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The Network

Past Teleconference Programs • Current program • What are teleconferences

Below are listed all of the teleconference programs from the past five years. You can order the audiotape from any of these 90-minute telephone conferences using the order form. (Note: the stock number indicates the date of the call: T040104 was held on 4/1/04.)

Please note: If you use a dial up modem these files take a long time to download so order the CD from Marti Snyder at 1-800-435-7543 or helpkids@usm.maine.edu

2008 Spring Teleconferences/Webinars

Being Successful: Meaningful Collaboration to Improve Outcomes for Families with Substance Use Disorders: A Two-Part Webinar Series
- April 24: Moving Forward: Using Tools and Technical Assistance
- May 6: States and Communities Sharing Their Experiences: Strength and Hope for Recovery for Children and Families

Recruitment and Retention of a Qualified Workforce: A Three-Part Series (Parts 1 and 2 offered this Spring; Part 3 to be offered Fall 2008)
- April 29: Issues and Promising Strategies: Recruitment and Retention
- May 20: More Promising Strategies: Recruitment and Retention

May 15: Lessons Learned: PIP Development
June 3: Building Systems of Care to Improve Child Welfare Outcomes
June 17: Enhancing the Service Array in Child Welfare
June 26: Building An Effective Child Welfare Training System

April 24: Moving Forward: Using Tools and Technical Assistance
Part 1 in the series "Being Successful: Meaningful Collaboration to Improve Outcomes for Families with Substance Use Disorders"
Presented by the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare and the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
This session will highlight the resources available to agencies through the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW), and how these resources have been used to improve services to families affected by substance abuse. Hear a national perspective on strategies that work, and learn about practical tools that can be used to build collaborative efforts and stronger systems for identifying and successfully treating these families. Presenters will discuss the NCSACW’s 10 element framework for success, and the range of resources available: expert consultation, peer to peer networking, tools, publications, group facilitation and training. Find out how you can access this ongoing technical assistance, and about the Center’s In-Depth Technical Assistance resources.

• Nancy Young, Director, National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, Irvine, CA
• Cathleen Otero, Deputy Director, National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, Irvine, CA
  
  Note: For this session, participants will be able to connect to a website to view a presentation in addition to calling in on an audio line. Watch for an email with instructions for participating!

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (20 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Moving Forward: Using Tools and Technical Assistance (PDF or PPT)
- 10 Element Framework Summary
- Summary of Five National Reports
- NCSACW Technical Assistance Products
- NCSACW Products in Development
- SAFERR-Understanding Substance Abuse

Follow-up Information
- Regional Partnership Grantees by State

April 29: Issues and Promising Strategies: Recruitment and Retention
Part 1 in the series "Recruitment and Retention of a Qualified Workforce" In 2003, recognizing the impact of workforce issues on outcomes for children and families, the Children’s Bureau funded eight five-year projects to develop models of effective child welfare staff recruitment and retention. This series will feature information from those projects. In this first session, presenters will provide data on national trends in the child welfare workforce and the multiple costs of workforce issues for agencies, children and families. They will also provide an overview of promising strategies developed by the grantees to improve recruitment, selection and retention. A child welfare administrator who has taken a comprehensive approach to addressing workforce issues will discuss the steps taken and the difference this has made in a Colorado county.

• Freda Bernotavicz, Senior Research Associate, Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine
• Cathryn Potter, Director, Butler Institute for Families, University of Denver
• Mary Berg, Child Welfare Director, Jefferson County Department of Human Services, Colorado

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (18.6 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Recruitment and Retention of a Qualified Workforce: The Foundation of Success (PowerPoint presentation)
- The View from the Agency Perspective (PowerPoint presentation)
- Recruitment and Retention Grantee Descriptions
- Visit the new workforce development webpage on this website for links and
resources

May 6: States and Communities Sharing Their Experience: Strength and Hope for Recovery for Children and Families
Part 2 in the series "Being Successful: Meaningful Collaboration to Improve Outcomes for Families with Substance Use Disorders"
Presented by the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare and the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
This session will highlight agencies that have built their capacity across child welfare, substance abuse treatment and courts, to screen, assess and treat families with substance use disorders. Hear how these sites got started in their collaborative efforts, the steps they took to strengthen their systems, and the technical assistance that has helped them along their way. Each site will also share lessons they have learned about overcoming the barriers to collaboration and to building a network of identification, referral and treatment services.

• Nancy K. Young, Director, National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
• Cathleen Otero, Deputy Director, National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
• Larry Pasti, Director, Bureau of Planning & Intervention Design, Strategic Planning & Policy Development, New York State Office of Children & Family Services
• Dan Griffin, Court Operations Analyst- Chemical Health, Minnesota Judicial Branch, State Court Administrator’s Office, Court Services Division
• Robert Long, Administrator for Access and Outpatient Services, Kennebec Behavioral Health, Maine
• Michael Brennan, Policy Associate, Cutler Institute for Child and Family Policy, Muskie School of Public Service, University of Southern Maine

Note: For this session, participants will be able to connect to a website to view a presentation in addition to calling in on an audio line. Watch for an email with instructions for participating!

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (20 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- States and Communities Sharing Their Experience: Strength and Hope for Recovery for Children and Families PowerPoint Presentation (PPT or PDF)

From Minnesota:
- Catch the Vision Tool Kit
- Parent Partner Handbook
- Statement of Shared Values
- Training Plan

From Maine:
- Memorandum of Understanding
- Pamphlet: Universal Substance Abuse Screening for Families in the Child Welfare System
- Strategic Plan

Additional materials from these states and other sites are available at the website of the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare

May 15: Lessons Learned: PIP Development
The PIP development process provides an opportunity for child welfare systems to move forward and the field has learned many lessons about this process in the past several years. This teleconference will highlight approaches that have helped agencies develop and implement comprehensive PIPs that involve critical stakeholders and focus on the key systemic themes related to improving child and family outcomes. For example, the benefits of a PIP Kickoff meeting and an early start on planning and collaboration will be discussed. Join the call and learn how you can make the most of the CFSR and PIP process for your child welfare system!

