�Appendix D: Children's Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
Who We Are
The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement strengthens and supports State and Tribal agencies committed to the welfare of children, youth, and families through training, technical assistance, and evaluation. The aim is to improve management and operations, bolster organizational capacity, promote service integration, and develop supervisory and management systems, resulting in improved outcomes for children and families.
The Center also coordinates, facilitates and evaluates onsite training and technical assistance across the network of seven National Resource Centers and AdoptUSKids. The Center facilitates the intake and assessment of State requests, assists in the development of work plans, and evaluates the impact of network services. States can contact the Center for assistance in identifying appropriate Centers to meet their technical assistance needs.
How We Can Help
The Center offers technical assistance, training, and publications to assist states in the areas of:
Strategic Planning
The Center can help States with all aspects of strategic planning, including developing CFSR Statewide Assessments and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs); assessing community needs and resources; developing and implementing comprehensive strategic plans across the State agency; integrating strategic plans; and developing annual progress and services reports.
Implementing Quality Improvement
The Center has experience developing quality improvement systems to monitor performance for both child welfare agencies and courts. Center staff can help train administrators and staff on how to develop and implement such systems and how to integrate CFSR requirements into quality improvement systems.
Evaluating Outcomes
Center staff can assist States with developing targeted performance outcomes, using outcome data, and making data-driven decisions at all agency levels.
Facilitating Stakeholder Involvement
The Center helps States develop collaborative strategies and involve stakeholder agencies in the CFSR process and other ongoing agency activities, particularly in the areas of domestic violence and substance abuse services, court and legal systems, and community programs. Staff also can help agencies work collaboratively with other community and public agencies to expand the array of targeted services for children and families.
Training Systems and Workforce Development
The Center helps State agencies assess and improve their comprehensive training systems for new and ongoing workers. The Center also helps States implement innovative strategies related to recruitment, retention and other workforce issues.
Teleconferences and Publications
The Center offers numerous, free teleconferences and publications to help States with organizational improvement and the CFSR process, including:
Teleconference Sessions
- Program Improvement Planning: An Overview.
- Actively Engaging Stakeholder and Community Partners on the CFSR Process.
- A Framework for Quality Assurance.
- Leadership, Systemic Change and Change Management.
- Creating Innovative Partnerships to Drive Resource Development.
Print and Web Publications
- Strategic Planning for Child Welfare Agencies
- A Framework for Quality Assurance in Child Welfare.
- Financing Strategies to Support Comprehensive Community-Based Services for Children and Families.
- Implementing Concurrent Planning: A Handbook for Child Welfare Administrators.
Newsletters
- Implementing Program Improvement Plans
- Effective Strategies for Leaders: Interviews with Departing Directors
- Using Information Management to Support the Goals of Safety, Permanency, and Well-Being.
- Supervisors as Managers: Understanding and Using Outcome Data.
For More Information
| Address: | Muskie School—USM P.O. Box 15010 400 Congress Street Portland, ME 04112-5010 |
| Phone: | (800) HELP KID or (207) 780-5810 |
| Fax: | (207) 780-5817 |
| E-Mail: | helpkids@usm.maine.edu |
| Web site: | www.nrcoi.org |
| Contact: | Peter Watson, Director |
National Resource Center for Child Protective Services
Who We Are
The National Resource Center for Child Protective Services (NRCCPS) provides expert consultation, technical assistance and training in the area of child protective services (CPS). The NRCCPS helps to build the capacity of State, local, Tribal and other publicly administered or supported child welfare agencies to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families.
The specific focus of the National Resource Center for Child Protective Services is to develop and integrate policies and practices that improve the prevention, reporting, assessment and treatment of child abuse and neglect.
How We Can Help
The NRCCPS can help to build State, local and Tribal capacity through the following key activities:
- The planning and implementing of systemic changes as defined in the States' Program Improvement Plan (PIP).
- The provision of technical assistance and consultation directly on-site as well as through state-of-the-art communication and technology-based methods.
- The development and delivery of training curricula, guidelines and training materials which address identified needs of State, local, and Tribal agencies and courts.
