Public Policy 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.

Unpacking Challenges And Reinforcing Evaluations In Bilateral And Multilateral Development Organizations In Egypt, Fatema Elghonemy

Theses and Dissertations

The research examines evaluations conducted in bilateral and multilateral development organizations considering programs that are funded by governments or international organizations. The Egyptian Government partners with development partners to receive technical assistance in various fields, such as industrial development, technical education, environmental protection, health improvement and refugees’ empowerment. The thesis explores the interlinkage between the development goals and the results framework to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). It then goes on to examine the evolution of the function of evaluation and its historical development into becoming a standalone field that serves the decision making, extension and expansion of interventions. As …

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 (Qic-Wd)

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 …

An Investigation Of Food System Localization Efforts In New York Municipalities: Projects, Practices And Policies, Survey Report, Luis Luna-Reyes, April Roggio, Alexander Buyantuev, Jason R. Evans, Eliot Rich

Public Administration and Policy Faculty Scholarship

This document is a component of a research project funded by the New York State Health Foundation from January 2022 to May 2023. The overall project goal was to better understand how we design and sustain resilient local food systems in New York from the perspective of elected officials. The project used three different data collection methods, interviews, a survey and spatial analysis. This document reports on the Survey component of the project.

Assessing The Benefits Of Distributed Solar In Virginia: 2024 Update And Status Report, Damian Pitt, Dagny Oakley

Institute for Sustainable Energy and Environment Publications and Presentations

Distributed solar energy is growing rapidly in Virginia, and prices are dropping. If these trends continue, the state has the potential to meet a significant percentage of its electricity needs via distributed solar, supporting thousands of jobs and achieving substantial economic benefits in the process. However, reaching these targets will require the continuation of a positive policy and regulatory environment. This includes the removal of several remaining policy barriers, particularly related to shared / community solar, and avoiding some of the negative policy changes that have slowed distributed solar in other states.

This report is an update to a VCU …

She Speaks For Millions: The Emergence Of Female Diplomatic Voices In The Russo-Ukrainian War, Amber Brittain-Hale, Amber Brittain-Hale

Education Division Scholarship

This research critically investigates the public diplomacy strategies deployed by a cohort of influential female European leaders on Twitter during the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2022-2023. The study comprises eight leaders - Kallas (Estonia), Marin (Finland), von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Metsola (President of the European Parliament), Sandu (Moldova), Simonyte (Lithuania), Zourabichvili (Georgia), and Meloni (Italy) - representing millions of constituents. By mirroring the analytical attention given to Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, this study scrutinizes the distinct approaches and dif erences in emotional, cognitive, and structural language use between these influential female figures and President Zelenskyy in their …

The Impact Of Censorship On Covid-19 Policy Formation In The United States, Victor Wallis

Faculty Works

No abstract provided.

Carceral Connections: The Role Of Policing In The Management Of Public Housing In New York City, James Rodriguez

Publications and Research

Between 2006 and 2022, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) attempted to address the fiscal and infrastructural crises in public housing through a number of controversial privatization strategies. This contested push occurred alongside the pervasive role of policing in public housing. The New York Police Department utilizes several policing strategies specific to NYCHA communities, collaborating with the housing authority in the management of public housing residents. This article draws on qualitative content analysis of local policing strategies and public housing policy reforms in New York City to investigate how the state facilitates the displacement of disproportionately poor, non-white, public …

Effectiveness Of Municipal Collaboration For Watershed Management In The Southern Colorado River Basin, Sasha Geschwind

CGU Theses & Dissertations

There are mixed arguments about the best scale of government for providing various public goods and services. Specifically, the management of a watershed, which can be categorized as a common pool resource, is generally implemented at the local government scale via National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permits as issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). A large body of literature argues for rethinking this scale because this does not match natural watershed boundaries.In this paper, I explore the question: Does collaboration, and type of collaboration, among jurisdictions within a watershed …

Core Values In Public Administration And Policy: Three Levels Of Evaluation In The Public Sector, Emily Brandt, Alejandro Rodriguez, Karabi Bezboruah, Emily Nwakpuda

Public Affairs Dissertations - Archive

This dissertation is composed of three separate but interrelated papers that examine the role of core values in public administration and public policy and how they show up at the societal, bureaucratic, and individual levels to inform the identification of the use of values, engaging proper awareness of how these values impact public sector actions, and how individuals can engage the right values frameworks in the face of conflict in various public and public service contexts. The first paper takes a societal look at core values via a systemic literature review on American morality policies; policies that inspire great debate …

Co-Opting Alliance With Efficient Grease Theory: An Observational Descriptive Study Of Corruption And Trust Nexus In Political Institutions In West Africa, Yarh Komolo

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation presents an analysis of the impact of corruption as related to trust in political institutions in select West African nations. Corruption and some of its implicative hues are highlighted, considering such practice is generally an entrenched part of Africa in its economic, political, social, and cultural fabric and lifeline. In respect to the specific region of interest, robust Afrobarometer observational surveys convey data covering 14 of the 16 countries that comprise West Africa, with the exclusion of Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania which lack survey data. The study covers a seven-year period that runs from 2014 to 2021, excluding 2016 …

An Integrated Framework For Establishing Long-Term Transportation Management Strategies Promoting Sustainable Urban Growth, M Imtiaz Rahman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Urban land areas are experiencing a more rapid expansion compared to their population growth on a global scale. This phenomenon, known as urban sprawl, is characterized by low-density development in the outskirts of cities. This unplanned urban growth leads to changing urban transportation patterns, posing a threat to sustainable development. In response, government agencies implement growth management practices, with transportation management strategies playing a crucial role in achieving sustainable urban growth. However, developing effective growth management strategies is difficult because of several challenges, including limited understanding of the key influencing factors, the complex interdependencies among these factors, and the uncertainties …