Training and Development Commons^™

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Site Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is a state-supervised and locally- administered social services system. There are 120 local departments of social services (LDSS) composed of approximately 2,000 employees who are responsible for providing child welfare services.

VDSS partners with LDSS to provide child welfare services including prevention, child protective services, foster care, and adoption programs. VDSS provides leadership, oversight, statewide mandated training, quality assurance, strategies for developing the child welfare workforce and technical assistance to local agencies. The state supervised locally administered structure allows for variation across localities in hiring practices, human resource and child welfare policies and …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Background

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) is a state-supervised, locally-administered child welfare system with 120 local departments of social services (LDSS). In 2016, VDSS had a turnover rate of 29% among their entry level Family Services Specialists. In response to child welfare caseworker concerns about excessive burdens associated with administrative, travel, and documentation tasks, VDSS elected to implement two technological interventions: transcription services in 2017-2018 and COMPASS|Mobile in 2019-2020. The QIC-WD developed a logic model, supported implementation, and conducted a short- and long-term outcome evaluation based on a theory of change that described how and …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Intervention Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) and the QIC-WD designed a multi-phase case-supportive technology intervention to help child welfare caseworkers complete their case notes and other administrative tasks required as part of their job. The decision by VDSS to implement technological supports for caseworkers was informed by two data collection efforts:

1. Listening sessions, held by VDSS staff in each region of the state, and

2. Exit survey results from all 120 local departments of social services (LDSS).

These data collection efforts found that the biggest complaint among caseworkers, particularly those leaving their jobs, was the lack of technological …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Intervention Background, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

What are technology supports and why were they selected?

According to Berzin, Singer, & Chan, 2015, one of the “12 Grand Challenges of Social Work” is a focus on practice innovation through technology in the digital age. The premise is that by integrating technology into the field of social work and creating practice innovations through information communication technology (ICT), transformative social change will be facilitated. ICT tools include computers for data input and analysis, management information systems (MIS) to capture and record client case information, tapping into to the web to further facilitate access to information and communication via …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Site Intervention Logic Model, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Each QIC-WD site developed a logic model to serve as a visual representation of their selected intervention. All logic models included four main components: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Collectively, these demonstrate the resources and actions required to implement the program, as well as the associated result or changes anticipated through implementation of the program. The hypothesized relationships are represented by the pathways connecting the listed activities and anticipated outcomes. For more information see Site Overview.

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Virginia Department of Social Services to determine if a Case-Supportive Technology intervention was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes.

Research Questions

The site-level evaluation for Virginia was designed to understand implementation of and outcomes related to two technology innovations: (1) transcription and (2) a mobility application. See the Intervention Overview for more information.

Relationships among intervention components, outputs, and outcomes were mapped out in Virginia’s logic model. Initial research questions of interest included how well the components of the intervention were received by staff, usage of the …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) to establish a Workforce Development Council to lead the development and implementation of their case-supportive technology intervention. The Workforce Development Council was composed of representatives from local departments of social services (LDSS), including frontline caseworkers, supervisors, and directors, as well as regional and state VDSS staff. Additional members of the Workforce Development Council included the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator, and four members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and two for evaluation given the expedited timeline of the project and …

Case-Supportive Technology Virginia - Theory Of Change, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

During the needs assessment process, a theory of change was developed for the primary area of need identified in partnership with the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS). Through a series of steps and causal links, a theory of change provides a roadmap to address the root causes of an identified workforce problem and describes how and why changes are expected to lead to the desired outcomes. In Virginia, the theory was informed by the needs assessment process conducted by VDSS prior to the involvement of the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD). They found that the biggest complaint …

Telework Washington - Site Intervention Logic Model, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Each QIC-WD site developed a logic model to serve as a visual representation of their selected intervention. All logic models included four main components: inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes. Collectively, these demonstrate the resources and actions required to implement the program, as well as the associated result or changes anticipated through implementation of the program. The hypothesized relationships are represented by the pathways connecting the listed activities and anticipated outcomes. For more information see Site Overview.

