ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Hawaii

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: ASFA has been incorporated into current procedures and we are now in the process of revising our rules to include the requirements of ASFA, CAPTA and IV-E. There have also been statutory changes to comply with ASFA.

b. Supervisors:

Comments: Supervisors know that there are new requirements, and have procedures to guide them, but are still having difficulty fully integrating them into line practice.

c. Workers:

Comments: Workers have been provided information and procedures but again they are not fully integrated into practice.

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?

• Methods to identify and overcome obstacles to ASFA implementation.
  

b. Supervisors?

• How to provide clear expectations, ensure training for their staff and monitor compliance with ASFA.
  

c. Workers?

• Training on methods that will cut down on the time and effort needed to meet ASFA requirements (methods that are practical and applicable in our system)
  
  

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.
  
  
• Internal communication? No Yes
  If yes, please describe
  Program staff have revised procedures to include ASFA. As issues come up, staff are updated via memos.
  
• 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.

DHS provides information on ASFA as part of our core training for all new hires. Thus, every hire is provided information on ASFA and their part in meeting its requirements. Other training is provided in periodic conferences, however, ASFA would not be the focus of the entire conference but rather a component

b. Who does the training?

Training is provided by DHS staff and outside sources.

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

Mostly incorporated into other training.

There is a stand-alone training scheduled in Honolulu on December 5, 2000 that will train DHS, Court and community staff on the necessity of meeting ASFA requirements and ways for the state as a whole, not just CWS, to accomplish that goal. Information will also be incorporated with the training on 'Concurrent Planning', which will begin on February 26-27 for CWS staff, Family Court personnel and community providers.

Information is also included in the CWS procedures manual which each staff person has received training in and is able to reference in their offices.

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

We will have joint training on December 5, 2000.

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?

We do not have a SACWIS system but get good data, information and reports from our system. We get relatively prompt response by our Information System Office to our requests to make the system comply with ASFA.

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

N/A

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

Clear concise directions.

We made our outcomes the CFS outcomes. That helps us a lot since we report the same information to the government and our legislature.

We have an excellent relationship with the staff from Region 9.

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

Lack of staff

The numerous requirements of ASFA and the inability to get other agencies to recognize the importance of ASFA compliance (no real buy-in)

We are supposed to be partners with the federal agency around ASFA but the penalties can create a 'gotcha' situation for an agency. Also, the way that the IV-E and CFS reviews are scheduled means that an agency in a remedial plan could be in a loop, setting up for one review while trying to correct the findings from another.

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?

We'd like to hear how someone has been able to comply with ASFA with insufficient staff and a lack of cooperation and communication from other community and agency partners.

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