Coordinated technical assistance can be defined as a process of bringing together two or more National Child Welfare Resource Centers (NCWRCs) for a defined goal, project and/or period of time to support a State in analyzing and solving issues that impact multiple departments, program areas, regions and/or contracting partners. This process is initiated by a State’s request for technical assistance.
To address one State’s concerns about their declining performance on placement stability, AdoptUsKids and the NCWRCs for Child Welfare Data and Technology, Family Centered Practice and Permanency Planning, and Organizational Improvement partnered together to develop a comprehensive, coordinated technical assistance response. Click on the links below to access documents describing the process, success factors, and tools utilized in this approach.
Providing coordinated technical assistance to improve placement stability in Florida
http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/helpkids/telefiles/110906tele/CoordinatedTA.doc
(DOC 75 KB/8 pages)
Sponsor: AdoptUsKids
Authors: John McKenzie, Judith McKenzie
Description: This document describes the technical assistance process, critical success factors, and potential benefits of coordinated technical assistance as provided in Florida.
Date: 2006
Appreciative inquiry topics and questions used in Florida to explore placement stability
http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/helpkids/telefiles/110906tele/AppreciativeInquiry.doc
(DOC 45 KB/2 pages)
Sponsor: AdoptUsKids
Authors: John McKenzie, Judith McKenzie
Description: This document provides the specific topics and questions used to explore placement stability through a process of appreciative inquiry in Florida. Appreciative inquiry takes a systematic, collaborative approach to discovering organizational strengths and making positive changes. Using specific methodology, this process can be applied to create dialogue between agencies, staff, families and other stakeholders related to the placement and permanency of children.
Date: 2006
Guide for analysis of placement stability
http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/helpkids/telefiles/110906tele/GuideforAnalysis.doc
(DOC 329 KB/10 pages)
Sponsor: Florida Department of Children and Families, Office of Family Safety
Author: Sharon Tintle
Description: The purpose of this guide is to provide a step-by-step process that will assist in attaining a reliable picture based on data of child placement stability/instability, the quality of care provided to foster children and foster parents, and a picture of the number of foster homes in a specific area related to the number of children being brought into out-of-home care from that same area. Placement Stability Review Tools are also available. (Author abstract modified)
Date: 2006