- Seeking out and disseminating evidence-based practices which will likely contribute to the achievement of PIP strategies.
- Providing expertise on family-centered practices including healthy marriage, community collaboration, and individualized services.
- Providing expertise on substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health and the impact of these on child maltreatment and on CPS intervention strategies.
- Providing expertise on the CAPTA, ASFA, and ICWA requirements which must be addressed to meet legislated prevention, reporting, investigation, and treatment requirements.
- Supporting and coordinating communication among and between the State Liaison Officers (SLO) and the Children's Bureau.
Strengthening Programs to Improve Outcomes
The NRCCPS can help States identify and implement program improvement strategies at intake, investigation, assessment, case disposition, and case planning. Staff can assist with designing safety, risk, and family assessments, differential response approaches, and family reunification protocols for improved decision-making and outcome achievement.
CAPTA Requirements
NRCCPS is especially equipped to help States address the eligibility requirements for the CAPTA State grant, including the recent requirements resulting from the 2003 reauthorization.
SLO Support and Communication
The NRCCPS provides support to the State Liaison Officers through an annual survey of their needs, followed by teleconferences to provide training and information and an SLO newsletter that provides information on CAPTA, ASFA and ICWA implementation, challenges, and issues. NRCCPS also assists the Children's Bureau in planning an annual SLO conference to further build State capacity.
Collaboration and Coordination
The NRCCPS works as a member of the Children's Bureau Training and Technical Assistance Network. Collaboration includes working on technical assistance, training and other capacity building activities in collaboration with other National Resource Centers and AdoptUSKids and participating with the National Child Welfare Resource Center on Organizational Improvement on the evaluation NRCCPS services.
For More Information
| Address: | 925 #4 Sixth Street NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 |
| Phone: | (505) 345-2444 |
| Fax: | (505) 345-2626 |
| E-Mail: | e-mail@nrccps.org |
| Web site: | www.nrccps.org |
| Contact: | Theresa Costello, Director (505) 301-3105 mobile Reed Holder, Coordinator of Communications and Quality Control (303) 369-8008 |
National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues
Who We Are
The National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues (RCLJI) provides expertise to State and Tribal agencies and courts on legal and judicial aspects of child welfare. The Resource Center is dedicated to achieving safety, permanence and well-being for abused and neglected children through improved laws and judicial decision-making. Areas of focus include: permanency decision-making, adherence to ASFA and other federal laws, the court's role in the CFSR and child welfare reform, high quality legal representation for all parties, judicial and attorney workloads, quality assurance for courts and legal offices, effective forensic performance by agencies, the impact of ASFA on youth in the juvenile justice system, education needs of children in foster care, legal ethics, and the interplay of domestic violence and child welfare.
How We Can Help
RCLJI offers States the following assistance with their Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR):
Collecting and Analyzing Data
RCLJI can help coordinate focus groups as a method of collecting data from judges, lawyers, and other stakeholders for the CFSR. Staff can also help analyze data the State is collecting to determine how effectively the courts are achieving safety, permanence, and well-being for children.
Legal and Judicial Issue Analysis
RCLJI staff can help by reviewing CFSR Statewide Assessments, final reports, and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs); identifying legal barriers to best practice; and recommending strategies to overcome barriers. RCLJI can also meet with the agency and/or court to help pinpoint underlying factors of legal system issues.
Promoting Stakeholder Involvement
The courts need to feel they are part of the child welfare system, and the agency needs to be able to approach and work with the courts. RCLJI can assist in making these connections and fostering a team attitude. Staff can help States identify and engage all the most appropriate legal system participants—including representatives of the Court Improvement Project—and help ensure they will stay involved throughout the process, from Statewide Assessment through implementation of the PIP.
Action Planning
In coordination with the National Resource Center on Organizational Improvement, RCLJI staff can meet with the agency and/or court to help develop specific, realistic strategies to address issues identified in the final report, such as case planning and quality assurance. This can happen before or after the creation of the PIP.
PIP Implementation
The Resource Center offers training and technical assistance tailored to your needs as determined by the PIP. Examples include:
- Improving legal representation of the agency and other parties.
