ASFA TRAINING PROJECT PHONE POLL 2002

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:

Comments: Wisconsin is a county administered state so it is difficult to answer these questions since the situations in the counties vary and Mr. Mitchell was not personally acquainted with the status in each one. I asked him for an overall impression based on the staff with whom he was familiar.

b. Supervisors:

Comments:

c. Workers:

Comments:

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

Understand Requirements of ASFA

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

b. Supervisors?

Case work skills:

Communication Skills:

Collaborative Skills:

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

Using data effectively

c. Workers?

Case work skills:

Collaborative skills

Communication Skills:

Understanding how to implement ASFA requirements

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.

Internal communication? No Yes
If yes, please describe
There has been more discussion specific to ASFA requirements. Within the last year ASFA compliance legislation has been proposed by the legislature so there was an increase in discussion over the legislation. A Title IV-E review is going on now; there has been discussion about that.

Performance appraisals? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
All counties undertook self-assessments involving stakeholders in the community. They are looking at the results to identify where more work is needed.

Job descriptions? No Yes
If yes, please describe.


Staff recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Case Review? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Foster/Adoptive parent recruitment? No Yes
If yes, please describe.
Recently there has been more activity in this area at the state level. Up until now mostly foster/adoptive parent recruitment was carried on at the local level. Now an agency has been contracted to develop a statewide campaign.

4. In the past year, since our earlier survey, has there been any ASFA training for child welfare agency personnel? If yes, go to question 4a. If no, go to question 4e.

Yes

a. What topics were covered in that ASFA training?

Training on ASFA topics was incorporated into the core training required for new workers. The topics included the law, federal regulations, and general information about 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?

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

f. What topics were covered in that ASFA training for the courts?

na

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

Schools
Health care providers
Mental health providers
Tribes
Other, please specify providers

h. What topics were covered in the ASFA training?

na

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?

System is pretty good, improvement is needed regarding data entry on the part of field staff.

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

The agency is in the process of implementing a SACWIS system in four counties.

6. 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:

Facilitating discussion at local level between agency and the courts.

7. 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:

Lack of assistance from the federal agency in helping with interpretation of the Act.

8. (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 (diverse)
Limited state control
Limited resources

9. At which point in the Child and Family Service Review process is your agency?

a.
Planning
Statewide assessment completed.
Review complete
Working to complete the activities described in the PIP

Review is set for 2003

b. Are there any significant lessons you learned from the CFSR process that you suggest we include in our curriculum? If so, please describe.

Lack of information from the federal agency.

10. Is there anything else that you want to tell us regarding the best way to support staff as they implement the requirements of ASFA?

The state has a county administered system. There is variation from county to county in the way that ASFA is implemented. Need useful materials that would make it clear to all line workers why ASFA is important.

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

No
Yes

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