ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL 2002

Texas

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: The agency plan, The Performance Milestone Plan (Milestone Plan), incorporates the requirements of ASFA, but they are not specifically identified as being ASFA requirements.

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

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.
Changes have been made to comply with the Milestone Plan and thus, to facilitate better outcomes for children and families. These changes have also led to better conformity to ASFA requirements. The position of Milestone Coordinator was created and filled. This position oversees all aspects of the Milestone plan. There is a regional coordinator in each of the five regions and a state Milestone Coordinator. Milestone coordinators look at data and practice. They are also responsible for the federal review shich will take place in April 2003. Also added additional trainers to train new employees. The training will emphasize best practice. Combined two trend analysis committees to look at data indicators and ASFA requirements.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe
Changes in agency structure have lead to an increase in communications. For example, one of the tasks of the Milestone Coordinator is to communicate with the regions, especially regarding the results of trend analysis, and encourage them to communicate with each other, by sharing experiences and best practices The Milestone Coordinator also communicates results of trend analysis to the Steering Committee and communicates regional information back to the Steering Committee.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Changes in performance appraisals are being implemented as part of the Milestone Plan. The agency is using Practice Model Training which is a strengths based approach to casework in a parallel process with employee performance evaluations. The performance plan reflects the skills that caseworkers should demonstrate in managing the case. Then the supervisor and the caseworkers meet to determine the strengths and areas for improvement of the worker. The supervisor and worker then discuss resources available for caseworkers that will help them to make the needed improvements. This is similar to the way caseworkers work with families.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.


Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Case process review - looks at compliance with policy and statute
Qualitative case review - Done yearly. 24 cases are selected at random per region. The review includes both child and family outcomes and system performance. Individuals connected to the case including the client are interviewed. It is similar to federal review, but more intense. Regions have also been doing more informal case reviews.

Supervisors also review cases, Cross regional case reviews were started by regional directors last year. They read each others cases. Coordinators also review cases.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
In the last year refined the existing process. The Foster Care Foundation, a public non profit agency contracted with the state, started a screening process that helps provide more quality resource families. Have changed strategies and training. Have started support groups for foster parents.

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.

no

a. What topics were covered in that ASFA training?

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?

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?

The Board of Judges held a conference on ASFA topics and the federal reviews. Later there was follow-up training on permanency guidelines, time frames for court hearings. There was also a conference sponsored by the Administrative Office of the Courts attended by agency staff and court staff. Looked at child welfare data and compliance of judges.

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

Have done work with tribes, but not training. Have hired ICWA Coordinator and held an ICWA conference gear towards caseworkers.

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

Not specifically ASFA training with any of these groups. Some ASFA principles have been included in work with mental health provides and the tribes.

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?

System is good. Can get all kinds of specific data from it.

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

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:

Adequate number of workers

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

Federal review will be held in April 2003

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

It is difficult to understand what the first steps are in completing federal review, and what the resource centers can do.

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?

Managers need to go through same training as caseworkers. Managers have to have casework skills. They need them so they know how to communicate with caseworkers and understand what is happening with families.

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

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