ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES
2003

Maryland

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: Grazio is located in the central office so he speaks for them; he doesn't speak for the field workers.

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.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Taken the case management requirements and embedded them in performance appraisals for managers, supervisors and caseworkers. For example, meeting ASFA deadlines would become part of performance appraisal.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Some modifications, nothing major.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Have undertaken various efforts involving the media, including radio announcements, use of billboards, transit posters. Have begun using private contractors to recruit.

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?

Training focuses on practice topics, some of them are directly related to ASFA.

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?

Training for the courts was done with the Court Improvement project. The topics included a wide array of CPS issues, ASFA topics are embedded in this training.

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

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

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

Various topics, including health care planning, reunification, juvenile sex offender information ASFA topics included.

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:

Federal performance measures, they are focusing on CFSR issues because their federal review is in November 2003.

b. Agency supervisors:

Quality control, case review

c. Agency workers:

Case work skills

d. Foster parents:

Already receive a wide array of training; no particular need identified.

e. Schools:

f. Health care providers:

Training in how to manage cases involving kids who have clear behavioral needs, but no private insurance. Kids are placed in state custody so they can get state services.

g. Mental health providers:

Training in how to manage cases involving kids who have clear behavioral needs, but no private insurance. Kids are placed in state custody so they can get state services.

h. Tribes:

No tribes in Md.

i. Courts:

Courts have a problem with meeting deadlines for achieving permanency. The backlog of cases in the courts is partly responsible.

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?

Do not have a SACWIS system. Their Legacy system is very limited. It can report case data, but have no desk top data management.

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

Maryland was late in starting to set up a SACWIS system. It wasn't started until 2000. Now budget cuts have keep the state from implementing the 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:
     Backlog of cases in courts. No uniform system for handling child protective cases.

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.

The CFSR does not give a clear picture of performance. Fifty cases is not a significant sample on which to base major decisions. Process and ways of measuring state performance need revision.

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?

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

No
Yes

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