- Improving the timeliness of judicial decision-making.
- Developing judicial performance measurement and quality assurance.
- ASFA nuts and bolts implementation for judges.
- Analysis of State statutes and court rules.
- Analysis of judicial and attorney workloads with strategies for improvement.
Other Training and Technical Assistance
The Center has new workshops that may be helpful to States and Tribes in the CFSR process, including
- Best Practices to Implement ASFA: Creative Strategies for Permanence.
- Making it Permanent: Efforts to Finalize Permanency Plans for Children in Foster Care.
- Meeting Educational Needs of Children in Foster Care.
For More Information
| Address: | 740 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005-1019 |
| Phone: | (800) 285-2221 |
| Fax: | (202) 662-1755 |
| E-Mail: | mark.hardin@staff.abanet.org |
| Web site: | www.abanet.org/child/rclji |
| Contact: | Mark Hardin, Director Mimi Laver, Assistant Director Jennifer Renne for TA requests (202) 662-1731 rennej@staff.abanet.org |
National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning
Who We Are
The National Resource Center for Family-Centered Practice and Permanency Planning focuses on increasing the capacity and resources of the State, Tribal, and other publicly supported child welfare agencies to promote family-centered practices that support the safety, permanency, and well-being of children while meeting the needs of their families. The NRCFCPPP helps States and Tribes to implement strategies to expand knowledge, increase competencies, and change attitudes of child welfare professionals at all levels, with the goal of infusing family-centered principles and practices in their work with children, youth and families who enter the child welfare system. The NRCFCPPP builds states knowledge of foster care issues including placement stability and other foster care issues.
How We Can Help
On Site Training and Technical Assistance
The NRCFCPPP offers on site training and technical assistance to States, Territories, Tribes, and other publicly supported child welfare agencies on a wide range of issues which promote sustainable systemic reform in child welfare. The NRCFCPPP is particularly focused on working with states throughout all stages of the Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs), including the development and implementation of the States' Program Improvement Plan (PIP).
Sample areas of technical assistance include:
- Supporting practices such as family group conferencing and family group decision making that engage families in assessment, case planning, case review, and timely decision making about reunification, adoption, guardianship, kin placement or appropriate use of APPLA
- Strategies to engage parents, courts, legal personnel and community partners in the provision of safety focused, family-centered services to children, youth, and families
- Promoting quality goal-oriented worker/child visiting, worker/parent (foster & birth) visiting and goal-oriented visitation between children and youth in care and their parents
- Permanency planning, effective concurrent planning and goal achievement for all children and adolescents
- Supporting recruitment and retention of resource families and dual licensure issues
- Foster care issues including increasing placement stability, reducing disproportional representation of children and youth of color in foster care and development of effective post permanency services
- Building relationships between tribes and states including promoting cultural competency to increase understanding of Indian culture and improving state compliance with ICWA
- Facilitating IV-E Agreements between states and tribes
- Engaging fathers and paternal resources in permanency planning
- Consideration of sibling issues
- Working with birth families to promote reunification
- Service enhancement including developing and strengthening home-based services to preserve families and supporting child welfare practice that addresses substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health issues for families and health and mental health care issues for children and youth in foster care
Information Services
The NRCFCPPP also offers information services to State, Tribal, and other publicly supported child welfare agencies to promote family-centered practices that support the safety, permanency, and well-being of children while meeting the needs of their families. Information is provided in the following formats:
- NRCFCPPP Weekly Update
- NRCFCPPP Web-Based Information Services
- Publications, Curriculums in English/Spanish
- NRCFCPPP Quarterly Webcasts
- NRCFCPPP Semi-Annual Newsletter
- NRCFCPPP Teleconference Series
- Response to State/Tribe Requests for Information
For More Information
| Address: | Hunter College School of Social Work 129 East 79th Street, Suite 801 New York, NY 10021 |
| Phone: | (212) 452-7053 |
| Fax: | (212) 452-7475 |
| E-Mail: | gmallon@hunter.cuny.edu |
| Web site: | www.nrcfcppp.org |
| Contact: | Gerald P. Mallon, DSW, Executive Director |
National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
Who We Are
The National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology (NRC-CWDT) provides assistance to States to develop, implement, and improve effective case management and data collection systems and to use data to enable State child welfare agencies, courts and tribes to manage child welfare programs in order to improve outcomes for children and families. The NRC-CWDT provides technical assistance in the use of data to meet the reporting requirements of the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) and to meet the goals of the Adoption and Safe Families Act, the Child and Family Services Reviews, and other Federal, State, and local legislative requirements, policies and initiatives. The Center, through our website and other means, also provides for the dissemination of best practices around automation issues such as the development and implementation of Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information Systems (SACWIS). NRC-CWDT, as a service of the Children's Bureau, helps States, Tribes and courts to assure the quality of data collected, provide staff at all levels with appropriate information, and build the capacity to use the information for decision-making in daily practice.
