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Roundtable 9
9 th Annual Title IV-E Federal Region VI Roundtable
The Center for Children and Families at Texas State University-San Marcos in collaboration with leaders from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Dallas Regional Office of the Administration for Children and Families hosted the 9 h Annual Title IV-E Child Welfare Roundtable on Thursday, June 2 and Friday, June 3, 2005 at T Bar M Ranch in New Braunfels.
The event was designed to build a strong collaborative network for universities and agencies that prepare personnel to work with children and families. Over one hundred representatives from child welfare agencies, universities, and states attended. June Lloyd, Child Welfare Program Manager, Eugene Roth, Regional Grants Officer, and Marisu Fenton, Grants Officer, for the Administration for Children & Families presented updates on Title IV-E Training in the morning. Following the morning presentations, university and agency personnel spent the next two days working in small task groups on current issues. Student panels and student poster presentations were special features of the Roundtable.
Focus Group Updates
Committee: Curriculum
Presenters: Teresa Buehler & Mary Mulvaney
What's New?
Development of self assessment evaluation – how students evaluate their readiness for CPS work. Based on research and instruments used at other universities. Is designed as a self-assessment tool, NOT to be used to evaluate the school's program.
Monit Cheung will forward assessment tool on list serv for feedback. Goal is to have the document ready for use in August 2005.
Training for foster parents
UT-Austin —Region asked us to do foster parent training for FAS and behavioral management in several areas of the region. Built the training into our professional development office. Completed one training; have two more scheduled.
Learning curve—Found trainers to develop and implement the training
One day of training (two topics, each half a day)
Commerce – Training included both foster children and parents.
Social Work Professional Day – allowed Foster Parents to attend for free
Stephen F. Austin – Developed a training newsletter. Foster parents were able to earn 1 hour of training by completing a test over the material in the newsletter. Covered two topics this year, one of which was on Managing Violent Behavior.
Conducted a two-day combined Foster Parent/CPS FAD conference.
Texas List Serve—Monit--please post new ideas on the list serve—can email Monit to get on the list serve.
UT-Austin—trying to respond to forensic social work discussions from the legislature –had expert in forensic SW talk to the IV-E students about court testimony, investigations, etc.
Tamela—willing to post updates on the list-serve about what is new to the FPS web page and information about IV-E, agency changes, etc
What's Needed?
Implementation of the self-assessment tool
Tamela— in response to barriers discussed by UT, some other states are broader in interpreting and arranging services such as child care during training
Easier to arrange it through the Child Welfare Board, can have Foster Parent Association arrange and pay for child care.
Join list serve
Share new curriculum ideas, protocols
Expect to come here and get things that have been tested/used so we can [use]
Submit case vignettes/scenarios
Monit and Patricia are collecting them –
UT casebook includes some child welfare case vignettes
Journal submissions—list done by Monit—can request copy of new one from Monit.
Share tested instruments and programs at Roundtable
What's Next?
Follow-up on self-assessment tool feedback and implementation.
Hear more about foster parent training programs, share curriculum, course outlines, etc., brief presentation.
Infusion of child welfare curriculum, training of CPS workers, training of foster parents.
Focus on what is needed most by agency.
9th Annual Title IV-E Federal Region VI Roundtable
Committee: Employment and Retention
Presenters: Pat Nayle & Brian Brumley
What's New?
Replication of stipend tracking system of recipients by FPS—database/spreadsheet system under development and to require CPS contract staff to input and maintain data. Some interface with HR system and accounting.
University contract changes along with changes to the student and employee stipend agreements.
What's Needed?
Employment commitment issue in Student Stipend Agreement—issue clarified in Texas Fed/State session—FPS will make every effort to employment student in the region in which student lives/attended college.
What impact will new application (Access HR) process have on stipend students—Suggestions:
Is there a need for stipend students to apply to a job posting and complete with non-stipend applicants.
Perpetual pool system where FPS program can see where all CPS worker vacancies are located.
Request protocol for screening applicants for field positions at the BSW Stipend level—for selection of BSW field stipends.
Retention of students hired and employees (stipends) still an issue--
One university conducts focus group meetings with former stipend students hired to attain what is working or not working in their jobs—information is passed on to region's CPS program to find solutions.
Implement Exit Questionnaire (1 page) with all stipends leaving CPS employment to determine reasons—to assess any patterns that could improve retention
Define retention—suggestions:
• i. Desirable-stipend recipients complete payback by employment
• ii. Acceptable-stipend recipients complete by money or employment/money
• iii. Optimal-stipend recipients works 2+ years post payback (employment)
What's Next?
Movement of BSD from 7 weeks to 12 weeks
Committee under Jane Norwood with university and CPS input to address this issue
State wide stipend tracking system of IV-E students and employees to be released in next 3-4 months.
Suggested that field instructors for students graduating provide references to CPS hiring authorities, to assist in finding best fit for employment placement (where possible)
Employment and Retention Committee to meet with Evaluation Committee to address similar issues/concerns
Request that the Committee Co-chairs of the four committees meet to collaborate on common issues that may impact other committees.
9 th Annual Title IV-E Federal Region VI Roundtable
Committee: Field
Presenters: Angela Ausbrooks & Melody Loya
What's New?
What's Needed?
Addressing travel concerns regarding: “BSD where available”
Video-conferencing?
Provided at university?