• Peter Watson, Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
• Steve Preister, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
• Lynda Arnold, Director, National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
• Members of the Federal Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Team

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (20 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information

Background Materials
- Program Improvement Planning and CFSR Kickoff sections of the CFSR Training and Technical Assistance Package

May 20: More Promising Strategies: Recruitment and Retention
Part 2 in the series "Recruitment and Retention of a Qualified Workforce"
In this session, teams from three states will describe the promising strategies they have used to improve recruitment and retention of child welfare staff. All of these sites have implemented innovative initiatives that have had a positive impact on the child welfare workforce. They have addressed the array of issues that are critical to retaining staff – targeted and realistic recruitment and screening, strengthening supervision, leadership training, mentoring and organizational development. This session will include time for discussion, during which the other grantees and other agencies can share their experience and additional approaches that have been effective.

• Nancy Dickinson, Jordan Institute for Families, UNC School of Social Work, and North Carolina Agency Representatives TBA
• Virginia Strand, Children FIRST, Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service and Connecticut Agency Representatives TBA
• Kathleen Coulborn Faller, University of Michigan School of Social Work and Agency Representatives TBA

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (19.8 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Recruitment and Retention Grantee Descriptions

From North Carolina:
- The Right Match

From Connecticut
- Initiating and Sustaining a Mentoring Program

From Michigan:
- Recruitment and Retention of Child Welfare Staff

Backgroud Materials
- Vist the new workforce development webpage on this site for links and resources

June 3: Building Systems of Care to Improve Child Welfare Outcomes
This teleconference will explore the value of systems of care for child welfare and highlight a new resource available to enhance the capacity of leaders to build these systems. Systems of care involve fundamental shifts similar to the changes that are part of many system reform efforts and central to the child and family services review process – towards coordinated, family-centered, strengths based, and individualized services for children, youth and families. We will hear about efforts to implement these reforms through the leadership of a State child welfare system, and presenters will highlight the components of the new curriculum Primer Hands On - Child Welfare: Training for Child Welfare Stakeholders in Building Systems of Care. Primer Hands On can be used in its entirety as a two day intensive training, or it can support training on particular aspects of systems of care by drawing on specific modules. Primer Hands On can also provide information, resources and examples to leaders working on pieces of reform efforts. We’ll also describe how the Primer Hands On materials can be used in conjunction with technical assistance (TA), and the TA available to agencies on building systems of care.

• Steve Preister, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
• Sheila Pires, Partner, Human Service Collaborative
• Katherine Lazear, University of South Florida
• Lisa Conlan, Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health
• Rebecca Huffman, Program Manager for Regional Training Centers, Staff Development Team, North Carolina Department of Social Services

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (19 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Primer Hands On - Child Welfare Table of Contents
- Building Systems of Care: A Primer for Child Welfare and Primer Hands On - Child Welfare: The Skill Building Curriculum (PPT)
- Building a System of Care in Child Welfare: North Carolina (PPT)

Backgroud Materials
- Visit the NRCOI website for Primer Hands On: Child Welfare information

June 17: Enhancing the Service Array in Child Welfare
Co-sponsored by the National Resource Center on Child Welfare Data and Technology (NRC-CWDT)
Is your agency challenged by a lack of adequate services to meet needs? This teleconference will highlight a process agencies can use to bring together a broad group of stakeholders to assess and enhance the array of services available to children, youth and families. Presenters will describe the steps in the process designed to build the capacity of systems at the local, regional and state level to meet individualized needs and achieve improved outcomes. The service array process has recently been revised and updated. This call will highlight the technical assistance services available to agencies in this process and the experiences of agencies engaged in it.

• Steve Preister, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
• Melanie Swisher, Community Collaborative Partnership Coordinator, Division of Children and Adult Services, West Virginia
• Sue Hage, Program Manager, Regulatory Management, Division of Children and Adult Services, West Virginia

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (17 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Enhancing the Service Array in Child Welfare (PPT)
- Service Array Training Modules

Background Materials
- Assessing and Enhancing the Service Array in Child Welfare (2 page fact sheet)
- Enhancing the Service Array in Child Welfare: Assessing the Capacity of a Jurisdiction/State to Meet the Individualized Needs of Children and Families and Creating and Implementing a Resource and Capacity Development Plan: A Description of the Process
- Achieving Successful Outcomes for Children: A Rationale for the Service Array Process and a Listing of the Capacities a Jurisdiction Needs to Flexibly Meet the Needs of Children and Families in the Child Welfare System
- Visit the NRCOI website for Service Array Materials and Tools

June 26: Building An Effective Child Welfare Training System
The value of training and professional development in a child welfare agency cannot be overstated. During this teleconference, the presenters will describe what an effective child welfare training system looks like - from both content and structural perspectives. Additionally, they will provide an analytic framework that a child welfare agency leadership team can use to assess the extent to which its training system produces a range of professional development opportunities resulting in a positive impact on children’s safety, permanency, and well-being.

• Susan Kanak, Policy Associate, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
• Susan Maciolek, Senior Project Manager, Massachusetts Department of Social Services
• Lori Herz, Senior Trainer, Rhode Island Child Welfare Training Institute

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (20.6 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Training System Catalyst Event Timeline and Evolution of Training System Structure (PPT)

Background Materials
- Building Effective Training Systems for Child Welfare Agencies

2007 Fall Teleconferences

November 8: Supervisory Case Reviews: Tools to Monitor and Improve Practice
November 13: Transforming Residential Care: Building an Array of Community Based Services
November 29: Involving Families in the CFSR Process

Skip Franklin, Programs Administrator, Children and Family Services, CQI Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Susan Savage, Children's Division Quality Assurance Manager, Missouri Department of Social Services
Christy Collins, Supervisor, Missouri Department of Social Services
Daryl Ingram, Supervisor, Delaware County, Oklahoma Department of Human Services

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (10.5 MB)

