ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL 2002

New Jersey

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:

b. Supervisors:

Comments:

c. Workers:

Comments: Issues contributing to this rating include staff turnover, new staff do not fully understand requirements. Sometimes the knowledge becomes contained in units that are specialized, and these units often include the most experienced and motivated staff.

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

Understand Requirements of ASFA

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

b. Supervisors?

Case work skills:

Communication Skills:

Collaborative Skills:

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

c. Workers?

Case work skills:

Collaborative skills

Communication Skills:

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

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.
The Division of Youth and Family Services developed a Case Practice Unit in our Central Office. This unit is comprised of experienced staff who support field in meeting the ASFA requirements.

Administrative and Casework positions have been allocated to support kinship care and relative care programs.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe
One of the Director’s bulletins contained information about the relative and kinship programs. The Deputy Director sent out a policy change to eliminate dual management of cases, this was a system by which two workers shared supervision of a case. Dual management had caused some confusion about permanency/case responsibilities. This policy change eliminated this potential for confusion.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Where appropriate, reference is made to activities associated with ASFA.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Some job descriptions, such as that of a worker in a permanency unit, may reflect performance standards related to ASFA outcomes.

Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Even though the State has a hiring freeze, we can continue to backfill casework positions. The Division also has hired staff to perform specialized tasks such as litigation aides and child summary writers. These individuals help support casework staff. The Division also continues to support staffing in the Office of the Attorney General (State Office that provides representation to the Division on Child Abuse/Neglect and Termination of Parental Rights cases), Office of the Public Defender (State Office that provides representation for children and for parents).

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Our staff now complete safety assessments which are completed with or reviewed by various levels of supervisory staff. The Adoption Operations program developed a placement assessment process which incorporates all aspects of ASFA; safety, well being and permanency. This placement assessment process incorporates the safety assessment elements of the safety assessments. Both of the above support and assure compliance with the ASFA requirements.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Recruitment Staff attend and have displays at special events such as the NJ Nurses Convention, Teacher’s Convention, and the National Social Workers Conference. Our recruitment staff also participated in local community events such as health fairs. Print, television, transit, billboard, and sports event advertising are the centerpieces of the Division’s general recruitment efforts. We also have an Adoption/Foster Recruitment Van with advertising signage on the outside. The van can be sent to special events and brings our recruitment message to the events as well as to all who see it traveling to its destinations.

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

a. What topics were covered in that ASFA training?

Structured Decision Making: As part of the Division’s Strategic Plan to improve safety and expedite permanency, Division staff in consultation with the National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment, and other child welfare experts, have developed a Structured Decision making (SDM) model for case handling. This initiative promotes timely, valid, and consistent judgements related to safety, risk assessment, case planning, service provision, and permanency on behalf of children and their families. SDM training will utilize several basic components to assess families. Thus far, the Division has implemented a safety assessment protocol. In the District Offices, the safety assessment document is completed in a case conference and provides assistance to the caseworker and his or her supervisor in making a determination as to whether a child is safe in his or her home or whether safety measures must be taken to ensure the child’s well-being. Also in development are tools to provide uniform screening and risk assessment throughout the District Offices or indirectly through other child welfare providers from screening of the initial referral to case closure. SDM training was preceded by two Symposia series in 1998/1999 and 2000 that focused on implementation of ASFA regulations and child protective decision-making. The Division also, through the Adoption Opportunities grant, provided training about placement issues, child needs and family strengths.

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
Other, part of new worker training

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?

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

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

There were a number of topics covered in different training events: Termination of Parental Rights and the older child who needs an adoptive home; family group conferencing and mediation; kinship care; Title IV-E requirements; juvenile justice and reasonable efforts to prevent placement; and the Child and Family Services Reviews.

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

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

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

The Division and Rutgers University developed a three-day Expert Witness/Evaluator training program to train psychologists and psychiatrists. These experts are then better prepared to provide the assessments and evaluations and court testimony necessary to provide for the safety and permanency needs of the children. An experienced pediatric nurse under contract with the Division has trained foster parents about the health and safety needs of children in their care.

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 are still in the process of building, modifying, testing and training staff on information systems that are very promising.

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

3.3 million has been placed in the budget for FY 2003 to support the SACWIS system. We await final signoff by the Governor. This amount will provide the 50% state match to reach a total of 6.6 million. Upon approval, the Division plans to issue RFPs for development of SACWIS in the fall of 2002.

6. 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:

7. 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 (certain 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
Problems caused by a county-based system
Other, please specify:

8. (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 (diverse)
Limited state control
Limited resources

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

a.
Planning
Statewide assessment completed.
Review complete
Working to complete the activities described in the PIP

b. Are there any significant lessons you learned from the CFSR process that you suggest we include in our curriculum? If so, please describe.


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

Do you mind if we call you again if we need additional information?
No
Yes

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