ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

South Dakota

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:

b. Supervisors:

c. Workers:

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?

They need skills to help with deal with time requirements. Have to allow more time to spend with families to complete requirements and more time for conferences.

b. Supervisors?

Need same skills as managers

c. Workers?

Have to have skills to deal with big caseloads and to use available resources.

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
  
• 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.

When ASFA was first passed did training sessions for managers, supervisors and staff on the requirements. Also, did some regional things and gave some workers individual help.

b. Who does the training?

There is no training unit in South Dakota. There is one person who coordinates training. The actual training is shared with central office staff doing some and program administrators doing some.

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

Now ASFA topics are incorporated into regular training. It has become part of the two weeks certification training.

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

Yes, the agency has done some training that included court personnel. The training was done by the field managers. The court has done some training as well. Agency staff were invited to attend court training. Some agency staff attended, mostly judges; other court personnel did not. The Court Improvement Project put out a desk book that includes information about ASFA.

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?

Agency is presently using two information systems. Some offices are still using an old system that does not function too well.

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

Other offices are using the SACWIS system. Would rate the SACWIS system as 4.0; it is working well and the staff are satisfied with it.

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

Encourage staff and monitor how they are doing with implementation.

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

Lack of sufficient staff

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?

No

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