1. Policy Statement
Family Promise of Puget Sound is committed to a proactive, balanced, and holistic approach to risk assessment and management, ensuring the safety and well-being of families, staff, and volunteers while fostering an environment of trust and empowerment. This policy distinguishes between “”risk”” and “”danger,”” advocating for thoughtful, situation-specific responses that consider individual needs, available resources, and contextual factors, rather than relying solely on rigid checklists or reactive “”panic responses.”” We believe in collaborative decision-making to navigate uncertainty and dilemmas, providing robust support for staff in complex situations.
2. Scope
This policy applies to all aspects of Family Promise of Puget Sound’s operations where potential risks to families, staff, volunteers, or organizational assets may arise. This includes, but is not limited to:
* Consultation and ongoing support of families.
* Program activities (e.g., shelter operations, transportation, case management).
* Volunteer engagement and supervision.
* Management of physical facilities and equipment.
* Handling of sensitive information and data.
* Financial management and fundraising activities.
This policy applies to all staff, volunteers, and board members of Family Promise of Puget Sound.
3. Guiding Principles
* Safety First, Empowerment Always: Prioritize the physical and emotional safety of all individuals while simultaneously striving to empower families and support their journey to self-sufficiency.
* Distinction between Risk and Danger: Clearly differentiate between a “”risk”” (a potential for harm or negative outcome, which can often be mitigated or managed) and “”danger”” (an immediate, significant threat requiring urgent protective action). Not all risks equate to immediate danger.
* Holistic and Contextual Approach: Assess risks within the full context of a family’s situation, considering their strengths, vulnerabilities, cultural background, and the specific circumstances, rather than isolated incidents or generic assumptions.
* Needs-Based and Resource-Informed: Risk management strategies must be tailored to the individual needs of families and be realistic given the resources available to Family Promise of Puget Sound and its partners.
* Proactive and Preventative: Emphasize identifying potential risks early and implementing preventative measures, rather than solely reacting to crises.
* Collaborative Decision-Making: Foster an environment where staff, supervisors, and, where appropriate, families and external partners, collaborate to assess risks and determine appropriate responses.
* Transparency and Communication: Maintain open and honest communication about risks and the strategies to manage them, both internally and, as appropriate, with affected families and external stakeholders.
* Learning and Adaptation: View risk incidents as opportunities for learning and continuous improvement of policies, procedures, and training.
* Support for Staff: Provide comprehensive training, clear guidelines, and accessible support systems to enable staff to confidently navigate uncertainty and ethical dilemmas in risk management.
4. Definitions
* Risk: The possibility of harm, loss, or adverse outcome. Risks can be managed, mitigated, or accepted.
* Danger: An immediate, significant, and unavoidable threat to safety or well-being that requires urgent intervention.
* Risk Assessment: The systematic process of identifying potential risks, analyzing their likelihood and potential impact, and evaluating their significance.
* Risk Management: The coordinated activities to direct and control an organization with regard to risk, including identifying, assessing, mitigating, monitoring, and communicating risks.
* Mitigation: Actions taken to reduce the likelihood or impact of a risk.
* Crisis Management: The process by which an organization deals with a disruptive and unexpected event that threatens to harm the organization, its stakeholders, or the public.
5. Types of Risks
Family Promise of Puget Sound recognizes various categories of risks:
* Safety Risks: Threats to the physical or emotional safety of families, staff, or volunteers (e.g., domestic violence, mental health crises, child protection concerns, accidents).
* Programmatic Risks: Challenges that could disrupt program delivery or effectiveness (e.g., lack of host congregations, volunteer shortages, funding instability, staff turnover).
* Operational Risks: Risks related to daily operations (e.g., facility maintenance, transportation issues, data security breaches).
* Reputational Risks: Events that could damage the organization’s public image or trust (e.g., negative media attention, mishandling of funds).
* Financial Risks: Threats to the organization’s financial stability (e.g., budget shortfalls, grant non-compliance).
* Compliance Risks: Failure to adhere to legal, regulatory, or policy requirements.
6. Risk Assessment Process
The risk assessment process will be systematic and ongoing:
* Identification:
* Initial Consultation: During the consultation process, case managers will identify initial potential risks based on family disclosures and observations.
* Ongoing Monitoring: Staff and volunteers are responsible for continuously observing and reporting potential risks or changes in circumstances.
* Incident Reporting: Any incidents, near misses, or concerns that could indicate a risk will be promptly reported.