Information regarding: providing internship during summer (when BSD expands). Will this be an issue?
Best practices; Reintegration, Applying Theory to Practice Valued by recipients.
Clear interpretation if eligible program areas for student placements. If not INV, then where? CVS—privatized
Will students be required to complete more than the mandated number of hours to complete new BDS requirements
Poor field experiences—placing students in units where wanted.
Concern of placing students with volume of hire aheads. Clarification on whether social work education is valued?
Clarification and or workaround for on-line applications for stipend recipients who don't meet MQ's
Teaching BSD at universities.
Clarification regarding eligibility of employees carrying caseload receiving Title IV-E stipends
What's Next?
Change group to Roundtable Breakout Session ONLY for right now and not working group
Copies of “Best Practices
Main Issue
Coordination of BSD (universities and agency) because of:
Change in training leadership (removes close relationship which allowed quick planning of BSD classes and classes which catered to university schedules)
Length of training
Summer placements
9 th Annual Title IV-E Federal Region VI Roundtable
Committee: Evaluation
Presenters: Patrick Leung & Donn Baumann
The Impact of Title IV-E Training on Child Protective Service Caseworkers
Prepared by: Patrick Leung, Ph.D
Co-Chair
Nicole Willis, MSW Graduate Research Assistant
Contributing Members:
Current members: Marian Aguilar, Donald Baumann (Co-Chair), Sonja Berry, Karen Brown, Shelly Bucher, Nancy Chavkin, Michael Crosby, Rowena Fong, Pamela Higgins-Saulsberry, Peggy Pittman-Munke, Patricia Newlin, Pat Page, Jenny Savage and Maria Scannapieco
Former members: Kathleen Belanger, Kelli Connell-Carrick, Luba Hansin Jones, BeckyPrice-Mayo, Alvin Sallee, Elaine Waters
Please address all correspondence to Patrick Leung, Ph.D. at pleung@uh.edu or at the University of
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank the current and former members of the Texas Title IV-E Roundtable Evaluation Committee for their support and feedback for this evaluation project. Special thanks should go to Dr. Donald Baumann (Co-Chair) of the Committee for his help in identifying the sample, sending the survey to the participants and offering feedback to the instrument and analysis. Finally, I would like to thank all the participants in the Texas Title IV-E Roundtable Conference for their comments to the preliminary findings. Without their help, this study would not have been completed.
Abstract
In February of 2003, the evaluation of impact of Title IV-E training on CPS caseworkers was initiated in
The quantitative data reveal that Title IV-E has had some impact on its participants:
• Although there were no statistically significant differences between BSWs and BAs, BSWs reported that they were less likely than BAs to leave CPS this year, more satisfied with their salary, more educationally prepared to handle their job and have more perceived respect from co-workers.
• The findings suggest that MSWs are employed longer at CPS than those with just a BSW degree. MSWs are more tenured staff, and are more likely to advance to administrative, supervisory or managerial positions, therefore, longevity would be greater than those who posses only a bachelor's degree. MSWs may be more satisfied on the job, however, this does not necessarily indicate that BSWs would not stay with CPS longer.
• Those with both BSW/MSW degrees are employed longer with CPS than those with just a BSW. This may indicate the effectiveness of higher education for CPS workers. In other words, tenured staff will have a longer history of employment.
• MSWs rate themselves as more educationally prepared to handle CPS work when compared to other degreed workers. This suggests that MSWs may feel the impact of higher education enhance their job performance.
• MSWs are also less likely to leave CPS than BSW degreed workers. Therefore, we should continue to train more MSWs in the CPS workforce. MSW training will assist CPS workers to have professional advancement and job satisfaction, which might result in higher retention of workers.
• MSWs were less satisfied with professional development than other degreed workers. This suggests that MSWs need more advanced training as they have already been trained in basic knowledge and practice skills.
• Rural respondents were more satisfied with job and professional development than urban respondents.
• The longer a worker is employed at CPS, the higher the Annual Performance rating and job satisfaction. This is consistent with qualitative data that reveal the commitment to child welfare, personally and professionally.
• Those with less than two years of CPS employment are more satisfied with the salary than those who have worked for two or more years. Similarly, those with less than two years of experience are less likely to leave CPS. This could be due to the Title IV-E contract repayment period, and after repayment is completed, workers may begin to feel less content with their salary. Therefore, CPS should look into the salary structure.
Although the impact of Title IV-E training may need to be studied more thoroughly, qualitative data in this study do demonstrate the ways in which Title IV-E has impacted participants:
• Title IV-E participants appeared more likely to stay at CPS in order to both gain knowledge and share it with other CPS co-workers in order to contribute to the professional growth of the agency.
• Title IV-E also has impacts on the participants, as they have a high desire to use advanced level practice skills and have a greater awareness and higher standards of social work values and ethical conduct with clients.
• Title IV-E has also impacted participants in terms of instilling in workers a systemic view of CPS work, as many Title IV-E participants describe desired practice outcomes on both micro- and macro-levels.
• Title IV-E participants were also able to articulate the impact that the CPS work environment has on their performance and attitude.
• Title IV-E may also help workers feel more valued and minimize the perceived power-gap between themselves and the administration of the agency. Therefore, Title IV-E may be effective in terms of empowerment, retention, practice skills, coping mechanisms with job stress and ethical conduct and decision-making.