Handouts
Agenda and Contact Information
Oklahoma Supervisory Review Permanency Instrument - 6.14.05 (Oklahoma is currently updating this tool to include changes being made for the current CFSR.)
Oklahoma DHS Practice Standards
Oklahoma DHS Practice Standards Flowchart (This is an evolving document and
changes have been made since this first version.)
Missouri Supervisory Case Review Tool - CAN (Used for initial investigations)
Missouri Supevisory Case Review Tool - FCS (Used for intact families being served at home or with a child in care)
Fall 2007 Child Welfare Matters, "Strengthening Child Welfare Supervision"

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (10 MB)

Handouts
Agenda and Contact Information
The Building Bridges Joint Resolution
Maryland - Place Matters (PowerPoint Presentation)
EMQ Children and Family Services Website
Youth Today Article on EMQ Children and Family Services
American Association of Children’s Residential Centers (AACRC) (Click on “Public Policy” to see position papers on redefining residential treatment.)

Thursday, November 29: Involving Families in the CFSR Process
Co-sponsored by the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning
Child welfare agencies are finding that it is challenging but potentially very effective to engage key stakeholders in building stronger systems to serve children and families. One of the lessons learned during the first round of Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) was the need to increase engagement of families. As agencies work to let families drive the case planning process, they are also challenged to increase parent involvement at the policy and management level. This call will focus on efforts to engage families in the process of assessing an agency’s performance, and in planning and implementing program improvements. Presenters from states early on the in the second round of reviews who have involved families in the CFSR process will discuss their experience, and participate in a discussion of promising practices.

Steven Preister, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Stephanie Boyd Serafin, Associate Director, National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning
Candice Britt, Special Projects Coordinator, North Carolina Division of Social Services
Stacey Darbee, President, Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, North Carolina
Angela Long, CFSR Coordinator, Oregon Department of Human Services
Ruth Taylor, Director of Parents Anonymous programs, Oregon
Other State and family representatives TBA

Teleconference Evaluation Form

Audio Files: Listen as MP3 (16.7 MB)

Handouts
- Agenda and Contact Information
- Engaging Birth Parents, Family Caregivers and Youth: A focus area of the CFSR Training and Technical Assistance package
- CFSR Coordinators Information Request: This matrix details reponses received from CFSR coordinators (including NC and OR) in the summer of 2007 on family involvement in the CFSR process.
- Child, Youth and Family Involvement in Case Planning: An information packet from the NRCFCPPP
- A Family's Guide to the Child Welfare System
- Engaging Families as Stakeholders in the CFSRs: From the Child Welfare Information Gateway
- Follow-up Information

From North Carolina:
The North Carolina Collaborative Charter (as of 9/24/07)
Partnering with Families (PowerPoint Presentation)

From Oregon: Items used with the parent mentors and parent leaders programs
HOPE brochure
Parent Mentoring Project Brochure
Parent Leader job description (7/07)
Parent Mentor job description (3/2/07)

2007 Spring Teleconferences

April 30: Advocating for the Educational Needs of Children in Out-of-Home Care: The Colorado Experience
May 3: Strengthening Supervision

On Collaboration
May 31: Building and Maintaining State-Tribal Partnerships to Improve Child Welfare Programs
June 14: Engaging Youth in the CFSR and Program Improvements
June 26: Engaging Courts and Building Court/Agency Collaboration

On Data
May 22: CFSR Data Indicators and Composites
June 5: Using Data in the CFSR and Beyond

Monday, April 30: Advocating for the Educational Needs of Children in Out-of-Home Care: The Colorado Experience
To improve educational outcomes for children in the child welfare system, greater coordination needs to occur between the child welfare and education systems. To identify and resolve barriers to coordination between these two systems, the Colorado Department of Human Services launched a variety of activities including: sponsoring two statewide forums involving folks from child welfare and education to share strategies for addressing the educational needs of children in the Colorado child welfare system, and developing and delivering training to child welfare supervisors and caseworkers on practical tools and resources that will encourage a focus on the educational issues of children as a part of regular casework practice.
Art Atwell, Director, Workforce Development Services, CO DHHS
Mary Griffin, Foster Care Coordinator, CO DHHS
Lisa Potter, School Psychologist, Carver and Pike Elementaries
Linda Kean, Staff Development Manager, El Paso County Dept of Human Services
Helen Ward, Research Associate, Muskie School of Public Service

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (18.9 MB)

Handouts
A Brief Review of the Curriculum
Curriculum Manual Contents
Keystone Fact Sheet

Thursday, May 3: Strengthening Supervision
This teleconference will feature the work of the Southern Regional Quality Improvement Center, and what has been learned about clinical supervision methods that have a positive impact on worker retention, case practice and child and family outcomes. The Center funded four projects that implemented and evaluated new approaches to clinical supervision. We will highlight a project in Missouri involving intensive clinical training and individual mentoring to front line CPS supervisors in two sites. Presenters will discuss the positive impact of this pilot on both the supervisory and the agency level, and how the approach has been incorporated into a statewide plan for strengthening supervision.
Crystal Collins-Camargo, Southern Regional Quality Improvement Center
Paul Sundet, University of Missouri, Columbia
Steve Preister, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Lissa Schwach, Supervisor, Missouri Department of Social Services

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (19.9 MB)

Handouts
Agenda
SR Quality Improvement Center Fact Sheet
SR Quality Improvement Center Supervision Projects in Brief
Missouri Curriculum Outline
Missouri Supervisors Time and Activity Log
Missouri Time and Activities Example Report
Strengthening Child Welfare Supervision as a Key Change Strategy
Missouri Supervisory Case Review Tool CAN
Missouri Supervisory Case Review Tool FCS

