Professional Education for Current and Prospective Public Child Welfare Practitioners Leading to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree HHS-2004-ACF-ACYF-CT-0007

Annual Progress Report Professional Education for Current and Prospective Public Child Welfare Practitioners Leading to the Bachelor of Social Work BSW Degree HHS-2004-ACF-ACYF-CT-0007 S

Annual Progress Report Professional Education for Current and Prospective Public Child Welfare Practitioners

Leading to the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Degree

HHS-2004-ACF-ACYF-CT-0007 State of Utah BSW Child Welfare Traineeship Collaborative

The University of Utah & Utah State University

Submitted by Derrik R Tollefson, PhD University of Utah College of Social Work

April 1, 2007

Accomplishments

The State of Utah BSW Child Welfare Traineeship Collaborative is in its 29th month at the time of this writing For the most part, the project continues to move forward according to plan The attached timeline provides an overview of tasks or objectives to be accomplished during the previous 29 months of the project as well as the entire project period The progress made toward the accomplishment of each of these tasks/objectives is summarized below

At the time of this writing we are preparing to graduate our first student cohort (13) and are engaged in the process of assisting them with finding agency employment We anticipate that

11 of the 13 will be working for a public child welfare agency with 3 months of graduation; the remaining 2 will enter MSW program this fall and will fulfill there work commitment upon graduation

Recruitment of our second student commenced in February of 2007 and will continue through August of 2007 We hope to recruit a larger cohort as we have carry-over funds to support an additional 2-3 students

Convene and meet with advisory committee

The PI continues to meet regularly with members of the Advisory Committee The PI and committee chair meet regularly, usually weekly The PI also communicates regularly with key committee members (program directors) to coordinate project activities Committee members continue to play important roles in course development and scheduling Coordinating course schedules at both universities continues to present challenges but has become less demanding because of the partnership and relationships that have been established between the two entities

Conduct a comprehensive review of the literature

The literature review, which was completed last spring, has guided the development of all four courses taught through this program The review will continue to guide program activities

Reform/Develop BSW-level child welfare courses

The introductory course is fully developed and was taught at both universities last fall; it will be taught again this fall The advanced theoretical child welfare course is fully developed and was taught last spring and will be taught again in the spring of 2008 The forensics course is fully developed and was taught being last fall; it will be taught again in the fall of 2008 The advanced theoretical course is fully developed and is being taught this spring; it will be taught again in the spring of 2009 The on-line practicum seminar is fully developed and was taught last fall and is being offered to USU students currently in practicum UofU student are completing a traditional seminar but are also receiving additional child-welfare focused practicum supervision

Collaborate with Utah State University in offering courses to students in their program

The PI continues to work extensively with faculty and administrators at Utah State University (USU) to coordinate course delivery using USU’s distance education system The advanced practice course being taught by a USU faculty member this spring is being delivered to students at the UofU via this system

Recall form an earlier report that several issues had to be addressed in order to utilize USU’s distance education system The PI worked with both universities to work out an

agreement concerning how these costs would be shared equitably This agreement is expected to remain in effect for the life of the project; the PI is currently working on sustaining this

arrangement beyond the life of the federally funded project

Promote and support faculty development

We plan to continue to offer project faculty the opportunity of attending the grantee’s meetings as a way of promoting faculty development Unfortunately, faculty have not taken advantage of training opportunities offered The PI will continue to make faculty development opportunities available to faculty; he will also continue to share child welfare information with faculty electronically

Provide initial and on-going training for field instructors

The PI has been working with the practicum directors at both universities to ensure that students are placed in a DCFS or other appropriate public child welfare-oriented placement The

PI emphasized to the practicum directors that the learning agreements developed by the students and their field instructors should include child welfare-relevant competencies The tool

developed by the grantees at Stockton College in New Jersey was offered to the practicum directors as a model The PI has requested that the practicum directors allow him to provide training to field instructors on incorporating the Stockton College approach to competency-based learning agreements Thus far, the PI has experienced difficulty in obtaining access to field instructors He has been successful in meeting with and training the DCFS training coordinator

in the Salt Lake City Region The practicum director at USU has planned to meet with and train practicum instructors later this month The PI will continue to work with practicum directors at both universities to better accomplish this objective during the next iteration of the program that begins this fall

