ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Massachusetts

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: Managers are thoroughly trained; understand time frames.

b. Supervisors:

Comments: Many supervisors are new to the job so aren't as well trained as managers.

c. Workers:

Comments: Workers have been trained on ASFA and how ASFA requirements translate into permanency.

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?

• Need to understand the entire law
• Need to know how to make decisions, especially regarding exemptions.
  

b. Supervisors?

• Ability to understand and implement concurrent planning
• Translate requirements from management level to workers and families
• Need to know what to do to meet ASFA requirements while maintaining good clinical practice; must maintain a balance between the two.
  

c. Workers?

• Know how to introduce concept of concurrent planning to families
• Develop good writing skills to be able to document what agency has done for families.
  
  

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.
  • Restructured emphasis of permanency planning meetings to make sure there is evidence of a clear line of decision making once agency gets in court
  • Changed procedures to involve legal staff earlier in process.
  • Started a mediation process for kids in care whose goal has been changed to adoption. The mediation responsibility is contracted out. The mediator is appointed by the contract agency. The mediator works with family to workout mutually acceptable arrangement regarding TPR.
    
    
• Internal communication? No Yes
  If yes, please describe
  There is more internal communication
  
  Changes in decision making process because decisions regarding TPR need to be made by clinical and legal staff earlier in process.
  
  
• Performance appraisals? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  
• 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.

There were general training sessions for everyone on what was going to happen because of ASFA. Because the state had already changed laws in 1993 addressing some areas that ASFA would address later., staff were already used to some of the requirements.

b. Who does the training?

For the general sessions, the training unit did some; an attorney did some.

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

Since initial sessions training on ASFA requirements had been folded into part of a 5 day training for new workers. It is presented in a section on permanency planning. An attorney does this training.

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

There has been some training with the courts. The general counsel has also met with the courts. Few problems with courts since state law established requirements similar to ASFA's in 1993.

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 agency is using their SACWIS system - FamilyNet. It works well for staff. It creates ticklers around time frames. Most people like what they can get out of it.

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

n/a

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

• Early training - what was coming, what ASFA would entail
• Increased contact between agency and legal staff helped to speed up legal process.
  
  

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

• Uncertainty about the impact AFSA would have on casework practice.
• Concern that the courts would impinge on the agency's ability to do good casework.
  
  

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

State supervised.

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?

Don't get caught up in the specifics of ASFA requirements. Provide the best service you can.

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