Thursday, May 31: Building and Maintaining State-Tribal Partnerships to Improve Child Welfare Programs
Cosponsored by The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids
In the second round of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is emphasizing the need for agencies to engage key partners, including Tribes. During this call, agencies and Tribal representatives from two States will talk about the critical steps, challenges, and successes in building and maintaining a meaningful partnership to improve services to children and families, and the benefits of this ongoing collaboration. Presenters will also discuss strategies that have been or will be used to involve Tribes in all stages of the CFSR review process. Join in this discussion of ways to develop and strengthen partnerships and collaboration between States and Tribes!
Nancy Keeling, Administrator, Office of Safety and Permanency for Children, Oregon Department of Human Services
Mary Mc Nevins, Indian Child Welfare Manager, Oregon Department of Human Services
Rebekah Main, CPS Director, Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, OR
Merlin Weyer, Deputy Director, Child Protective Services, South Dakota Department of Social Services
Teresa Nieto, Indian Child Welfare Program Specialist, South Dakota Department of Social Services
Raymond Cournoyer, ICWA Director, Indian Child Welfare Program, Yankton Sioux Tribe, SD

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (20.75 MB)

Handouts
Agenda and Contact Information
Collaborating During the Child and Family Services Review
South Dakota Charter
Building and Maintaining State-Tribal Partnerships to Improve Child Welfare Programs
   Download PowerPoint file or PDF file
Oregon Senate Bill 770
Midtown ICWA Unit Review Methodology
ICWA Addendum for the CFSR OR
Tribal State Partnerships - Warm Springs
   Download PowerPoint file or PDF file

Thursday, June 14: Engaging Youth in the CFSR and Program Improvements
Cosponsored by the National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development
Around the country, agencies are discovering the benefits of listening to the consumer perspective through voices of youth who have been impacted by the child welfare system. This teleconference will focus on strategies that are being used to engage youth in ongoing program improvements in child welfare agencies. Representatives from two national resource centers will draw on their experience to discuss promising approaches to engaging youth. They will highlight a set of tools and resources that are now available or are being developed to help agencies engage youth in leadership activities, and particularly in the CFSR process. Youth representatives will share their perspectives on steps agencies can take to effectively involve youth in analyzing and improving child welfare programs.
Dorothy Ansell and Clay Finck, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development
Marty Zanghi, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Penthea Burns, Youth Leadership Advisory Team
Youth representatives TBA

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (19.96 MB)

Handouts
Agenda and Contact Information
2007 CFSR Toolkit for Youth Involvement
Positively Engaging Youth in the CFSR
   Download PowerPoint file or PDF file

Tuesday, June 26: Engaging Courts and Building Court/Agency Collaboration
Cosponsored by the National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues
Courts that hear child abuse and neglect cases and child welfare agencies are both responsible for the safety, well-being, and timely permanency of children in substitute care. Too often, however, they work independently of each other and fail to achieve these common goals. The Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) and the Court Improvement Program (CIP) can enhance the court/agency relationship by promoting collaborative efforts that improve outcomes for children and families. As part of the current CFSR process, the National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues has contracted with two retired juvenile court judges who have expertise in child abuse and neglect cases to work with courts and agencies to enhance their collaboration and to increase court participation in the CFSR process, including any resulting Program Improvement Plan (PIP) and its implementation.
William G. Jones, Chief District Court Judge, Retired, 26th Judicial District Court, Charlotte, NC
Judge Stephen W. Rideout, Retired, Former Chief Judge, Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, Alexandria, VA

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (19.2 MB)

Handouts
Court-Agency Collaboration in CFSRs: Steps for Each Stage of the Process
   Download PowerPoint file or PDF file
Working with the Courts in Child Protection
How and Why to Involve the Courts in Your CFSR: Suggestions for Agency Administrators
CFSRs: How Judges, Court Administrators, and Attorneys Should Be Involved
Improving Outcomes Together: Court and Child Welfare Collaboration

On Data
Tuesday, May 22: CFSR Data Indicators and Composites
Cosponsored by the National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
There is much interest in the individual measures and the new data composites being used in the second round of the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process. During this call representatives from the National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology (NRC-CWDT) will discuss the data indicators being used in the second round, and the resources and tools they have developed to help agencies understand and work with the new data composites.
Gene Thompson, National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
Joe Murray, National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (20.6 MB)

Handouts
Agenda and Contact Information
Child and Family Services Reviews: Measuring Performance
   Download PowerPoint file or PDF file
CFSR Resources
CFSR Data: The Building Blocks
Follow-up Questions & Answers

Tuesday, June 5: Using Data in the CFSR and Beyond
Cosponsored by the National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
During this call, presenters from the National Resource Center for Data and Technology (NRC-CWDT) and National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (NRCOI) will focus on the state data profiles, and how they can be used effectively in the statewide assessment process and throughout the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process. Presenters will also discuss how agencies can continue to feed critical performance data back to program managers and staff in the field to promote program improvements, and how states are using data as part of ongoing quality improvement feedback loops within agencies. Join us for this discussion of using data in the CFSR and beyond.
Lynda Arnold, National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
Peter Watson, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Maryellen Bearzi, Deputy Director, Protective Services, New Mexico Children and Family Services Department
Christeen Borsheim, Children's Research, Planning and Evaluation Supervisor, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Teleconference Evaluation Form.

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (17.25 MB)

Handouts
Example CFSR Data Profile

2006 Teleconferences
Keeping Children Safe: Strategies to Reduce Recurrence of Maltreatment • April 13
Solution Focused Practice (Part 1) • April 25
Solution Focused Practice (Part 2) • May 4
Solution Focused Practice (Part 3) • May 25
Performance Based Contracts: Making Deals with Providers • June 6
Targeted Teleconference: Preparing the Annual Progress and Services Review (APSR) for the Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP) • May 2 and 11
Using Coordinated Technical Assistance to Improve Placement Stability • November 9
Enhancing Performance in Contracts: Outcomes and Monitoring • November 30

