What are the three top reasons foster care and residential programs fail?  In our experience at Rock Solid Foundation in working with over 100 agencies, the main reasons programs fail are: (1) inadequate leadership (underqualified/mismatched licensed administrator), (2) lack of sufficient capital, and (3) provision of services that do not meet the need of the purchaser.

We have found that there is a critical shortage of qualified administrators; we have made a concerted effort to identify available administrators and match them with the right positions in organizations that have a need.  We have also discovered that social workers tend to be a bit naïve about the business of operating a program, e.g., the difference between cash flow and accrual.  Finally, too often, founders develop programs based upon their visions without regard to the needs of the community in which they serve.

We can help by taking time with an organization to develop a business plan and a strategic plan that will sustain the organization's mission.

Not by might, nor by power, but by my      ”  (Zec. 4:6)

 

RIGHT (Truth) vs. WRONG THINKING (Lie):

(Quotes of scripture: the Life Application Study Bible, New International Version)

 

Origins of Right/Wrong Thinking:

From the day we are born, our minds are developing.  In fact, our minds begin developing in the womb.  There is some evidence that babies that are rejected by their mothers are affected by that rejection throughout their lives.  When my first-borne son was still in the womb, I would lean down to my wife’s tummy and talk to him.  When he was a newborn, several people would be talking and he would continue eating or whatever he was doing, but when I spoke, recognizing my voice, he would immediately incline his head toward me.

Although children in the womb and infants do not “think,” in the technical sense of the word, their behaviors and feelings are affected by the stimuli they experience.  Throughout our lives our thinking is impacted by virtually everything we experience via any of our senses.  Ergo, it is important to manage our experiences as well as manage our responses to our experiences.

The feelings that are not thought-driven are those which we experience via our senses—taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch.  For instance, food may be sweet, sour, or bitter; perfume may smell sweet, or sewage may smell foul; a person may be attractive, or a car may be red; a concert may be loud, or a guitar may be out of tune; a burner may be hot or painful, and a pillow is soft; etc.  All these feelings (which I dub, “sensations” as distinguished from feelings, which emanate from “emotions”) evoke memories and thoughts based on how we have learned to think and cope, and those thoughts, in turn, will influence our “feelings” (our conclusions based upon sensations and experiences and the thoughts associated with those sensations and experiences) and resultant behavior.

For instance, a child that has been sexually molested may have experienced the sensation of physical pain or pleasure or both.  As the child grows older, (s)he learns that incest is morally wrong.  Since (s)he has been punished (inflicted pain or withdrawn pleasure) for morally wrong behavior, a new thought occurs: “I’m involved in an activity that will be punished.”  Unless the child has learned the meaning of “guilt,” the thoughts will be uncomfortable and perhaps labeled “bad” or “mad” or whatever words the child may have learned to associate with feelings associated with “wrong” behavior.  After the child learns the meaning of “guilt” (s)he learns that guilt must be recompensed and (s)he will probably experience another “bad” feeling, which (s)he may soon learn is “fear,” “anxiety,” and/or “sadness.”  If the child has not been taught the value of love, confession, repentance, mercy, grace, and forgiveness, then (s)he may feel “bad” until (s)he learns to label that “badness,” “shame.”  Until the child learns and believes that Christ took our shame to the cross (Hebrews 12:2) so that we would not need to suffer, that child will most likely develop a number of soothing coping mechanisms, (e.g., gluttony, drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, etc.), which are also morally wrong, which in turn will exacerbate the initial motivating feelings, which will increase the pain, which will increase the need for more soothing, which will result in a debilitating addiction.  Thus, the vicious cycle of thinking—feelings—behavior influences every part of us.  Proverbs 23:7: “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Wrong thinking: based on faulty teaching, flawed modeling, idiosyncratic perceptions, and misinterpreted experiences. Right thinking: based on truth = Word of God. “I am the Way and the       and the Life.”  (Jn. 14:6)

Example: earthly father didn’t help when you were in trouble>>think you are on your own>>pride, fear, self-sufficiency, inadequacy, suspicion, etc.; but God, the Father says: “      will I       you;       will I       you.” (Heb. 13:5)  “God is our refuge and strength, an       help in trouble.” (Ps. 46:1)  “Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? . . . If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more then will your father in heaven give . . .” (Lk. 11:11-13)

When I was a youngster, my father taught me many functional and healthy coping skills and values.  One value however, which I had to discard for more productive one when I learned the truth, I learned as part of the culture in which my father was raised.  He told me: “Son, don’t show others what you know because then they’ll know what you know plus what they know, and be smarter than you.”

