ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Montana

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: Mangers have been doing a lot of work in this area.

b. Supervisors:

c. Workers:

Comments: Workers are still being training.

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?

• Understanding law
• Mediation skills
• Skills involved in working with attorneys and judges
• Dealing with increased time caseworkers spend working on ASFA requirements
  

b. Supervisors?

• Understand law
• Understand the reasons for the law
• Be able to explain the law and its provisions to others
• Be able to train on the law
  

c. Workers?

• Know time lines
• Social work skills
  

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
  Have been circulating copies of the law itself; using supervisors meetings for training. Communication has increased.
  
• Performance appraisals? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  They have been changed but not because of ASFA; they just needed changing.
  
• 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.

• Hold regular yearly training on new policies; ASFA was addressed this way as well.
• Also held separate training sessions for all workers and managers
• One of the resource centers did training with attorneys and agency staff
• Individuals were trained by agency staff
• ASFA was the subject of regularly scheduled meetings, both local staff meetings and regional meetings.
  

b. Who does the training?

• Agency staff
• Supervisors
• Agency attorney
• Court staff
• Personnel from one of the Resource Centers
  

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

Incorporated into pre-service training for new workers

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

• Trained county attorneys and sent them copy of law
• Meet with county attorneys in small local meetings
• Agency staff presented on ASFA at the yearly conference of judges. The event is attended by agency and court personnel.
  

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?

Have an information system (CAPS) that supports child welfare practice.

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?

• Small group training
• Individual support
• Help for individual offices
• Policy training
  

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

• Difficulty meeting timelines, especially when substance abusing families
  are involved
• Lack of staff
• Courts are overbooked so they have difficulty meeting timelines as well
• Lack of support by administration and legislature
  

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

State supervised; state administered

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?

• Review ASFA requirements frequently; there is training every 3 months for new workers.
• ASFA requirements are implemented more easily where there is adequate funding and adequate staff
• Times and dates are sometimes emphasized rather than quality of case planning.
  
  

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