Think of Us—that leverages data and tech to disrupt how we empower people to be at the center of their involvement with the foster care system. In the last 18 months, I have made the Forbes “30 under 30” list, the White House Campaign of Change, and earned various other awards. I share this to make the point that something about

Therefore, up-to-date technology is necessary when handling any case. Front-line staff is expected to provide concrete support in times of need without the tools to do so. This is the equivalent of asking staff to build a modern skyscraper without electricity or mechanics. It is vital that we ask ourselves if current case management systems are the right tool front-line workers need. In the three years that Think of Us has existed, we offer this vital insight: real-time data analytic software is needed to provide staff with real-time decision-making that is accessible at

being in foster care worked for me. I can point to a few things but one major reason was the staff. Front-line staff is the core of the foster care system. When it came to helping 15-year-old me heal, develop, and thrive, it was the people from the system, nonprofit programs, and personal supportive adults who were the most effective. Case management systems and software are the biggest influences on front-line staff. Many systems utilize severely outdated case man- agement software systems that easily surpass my age. Software that was built and delivered in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s is not equipped to handle modern complex situations. Technology is a constant in life that has changed how humans interact.

See Case Management on page 30

Illustration via Shutterstock

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