In Texas, where I currently reside, a favorite ice cream is Blue Bell, so I like to call the more productive thinking/value the Blue Bell verse.  “Give and it will be given unto you.  A good measure, (I like a big bowl) pressed down, (I like it packed full) shaken together and running over, (I like it so full that I must eat it quickly to keep it from melting over the sides) will be poured into your lap (But if it does run over into my lap, not to worry; that’s what washing machines are for).  “For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Lk. 6:38)  (So, if I share my ice cream with others, I’ll get more?  Well, then let’s do it)!

My family ancestry is mostly Germanic, and I was raised in central Pennsylvania, a mainly German culture.  The church that I attended as a boy was a small country church whose praise and worship format was quite conservative.  On Wednesday nights, “prayer and praise” meetings consisted of singing a few hymns, then prayer, and then testimonies interspersed with choruses, many sung in the German language.  One dear brother stood up and “testified” quite regularly: “I sank (thank) Got (God) for full and free salwation (salvation).  Full, it’s the only vay (way) I vant (want) it; free, it’s the only vay I could get it.”  This kind of thinking is entirely true.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2: 8-9)

Yet, most of the teaching, preaching, and testimonies (and contingent thinking, feelings and behaviors) were based on another type of belief system.  The testimony of another dear brother, more closely typifies the philosophy of the people from my area of origin.  “Vhen (when) the Lort (Lord) saved me, he reached vay don (down) in the deep miry clay, and picked me up and set my feet on the solit (solid) rock.  Now, I don’t go to the carniwals (carnivals) or fairs or movies or other vorltly (worldly) places no more.  I don’t smoke; I don’t chew; I don’t run arount (around) with those that do.  And I don’t care who’s here or vhat ya (you) say.  You-uns (you) pray for me, and I’ll pray for you-uns.”

So, I grew up thinking that God was a God that didn’t allow us to do anything fun and instead, expected a high level of performance.  So, substitute “lack of performance” for “sexually molested” in the above example, and the progression of thinking would look similar.

But the truth is that God is different—much more loving and gracious—than I viewed Him.  (And I’m sure that my knowledge of Him will continue to change as I learn to know Him better).  “How       to me are your      , O God!” (Ps. 139:17)  “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to       you and not to harm you, plans to give you       and a      .’” (Jer. 29:11)  “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to       those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”  (II Ch. 16:9)

 

Ron Brown, MA, is CEO of Rock Solid Foundation, the creator of CaseBook, (a leading foster-adopt agency management software), a consulting company, and provider of business services for child-placing agencies.

 

Original Source:

My [Professional] Story

I decided I wanted to be a "psychologist" in sixth grade. I even bought a Psychology book, with my meager allowance, in order to study psychology. I remember thinking that if I could figure out how people thought and behaved I'd be able to find a way to make people like me. I never wavered in my vision; I earned my BS in Psychology and MA in Developmental/Child Psychology, and took my first job, as a case manger, helping kids in foster care. After just three years on the job the exiting Director of a foster care agency recommended me for his job, and the board followed his recommendation. After serving in leadership at that agency (The Bair Foundation) for over ten years I made the very youthful mistake of thinking I knew more than the founder and was shocked, believe it or not, to find myself looking for a job. Which I did in in another part of the country--starting a new agency (Caring Family Network). Which I did, successfully, but soon ran into the same problem again--this time with the board--and once again, found myself looking for a job. This time, however, I was smart enough to realize that if I used my own money, I'd have a better shot at calling the shots. Which I did and was blessed to found and develop one of the largest foster-adopt agencies (For Children's Sake) in the state as well as another state.

 After ten years or so, I became restless again, and again felt too big for my britches. My rationale was: If I can start one company this successfully, I should be able to parlay those skills into a developing a multitude of agencies. So, I resigned my position as CEO and, in partnership with two other businessmen, started a management company, (Legacy, Inc.) which would provide all the business services to the agencies I had founded and developed. During the first year of business, agencies that wanted to start up or needed our services to help them turn around found us via word of mouth, and the new company, Legacy, Inc., assumed a different face than originally intended--one of serving a wide variety of agencies in more of a supportive role than a management role. This new purpose was sealed when a year after resigning from my former responsibilities at For Children's Sake to start Legacy, Inc., the Texas operation of For Children's Sake was closed by licensing because of what licensing considered too much non-compliance with standards. I was devastated, as you can imagine, by the irony of having an agency I had founded and developed closed, when in fact, it was one of Legacy's main directives to prevent this very type of calamity. 

