ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Virginia

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:

b. Supervisors:

c. Workers:

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?

• Understand what ASFA's intent is, then develop skills to implement
• Look at bigger picture - study community resources and how to help workers utilize them.
  

b. Supervisors?

• Some of the same skills as managers
• Look at data
• Coach workers to persue concurrent planning
• Balance workload in agency - prioritize and juggle
  

c. Workers?

• Communicate with families; motivate them
• Explain concurrent planning
• Creative thinking about providing wraparound services for children in placement.
  

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
  Using updated means of communication - e-mail, inter-, intranet.
  
  
• Performance appraisals? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  Performance reviews are done at the county level. A review tool is being developed so that local agencies can look at themselves. The tool is modeled on the federal review tool.
  
• 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.

The state law was changed over several years, beginning in 1996, including requirements similar to ASFA's. As a result of the passage of the state legislation, training had already been done both in the courts and in the agency. In addition once ASFA was passed the central office staff trained the five regional staff who train at the local level.

b. Who does the training?

• Policy training is done by the state central office staff and the regional staff.
• Skills training is contracted out.
  

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

Incorporated.

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

Have worked closely with supreme court staff. Agency staff has attended supreme court conferences along with judges and clerks.

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?

Utah has a fully operational SACWIS system. It works well. The only complaint is that system sometimes runs slowly if phone lines and computer hook-ups are old, as they are in some parts of the state.

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

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

Close cooperation and collaboration with supreme court staff
Supporting legislation.

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

Have a locally administered system. Harder to implement requirements at the local level. Have to deal with 120 local departments. Can't influence local departments as strongly as if system was administered at the state level.

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

Custody and decisions regarding children in care are made at the local level with local judges in the court so local opinions may affect decisions.

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?

No

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