Safety Permanency Well-being The Children’s Bureau Training & Technical Assistance Network Safety Permanency Well-being Mountain and Plains Child Welfare Implementation Center Region VIII Forum Denver, Colorado April 27-29, 2009

Safety Permanency Well-being Presentation Overview Purpose of T/TA provided and supported by the Children’s Bureau Types of T/TA and eligibility –Federal Technical Assistance: Regional Offices –T/TA Network: services and membership –National Resource Centers and Child Welfare Implementation Centers: tailored & intensive T/TA services by request or application National Resource Centers –Keys to accessing and using services Child Welfare Implementation Centers –Filling a gap Different structures and complementary roles

Safety Permanency Well-being The Children’s Bureau Administers Federal child welfare programs and works with States, Tribes, and Territories to develop programs that prevent the maltreatment of children and youth, protect them from abuse and neglect, stabilize their families, secure permanency for those who cannot safely return home, and promote the well being of children, youth, and families. 3

Safety Permanency Well-being Children’s Bureau & T/TA CB provides guidance, consultation, and resources to States, Territories, and Tribes to meet Federal standards, comply with Federal statutes, and pursue systemic changes that will improve outcomes for children, youth, and families. 4  Federal technical assistance  T/TA Network services and resources  Intensive services from the National Resource Centers (NRCs) and Implementation Centers (ICs)

Safety Permanency Well-being Federal Technical Assistance CB’s Regional Office State Leads and Tribal Liaisons provide Federal guidance and technical assistance on a variety of topics. Guidance and information about Federal laws, regulations, and policies related to CB- administered child welfare programs Policy clarification Assistance related to applying for and claiming Federal funds Review, guidance, and approval of State and Tribal plans (including, IV-E, CFSP, APSR) 5

Safety Permanency Well-being Federal Technical Assistance Assistance with planning and preparation for CB monitoring reviews (CFSR and IV-E) Guidance and assistance with developing Program Improvement Plans as needed after reviews Ongoing support for more successful child welfare monitoring outcomes Ongoing consultation for programmatic (including IV-B, IV-E, Adoption Assistance, CAPTA, CBCAP, ILP, ETV, CIP) and systemic improvement Review, guidance, and approval related to cost allocation plans 6

Safety Permanency Well-being Federal Technical Assistance Practice area consultation and referral to other Federal TA Review and approval of requests from States, Territories, and Tribes to receive services from the National Resource Centers Consultation with Implementation Centers in the selection process for implementation projects 7 *Federal technical assistance is available to ALL States, Territories, and Federally-recognized Tribes that inquire about CB-administered programs and related statutes, regulations, and policies.

Safety Permanency Well-being Federal Technical Assistance Contact your assigned Children’s Bureau Regional Office State Lead or Tribal Liaison. If you are uncertain about who has been assigned to you, please contact: 8 Marilyn Kennerson, Region VIII Program Manager in Region VIII (Denver) at (303) or

Safety Permanency Well-being CB’s Child Welfare Training & Technical Assistance Network The T/TA Network is designed to improve child welfare systems and to support States, Territories, and Tribes in achieving sustainable, systemic change that results in greater safety, permanency, and well- being for children, youth, and families. *General T/TA Network services and resources are available to everyone, including the public. Client-specific services are available from particular T/TA Network members, each serving a group of eligible entities or individuals within larger child welfare systems. 9

Safety Permanency Well-being 10 T/TA Network Currently comprised of 27 members, including intensive technical assistance providers Complements Federal technical assistance from the Children’s Bureau Funded entirely or partially by CB through grants, contracts, interagency agreements Provides services to a variety of systems, agencies, organizations, and institutions Network members collectively intended to promote positive systems change

Safety Permanency Well-being T/TA Network - Principles 11 CB expects members of the T/TA Network to promote systems change while partnering with one another in a manner consistent with the Systems of Care (SOC) framework and CFSR principles. T/TA Network members collaborate with one another and collectively offer an array of services capable of building capacity and facilitating systemic change. T/TA Network services will be: Proactive Integrated Culturally Competent Collaborative Individualized Client-centered Strengths-based

Safety Permanency Well-being T/TA Network - Functions Building Evidence of Effective Practice Providing Consultation and Transferring Knowledge Organizing and Managing Information 12

Safety Permanency Well-being T/TA Network – Members T/TA Handbook National Quality Improvement Centers QIC on Non-Resident Fathers QIC on Privatization of CW QIC on Early Childhood QIC on Differential Response Child Welfare Information GatewayInformation Gateway National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect (NDACAN)NDACAN Building Evidence of Effective Practice Organizing and Managing Information

Safety Permanency Well-being T/TA Network - Members 14 National TA Center for Children’s Mental Health (NTAC)National TA Center for Children’s Mental Health (NTAC) Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental HealthTechnical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health National TA & Evaluation Center for SOC GranteesNational TA & Evaluation Center for SOC Grantees NRC on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) (NCSACW) National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center (AIA Resource Center)(AIA Resource Center) NRC for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (FRIENDS)(FRIENDS) Building Evidence of Effective Practice Providing Consultation and Transferring Knowledge Organizing and Managing Information