April 13, 2006 • Keeping Children Safe: Strategies to Reduce Recurrence of Maltreatment
Co-sponsored by the National Resource Center for Child Protective Services
Many jurisdictions have identified the need to reduce recurrence of maltreatment. Many factors impact recurrence, and determining which to address is not easy. This teleconference highlights those factors and some promising interventions for reducing repeat maltreatment. The call was facilitated by the Director of the National Resource Center for Child Protective Services, which has provided technical assistance related to reducing recurrence to many jurisdictions. Additional presenters included John Fluke, who has done a great deal of research on recurrence, and representatives from child welfare agencies who discussed strategies they use to reduce repeat maltreatment. • T041306

Theresa Costello, Director, National Resource Center for Child Protective Services, Albuquerque, NM
John Fluke, Vice President for Research, Walter R. McDonald & Associates, Inc., Aurora, CO
Jim Grace, CFSR/PIP Coordinator, Kentucky Department for Community-Based Services, Frankfort, KY
Fred Ober, Vermont Division of Social Services, Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services
Mary Livermont. CPS Program Specialist, South Dakota Department of Social Services

Audio Files: Listen to MP3 (20.9 MB)

Handouts:
Contact Information and Agenda
Resources

Theresa Costello will refer to a powerpoint presentation that is on the Children's Bureau website related to the PIPs: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/cwmonitoring/results/pip_presentation_final/sld001.htm • PDF version

John Fluke will refer to a powerpoint presentation on Rereporting and Recurrence Data.

April 25, 2006 • Solution Focused Practice (Part 1)

Co-sponsored by the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning
Child welfare agencies are actively exploring multiple ways to engage with families to keep their children safe. Solution focused practice is a full family-centered model that has been used successfully in the mental health field and more recently in child welfare. During these three calls, presenters discuss the philosophy, principles and research that underpin solution focused practice as well as how implementing this approach in child welfare has generated positive outcomes for children, families and workers. • T042506

Insoo Kim Berg, Director, Brief Family Therapy Center, Milwaukee, WI
Nancy Sugerman from San Louis Obispo County, CA
Penny Griffith of Washington, D. C

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (19.4 MB)

Handout:
What is Solution Focused Practice?

May 2 and 11, 2006 • Preparing the Annual Progress and Services Review (APSR) for the Child and Family Services Plan (CFSP): Coordinating the CFSP with Preserving Safe and Stable Families (PSSF) and Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) Funds
This teleconference featured presentations on the FY 2006 program instructions for the APSR, and on the 2006 program instructions for the Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) program. The focus was on steps agencies need to take to prepare their APSR, and how services being reported on that are part of the child and family services plan (CFSP) can be coordinated with services funded under CBCAP and preserving safe and stable families (PSSF). The audio files and handouts allow access to this information for states working on coordinating efforts and services across these federal initiatives. • T050206

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (18.9 MB)

Handouts:
Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Program (CBCAP) 2006 Program Instruction Overview (PowerPoint • PDF)
FY 2006 Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR): Program Instruction Highlights and Examples (PowerPoint • PDF)

May 4, 2006 • Solution Focused Practice (Part 2)

Solution Based Casework is the practice model used by the Kentucky Department for Community Based Services. This model combines the best of problem focused relapse prevention approaches with solution-focused models. By integrating the two concepts, we have found that partnerships between family, caseworker, and service providers can be developed that account for basic needs safety, well-being, and permanence while concurrently restoring the family’s pride in their own competence.

This teleconference provides a brief overview of Kentucky’s practice model, the research that supports it and administrative considerations for implementation. The discussion also includes ‘lessons learned’ from a field supervisor and state trainer who was involved in the implementation of Solution Based Casework. • T050406

Becky F. Antle, MSSW, PhD, Assistant Research Professor, Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville
Dana Christensen, PhD, Professor, Kent School of Social Work, University of Louisville
Lisa Barrett, Instructor, Credit for Learning Program, University of Louisville

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (19.5 MB)

Handouts:
Family Solutions Summary
Engaging Child Welfare Families: A Solution-Based Approach to Child Welfare Practice

May 25, 2006 • Solution Focused Practice (Part 3)

The May 25th session builds on the previous two sessions on Solution Based Casework and focuses on developing a skill set for solution focused practice, both with those working at the front line and for supervisors. Practical skills for engaging with families, keeping the family viewpoint central, building a solution focused plan and guiding successful interventions are addressed. The presenters have worked in Michigan for over a decade building solution focused strategies in child welfare. • T052506

Susan Kelly, MSW, Senior Associate, Center for the Study of Social Policy, Washington, DC
Peter DeJong, Phd., ACSW, Professor of Sociology and Social Work, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Mary Jiordano, Training Coordinator, Family Preservation, Michigan Department of Human Services
Dan Cowan, Consultant/Trainer, Family to Family Initiative, Michigan Department of Human Services

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (18.4 MB)

Handouts:
Solution Focused Strategies in Child Welfare
Collaborative Practice: Sharing Cases and Going Out on Home Visits
Strengths-Based Decision Making Protocols: Building Solutions Together
Building Strengths-based Tools for Child Protection Practice: A Case of “Parallel Process”
SBI Protocol for use in CPS Investigations and Safety/Service Planning
Solution Focused Principles
Solution Focused Strategies in TDM Meetings
Being Solution Focused in the TDM Family Meeting Process

June 6, 2006 • Performance Based Contracts: Making Deals with Providers
The challenge for most child welfare systems is to do better work with the same resources. Performance contracting is one strategy where agreements with providers to improve outcomes for children and families can actually lead to more resources through the reinvestment of savings. The key is finding the right set of outcomes, the right strategies and securing the right agreements with providers responsible for the work. Learn how these deals have worked in performance based contracts in Illinois and other locations, and how this powerful strategy could work for you! • T060606

Michael Shaver, Consultant; Former Deputy Director for Budget, Research and Planning, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Chicago, IL
Danielle Reh, Project Manager, PMHCC Best Practices Institute, Philadelphia, PA

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (20.6 MB)

Handouts:
Contact Information and Agenda
Strategies and Resources

Michael Shaver refers to the following PowerPoint presentation and paper:
Performance Contracting in Illinois Child Welfare (PowerPoint)
Performance Contracting in Illinois (Paper)