* Analysis:
* Likelihood: Assess the probability of the risk occurring (e.g., low, medium, high).
* Impact: Evaluate the potential severity of the consequences if the risk materializes (e.g., minor, moderate, severe).
* Contextual Factors: Consider all relevant individual, family, environmental, and systemic factors that influence the risk.
* Evaluation:
* Distinguishing Risk from Danger:
* Danger: If an immediate, significant threat to safety is identified, immediate protective action (e.g., contacting emergency services, removing individuals from harm’s way, implementing safety plans) will be taken.
* Risk: If a potential for harm exists but is not immediate danger, the risk will be further evaluated for its manageability.
* Significance: Determine the overall significance of the risk based on its likelihood and impact.
* Documentation: All risk assessments, including identified risks, analysis, and evaluation, will be thoroughly documented in confidential case files or incident reports.
7. Risk Management Strategies
Based on the risk assessment, appropriate management strategies will be developed and implemented:
* Mitigation:
* Safety Planning: Developing individualized safety plans with families, especially in situations involving domestic violence, mental health crises, or substance abuse.
* Supervision and Support: Providing appropriate levels of supervision for families, particularly in shelter environments.
* Referrals: Connecting families to specialized external services (e.g., mental health professionals, substance abuse treatment, domestic violence shelters, child protective services) when risks are beyond Family Promise’s scope.
* Training: Providing ongoing training to staff and volunteers on risk identification, de-escalation techniques, and emergency procedures.
* Environmental Controls: Ensuring safe physical environments, regular maintenance, and adherence to health and safety regulations.
* Acceptance: In some cases, a low-impact, low-likelihood risk may be accepted if mitigation is impractical or unnecessary, with continued monitoring.
* Transfer/Sharing: Partnering with other agencies or utilizing insurance to transfer or share certain risks.
* Avoidance: Avoiding activities or situations that present unacceptable levels of risk where possible.
8. Decision-Making Process for Risk Management
* Staff Responsibility: All staff and volunteers are responsible for identifying and reporting potential risks to their immediate supervisor.
* Supervisory Review: Supervisors will review reported risks, conduct initial assessments, and determine appropriate immediate actions.
* Collaborative Case Conferencing: For complex or high-stakes risks, case managers will convene with their Program Director, CEO, and potentially other relevant staff or external experts (e.g., mental health consultants, legal counsel) to discuss the situation holistically, explore options, and make informed decisions.
* Emergency Protocols: Clear protocols will be in place for immediate response to dangerous situations, including contact information for emergency services and designated staff.
* Documentation of Decisions: All risk management decisions, including the rationale, actions taken, and individuals involved in the decision, will be meticulously documented.
9. Supporting Staff Navigating Uncertainty and Dilemmas
Family Promise of Puget Sound recognizes that risk management often involves complex human situations and ethical dilemmas. The organization is committed to supporting staff through:
* Clear Communication Channels: Ensuring staff know who to approach for support and guidance in uncertain situations.
* Regular Supervision and Debriefing: Providing opportunities for staff to discuss challenging cases, process emotional impacts, and receive constructive feedback.
* Professional Development: Offering training on topics such as de-escalation, trauma-informed care, ethical decision-making, and crisis intervention.
* Peer Support: Fostering a culture of mutual support among staff.
* Access to External Expertise: Providing access to consultants or specialists for guidance on highly complex or specialized risk situations.
* “”No Blame”” Culture (for learning): Encouraging reporting of incidents and near misses without fear of punitive action, focusing instead on learning and systemic improvements.
10. Monitoring and Review of Risks
Risk management is an ongoing process:
* Continuous Monitoring: Regularly review the effectiveness of implemented risk management strategies.
* Incident Review: All significant incidents or near misses will be reviewed to identify root causes, assess the effectiveness of responses, and update procedures as necessary.
* Regular Policy Review: This policy will be reviewed annually by the CEO and Board of Directors to ensure its continued relevance, effectiveness, and alignment with best practices and organizational needs.
* Data Analysis: Analyze trends in reported risks and incidents to identify systemic issues or emerging patterns.
11. Confidentiality
All information related to risk assessments and management involving families is confidential and will be handled in accordance with Family Promise of Puget Sound’s confidentiality policy and all applicable privacy laws.
12. Non-Discrimination
Risk assessment and management will be conducted without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Decisions will be based solely on objective assessment of risk factors and the safety and well-being of all involved.