ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Alaska

1. How would you rate your agency's staff in terms of their understanding of ASFA requirements? We are particularly interested in the level of understanding of managers, supervisors and workers. Please rate their understanding on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being 'poor' and 5 being 'comprehensive'.

a. Managers:

Comments: We revised the AK statute so that it mirrors ASFA and that has helped us integrate ASFA into our casework practice. Since mangers and supervisors have been working with the revised statute so closely, they have a very high understanding of ASFA.

b. Supervisors:

Comments: We revised the AK statute so that it mirrors ASFA and that has helped us integrate ASFA into our casework practice. Since mangers and supervisors have been working with the revised statute so closely, they have a very high understanding of ASFA.

c. Workers:

Comments: Some of our workers are in very specialized roles and jobs so they know their piece of ASFA very well however they have a less comprehensive understanding than supervisors and managers.

2. Based on your agency's experience to date, what skills do you think managers, supervisors and workers need to have to implement ASFA?

a. Managers?

• Since ASFA is all about best practice, managers need to have good casework practice skills.

b. Supervisors?

• Since ASFA is all about best practice, supervisors need to have good casework practice skills.

c. Workers?

• Since ASFA is all about best practice, workers need to have good casework practice skills.
• The ability to organize and prioritize their work.

3. As part of your ASFA implementation has your agency undertaken any activities in the following areas:

• Agency structure? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  We hired new staff for several of the field offices to focus on children listed on the transition list and then on children who have been in care the longest.
• Internal communication? No Yes
  If yes, please describe
  Due to increased media interest and language in ASFA regarding release of records, we have tightened up and reinforced our procedures for internal and external communication around issues such as serious injury and child death.
• Performance appraisals? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
• Job descriptions? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
• Staff recruitment? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.

4. How do you handle staff training on ASFA?

a. Please describe the training.

In June of 1998, the Division of Family and Youth Services and the Department of Law developed and delivered collaborative training on the former statute and on the ASFA and related state changes ---current and planned. It took 3-4 months to deliver this training to all Division employees.

If we discover that there is a cluster of ASFA related issues in one field office, we will go to that office to address those issues.

b. Who does the training?

Division of Family and Youth Services staff and Assistant Attorney Generals

c. Is the training just on ASFA or is it incorporated into other training that you provide?

We have incorporated ASFA philosophy and requirements into our new employee training.

d. Have you done any training with or for the courts? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Through the Court Improvement Project

5. How well does your information system support the work of managers, supervisors and workers in implementing ASFA? Please rate the support provided by your system on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being 'poor' and 5 being 'outstanding'

a. Why did you give your system that rating?

From a data entry perspective, our system is cumbersome, which causes a delay in data entry and interpretation of data.

b. If a rating of 1 or 2 is given, probe as to the status of the SACWIS system.

We do not have a SACWIS yet although we have restarted the planning for one.

6. What has worked best for you in terms of supporting staff as they implement the ASFA requirements?

The Child Protective Service system received a lot of attention and the state law change to reflect ASFA helped a lot. The Governor has made children a priority and that is a huge help to us.

We started in a Training Academy in Fall, 1998, which is a collaborative effort between the Division and University of Alaska.

7. What do you view as barriers to your agency's support for staff as they implement the requirements of ASFA?

Lack of placement resources particularly for high need children and those on the transition list.

Lack of service resources for parents, such as alcohol abuse services and facilities where children can live with their parents while the parents receive services.

The inconsistencies between ASFA and ICWA.

8. (For County based systems only.) To what extent does the fact that your state is county-based impact your ASFA implementation?
NA

9. Is there anything else that you want to tell us regarding the best way to support staff as they implement the requirements of ASFA?

The key is being able to obtain the resources necessary to keep caseloads at a reasonable level so the workers can meet best practice standards and get needed services to families in a timely manner.

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