Danielle Reh refers to the following PowerPoint presentation:
Performance Based Contracting and Permanency in Philadelphia (PowerPoint)

November 9, 2006 • Using Coordinated Technical Assistance to Improve Placement Stability
Coordinated technical assistance from the Children’s Bureau’s Training and Technical Assistance Network can help agencies develop comprehensive, effective action plans to make program improvements. This teleconference will highlight an example of this coordinated technical assistance focused on improving placement stability, and recruitment and retention of foster families in one district in Florida. It will feature the collaboration among several national resource centers, AdoptUsKids, the State of Florida Department of Children and Families, district staff and community-based care providers. We will discuss the partnership, the roles and responsibilities of all the parties, the model developed and the successful results of the collaboration. • T110906

Sharon Tintle, Federal Planning and Reporting Unit, and Linda D. Johns, Foster Care Recruitment and Retention, Florida Department of Children and Families with District staff, and representatives of community-based care agencies
Lynda Arnold, National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
Judith and John McKenzie, Adopt USKids
Janyce Fenton, National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning

Teleconference Evaluation Form .

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (19.9MB)

Handouts:
Agenda and Contact Information
Lead Agency Map (PDF): Background on Florida’s CBC Agencies
Coordinated Technical Assistance to Improve Placement Stability in FL. Describes the process in FL, critical success factors, and potential benefits of coordinated technical assistance/
Guide for Analysis of Placement Stability, with two Attachments
Placement Stability Review Tools (Excel file)
Appreciative Inquiry Questions

As additional background, resources on Placement Stability have been compiled by the National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning and can be accessed at their website:
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/nrcfcpp/info_services/placement-stability.html

Follow-up information: District 1 Pilot Project - Overview

November 30, 2006 • Enhancing Performance in Contracts: Outcomes and Monitoring
With increasing pressure to achieve outcomes, many child welfare agencies are passing performance expectations on to their contractors by negotiating outcomes in contracts. This teleconference will explore how to use this approach to actually improve performance. Critical steps include: setting the stage for performance, working collaboratively with providers to negotiate outcomes, monitoring agencies vigorously, and supporting expectations with an agency-wide quality improvement program. We will highlight the most recent developments in performance based contracting in Illinois, as agency performance teams monitor new contract expectations focused on permanency and other quality measures. • T113006

Erwin McEwen, Deputy Director of Monitoring and Quality Assurance, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

Teleconference Evaluation Form .

Audio File: Listen to MP3 (19.9 MB)

Handouts:
Agenda and Contact Information
Illinois Performance Based Contracts — historical overview of performance based contracting in IL highlighting the new set of performance indicators in contracts and their expected impact on CFSR outcomes
IL contract language — Cook County FY 06 contract langauge on performance expectations
Statewide results — EXCEL file: 5 graphs showing overall performance on 5 measures over one year)

2005 Teleconference Programs
Improving the Service Array in Child Welfare • April 26
So Your PIP Is Over: Ongoing Program Improvement • May 5
Using Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Resources Strategically to Improve Your Agency • May 12
A Framework for Implementing Continuous Quality Improvement   •  June 9
Community Partnerships for Protecting Children • October 11
Leadership Teleconference • October 18
Engaging Providers in Systems Reform • November 10

April 26, 2005 • Improving the Service Array in Child Welfare: A Strategy for Rural Jurisdictions
Having an adequate service array is critical for successful child welfare practice in order to meet the individual needs of children and families who are involved with the child welfare system. Many states, in their Child and Family Service Review (CFSR), have been required to address this Systemic Factor. This teleconference describes a process now used in several states that utilizes community stakeholders in a jurisdiction to evaluate current services and prepare and implement a resource development plan; and highlights the experience of two states which have used this process to enhance the service array, particularly in rural and frontier counties which are not resource rich. • T042605

• Steven Preister, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement.
• Debbie Silverman, Resource Development Administrator, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Western Service Area.
• Kathy Carter, CPS Supervisor, Western Service Area.
• Kim Engel, Director, Panhandle Public Health District.
• Chunda Longino, Regional Network Coordinator, Hinds and Warren Counties, Mississippi: Mississippi’s Use of the Service Array Process in Rural Counties.

  Handouts (Click to download):
  A Full Service Array in Child Welfare: The Continuum of Child Welfare Services
  Assessing and Enhancing the Service Array in Child Welfare
  Warren County, Mississippi: Improving the Service Array in Child Welfare
  Nebraska Panhandle Service Array Assessment (PowerPoint)

May 5, 2005  •  So Your PIP Is Over: Ongoing Program Improvement
This teleconference features several states that have successfully completed their Program Improvement Plans for the first round of the Child and Family Services Review. State presenters discuss the accomplishments achieved during their PIPs, their efforts to maintain improvements and their plans to move forward with strategies and program improvements until the next round of reviews. The discussion highlights how to maintain the momentum generated by the PIP and how to keep everyone involved in the process, with particular emphasis on field staff and stakeholders. • T050505

Please note: Minnesota's PIP TIPS can by found under Program Improvement Plan Development and PIP Resources at the following web site: http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/groups/county_access/documents/pub/DHS_id_000310.hcsp

• Lynda Arnold, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Oklahoma City, OK, facilitator
• Erin Sullivan-Sutton, Family & Children's Services Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services
• Sheila Duranleau, Vermont Department for Children & Families
• Charlotte Honse, Services to Children & Families, Oregon Department of Human Services
  
  Handout (Click to download):
  Oregon's Lessons Learned and Plan of Action

May 12, 2005  •  Using Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Resources Strategically to Improve Your Agency
Under our new grant, the National Resource Center for Organizational Improvement (NRCOI) is charged with coordinating the National Child Welfare Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) network of federally-funded national resource centers and AdoptUSKids. This teleconference highlights our new role in coordinating onsite T/TA when multiple resource centers work with states and tribes, and how states and tribes can use this coordinated T/TA strategically to build the infrastructure they need to improve outcomes for children and families. We review and discuss the key steps in the new, coordinated onsite T/TA process, and focus on how states, tribes and regional offices can maximize the use of T/TA resources and target them appropriately for maximum benefit to the agency. • T051205