Telework Washington - Evaluation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The QIC-WD evaluation was conducted with the support of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to determine if a telework program was effective in improving workforce and child welfare outcomes. The evaluation, as outlined in the Logic Model, was approved by the Washington State Institutional Review Board (IRB).

Research Questions

The evaluation included two components, a process evaluation and an outcome evaluation. The following research questions were used to guide the evaluations.

Process Evaluation Questions

• Were telework-eligible staff aware of the telework program and its timelines, and do they understand how to obtain information about …

Telework Washington - Implementation Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Implementation Team

The QIC-WD worked with the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to establish an implementation team to lead the development and implementation of their intervention. The Implementation Team was composed of representatives from Human Resources (HR), Information Technology (IT), Training, Continuous Quality Improvement, Union representatives, regionally based DCYF frontline staff and administrators, DCYF leadership, the Site Implementation Manager (SIM), the Data Coordinator (DC), and three members of the QIC-WD (representing expertise in workforce, implementation, and evaluation). The SIM and Data Coordinator positions were partially funded by the QIC-WD. All team members were recruited by DCYF …

Telework Washington - Theory Of Change, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

During the needs assessment process, theories of change were developed for the three primary areas of need identified in partnership with the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families. Through a series of steps and causal links, a theory of change provides a roadmap to address the root causes of an identified workforce problem and describes how and why changes are expected to lead to the desired outcomes. In Washington, the theories were informed by various aspects of the needs assessment process (e.g., survey data, root cause analyses, implementation team input) and relevant research on the targeted workforce problems. …

Telework Washington - Dcyf Telework Handbook, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

No abstract provided.

Telework Washington - Dcyf Telework Employee Self-Assessment, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

No abstract provided.

Telework Washington - Intervention Background, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

What is telework and why was it selected?

Telework is a type of alternative work arrangement in which employees perform some or all of their job duties at an approved location other than their official worksite. Other labels for telework include telecommuting, remote work, mobile work, virtual work, distance work, distributed work, work from/at home, and flexplace, though definitions can vary (e.g., Allen, Golden, & Shockley, 2015).

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) selected telework in response to several factors identified during the exploration phase of the project:

• surveys showing staff dissatisfaction with the limited mobility …

Telework Washington - Key Findings, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Background

Washington’s Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) began working with the QIC-WD in 2017 to better understand its workforce challenges and address its external turnover rate of about 26%. The team examined many contributing factors through a needs assessment and designed a telework intervention. In addition to meeting project criteria, two other factors made telework a good fit as the QIC-WD intervention: 1) Child Welfare Field Operations (CWFO) had recent experience with implementing telework as a pilot project, and there was interest in expansion; and 2) there was a new executive order from the governor that required …

Telework Washington - Needs Assessment Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

Exploration of Needs

The Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) worked with the Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) to conduct a needs assessment. A variety of information was explored to learn about the workforce and the agency’s child welfare workforce practices, including 1) recruitment, hiring, and retention metrics and processes, 2) organizational culture and climate, and 3) other workforce processes and initiatives, such as onboarding, mentoring, supervision, performance management, and employee recognition. More specifically, four major types of information were considered:

1. objective data from various agency databases and reports;
2. subjective perceptions of staff and supervisors, …

Telework Washington - Intervention Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) Child Welfare Field Operations (CWYO) telework program was developed by reviewing policies, practices, experiences and research distilled from materials produced by numerous federal and state agencies (for example, www.telework.gov). (At the time of intervention development, the QIC-WD was unable to identify child welfare agencies with formal telework policies and protocols.) In addition, the experiences of approximately 30 Field Operations Intake workers who participated in a DCYF 2018 telework pilot also contributed to developing the telework program. Lastly, the project’s Implementation Team informed the feasibility of a telework program for DCYF …

Telework Washington - Final Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Intervention Summaries

Designing a Telework Strategy to Improve Retention

Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) is a state-operated child welfare system. Child Welfare Field Operations is divided into six regions and employs approximately 2,200 people who are responsible for the direct service to children and families with active child welfare cases. In 2017, DCYF had an annual external turnover rate of about 26%. They applied to be a QIC-WD site with the goal of strengthening their child welfare workforce.

