On February 26, 2025, your UPE team continued to meet and confer regarding the use of the Service Management Information Link Engine (SMILE) - this time in the Sacramento Welcome Homes (SWH). The department explained that it would be used as a census tool to keep track of youth and to submit initial and full Incident Reports (IRs). The census tool is to be used when youth enter the home, have been placed, or are on an Unauthorized Absence.
UPE wanted to know if the census tool is to be used by both the Child Development Specialists (CDS) and the Engagement Social Workers (ESW) or by all SWH staff. We also wanted to know if IRs can be edited once the initial has been submitted. The department explained that the census information is primarily done by ESWs as it is a part of the intake process. They further explained that initial IRs are automatically sent to the case carrying Social Worker, Community Care Licensing, and other parties involved (probation officer). This information is also automatically populated from the involved youths’ census information so that the staff sending the IR does not have to go looking for it. Other questions asked to the department were whether this could be an application for cell phones, who completes an IR (just the involved party/s or involved party/s and witnesses), and whether there will be enough staff in the homes for an IR to be completed, since staff is not to be on their laptops around the youth. There is no plan currently for this to be applied; the department is addressing the issue of staffing levels so that staff can complete IRs away from the youth, and, yes, they are able to be edited with permission. Only management staff have permission to edit; however, all clicks are tracked. UPE suggests sending your initial IRs once you complete them.
UPE understands that staff have already been given an overview of training and testing starting on March 3, 2025, with a go-live date of March 17, 2025. Please let UPE and the department know of any problems you incur while using SMILE.
Thank you to Jennifer Wygand, Eric Booker, and Sarah Singleton for your advocacy
