ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES

Wisconsin

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?

• Understand workers experience in court and court expectations
• Need to know how ASFA, MEPA and ICWA interact
• Ability to develop state/local policy to better guide and interpret federal law
  

b. Supervisors?

• Same as managers, plus . . .
  
• Understand ASFA time limits
• Understand how to guide and facilitate a worker's ability to gather and assess information and to make decisions regarding family treatment needs, service plans and progress evaluations
  

c. Workers?

• Need to put ASFA requirements in context; how do requirements fit into child welfare system.
• Need to understand the broader picture.
• Understand how case practice (e.g., information gathering, analysis and decision-making for family assessment, treatment planning and evaluation of progress) ties into ASFA TPR requirements and exceptions to the requirement
  

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
  1. Communication has increased at the state/county level; there are more group meetings
  2. Additional policy directives issued to counties by State of Wisconsin
  3. Developed cross-training with the legal system
  
• Performance appraisals? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  In terms of the performance of county agencies (rather than individual workers), presently piloting a revised performance appraisal in 10 counties; it is based on the elements in the federal review. In the spring it will be implemented statewide. The Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare has performance-based contracts in place.
  
  Issued a policy directive for county status reports on children identified who have met ASFA TPR timelines.
  
• Job descriptions? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  Job descriptions have not formally changed, but certain work activities at the state level have. More of a focus for several state staff on federal Child and Family Services Review.
  
• Staff recruitment? No Yes
  If yes, please describe.
  Have created a staff position targeted at implementation of ASFA; haven't filled it yet.
  

4. How do you handle staff training on ASFA?

a. Please describe the training.

Separate sessions on ASFA were held for managers at the county level; otherwise there is no training specific to ASFA. It is build into the regular training curriculum presented to county staff.

b. Who does the training?

The agency has a partnership with the University of Wisconsin. Staff there either do the training or contract with private providers to develop and conduct training..
Agency and court staff also do some training

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

The regular curriculum delivered by University of Wisconsin trainers has ASFA elements incorporated in it.

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

Some training is being planned.

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?

Rating applies to an old data system that has little capacity to generate management reports.

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

In the process of implementing a SACWIS system. It is being used in one county at the moment. It should be implemented statewide by 2004.

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

• Training
• The county self-assessments will also be a significant support.
• Presentation of available data to promote administrative attention to children in out-of-home care who may be subject to ASFA requirements.
  

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

• The state has a county administered system. This system makes it more difficult because the agency must communicate with72 different county managements.
• County management is then responsible for directing worker activities.
• There is no state standard for caseloads; counties vary
• Courts and child welfare agency staff do not have the same federal authorities; joint training, policy development and consistency is difficult.
  

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

• Makes communication more difficult
• Lack of uniform standards for practice
• Development and implementation of consistent practice, procedures and expectations is difficult.
  

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?

• Could use additional funding to support practice changes
• More direction from federal agency; more information regarding policy
• More recognition of the impact court staff, practice, policy and resources have on the implementation of ASFA.
  

Back to Top