ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES
2003

New Hampshire

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: Workers are rated low because there is constant turnover; there is a continuing learning curve as new workers learn about ASFA requirements.

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.
Have redone the administrative structure of the agency to provide greater support to supervisors. The Child Protective Services Administrator now has three administrators to work in the district offices to support supervisors in the field.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
The change in the administrative office has resulted in an increase in office-level meetings and increased communication between the administrators and the supervisors in the field. There are now monthly supervisor meetings at the central office.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Expanded the Bureau of Quality Improvement. The CFSR measures have been made a part of the performance review. Performance measures have also been implemented for contractors and for vendored agencies. The field staff now have performance expectations.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Established a Work Force Development. Have expanded the relationship with the law school. Have done work on retention - now use an exit survey for field staff.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Have implemented structured decision making.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Foster-adoptive parent recruitment has been made part of the strategic plan. The result is support of a consolidated process at the state level. Have started to use a collection of recruitment material. Also, contracted with local movie theaters to show ad regarding foster/adoptive parent recruitment before the show and also ask theater managers to display promotional material. Created material that was shown on local cable tv. Tapes of the material were sent to the Foster Parent Association. Have expanded the foster care health program. There are now a total of 8 field nurses who serve foster children.

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?

A variety of topics are offered. Staff can pick the trainings they want to attend. The training material covers all 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?

TPR, role of foster parents, permanency

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

Schools
Health care providers
Mental health providers
Tribes
Other, please specify
     Maintain a program with Dartmouth School of Medicine - residents
     can do rotation with DCYF. Shadow workers in district offices. Also,
     state wide conferences are held which include ASFA topics to which
     all stakeholders are invited. There is one this spring on well being.

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

Health care providers - Have done session with foster care health nurses. It includes an ASFA overview with a focus on permanency.

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:

CFSR process and preparation for review.

b. Agency supervisors:

Same as managers

c. Agency workers:

d. Foster parents:

e. Schools:

f. Health care providers:

g. Mental health providers:

Mental health providers need to understand kids in care, especially the effects of permanency arrangements on kids.

h. Tribes:

No tribes

i. Courts:

The courts need to become sensitive to the issues the agency faces in going through the CFSR, especially dealing with performance measures and how lack of resources affects the ability to meet timeframes. The courts need to understand the partnership with the agency and their part in 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?

NH uses a SACWIS system. It needs to be more user friendly. Also, it is difficult to get the data that is required from a settlement agreement from the system.

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.

Not really. Have been preparing for the review for 2 years. There have been 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?

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

No
Yes

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