The Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan - Oklahoma Department of Human ...

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The Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan: An Improvement Plan for Child Welfare Services March 2012 support each of the district directors. To support Child Welfare supervisors and CWS, at least one staff person will be assigned to each set of two child welfare units. This will be the newly created administrative support function mentioned in Pinnacle Point 3, Initiative 13. In some counties, distance may require one staff person per child welfare unit because support staff will not be required to travel between counties. Year One (SFY 2013) 1. By January 1, 2013, integration of all child welfare staff into one division will be completed. 2. By January 1, 2013, OKDHS will clarify the roles of all child welfare staff, leadership and administrative support with written job descriptions and revised performance evaluations. 3. By January 1, 2013, OKDHS will examine each program area to determine if there are decisions currently being made at the centralized office level that could/should be made at the local level for the purpose of empowering front-line staff. 4. By January 1, 2013, OKDHS will examine the function of providing case consultation at the centralized office level and ensure this type of case consultation is welldocumented so that program staff is linked to case-specific recommendations when provided. 5. By January 1, 2013, OKDHS will finalize a regular schedule of team meetings for the division. These meetings will occur on a regular basis for the purpose of monitoring progress on plan implementation, supporting the staff in carrying out their responsibilities, breaking down barriers, sharing critical information regarding policy updates, and ensuring staff is focused on the plan goals. Some meetings may occur bimonthly, monthly or quarterly, and some may be more appropriate for meetings via technology. Pinnacle Point 3 We must increase the number of staff, reduce turnover, and continue to improve the experience level and practice competencies of staff responsible for day-to-day work on child welfare cases. WHY FOCUS ON NUMBER OF STAFF AND EXPERIENCE LEVEL? We must have a competent, committed, trained, and resourced child welfare workforce supported by the community and held accountable for positive outcomes for children and families. CWS turnover, in particular, is of concern in Oklahoma. While turnover fluctuates across positions and geographic areas, it has ranged from a low of 16.9 percent to a high of 14
The Oklahoma Pinnacle Plan: An Improvement Plan for Child Welfare Services March 2012 20.8 percent for all CWS in the calendar year 2011. Turnover and its attendant challenges have significant fiscal impact and can hurt children and families. WHAT PERFORMANCE AREAS WILL THIS IMPACT? Implementing improvements in the area of the child welfare workforce will undoubtedly impact all 15 performance areas; however, the real focus is caseload and workload size. THE WORKLOAD AND CASELOAD HISTORY Caseloads have fluctuated throughout the past five years, but have significantly reduced overall. OKDHS has been successful in safely reducing the number of children in care, thereby driving down the average number of children in a caseload. Turnover has improved at times, but over the past year, it has been at a critical level; many individuals have described it as a crisis. Turnover and vacancy rates impact workload. The amount of time required to post a vacant position, hire a qualified individual and train a new CWS causes remaining staff to be burdened with higher caseloads and unreasonable work demands. Currently, there are approximately 1,100 CWS in the state. At the end of SFY2012, the training unit will have trained over 500 new CWS, demonstrating a startling and concerning picture of the workforce and staff tenure. CWS leaving the agency, who agreed to respond to a survey, described their supervisors as supportive and the work as rewarding, but described unreasonable work demands, low pay, low morale, and a negative image of the agency as reasons for leaving. Most report they would consider returning to OKDHS if these working conditions changed. OKDHS conducted a workload study in 1998, but with the changes brought about by revisions to federal and state statutes and the implementation of the practice model, there is not clear agreement on what constitutes a fair workload. The agency has also struggled with the concept of primary and secondary assignments and the role of each CWS within the case. THE REAL PROBLEMS – HIGH TURNOVER AND DIFFICULTY DEFINING REASONABLE WORKLOAD A sound practice model, research-informed assessment tools, services and interventions, well-written policy, and committed leadership are critical but not sufficient. Absolutely nothing will substitute for well-qualified, stable, and well-supported front-line staff — CWS and supervisors — with reasonable workloads. 15
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