Frankie is 14 years old and lives with his sister, brothers, and moms. He and his sister were adopted when they were 2 years old and 4 years old, respectively. He loves spending time with his aunts, uncles, and cousins and loves being part of a big family.

Learn about negotiating boundaries, communication, support, and normalcy from a young person formally in foster care and her adoptive parents.

Presents the first task of identifying a problem and provides examples of how to apply strategies. Needs and opportunities for improvement generally emerge through an analysis of source of data or information.

Explores the second task of creating a data plan to investigate the problem further. Creating a well-thought-out data plan helps the team plan for exploring the identified problem and move toward identifying a possible root cause or causes.

Presents the third task of collecting and analyzing data identified in the data plan to help answer research questions. Examining data helps teams tell a more complete story and understand the scope and impact the problem is having on the community.

Introduces the fourth task of identifying possible contributing factors and root causes using different methods. A root cause analysis is a structured approach to understand why a problem occurs using data. Understanding why a problem or unmet need exists helps teams better identify the potential solutions to it.

Explores the fifth task of exploring possible root causes and using data to validate them. Taking time to revisit data, helps teams align on true root cause(s) before moving towards possible solutions.

Presents the sixth and final task, isolating the root cause or causes to address. By isolating, or selecting, the root cause or causes to address as part of a change initiative, teams are able to consider feasible solutions to address the problem.

Shares Stephen’s story about being a community-based provider and policymaker in Florida, the need for laws that empower caregiver decision-making, creating Florida’s reasonable and prudent parent standard (RPPS), and the effect RPPS and normalcy laws can have on foster care.

Examines why teams should research possible intervention options, how to look for a wide variety of potential options, and what supporting evidence to look for in researching possible solutions.

Explores how teams can assess an intervention to understand the potential for success with the target population; the fit with the system, agency, and context; and the capacity needed to implement it.

Presents how teams can determine whether there is sufficient information about an intervention to be clear and easy to explain, useable (intervention has operational definitions and fidelity process or performance assessments), and in alignment with agency principles and values.

Examines how teams can use a structured approach to determine if an existing intervention with adaptations meets agency needs or if teams need to design a new one.

Describes how teams define the intervention by stating the purpose, goals, and guiding principles; identifying core components and how they align; and then further operationalizing after getting proposal approval.

Presents how to develop a proposal by clearly explaining the intervention to establish a common understanding among stakeholders, and to support communication and decision-making.