ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL 2002

Wyoming

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:

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.
Did some restructuring by forming a division of protective services which strengthened the agency's ability to address ASFA issues; however, that restructuring was done over a year ago.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe
In collaboration with the Court Improvement project conducted training of multi-disciplinary groups throughout the state on ASFA requirements. Also, drafted a bench book that outlines ASFA requirements for child protective services.


Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
An existing Program Review Unit has begun to tailor its activities to resemble the requirements of the Federal Review. Plan to implement these activities statewide.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.


Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Have changed the process of recruiting to some degree, but it is not a change in policy. When staff are searching for new hires, they look for people who can handle staff assessment and family centered practice.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Passed legislation to make the first review a court review at which the permanency plan for the child is reviewed. The hearing process has been accelerated; otherwise, the schedule remains the same.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Traditionally the majority of people adopting have been foster parents. Staff are the ones who recruit foster and adoptive homes. Since ASFA there is greater emphasis on the importance of foster/adoptive placements. There may have been an adjustment in policy to reflect the need to recruit foster/adoptive homes.

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.

Yes

a. What topics were covered in that ASFA training?

A 10-grid training was held that involved agency staff and the community. It was designed to foster better relationships between the agency and the community and develop skills in partnering with the community so that the responsibility for meeting outcomes for children is shared and ways to partner with community members to solve problems.

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?

A variety of topics - 15-22 rule, safety, permanency, and well being goals, concept of permanency, requirements for judicial oversight and responsibilities, the worker, judges, and attorneys roles in ASFA implementation, case planning, permanency planning and the review system.

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

These groups were included in the multi-disciplinary Court Improvement Project training.

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

Same ones as listed under the Court Improvement training.

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?

The managers like the information system. The workers don't like it because they say that the time it takes to input data is time they could be spending with families. The workers say that the data that is entered can't help families. At the state level, the information is helpful because it provides information on which to make decisions.

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:

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
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.

It is important to help people understand the balance and interrelationship of outcomes. Improvement in one might affect another in a negative way. Solutions have to balance outcomes so they work together. Assessments have to be improved. Need to focus on implementing strategies.

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?

Need to make sure staffing is adequate. We continue to ask staff to do more. Need to work on understanding how to involve community to help in providing favorable outcomes for children and families.

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

No
Yes

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