How We Can Help
The Center addresses a broad range of program and technical issues, including assisting States with their Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process, Program Improvement Plans, Tribal and court child welfare issues, and other areas related to data and automation. Assistance may include:
Training
The Center provides training on data use and data management at all levels. This includes the development of customized training curricula and materials, the delivery of training to key staff, and training of trainers to promote system-wide improvements in understanding and using data in policy and practice.
Administrative Use of Data
Administrative staff may need to analyze and use data in planning, evaluation, and system improvement efforts and to respond to numerous stakeholder groups. Staff from the Center can assist States in developing their capacity to analyze data for administrative use.
AFCARS Toolkit
The AFCARS Toolkit, which is available on-line at www.nrccwdt.org or free of charge as a CD-ROM, provides links to key materials and documents related to the collection of quality adoption and foster care data that can be used to address policy development and program management issues at the State and Federal level.
AFCARS Assistance
The Center provides assistance around AFCARS, which can be tailored according to States' needs. This can entail a full Program Logic and/or Mapping Documentation Review or a more administrative level AFCARS Overview and Review of Federal Definitions and Policy Guidance.
Coordinating Peer Consultation
The Center can coordinate consultation among States with similar issues. This can take place through informal exchange of information or through a structured process involving on-site, facilitated meetings. More information about peer consultation can also be found on our website www.nrccwdt.org.
Supporting States in the CFSR Process
The Resource Center is able to help in a number of ways, including: preparation for and use of the State Data Profile; resolution of data sources, quality and interpretation related to outcome measures; evaluating enhancements required to information systems in the context of the PIP; and consultation on benchmarks and improvement measures during PIP development and implementation.
For More Information
| Address: | National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology 50 F Street, NW 6th Floor Washington, DC 20001-2085 |
| Phone: | (877) 672-4829 (toll free) |
| Fax: | (202) 737-3687 |
| E-Mail: | nrccwdt@cwla.org |
| Web site: | www.nrccwdt.org |
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Adoption
Who We Are
The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Adoption works with States, Tribes, and agencies to increase States' capacity in adoption. We work to improve the effectiveness and quality of adoption and post-adoption services provided to children and their families.
How We Can Help
The Center is available to partner with States, Tribes, and other members of the Children's Bureaus' Training and Technical Assistance Network to work with staff and stakeholders in all phases of their Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process. We help to identify strengths, needs, and actions that can be taken to improve outcomes for children. Assistance includes:
Analyzing Adoption and Permanency Options
The Center will review CFSR Statewide Assessments, Final Reports, and Program Improvement Plans (PIPs). The Center will also provide feedback on how it might provide technical assistance, training, tools, and materials to help States and Tribes plan and implement changes in practice, programs, policies, and systems to ensure timely adoption or other permanent family connections for children and youth.
Exploring Systemic Factors
The Center will assist States and Tribes in exploring how all systemic factors effect timely permanency, especially adoption.
Increasing Cultural Competence
Children of color are disproportionately represented in the child welfare system and among those waiting to be adopted. Center staff can help States reach out to communities of color to increase adoptions of children from those communities. Using a community-based approach, the Center will help States design programs to build relationships in communities to better address the needs of children and families of color.
