ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Vermont

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: We have done a comprehensive job of educating people.

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?

The skills are the same. They need to have knowledge of laws and federal policy implemented in the context of Vermont, no matter if it is ASFA or Title IVE, etc. Need to know what the requirements are and why they are doing what they are doing.

b. Supervisors?

• Need to make good decisions based on limited information
• Need to deal with the challenge of time frames
• Need to help workers get the best plan for child and support them in working on concurrent planning and to make decisions on the most appropriate permanent plan and/or compelling reason not to choose TPR as that plan.
  

c. Workers?

• Need to maintain quality approach in spite of short time frames.
  

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.
  Improved quality assurance section.
  
  
• Internal communication? No Yes
  If yes, please describe
  Added new reports and ticklers and did training on concurrent planning.
  
  
• 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.

For a while, held regular meeting concerning ASFA. Training was done both internally and externally.

b. Who does the training?

Walcott did most of the training. There is also a unit from Human Resources Development that does training.

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

Now training on ASFA is incorporated into training they already had.

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

A judicial conference on ASFA was held for the judiciary, agency people and consumers. Walcott did some training in connection with the court improvement project.

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?

Vermont is using an old computer system, not SACWIS. It does not have an automated case record, but it produces the reports that are needed, it can meet AFCARS requirements. Also has flexibility. There are no plans to develop a SACWIS system.

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?

Using reminders/ticklers and reports
Central office staff is available to help local offices. They especially needed help with philosophy questions regarding ASFA.

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

Workload issues both for agency and for courts. There are no additional funds to hire more people. For agency workers caseloads are high - 30 children per workers; should be about 20. Court is overloaded so that caseworker may file TPR on time, for example, but the hearings can not be held on time.

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

Vermont is 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?

Walcott thinks of ASFA as an amendment of Title IVE and IVB. Have to make the requirements work in the context they already have.

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