Provide intensive field instructor support services

The PI continues to meet with practicum directors and liaisons at both campuses to discuss their roles in providing intensive support services to field instructors USU students currently in placements receive intensive support services through the on-line seminar and face-to-face meetings with the practicum director U of U students and field instructors are receiving support via a dedicated faculty liaison As with the above related objective, there is room for improvement in the implementation of aspect of the program

Design and conduct a formative evaluation

Recall from previous reports that a database for tracking trainee progress is in place The information stored in the database (e.g., demographic, academic, etc.) is used to monitor and evaluate project processes The attached logic model provides an overview of the evaluation design

Focus groups will serve as the primary formative evaluation tool The PI and evaluator conducted an end-of-year retreat with trainees that focused on evaluating the first year of the program The half-day meeting, which occurred on April 14th, 2006, was held at a DCFS office

in Ogden, UT, a midway point between the two universities The discussion topics included:

 overall program strengths and weaknesses,

 course strengths and weaknesses,

 program impacts on students’ values, knowledge, and skills, and

 next year’s courses and practicum experience

Another student focus group is planned for May, 2007 Students graduating the program will be asked the above listed questions and will be asked to comment on the second year of the program

as well as the program as a whole The PI will also convene a meeting of the advisory group which will be devoted to identifying program successes and areas for improvement.The PI and Advisory Committee will use the information obtained through this meeting to address the weaknesses and reinforce the strengths of the program

Additionally, the PI and evaluator have adapted the Stockton College competency tool for use as a pre/post measure with our exiting and next trainee cohort beginning in the fall of

2007 The exiting cohort will be asked to compare their current knowledge and skill levels with the knowledge and skill levels they possessed before participating in the program This

retrospective baseline instrument is included at end of this report Additional summative or impact evaluation activities will take place beginning next fall when our students graduate and move into employment

Trainee Recruitment

A total of 13 trainees are enrolled in the program at this time Their ages range from 20 to

67 Ten of the 13 are females Two of the trainees are ethnic minorities All trainees are in their senior year We will begin recruiting the next cohort starting in May of 2007

Other Accomplishments

Not applicable

Problem Areas

The UofU’s practicum director moved into another position within the university/ The PI

is working with the new practicum director to ensure that this transition does not negatively impact the trainees and to ensure that the next cohort will not experience difficulties in obtaining placements

One of the most troublesome aspect of implementing this project has been engaging agency-based field instructors These individuals are often overwhelmed with their caseloads and supervisory duties and consequently have a difficult time making time for yet another meeting The PI has responded by asking dedicated faculty liaisons at the UofU and USU to meet on an individual basis with field instructors to provide them with additional support The PI will continue to work with agency and university personnel to identify alternative methods of

providing field instructor support and education

Another problem area experienced lies in the area of faculty development The PI has succeeded in engaging a few faculty members in project activities (e.g teaching courses) but has had less success in securing faculty buy-in when it comes to professional development related to child welfare practice The PI will continue to encourage faculty engagement in this process by making conference opportunities, such as the annual grantees meeting, available He will also continue to provide information related to child welfare via email

A final problem area exists in the university-agency relationship The PI has not been successful in his attempts to collaborate with the agency training arm Consequently, program graduates will be required to complete the full agency training curriculum even though a

significant portion of it is covered through the university program The potential still exists for fast-tracking program graduates into full employment (taking cases almost immediately) and there is support for this idea at the regional management level Therefore, the PI will continue to reach-out to state level management in hopes of securing such an agreement in the future

Significant Changes to Project

There are no significant project changes to report at this time

Financial Status Report

The Financial Status Report has been sent under separate cover by the University of Utah’s Office of Sponsored Projects

Budget Narrative

Personnel

No detail required

Fringe Benefits

No detail required

Travel

No detail required; no foreign travel has or will occur

No detail required; no equipment acquired

Supplies

No detail required

Construction

No detail required

Contractual

All contractual funds ($19,440) in the budget are devoted to paying Utah State University faculty

to teach two program child welfare courses and one practicum seminar for trainees The courses and seminar were developed specifically for this traineeship project

Other Direct Costs

These funds are used for trainee stipends ($75,000) and administrative costs ($3,560), namely travel, PI salary, and faculty practicum supervision

Indirect Costs

No detail required Indirect rate agreement will be sent separately by our Office of Sponsored Projects

Program income

No detail required

Project Timeline

Award/Start Date: 9/30/05

Goals and Timelines for Accomplishment: Administrative Tasks and Responsibilities