The Center also has experience helping States work to fully implement the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act and Interethnic Placement Act and achieve adoptions in the context of Tribal traditions and the Indian Child Welfare Act.
Promoting Stakeholder Involvement
The Center can help States and Tribes work more effectively with other teams and systems of service (child protective services, intake, foster care, mental health, schools, etc.) to achieve timely adoptions.
Training and Technical Assistance
The Center can provide training and technical assistance at any point in the CFSR process to enhance practice, knowledge, skills, and abilities and improve adoption program planning. Some areas of technical assistance include:
- Program planning to achieve timely adoption outcomes.
- Utilization of information systems for adoption program planning.
- Developing and sustaining adoption support and preservation services, including adoption assistance programs.
- Collaborative planning among child welfare teams to achieve timely adoptions.
- Working with other systems of service to facilitate adoption and adoption support and preservation.
- Preparing, assessing, and retaining foster, kin, and adoptive families.
- Preparing and assessing children and youth for adoption, including those with developmental disabilities.
- Making adoption an option for older children and youth.
- Finding and engaging fathers and their families in adoption planning.
Curricula are available on assessment and preparation of children and families for adoption, cultural competency in child welfare, and adoption support and preservation services.
For More Information
| Address: | Spaulding for Children 16250 Northland Drive Suite 120 Southfield, MI 48075 |
| Phone: | (248) 443-0306 |
| Fax: | (248) 443-7099 |
| E-Mail: | nrc@nrcadoption.org |
| Web site: | www.nrcadoption.org |
| Contact: | Natalie Lyons, Director |
National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development
Who We Are
The National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development (NCWRCYD) increases the capacity and resources of States and Tribes to help youth in care meet the goals of safety, permanence, and well-being. The Center can help States incorporate youth into all areas of programs and services, implement services that address legislative requirements, and prepare for Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) and Program Improvement Plan (PIP) development and implementation. The Center bases its technical assistance and training around four core principles: youth development, collaboration, cultural competence, and permanent connections.
How We Can Help
Center staff can provide States with the following assistance in their CFSRs:
Promoting Stakeholder Involvement
NCWRCYD has worked successfully with both States and Tribes to bring stakeholders together in an environment that promotes constructive dialogue. NCWRCYD can:
- Facilitate diverse groups for strategic planning, collaboration, and consensus building.
- Work with States to draw youth into all three stages of the CFSR in order to benefit from their unique contributions and perspectives.
- Work with States to engage Tribes as stakeholders.
- Facilitate planning sessions during development, implementation, and evaluation of the PIP.
- Evaluate Statewide Assessments, final CFSR reports, and PIPs with a dual focus on improving services for youth and highlighting opportunities to engage youth in planning and implementation.
- Work with States and Tribes to recognize barriers and identify solutions for successful inclusion of youth and families in case planning and services.
Technical Assistance and Training
The Center facilitates systemic change by providing technical assistance (TA) prior to and concurrent with training activities. TA sessions are designed to assist program and administrative staff with implementing and managing necessary change.
Technical assistance activities may include:
- Work groups and committees
- Strategic planning sessions (initial and ongoing)
- Action planning sessions
The NCWRCYD offers a variety of trainings for states, tribes and other providers that focus on both organizational and skill development. The Center can modify training to meet an organization's needs in any of the following areas:
- Positive Youth Development
- Youth/Adult Partnership Building
- Permanency Planning
- Cultural Diversity
- Collaboration
- Strength-Based Assessment and Case Planning
- Ethnographic Interviewing
- Conflict Resolution
- Family Group Decision Making
- Youth Leadership Development
- Life Skills Assessment and Transition Planning
- Life Skills Instruction Preparation
- Permanency Planning for Adolescents
- Permanency and Concurrent Planning
- Working with Native American Youth
- Preparing Youth for Transition
- Foster and Adoptive Parent Training
- Managing Aggressive Behavior
- Residential Child Care Programming
- Working with Runaway and Homeless Youth
Information Services
NCWRCYD regularly gathers, analyzes, and disseminates information on services and practices relevant to youth. NCWRCYD communicates with State Independent Living Coordinators and other professionals to stay current with trends, programs and policies. Resources include:
- A Web site providing the most current information on Federal, State, and Tribal policies and practices affecting youth and their families.
