ASFA TRAINING PROJECT
PHONE POLL OF COURT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
2003

Wisconsin

1. How would you rate the child welfare agency staff in terms of their understanding of ASFA requirements? Please rate their understanding on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being 'poor' and 5 being 'comprehensive'.

a. Why did you give them that rating?

Last year managers seemed to understand ASFA requirements pretty well, but the field staff didn't seem to understand the requirements as well. This year the understanding of the field staff has improved.

2. Following are some of the skills that 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. Supervisors:

Ability to develop relationship with court where information is shared:

Ability to explain law and requirements to staff:

Knowledge of the law and requirements:

Monitor staff to assure time lines are met:

Ability to set up hearings and court dates:

Knowledge of gathering information about families for court use:

How to testify in court regarding permanency and safety planning:

Ability to identify resources:

Other, please specify and rate:

b. Workers

Knowledge of the law and requirements:

How to testify in court regarding permanency and safety planning:

Ability to develop relationship with court where information is shared:

Ability to make decisions quickly:

Concurrent planning skills:

Knowledge of gathering information about families for court use:

Monitor staff to assure time lines are met:

Other, please specify and rate:

Note: Wisconsin is a county-based state. Ms. Calder responded to the questions above based on her overall knowledge of supervisors and workers statewide.

3. In the past year, since our earlier survey, as part of your ASFA implementation have the court and the child welfare agency undertaken or changed any day to day joint activities? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

The following joint activities took place:

• In December the agency and the court collaborated on trainings in 5 districts around the state. Trainers included representatives from the Court Improvement Project, the Department of Health and Family Services, and a judge. The trainings were attended by court clerks, district attorneys, assistant district attorneys, corporate counsel, administrators, DHFS staff, and corrections staff. Training was focused on ASFA topics, especially on the use of new mandatory forms by the court.
• In April there was a judicial education seminar. All the judges in the state were invited. The afternoon session was devoted to ASFA topics, including timelines, permanency planning, orders and findings, concurrent planning and information about hearings. A session was also devoted to the CFSR review (scheduled for August 2003 in Wisconsin)
• There are three court representatives on the team organizing the State CFSR review scheduled for later this year.
• Joint participation by the court and the agency staff in conference calls with the American Bar Association regarding the CFSR.
• There are court representatives involved in the planning for the IV-E review and for creating the PIP.
• There was a major training for Guardians Ad Litem. It was part of their required training. Consisted of a two-day session on ASFA. Attended by GALs and social workers, judges also.

a. Has communication changed? No Yes
If yes, please describe.

Communication has progressed since last year due to the various trainings that involve court and agency staff and because of preparation for the CFSR. Also, there is a good relationship between the director of the court improvement project and agency staff.

b. Are you getting the information you need regarding cases from the agency? No Yes
If no, please describe.

The degree that information is shared varies from county to county. One improvement is due to the fact that now all county agencies and the courts are using Microsoft Word so that even though their computer systems are not linked, information can be transported by disk and loaded from system to system.

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

a. What topics were covered in the training?

ASFA topics, including timelines, permanency planning, orders and findings, concurrent planning, use of new mandatory forms, preparation for the CFSR review.

b. Which of the following did you use for staff training on ASFA?

Joint training sessions
Conferences
Seminars
Meetings
Regularly distributed publications/bulletins/newsletters
Presentations on ASFA
Part of training on other topics
Other. Please describe.
     Training on CFSR

c. Who did the training?

Court Improvement Project personnel
Court staff
Consultants
National conferences
Attorney
Other Who?
     Agency staff

d. Was the training just on ASFA or is 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, did you do any of the following ASFA training with or for the child welfare agency? No Yes
If yes, continue with question 4e; if no, go to question 4g.

Joint training sessions
Agency staff invited to some court training sessions
Other. Please describe

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

ASFA topics and the use of new mandatory court forms.

g. In the past year, since our earlier survey, have you done any of the following training with or for the agency attorneys? No Yes
If yes, continue with question 4g; if no, go to question 5.

How was the training delivered?

Joint training
Agency attorneys invited to some court training sessions
District Attorney handled training
Other. Please describe.

h. What were the topics covered in the ASFA training for the agency attorneys?

Don't know; need to talk to agency about that.

5. Thinking about future training on all subjects, not just ASFA, for judges, court personnel and child welfare staff, what do you think is the number one training need of:

a. Judges:

More on ASFA topics

b. Court personnel:

Information about the interplay between the agency and court personnel. Identification of roles and responsibilities.

c. Child welfare staff:

Understanding of time frames and concurrent planning.

6. Please rate the importance of the following in terms of working with the child welfare agency as it implements the ASFA requirements, with 1 being ‘not important’ and 5 being ‘crucial.’

Increased communication

Having sub-committees that deal with interagency issues

Having the Director of Court Improvement Projects involved in planning discussions

Having the Agency's active involvement in the Court Improvement Project

Good working relationship among court and agency staff

Other, please specify and rate:

7. Do you see any of the following as barriers to your work with the agency as it implements the requirements of ASFA? (check if 'yes')?

Lack of resources: staff, funds, time, etc.
Federal and state law not clear on what a permanency hearing is
Timelines for TPR are too short, unable to make informed decisions in every case
Lack of understanding of the key stakeholders responsibilities and how they are structured
Lack of understanding of the law
Other. What is the barrier?

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

Training is critical. Need to have an atmosphere where people in the state can talk about their mistakes and what can be learned from them. A supportive environment makes it possible for stakeholders to work together more easily. The result is the development of understanding and respect among stakeholders that has allowed us to move forward.

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

No
Yes

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