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5

Responsibility

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Goal 1 Reform and develop child welfare courses within existing BSW programs at the state’s two largest

public universities

1.1 Convene an advisory

1.2 Conduct a comprehensive

review of the literature X X Tollefson

1.3 Reform/Develop BSW-level

child welfare courses X X X X Tollefson, Advisory Committee, Faculty

Goal 2 Teach BSW-level child welfare courses at the state’s two largest public universities that are culturally responsive, consumer-guided and evidence-based that teach to the critical knowledge, values, and skills

required by today’s public child welfare staff

2.1 Collaborate with Utah State

University in offering courses to

students in their program. X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Tollefson, Peak, Hull

2.2 Promote and support faculty

development X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Tollefson, Faculty 2.3 Teach an introductory child

Tollefson, UofU faculty

2.4 Teach theory course X X X X X X X X Tollefson, UofU faculty 2.5 Teach advanced child welfare

Tollefson, USU faculty

2.6 Teach forensic course X X X X X X Tollefson, USU faculty

Goal 3 Increase the number and quality of BSW-level public child welfare (DCFS) field placements through

paid traineeships and a specialized practicum seminar.

3.1 Recruit outstanding students X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Tollefson, Hull, Peak 3.2 Provide a specialized practicum

Tollefson, Hull, Peak

Goal 4 Improve the quality of supervision of students in public child welfare (DCFS) field placements

through intensive field instructor training and support.

4.1 Provide initial and on-going

(quarterly) training for field instructors X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Tollefson, Lantz 4.2 Provide intensive field instructor

support services X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Tollefson, Lantz

Goal 5 Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the enhanced child welfare curriculum, field practicum and

intensive field instructor training and support activities.

5.1 Design and conduct a formative

evaluation X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Tollefson

5.2 Design and conduct a

summative evaluation X X X X X X X X X X X X X Tollefson

Goal 6 Disseminate the culturally relevant, consumer-guided, and competency and evidence- based

training curricula and the evaluation findings.

6.1 Disseminate the curricula

(including copies of all syllabi) and

evaluation findings

X X X Tollefson, Hull, Peak 6.2 Collaborate with other grantees

on a national conference X X X

Tollefson, Hull, Peak

PRE/POST TEST The following is a self-assessment tool that measures some key social work practice skills in a public child welfare setting Your answers will not affect your grades or employment The purpose of the self-evaluation is to help us evaluate the outcomes for the Child Welfare

Traineeship Program

For each item listed, circle the number on the first line that best describes the level of knowledge

or skill (ability) you possessed before participating in the Child Welfare Traineeship Program Please circle the number on the second line that best describes your current level of knowledge

or skill Zero on these scales represents no knowledge or skill and 5 represents complete

knowledge or skill

1 Knowledge of significant historical events in child welfare services and how the events have influenced the current state of child welfare programs and policies

2 Knowledge of the comprehensive array of resources needed to meet the needs of

families and children in the child welfare system as a result of historical and

contemporary challenges

3 Ability to assess developmental issues of children in out-of-home placement

including foster care, residential care, and adoption

4 Ability to assess need for supplemental services needed by children and families

in the child welfare system including day care, transportation, health care and

others

5 Ability to recognize and deal with adverse childhood events including parental

substance abuse and parental mental illness

Current 0 1 2 3 4 5

6 Knowledge of how early maltreatment in a child’s life affects brain development

7 The ability to identify and respond proactively to threats to the healthy

development of children

8 Knowledge of basic laws and court procedures related to court interventions with children and their families in the child welfare system

9 Knowledge of causes and legal consequences of child maltreatment

10 Knowledge of roles significant parties play in the legal and court processes

11 Ability to identify and analyze ethical issues that arise in the course of child

welfare practice

12 The ability to work with culturally, ethnically and racially diverse populations.

13 Ability to assess signs of physical, emotional, sexual abuse, and neglect;

a.) identify the physical and behavioral indicators of each;

b.) to initiate a plan to ensure the safety of the child, to report child maltreatment

c.) to conduct a child safety assessment and to implement a safety plan

14 The ability to assess the developmental impacts of adverse childhood events of children served in the child welfare system

15 The ability to engage a family (or youth) in a strengths-based, family centered

assessment process This skill involves the ability to work together with a family in assessing their strengths and needs in order to develop a service plan