- Web-based, State-specific fact sheets highlighting CFSR, PIP, and Chafee activities.
- Newsletters and publications containing best practices and current trends in youth work, published with collaboration from nationally recognized leaders in the field of child welfare.
For More Information
| Address: | 4502 East 41st Street Building 4W Tulsa, OK 74135 |
| Phone: | (918) 660-3700 |
| Fax: | (918) 660-3737 |
| E-Mail: | pcorreia@ou.edu |
| Web site: | www.nrcys.ou.edu/nrcyd/ |
| Contact: | Peter R. Correia III, Director |
The Collaboration to AdoptUsKids
Who We Are
The Children's Bureau AdoptUsKids initiative is designed to find and support foster and adoptive families for waiting children by providing new and enhanced recruitment tools and training and technical assistance (T/TA) to States and Tribes.
How We Can Help
In collaboration with the ACF Regional Offices and the Children's Bureau, AdoptUsKids provides T/TA to help States and Tribes achieve their Title IV-B Child and Family Service Plan requirements and Title IV-E Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) targets on issues that pertain to the development and implementation of quality recruitment and retention services for foster and adoptive families.
Training and Technical Assistance Service Goals
- Help States and Tribes develop a pool of waiting families that reflect the ethnic and racial diversity of children for whom foster and adoptive homes are needed.
- Increase the effective use of cross-jurisdictional resources to facilitate timely adoptive or permanent placements for waiting children.
- Promote and enhance the role of resource parents in recruitment and planning.
- Assist States to enhance worker capacity, satisfaction and validation of their work in recruitment and retention.
- Assist States and Tribes in insuring their recruitment and response processes are driven by promising practices & achieve desired outcomes.
Supporting the CFSR Process
- Providing individualized assessments of recruitment and retention needs.
- Exploring and disseminating information about established, effective recruitment activities and initiatives.
- Offering access to a team of national experts for consultation and training on recruitment and retention issues.
- Working strategically with child welfare agencies and Tribes to tailor T/TA services in the area of recruitment and retention.
- Producing definitive booklets for caseworkers and prospective families on best practices in recruitment/retention of families, writing child profiles and matching waiting children with families.
Providing Training/Consultation to Support Agencies
Current areas of specific training expertise include:
- Recruiting foster and adoptive families (general, targeted, child specific and child-centered)
- Placing children across interjurisdictional boundaries
- Utilization of the national online photolisting for waiting children (www.adoptuskids.org)
- Best practice in writing child profiles
- Developing and sustaining community-based partnerships
- Strategic planning and consultation related to the development of Title IV-B recruitment plans
- Responding effectively and supportively to inquiring families
Maintaining a Web Site and Photolisting
The partnership also maintains the AdoptUsKids Web site (www.adoptuskids.org). The Web site is the first Federal online photolisting service for children waiting to be adopted from foster care.
Additional Components of AdoptUSKids
- Supporting critical research on barriers to adoption.
- Identifying family factors that support long-term success in special needs adoption.
- Establishing joint trainings and national meetings with child welfare administrators, adoption and foster care managers and other child welfare professionals from the public and private sectors.
- Developing and supporting a network of adoptive parent organizations.
- Implementing a national campaign to recruit new adoptive and foster families for waiting children.
- Implementing Recruitment Response Teams to assist States in responding to national, State, and local recruitment campaigns and to support/nurture interested families.
For More Information
| Address: | 8015 Corporate Drive, Suite C Baltimore, MD 21236 |
| Phone: | (888) 200-4005 or (410) 933-5700 |
| Fax: | (410) 933-5716 |
| E-Mail: | info@adoptuskids.org |
| Web site: | www.adoptuskids.org |
| Contact: | Barbara Holtan, Project Director Melody Roe, Director—The Adoption Exchange Education Center & T/TA for AdoptUSKids (303-755-4756 x241) |
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
Who We Are
The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) is a service of the Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment and the Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect.
