ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES
2003

Maine

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

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.
Added new positions to address quality assurance; restructured district offices; changes some policies and laws.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Increased frequency of meetings of the management team. Hired a communication specialist; increased variety of ways to communicate, i.e., use of video conferences. Emphasis on involving staff at more levels. Created more advisory committees.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Expanded recruitment efforts, using different methods. Trying to increase recruitment of candidates who possess skills required by ASFA.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
The Quality Assurance Unit uses ASFA criteria in the reviews they do.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
There has been special training regarding recruitment. There is more community and staff involved in recruitment.

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?

Pre-service training includes ASFA topics.

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?

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

Schools
Health care providers
Mental health providers
Tribes
Other, please specify
     Foster parents have received training in how to recognize the role
     they play in meeting ASFA requirements. There have been some
     generalized training sessions to which a whole range of stakeholders
     were invited.

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

General ASFA topics.

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:

How to own their role in ensuring that a high quality and sufficient amount of practice gets accomplished. They need to know how to take responsibility for that. They need to know what the role of the child welfare manager is in modern child welfare practice.

b. Agency supervisors:

Same as managers. Need to understand what their role is.

c. Agency workers:

Need to understand their role as far as ASFA is concerned. They need to understand that ASFA is good casework practice and how ASFA fits into social work.

d. Foster parents:

Understand that they are part of a team. They have to do what the team decides and be willing to work with other team members. Focus on permanency issues.

e. Schools:

Need to know how to work with children in foster care and what their unique needs are. Need a broader knowledge of the child welfare system.

f. Health care providers:

g. Mental health providers:

Understand the difference between treating an individual child and treating a parent.

h. Tribes:

Need to know how to navigate system so they can play a more active role in the lives of native American children who are involved with the child welfare system.

i. Courts:

Need to understand why ASFA was passed and the principles underlying it.

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

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?

There is a lot of data we can't get in the form that is useful to us. The system is helpful in seeing what has been done on a case.

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
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.

No surprises.

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?

Need communication, accountability and positive reinforcement and training to get needed changes.

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

No
Yes

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