As your system of care is emerging, an important early task is to assemble a group of individuals who represent all of the stakeholder groups who will be either providing or receiving services and supports. If there are existing training coordinators within the agency or department, their involvement would be very helpful. It also is very important to understand the current training and development goals for each department/agency, the schedule of when training and development activities normally occur, and the format and kinds of trainings and development activities that occur. It is essential to begin to understand the kinds of training and development activities offered by each agency/department and also how those trainings are funded, as well as any limitations for involvement in particular training and development programs.
Activities, Questions to Consider
Training, development, and human resources pre-planning activities and tasks in your community might include:
- Inviting and encouraging training, development, and human resources professionals to be involved in planning and implementation of your system of care.
- Identifying and assessing additional or existing human resources where system of care values and principle should be incorporated.
- Researching other training, development and human resource efforts in systems of care.
- Looking at the quality, quantity, formatting and range of training and development opportunities currently available within your community.
- Do your current training and development programs encompass pre-service and in-service opportunities?
- Are you using a variety of training and development methods to reach various audiences?
- Do you currently have the capability to do Webinars, on-line courses, and Webcasts?
Key Partners
The people who perform training, development, and human resources duties in your community might include:
- System of care director
- Cross-agency training and development coordinator
- Support staff
- Family members, faith-based community, community organizations, and non-profits
- Consultant pool
- Existing human resources staff in partner agencies and departments
- Evaluation team members
- Existing child welfare training, development, and human resources staff
- Agency training and development personnel
- Agency and Division administrative staff
- Information Technology staff
Sustainability
- Be as inclusive as possible in identifying members on your training and development committee.
- Identify potential solutions to various restrictions of training and development funds.
- Develop a plan that will query staff of various agencies for their training and development needs and resources.
- Make sure to have youth and families are part of this work from the beginning.
- Research other system of care training and development programs to see how they gather information, the kinds of trainings they offer, and how they market the training and development offerings to staff and families.
- Gather system of care position descriptions and personnel policies from existing systems of care within your state and around the country.
Resources
Pennsylvania – Assessment Tool (PDF - 57 KB)
This is an 11 page needs assessment form that covers all aspects of a system of care. Overarching categories include: System Access/Intake, Strengths/Needs Assessment, Service Planning, Service Delivery, Service Monitoring and Evaluation, Exit/Discharge and Prioritizing Improvements and Alternatives. System of Care principles and values are listed within each of those headings. The result is a comprehensive look at all aspects of a system of care in order to define and prioritize where staff development activities need to occur.
North Dakota – Foster Parent Training (PDF - 56 KB)
This one page survey of training needs for community members and foster care parents lists out a number of training topics and prioritizes the needs of both groups based on responses received.