How We Can Help
NCSACW works to develop knowledge and provide technical assistance (TA) to Federal, State and local agencies and Tribes to improve outcomes for families with substance use disorders in the child welfare and family court systems.
Technical Assistance
NCSACW helps develop cross-system partnerships and practice changes to address the issues of substance use disorders among families in the child welfare system. All requests for TA are coordinated with CSAT and ACF. A limited amount of on-site TA is provided at no charge based on availability and application process. Areas of TA include:
- Connecting individuals with resources, including publications, journal articles, research, and statistics.
- Consulting expertise on screening and assessment for family engagement, retention and recovery.
- Presenting at conferences
- Facilitating clinical and policy workgroups of substance abuse and child welfare staff and judicial officers.
- Assisting in the development of interagency protocols and strategic plans.
- Assisting States in preparing for their Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) and developing their Program Improvement Plans (PIPs).
- Answering questions and making referrals to other experts in the field.
- In-depth TA is provided to a limited number of sites selected through a solicitation process.
Information Gathering and Dissemination
NCSACW staff maintain an extensive library of resources on the intersection of alcohol and other drug, child welfare/Tribal child welfare, and family court systems.
Web-Based Services and Tutorials
A NCSACW website, www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov, is available to provide a wide range of on-line resources. In addition, NCSACW is developing a series of four online tutorials:
- Understanding Child Welfare and the Dependency Court: A Guide for Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals. (Available Now)
- Understanding Substance Abuse Treatment and Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Workers. (Available Now).
- Understanding Substance Abuse and Child Welfare Issues: A Guide for Judicial Officers. (Anticipated Summer 2005)
- Understanding Substance Abuse and Child Welfare Issues: A Guide for Legislators. (Anticipated Spring 2006)
Biennial Conference
NCSACW conducts a biennial national conference. The second National Conference on Substance Abuse, Child Welfare and the Dependency Courts will be held in October 2006.
For More Information
| Address: | 4940 Irvine Boulevard Suite 202 Irvine, CA 92620 |
| Phone: | (714) 505-3525 |
| Fax: | (714) 505-3626 |
| E-Mail: | ncsacw@samhsa.gov |
| Web site: | www.ncsacw.samhsa.gov |
| Contact: | Nancy K. Young, Director Lani Daly, TA Coordinator |
National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center
Who We Are
The National Abandoned Infants Assistance (AIA) Resource Center's mission is to enhance the quality of social and health services delivered to abandoned children and those at risk of abandonment due to the presence of drugs and/or HIV in the family. The Center seeks to achieve these ends by providing training, information, and resources to service providers who assist these children and their families.
How We Can Help
The Resource Center provides training and information to professionals on a wide range of issues, particularly as they relate to the safety, well-being, and permanence of children.
Training
The Center sponsors an annual telephone seminar series on child welfare issues. These are structured, interactive phone conferences with guest presenters. Recent seminars include:
- Working with Women Survivors of Trauma
- Issues for Relative Care Providers
- Mental Health Needs of HIV-Infected Children and Adolescents
- Treatment and Program Development for Women with Multiple Disorders
Conferences
The Resource Center hosts annual national conferences. Recent topics include:
- Spirituality: A Powerful Force in Women's Recovery (2003)
- Raising Kin: The Psychosocial Well-being of Substance-affected Children in Relative Care (2004)
Online Database of Trainers
The Center provides an online database of trainers who specialize in topics such as:
- Child abuse and neglect
- Substance abuse and treatment
- Women and addiction
- HIV-affected families and children
Detailed information is available for each trainer (e.g., bios, vitae, contact information, and areas of expertise).
Online Database of Conferences
The Center provides an online database of national child welfare conferences.