Safety Permanency Well-being T/TA Network - Members 15 National Child Welfare Workforce InstituteWorkforce Institute TA to State Legislators on the CFSR National Child Welfare Resource Centers NRCOINRCCPS RCLJIRCLJI NRC-CWDTNRC-CWDT NRCYD NRCFCPPP NRC for Adoption NRCRRFAP at AdoptUsKids Child Welfare Implementation CentersChild Welfare Implementation Centers Northeast & Caribbean IC Atlantic Coast IC Midwest IC Mountains & Plains IC Western & Pacific IC Providing Consultation and Transferring Knowledge Organizing and Managing Information

Safety Permanency Well-being National Resource Centers & Implementation Centers NRC 16 IC States, Territories & Tribes

Safety Permanency Well-being NRCs and ICs Improve child welfare administration and practice Meet Federal monitoring standards and implement effective programs Pursue sustainable and positive systems change Improve outcomes for children, youth & families 17 *Provide States and Territories, Tribes, and Tribal Consortia that receive formula grants administered by CB (IV-B funds at a minimum) individualized and intensive T/TA to:

Safety Permanency Well-being National Child Welfare Resource Centers NRC 18

Safety Permanency Well-being Accessing NRC Services No wrong door for accessing T/TA –Contact Regional Offices, specific NRCs, or NRCOI for help and information T/TA is free, available on-site, and customized T/TA is intended to build capacity within States, Territories, and Tribes to improve child and family outcomes NRCs tailor services to be culturally appropriate Many other services available in addition to formal, on-site T/TA 19

Safety Permanency Well-being How the T/TA Process Works Typical process for approved, on-site T/TA --Work with States, Territories, and Tribes to assess T/TA needs --Develop expectations and work plans --Deliver on-site T/TA --Follow-up and adjust work plans if necessary Commitment to flexible, coordinated T/TA --Working with multiple T/TA providers takes time and effort --Development of TA plans and matrices facilitates coordination and follow through 20

Safety Permanency Well-being Keys to Effective Use of NRCs Talk to RO and NRCs before formally requesting T/TA Involve key stakeholders in TA planning and implementation Identify clear lead in State, Territory, or Tribe for TA initiatives Link T/TA to leadership priorities Specify action steps that will occur after on-site T/TA Develop T/TA coordination plans if multiple organizations (NRCs and others) providing T/TA 21

Safety Permanency Well-being Regional Office Approval of T/TA Help States and Tribes identify needed T/TA and appropriate NRCs Provide current information about available T/TA and NRCs Coordinate planning calls between State or Tribe and the appropriate NRCs Approve on-site T/TA requests prior to the provision of T/TA Help States and Tribes prepare for T/TA Participate and attend T/TA site visits when possible Coordinate and monitor T/TA across multiple NRCs 22

Safety Permanency Well-being T/TA Requests Inquire with a National Resource Center or contact your assigned Children’s Bureau Regional Office State Lead or Tribal Liaison. If you are uncertain about who has been assigned to you, please contact: 23 Marilyn Kennerson, Region VIII Program Manager in Region VIII (Denver) at (303) or

Safety Permanency Well-being 24 Child Welfare Implementation Centers IC

Safety Permanency Well-being Implementation Centers Filling the Gap 25 States and Tribes are sometimes without the resources necessary to implement comprehensive strategic plans, and the current T/TA Network has been limited in its ability to provide intensive, long-term TA. Implementation Centers enhance the ability of the T/TA Network to provide in-depth and long-term consultation and support to States and Tribes. Implementation Centers possess expertise in strategic implementation, organizational change, and systemic intervention.

Safety Permanency Well-being Implementation Centers Geographic Service Areas 26

Safety Permanency Well-being Implementation Centers Primary Components & Activities Outreach & Regional Forums Peer-to-Peer Networking Implementation Projects Evaluation 27

Safety Permanency Well-being Implementation Centers Implementation Projects IC-administered Substantial resources Selection process Mutually binding agreement In-depth & long-term TA Tailored & coordinated services 28

Safety Permanency Well-being So what is the difference between NRCs and ICs? 29 IC NRC

Safety Permanency Well-being National Resource Centers NRC 30 Possess topical expertise in assigned areas of child welfare Respond to T/TA requests from States, Tribes, and Territories across the country that are approved by Regional Offices Serve as repositories of knowledge and resources on effective and promising practices in their respective areas of responsibility Provide universally accessible technical assistance

Safety Permanency Well-being Implementation Centers 31 IC Possess expertise in implementation strategies, systemic intervention, and the process of organizational and systems change Operate in defined geographic service areas comprised of two ACF Regions Enter into mutually binding agreements for implementation projects Provide in-depth, long-term technical assistance and resources to selected project sites

Safety Permanency Well-being NRCs and ICs are designed to complement each other! Can work simultaneously with the same child welfare system Offer on- and off-site TA, including assessment, strategic planning, and implementation Provide tailored technical assistance Support peer-to-peer activities Provide coordinated services Build capacity in child welfare systems Promote sustainable systems change 32

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