My esteem, having been compromised, I no longer wielded the same influence over one of my partners had had heretofore enjoyed, and we grew increasingly at odds with each other until, finally, I felt obliged to exercise the power I still had and terminated his employment. Following this decision, a series of unfortunate events and actions brought Legacy, Inc.--of which I eventually became 100% owner--to its knees. During all this upheaval, we continued, at Legacy, Inc., to develop a software package, intended to integrate into efficient workflow, the policies and procedures required for an agency to maintain compliance and, in addition, garner the data required to analyze an agency's outcomes and track improvements. Therefore, I and the staff, who were still dedicated to the vision of Legacy, Inc., decided that Legacy, Inc. should maintain ownership of the software, and we would start over with a new company (Rock Solid Foundation, LLC) that would lease the software from Legacy, Inc. and utilize its capacity and potential to enable our dedicated people to continue to streamline processes.

Since the inception of Legacy, Inc., we have served close to 100 agencies across a number of states. Many of these agencies would not, in my opinion, be in existence today had we not been enlisted to help them get started or solve issues that would most likely have resulted in closure. We have helped agencies create new systems for compliance (upon recognition that they were on the brink of closure by licensing entities), reorganize for profitability (upon recognition that the business model was not working and cash was expiring), submit approved licensing/contracting applications (after failing on previous attempts), and provided systems of operation that have helped numerous others avoid crises of operation. Our software--"CaseBook"--has become an invaluable foundation upon which to build these systems of management.

As we look to the future, we hope to spread the word that if an agency does not have a solid system in place for management of its tasks on the road to realizing its vision/mission, our experiences--"good" and "bad"--can be a boon to an agency that is willing to make the improvements we can bring to bear.

The RSF Story

Our Story

 

In 2003, after twenty-five years of serving children with foster care and adoption services in Pennsylvania and founding and developing a couple of substantial foster-adopt agencies in Texas, as well as one in Virginia, I felt driven to do more.  My rationale was: We should be able to parlay those skills demonstrated in the past into starting and developing a multitude of similar agencies, wherever we could find gaps in available services.  In order to pursue this mission I needed to divest myself of the responsibilities of daily operations.  So, I resigned my position as CEO and board member of the child-placing agencies, and in partnership with two other businessmen, started a management company (Legacy, Inc.), which would provide all the essential business/management services to the agencies I had founded and develop and invest any profits Legacy, Inc. realized into the founding and development of additional agencies. 

 

But something different happened that we did not anticipate.  During the first year in business, agencies that wanted to start up or needed help to turn around found us via word of mouth, and the new company, Legacy, Inc., assumed a different face than originally intended--one of serving a wide variety of agencies in less of a management role and in an increasingly administrative/supportive role.  For a while we rolled along very successfully and were able to help a significant number of agencies, and in the process, generate a profitable venture.  However, given the shift in our mission and ensuing disagreements about the amount of control and involvement Legacy, Inc. should exercise with our clients and the financial model that we should follow, etc., the Legacy, Inc. business partners grew increasingly at odds with one another until, inevitably, we parted ways.  The fallout from our conflict brought Legacy, Inc.--of which, in due course, I became 100% owner--to its knees, financially.

 

During this upheaval, we continued, at Legacy, Inc., to serve our remaining clients diligently, and simultaneously, develop a software package intended to integrate into efficient workflow the policies and procedures required for an agency to maintain compliance and, in addition, garner the data required to analyze an agency's outcomes and track improvements.  Therefore, I and the staff, who were still dedicated to the vision of Legacy, Inc., decided that Legacy, Inc. should maintain ownership of the software, and with a renewed vision, form a new company (Rock Solid Foundation, LLC) that would lease the software (dubbed “CaseBook”) from Legacy, Inc. and utilize its capacity and potential to enable our dedicated people to streamline work processes on behalf of our clients. 