• Kris Sahonchik, Director of Strategy and Coordination, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME
• Peter Watson, Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME

Handouts (click to download)
The Children's Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network: Key Steps to Coordinating the T/TA Process
Coordinated Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA), Child Welfare Matters, Spring, 2005

June 9, 2005  •  A Framework for Implementing Continuous Quality Improvement
In February 2005, a group of national child welfare experts, including agency directors, agency QI managers, child welfare supervisors and workers, researchers, policy-makers, and child welfare consumers convened to develop a framework that would guide public child welfare agencies in creating and implementing continuous quality improvement systems. This framework describes the various principles behind and components of a comprehensive CQI system in child welfare. It will ultimately be used to guide the work of public child welfare agencies participating in a national Breakthrough Series Collaborative. The presenters describe the development of this framework and how it can be used as a tool to guide the implementation of CQI systems in public child welfare agencies. • T060905

• Peter Watson, Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME, facilitator
• Jen Agosti, Consultant, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, North Andover, MA, facilitator
• State representative to be determined

  Handout (Click to download):
  Using Continuous Quality Improvement to Improve Child Welfare Practice: A Framework for Implementation

October 11, 2005 • Community Partnerships for Protecting Children
The Community Partnerships for Protecting Children initiative has promoted the idea that no one agency can keep children safe. In fact, the motto of the Center for Community Partnerships in Child Welfare (CCPCW) is “Keeping Children Safe is Everybody’s Business.” Community partnerships work to protect children by engaging families, building local or neighborhood level networks, and transforming state policy to support these partnerships. Join us for this call to learn about the community partnerships approach from the Director of the CCPCW, and to hear about how child welfare agencies are developing and implementing these partnerships today. • T101105

• Susan Notkin, Director, The Center for Community Partnerships in Child Welfare
• Sandy Lint, Community Partnerships State Coordinator, Iowa Department of Human Services
• Kathryn Griffith, University of Illinois at Chicago, Division of Specialized Care for Children
• Jo-Anne Henry, CPPC Statewide Coordinator, Family Connection Partnership, Georgia
• Steve Preister, Associate Director, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Washington, DC

Handout: (Click to download)
Community Partnerships Resources

October 18, 2005 • Leadership Teleconference
Leadership has been an important key to states’ success in the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) and in accomplishing systemic change. Members of the Children’s Bureau’s CFSR unit share observations on leadership from the first round of reviews. Several state leaders then discuss how they are leading the effort in their state and how they have addressed important issues such as 1) resources; 2) changing agency culture and 3) involving stakeholders. This teleconference targeted high level leaders and managers at the state and county levels. • T101805

• Paul Ronnigen, Director, Division of Children and Family Services, North Dakota Dept. of Human Services
• Linda Mitchell, Child and Family Services Team, Children's Bureau.

November 10, 2005 • Engaging Providers in Systems Reform
Presenters discussed using the purchase of service system as a tool to engage providers in systems reform. Hear from agencies working collaboratively with providers to examine and reshape their purchased services to support their agency’s strategic direction and practice values. Presenters also explore efforts to contract for networks of integrated services to improve outcomes for children and families. • T111005

• Susan Maciolek, PMT Leader, Boston, MA
• Bonny Saulnier, Vice President for Family Home Based Services, Wayside Youth and Family Support Network

  Handout (Click to download):
  Background and MA Department of Social Services’ System of Care Procurement

  Summary of Teleconference (click to download)
  Family Networks in Massachusetts: Engaging Providers in Systems Reform

2004 Teleconference Programs

Strategic Planning: How to Move Your Agency Toward Improved Outcomes through Strategic Planning
In 2003, all states will be developing a new Title IV-B Five Year Child and Family Service Plan for 2004-2008. This CFSP has been the focus of the Child and Family Service Reviews and has increasing importance for child welfare agencies as a broader strategic plan incorporating the State’s CFSR Program Improvement Plans and meeting federal requirements for reauthorization of other funds such as CAPTA and Chaffee Independent Living. This teleconference focuses on strategic planning as a vehicle to move agencies toward their broader VISION and toward improved outcomes for children and families. This call provides: 1) a brief review of the federal program instructions related to the IVB Five Year CFSP, and 2) an overview of best practice related to strategic planning. State representatives present examples of how they approached the CFSP and how this process has been integrated with other agency plans including the CFSR PIP.
Vicki Wright, Children’s Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
State and ACF Regional Office representatives
Lynda Arnold, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Oklahoma City, OK
Beth Frizsell, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Jackson, MS
Please note: this teleconference was offered twice and results in two taped programs: T021204 • T030204

Looking at the CFSR Data: What We Are Learning about Tribal/State Relationships, the Consultation Process, and ICWA Compliance Issues
Data gathered from the Child and Family Services Reviews allow us to look at trends and common issues. This teleconference highlights what the data tell us about tribal/state relationships, the consultation process, and ICWA compliance issues. These trends are compared with other evidence-based research to help us explore the lessons to be learned from the review process for Indian children and families. Improvement options and promising practices already implemented are discussed to help us examine possible next steps and explore policy implications.
David Simmons and Carolyn Maple, National Indian Child Welfare Association, Portland, OR
State and tribal presenters to be announced. •  T040104

Program Improvement Planning: What Have We Learned from the First Year of PIP Implementation?
It’s hard to believe, but numerous states have reached or exceeded the one year milestone of PIP implementation. So what do we know? What have we learned? Several states, having completed an annual review of their progress, will share lessons learned regarding plan implementation and progress toward improvements. This call includes: 1) a brief review of federal expectations related to PIP implementation, monitoring and reporting; 2) state experiences, strengths and challenges implementing and monitoring program improvements, and 3) update on effective state strategies and approaches that are improving services and outcomes for children and families.
Children’s Bureau, State and ACF Regional Office presenters
Beth Frizsell, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Jackson, MS • T040804

