ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES
2003

Minnesota

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: Minnesota is a state supervised, county-administered state. Ms. Sutton-Sullivan spoke from the state perspective.

b. Supervisors:

Comments:

c. Workers:

Comments:

2. Following are some of the skills that managers, supervisors and workers need to have to implement ASFA. Please rate each of these on a scale of 1-5 with one being 'do not need it' and 5 being 'extremely important.'

a. Managers:

Case work skills:

Collaborative skills

Understanding requirements of ASFA

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

Other, please specify and rate:

b. Supervisors:

Case work skills:

Communication skills:

Collaborative skills:

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

Other, please specify and rate:

c. Workers:

Case work skills:

Collaborative skills

Communication skills:

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

Other, please specify and rate:

3. In the past year, since our earlier survey, as part of your ASFA implementation has the agency undertaken any activities in the following areas:

Agency structure? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Comment: Not as a result of ASFA.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Issue bulletins, have internal discussions, integrate ASFA topics into various meetings.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Have strengthened case reviews; now they are based on the CFSR model.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

4. In the past year, since our earlier survey, has there been any ASFA training for child welfare agency personnel? No Yes
If yes, go to question 4a. If no, go to question 4e.

a. What topics were covered in that ASFA training?

All new workers receive training on ASFA topics, but the topics are embedded in the curriculum and are part of the training. They are not identified specifically as requirements of ASFA.

b. Which of the following did you use for the ASFA training?

Statewide training
In service training
Pre-service training
Forums on ASFA topics
Conferences on ASFA topics
Regularly scheduled meetings
Managers train people
Interactive video on ASFA topics
Teleconferences on ASFA topics
Training by federal agencies
Information is circulated about ASFA

c. Who did the training?

Agency/training unit staff
Outside consultants
State university
Court staff
Central office staff
Regional staff

d. Was the training just on ASFA or was it incorporated into other training that you provide?

Incorporated
Incorporated into new worker training
Not incorporated

e. In the past year, since our earlier survey, have you done any of the following ASFA training with or for the courts? No Yes
If yes, continue with this question; if no go to question 4g.

Joint training sessions
Agency and court staff have worked together on local level
Court Improvement Project events attended by agency people
ASFA workgroups of agency and court staff
Agency staff have trained court people
Agency published a newsletter for court staff
Other

f. What topics were covered in that ASFA training for the courts?

The Children's Justice Initiative looks at the court system from a child's point of view. Address ASFA topics in training, especially permanency, timelines, and also developmental issues, court procedures.

g. Have you done ASFA training with or for any of the following:

Schools
Health care providers
Mental health providers
Tribes
Other, please specify

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

Mental health providers – timelines, Tribes - timelines, ICWA and ASFA, how to work together. Tribal representatives are invited to attend agency trainings.

5. Thinking about future training for your agency and community partners (not just on ASFA), what do you think is the number one training need of:

a. Agency managers:

Managing resources when there are reductions. How do you keep best practices alive with cuts in resources.

b. Agency supervisors:

Same as for agency managers; focus on best practice. Use outcomes to drive service system.

c. Agency workers:

Best practice, methods of social work intervention and how to use best intervention in each case.

d. Foster parents:

How to work with biological parents. What to look for and how to meet the needs of foster kids in health and education.

e. Schools:

Recognizing children with mental health issues and how to handle them.

f. Health care providers:

Screening for mental health issues.

g. Mental health providers:

Train more of them. What happens when kids can't be returned to families in a timely fashion.

h. Tribes:

Attachment and permanency issues in children.

i. Courts:

4-E

j. Is there any other group you think has a training need? Please specify.

Attorneys need to look at their roles; how to work within timelines, achieve permanency.

6. 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?

Have a good case management system that is used at the local level. It is necessary to provide support. Need to work on how to get reports from the system and how to use them.

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

7. Please rate the importance of the following in terms of supporting staff as they implement the ASFA requirements, with 1 being 'not important' and 5 being 'crucial.'

Training

Increased communication

Resources to support staff

Collaborative efforts with stakeholders

Seeing ASFA as good casework practice

Management support

Revising policy to support ASFA

Monitoring implementation

Other, please specify and rate:

8. Do you see any of the following as barriers to your agency's support for staff as they implement the requirements of ASFA (check if 'yes')?

Lack of resources
Difficult relationship with courts
Staff turnover
Limitations or lack of computer system
Lack of understanding/knowledge about ASFA
Heavy workload
Lack of support
Difficulty meeting ASFA requirements
Large number of cases
Differences in interpretation
Lack of services
Lack of time
Lack of training
     Comment: not necessarily on ASFA
Problems caused by a county-based system
Other, please specify:

9. (For County based systems only.) Do any of the following impact your ASFA implementation (check if 'yes')?

Must be responsive to local needs
Lack of uniform practice standards
Communication can be difficult
Approach is fragmented
Limited state control
Limited resources
Other

10. At which point in the Child and Family Service Review process is your agency?

a.

Planning
Statewide assessment underway
Review complete
Working to complete the activities described in the PIP

b. Are there any significant lessons you learned from the CFSR? If so, please describe.

Takes a lot of time. Issues related to practice need to be looked at. States report data differently. Have learned things about communication. Some standards weren't expected to be met. Need to look at that. Learning about how review of local practices and deciding if it should look like the CFSR process.

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

ASFA is viewed as best practice in Minnesota, even before ASFA was passed. To implement requirements will need early intervention resources. States need more resources to continue to meet standards. When investing in meeting outcomes, can't devote as much time to providing services.

Do you mind if we call you again if we need additional information?

No
Yes

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