When DCYF started working with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), an Implementation Team¬¬ was established to participate in …

Telework Washington - Site Overview, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Washington Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) is a cabinet-level agency focused on the well-being of children, with a vision that "Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy— thriving physically, emotionally and academically, nurtured by family and community." As a newly established state agency, DCYF oversees several services previously offered through the state Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the Department of Early Learning (DEL). These include all programs from the Children’s Administration formerly in DSHS, such as Child Protective Services’ investigations and Family Assessment Response, licensed foster care, and adoption support. Also …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Ebci Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is a federally-recognized tribe. The Family Safety Program (FSP) is the child welfare program that serves the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, under the tribal Division of Public Health and Human Services. FSP was established in 2015 with around 10 staff members and has grown to about 60 staff, all located in one office in Cherokee, North Carolina. Since FSP was a relatively new agency when they began working with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), turnover had not been a signficant problem, however, vacancies were a challenge. In October 2017, …

Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians Family Safety Program, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development (Qic-Wd)

Intervention Summaries

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is a federally-recognized tribe. The Family Safety Program (FSP) is the child welfare program that serves the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, under the tribal Division of Public Health and Human Services. Addressing Historical Trauma and Preparing the Child Welfare Workforce

In this video, an EBCI elder discusses historical trauma and why it is important for child welfare workers to understand it, so they can be successful. Watch the Video

Background

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians worked with the QIC-WD to develop an onboarding program. This video highlights the experience of …

Organizational Commitment, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is organizational commitment?

Organizational commitment, along with job satisfaction, is one of the most commonly studied job attitudes within the psychological sciences and is often used to gauge how employees feel about their job. Research on organizational commitment has largely been a fragmented endeavor, with no clear consensus on what organizational commitment actually is or how it should be conceptualized. To date, there is not one definition that is regarded as the best, but there are some common themes that can be seen throughout the many definitions in existence. For example, most definitions refer to organizational commitment in terms …

Job Satisfaction, Sarah Stepanek, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is job satisfaction?

Job satisfaction is generally thought of as the degree to which an individual likes or dislikes their job (Spector, 1997). Along with organizational commitment, it is one of the most commonly studied job attitudes and is used as a way to gauge how employees feel about their jobs and as a reflection of how well the organization is functioning. Job satisfaction is commonly considered as either “a global feeling about the job or as a related constellation of attitudes about various aspects or facets of the job” (Spector, 1997, p. 2). Thus, job satisfaction is …

Onboarding Program Eastern Band Of Cherokee Indians - Final Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) is a federally-recognized tribe. The Family Safety Program (FSP) is the child welfare program that serves the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, under the tribal Division of Public Health and Human Services. FSP was established in 2015 with around 10 staff members and has grown to about 60 staff, all located in one office in Cherokee, North Carolina. Since FSP was a relatively new agency when they began working with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD), turnover had not been a signficant problem, however, vacancies were a challenge. In October 2017, …

Frontline Job Redesign Louisiana - Final Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Child Welfare Division (CWD) is a state-operated child welfare system. Louisiana has 64 parishes statewide organized into nine regions. The local parish offices provide child protective service (CPS), family services (FS), foster care (FC), and adoption services. CWD has approximately 1,500 employees including about 640 frontline caseworkers. In 2017, when Louisiana applied to become a QIC-WD site, CWD estimated its turnover rate across the state to be 24%, with one region having a turnover rate of 51%, while another had a turnover rate of only 8%.

This video discusses the challenges …

Frontline Job Redesign Louisiana - Prevention Worker Role Cards, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Lists the different tasks given to types of prevention workers. View the download file.

Frontline Job Redesign Louisiana - Permanency Worker Role Cards, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

View the download file.

Organizational Change Process Milwaukee - Final Summary, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

Organizational Change in Action

The Division of Milwaukee Child Protective Services (DMCPS) is a state-operated child welfare system and is the only county system in Wisconsin run by the state. The Division is housed under the Department of Children and Families and has just under 200 staff, including: administrative/managerial staff, initial assessment and access (hotline) frontline workers, and fiscal and operations support. In 2016, DMCPS had an external turnover rate of 37% and they applied to be a Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) site, with the goal of strengthening their child welfare workforce.

When DMCPS started working with …