PIP Measurement Strategies
As part of their Program Improvement Plans (PIPs), states have developed a variety of measurement strategies to assess their progress during PIP implementation. Among the most common types of measurement strategies are CFSR-like reviews, supervisory and/or peer case file reviews, and a variety of quantitative data reports. This teleconference explores the lessons learned in several states with early PIP implementations and presents strategies for developing or improving measurement strategies, even after a PIP has been approved.
Katherine Guffey, Arizona Department of Economic Security, Cottonwood, AZ
Sara Mims, Children’s Services Section, North Carolina Department of Social Services, Raleigh, NC
Peter Watson, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME • T041304

Investing In Front End Services
To improve child welfare outcomes, a critical strategy is to increase the investment in services at the front end of the system. Child welfare agencies around the country are making bold strides towards reducing the number of children in care and lengths of stay by increasing the resources and attention devoted to prevention services, services to low-risk families, and intensive services to families early in the process. Successful leaders point to how critical it is to make this fundamental shift of resources and focus within the service delivery system. In this teleconference, state and county child welfare managers describe their efforts to increase investment in front end services, and discuss the practical steps agencies can take to make this shift.
Marc Chenna, Director, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Pittsburgh, PA
Chris Hanus, Deputy Administrator for Programs, Office of Protection and Safety, Lincoln, NE
Other state representatives TBA • T042904

Using QA Data and Information at the Local Level
Most child welfare agencies have a tremendous amount of data and information at their disposal. However, too few use it effectively to help guide practice and/or management at the local level. This teleconference highlights some successful state examples. Oklahoma has developed a sophisticated case review system through which people at all levels of the child welfare agency participate in qualitative reviews and/or peer case file reviews. The resulting data is available to staff throughout the organization to use in their daily work. Massachusetts’ Department of Social Services has developed a “Data Mart” through which staff can access and manipulate data from the agency’s FamilyNet system.
Dennis Bean, Children and Family Services Division, Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Oklahoma City, OK
Mary Ellen Bennard, Department of Social Services, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston, MA
Peter Watson, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME

Successful Media Strategies: Working with the Media to Improve the Image of Child Welfare
This teleconference focuses on working more closely with the media to improve child welfare’s image. Topics include: 1) being proactive with the media; 2) developing a relationship with the media; and 3) getting your message across. These areas will be explored especially in relation to the CFSR process. The second part of the teleconference gives specific examples of states working with the media and include: 1) educating the public regarding child protective services; 2) dealing with crisis situations; 3) advocating for staff and resources; and 4) improving child welfare’s image in general.
Jerry Milner, Children’s Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
Lynda Arnold, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Oklahoma City, OK
Other presenters • T051804

Making and Sustaining Cultural Change
Many times cultural and systemic changes are necessary for child welfare systems to reach desired improvements in services and outcomes for children and families. Some of these needed changes have been highlighted in results from the Child and Family Services Reviews. This teleconference discusses the prerequisites and pitfalls to making and sustaining cultural change within the agency. It highlights insights from the CFSRs as well as several states’ experiences and endeavors.
Linda Mitchell, Children’s Bureau, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC
Lynda Arnold, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Oklahoma City, OK
State representatives • T060104

Supporting Permanent Placements: Post-Permanency Services
Since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, and with Title IV-B incentives for adoption promotion, child welfare agencies have been under tremendous pressure to move foster children into permanent placements. With the increase in permanent arrangements for children, the question arises: how can we strengthen and support these families to assure stable and successful placements? Many states have developed innovative services and programs to address this very question, expanding the continuum of care to provide post-permanency services. In this teleconference, representatives from national organizations and from state agencies present various strategies and initiatives for maintaining permanent families, specifically addressing a range of post-permanency and post-adoption services.
Gerald P. Mallon, Director, National Resource Center for Foster Care and Permanency Planning, New York, NY
State representatives • T061004

Child Welfare Leadership’s Use of Data and Information
How well do child welfare leaders in your organization use data and information as part of their ongoing child welfare management? This session explores strategies for using QA reports and activities to support leadership initiatives and encourage improved outcomes. Presenters discuss some of the typical questions and needs of child welfare leaders as well as effective reporting techniques and presentation styles. In addition, the session addresses ways of overcoming resistance to, or lack of familiarity with, the use of data and information in child welfare agencies.
Larry Brown, New York State Office of Child and Family Services, Albany, NY
Lynda Arnold, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Oklahoma City, OK
Peter Watson, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME • T090904

Getting Providers on Board: Outcomes Focused Contracting
As child welfare agencies are pushed to achieve outcomes, there is an increasing need to be clear about expectations, and to communicate and enforce those expectations widely with everyone who works with children and families. In addition to getting staff on board, a particular challenge in many states is to communicate expectations about outcomes to contracted providers who work directly with children and families. This teleconference explores efforts to make the fundamental shift from purchasing distinct units of service to purchasing services focused on outcomes. Presenters highlight efforts to work with contracted providers to develop services that focus on achieving permanency while keeping children safe and meeting their needs.
Erwin McEwen, Deputy Director of Monitoring and Quality Assurance, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Chicago, IL
Other state and provider presenters • T091604

Assessing Your Agency’s Training System
This teleconference presents an approach, method and tool for assessing if and how your training system enhances the agency’s mission, goals and outcomes. The assessment approach focuses on indicators such as the relationship of the training system to other internal and external systems—particularly QA, supervision and case review—and how the training system supports key practice interventions necessary to achieve positive outcomes for children and families. Presenters discuss how the Colorado Department of Human Services implemented this approach.
Susan Maciolek, Child Welfare Management Consultant, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME
Susan Kanak, National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement, Portland, ME
Art Atwell and other representatives from the Colorado Department of Human Services, Denver, CO • T092104 C

updated on 08/05/2008

National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service
PO Box 9300, 34 Bedford Street, Portland, ME 04104-9300
1-800-HELPKID (435-7543) • fax: 207-780-5817