 

Our Rock Solid team of staff/owners includes:

(a)    a Programmer/Analyst with over twenty years experience in building and modifying software;

(b)   an Organizational Development and Improvement Coordinator who has created entire manuals of policies and procedures and has provided efficient workflow systems for the policies and procedures of almost every type of placement facility as well as community based services;

(c)    a Director of Special Projects (who is proud of the fact that he is also a Marine) with unparalleled expertise in navigating the finer points of our managed information system (CaseBook) and providing support to our clients;

(d)   a Controller with over fifteen years of experience in administration and medical claims and collections;

(e)   an IT Specialist with over fifteen years’ experience in the industry and an uncanny ability to solve almost any IT problem;

(f)     our COO, with over 20 years of experience in a unique blend of business, finance, sales, technology, operations, and social work;

(g)    a Director of Marketing [Insert Celeste’s credentials here];

(h)   and our husband (CEO)/wife team who, since 1978, have founded six foster-adopt agencies in five states, served as foster parents, administrated several multi-million dollar human services agencies, and served thousands of children in out-of-home placement.

 

Whereas before, in Legacy, Inc., where a “one size fits all” model prevailed—providing the full spectrum of business services for a set fee—our new model in Rock Solid Foundation, LLC allows clients to select the service(s) most applicable to their needs, and CaseBook has become the flagship upon which the services are delivered.

 

Since the inception of Legacy, Inc., and with the additional expertise of Rock Solid Foundation, LLC, we have served close to 100 agencies across a number of states.  Collectively, these agencies have provided care and treatment for children (as well as some adults) and their families in settings ranging from day treatment and in-home services, to foster-adopt care, to residential facilities.  Many of these agencies would not, in my opinion, be in existence today had we not been enlisted to help them get started or solve issues that would most likely have resulted in closure.  We have been privileged to help agencies:

(a)    create new systems for compliance (upon their recognition that they were struggling, hopelessly, to meet licensing requirements);

(b)   reorganize for profitability (upon recognition that the business model was not working and cash was expiring);

(c)    take the load off of the clinicians and social workers by providing the financial services of bookkeeping, accounts payable/receivable, collections, and financial planning and reporting services;

(d)   submit approved licensing/contracting applications (for agencies that had failed on previous attempts);

(e)   recover in various areas of individual concern (e.g., strategic planning, public relations, budgeting/forecasting, training, board development, revised systems of operation and/or business models);

(f)      improve compliance and/or efficiency of workflow via additional, edited, and/or eliminated policies and procedures, etc., thus improving outcomes, or at the very least, crises of operation. 

 

Our proprietary software--CaseBook--has become an invaluable platform upon which to build these systems of management.  CaseBook is new, fresh, and simple to navigate, and it provides a comprehensive system of workflow processes which enables users to achieve and maintain compliance with licensing, contract, and accreditation standards.  The Rock Solid Foundation team stays abreast of the latest minimum standards and best practice standards and continuously updates forms and processes in CaseBook in order to ensure that our clients stay on the cutting edge of industry practice.  CaseBook is designed not only to report the work that has been completed, but also to alert the users to the work that has NOT yet been completed.  As a web-based system, users can work on their projects anywhere and anytime internet is available, and supervisory staff can monitor users’ progress in real time and provide necessary support.

 

As we look to the future, we hope to spread the word that if an agency does not have a solid system in place for management of its tasks on the road to realizing its vision/mission, our experiences—both pleasant and painful--can be a boon to an agency that is willing to make the improvements we can bring to bear.

I confess it's much easier for me to mourn with those who mourn than it is to rejoice with those who rejoice. Give me a receptive heart to Your teaching, heavenly Father: It's not about me.

I had an eye-opening and very humbling experience this weekend. I judged quickly (and therefore, misjudged) a brother in the Lord, and I realized that this type of analysis and conclusion is a habit of mine--the way I think almost all the time. I felt condemned, myself, until I realized that I had judged myself to the same conclusion of condemnation. But I have found freedom in the truth: Heaven cannot be under obligation to my righteousness; Christ died in order to justify the ungodly, not those who are righteous (for there are none), and I am in good standing.

Comfort vs. Truth

I spend too much time in my prayer life seeking comfort--praying for things that I think will make me feel better and calling those things, "good." However, the true Believer prays: "Not my will, but Thine be done." And that prayer typically starts with some version of: "Take this cup from me." I infer that more often than not, "good" is uncomfortable and praying for Truth, not comfort, is what truly sets us free to receive righteousness, peace and joy.