Materials Development
The Resource Center disseminates a biannual theme-based newsletter, fact sheets, videos, and directories. Examples include:
Newsletter—The Source:
- Case Management for Substance Abusing Parents and Their Children
- Building Upon the Unique Strengths of Peer Workers
Fact Sheets:
- Women and Children with HIV/AIDS
- Recreational Programs for HIV-affected Children and Families
- Boarder Babies, Abandoned Infants, and Discarded Infants
Reports:
- Discarded Infants and Neonaticide: A Review of the Literature
- Focusing on the Needs of Youth in Kinship Care
Research and Resource Development
The Center examines emerging issues and explores practice and policy implications by conducting research and consulting with technical expert groups. Results are released in the form of monographs. Topics include:
- Establishing Permanent Futures for Children: Recommendations for Improving Future Care and Custody Planning
- AIA Best Practices: Lessons Learned from a Decade of Service to Children and Families Affected by HIV and Substance Abuse
- Expediting Permanency for Abandoned Infants
- Partners' Influence on Women's Addiction and Recovery
Individualized Information Searches
The Center provides links to literature, statistics, and relevant referrals on a broad variety of topics related to its mission.
For More Information
| Address: | University of California, Berkeley School of Social Welfare 1950 Addison Street, Suite 104 # 7402 Berkeley, CA 94720-7402 |
| Phone: | (510) 643-8390 |
| Fax: | (510) 643-7019 |
| E-Mail: | aia@berkeley.edu |
| Web site: | aia.berkeley.edu |
| Contact: | Jeanne Pietrzak, Director |
National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs (FRIENDS)
Who We Are
The National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs (FRIENDS) is a service of the Children's Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and Neglect. FRIENDS (Family Resource, Information, Education and Network Development Services) provides technical assistance to Federal grantee agencies implementing the Community-Based Grants for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, under the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003.
The purpose of FRIENDS' work is to build the capacity of States and communities to prevent child abuse and neglect and strengthen and support families.
How We Can Help
FRIENDS' current areas of expertise that may be of use to States in the course of their Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) process include:
- Enhancing a State's array of services by promoting interagency collaboration and supporting the establishment of child abuse prevention and family support programs and networks.
- Promoting program best practices including inclusion of fathers, strengthening families and family relationships, working with diverse populations, promoting parent involvement and leadership, respite care, and other community-based and strengths-based practices.
- Promoting a continuum of participatory evaluation strategies including self-assessment, peer review, and outcome accountability.
- Addressing issues related to prevention systems.
- Assisting with message development.
Onsite and Telephone Technical Assistance
As they strive to improve child welfare systems, States are using family support strategies to improve family functioning and keep families from entering the child welfare system in the first place. FRIENDS offers knowledge and expertise in the implementation of family support strategies in a variety of settings and for many purposes. FRIENDS staff can provide State lead agencies with assistance in the following areas as they implement their Program Improvement Plans:
- Child and family well-being and family support.
- Enhancing family capacity.
- Creating models of parent involvement and shared leadership.
- Vision, mission, and strategic planning of long-term systemic reform with particular emphasis on prevention strategies.
- Overview of the CFSR process.
- Community assessment.
- Consensus building.
- Engaging families in case planning.
- Family self-advocacy skills.
- Maximizing funding.
- Building respectful relationships with colleagues and families.
Promoting Stakeholder Involvement and Investment in the Public Child Welfare System
Community and consumer consultation is necessary to assess the needs, capacities, gaps, and service development approaches needed within diverse communities. FRIENDS has developed successful strategies and tools to work with parents and can assist States in identifying successful practices for community consultation. From the CFSR Statewide Assessment, to the Onsite Review and the ensuing Program Improvement Plan, FRIENDS can assist States in utilizing their CBCAP statewide child abuse prevention networks, comprised of service providers, parents, advocacy groups, and consumers of services, to carry out ongoing consultation with stakeholders of the child welfare system at all stages of the CFSR process.
For More Information
| Address: | 800 Eastowne Drive, Suite 105 Chapel Hill, NC 27514 |
| Phone: | (919) 490-5577 x 222 |
| Fax: | (919) 490-4905 |
| E-Mail: | lbaker3@nc.rr.com |
| Web site: | www.friendsnrc.org |
| Contact: | Linda Baker, Program Director (919) 768-0162 |
| << Appendix C | Appendix E >> |
