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Appendix B

Self-Administered Questionnaire

This questionnaire collects information about your agency’s service delivery, expenditures, staff resources, and foster care resources.

Service Delivery

The first questions are about the impact of welfare reform initiatives and federal policies on service delivery.

1. How has welfare reform implementing TANF affected your agency’s existing service delivery programs and the creation of new child welfare programs? (Mark an X in each box that applies.)
   
   

   Created multi-program teams that include both TANF and CPS caseworkers	1
   Employment services are routinely linked to child welfare services	2
   Referrals from TANF to child welfare services are routinely made when clients are sanctioned	3
   No changes	4
   Other (Please specify:___________________________________________)	5

   
   
2. In your opinion, how has TANF implementation affected...
   
   

   	Decreased a lot	Decreased a little	Remained unchanged	Increased a little	Increased a lot
   a. The number of child welfare cases your agency handles? Has the number of cases	1	2	3	4	5
   b. The average number of hours spent on a child welfare case? Has the number of hours	1	2	3	4	5

   
   
3. Are there other ways that TANF implementation has affected your agency’s child welfare service delivery?

   YES	1 Please describe:
   NO	2

   
   
4. How have changes in the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) affected your agency’s existing service delivery programs and the creation of new programs? (Mark an X in each box that applies.)
   
   

   Greater emphasis on ensuring safety of child (versus family preservation approach)	1
   Shortened time frames for decision-making to less than 12 months for some children	2
   Increased the number of families that will not get reunification services	3
   Expedited access to drug treatment for clients	4
   Increased the emphasis on adoption for older children	5
   Increased the emphasis on adoption for children living in kinship foster care	6
   No changes	7
   Other (Please specify: _______________________________________)	8

   
   
5. In your opinion, how have changes in ASFA affected...
   
   

   	Decreased a lot	Decreased a little	Remained unchanged	Increased a little	Increased a lot
   a. The number of cases your agency handles? Has the number of cases	1	2	3	4	5
   b. The average number of hours spent on a child welfare case? Has the number of hours	1	2	3	4	5
   c. Your agency’s regulations and paperwork? Have they	1	2	3	4	5

   
   
   
6. Have changes in ASFA affected your agency’s client base?

   YES	1 Please describe:
   NO	2

   
   
7. Are there other ways that changes in ASFA have affected your agency’s child welfare service delivery?

   YES	1 Please describe:
   NO	2

   
   
8. How has the Multi-Ethnic Placement Act (MEPA) affected your agency’s existing delivery programs and the creation of new programs? (Mark an X in each box that applies.)
   
   

   Increased training about ways that race can be used in making foster care and adoption placements	1
   Creation of new recruitment resources	2
   Increased proportion of foster care placements that are transracial	3
   Increased proportion of adoption placements that are transracial	4
   No changes	5
   Other (Please specify:___________________________________________)	6

9. In your opinion, how has MEPA affected...
   
   

   	Decreased a lot	Decreased a little	Remained unchanged	Increased a little	Increased a lot
   a. The number of cases your agency handles? Has the number of cases	1	2	3	4	5
   b. The average number of hours spent on a child welfare case? Has the number of hours	1	2	3	4	5
   c. Your agency’s regulations and paperwork? Have they	1	2	3	4	5

   
   
10. Has MEPA affected your agency's client base?

    YES	1 Please describe:
    NO	2

    
    
    

11. Are there other ways that MEPA has affected your agency’s child welfare service delivery?
    

    YES	1 Please describe:
    NO	2

    
    
12. In many child welfare agencies there have been concerns about the over-representation under-representation of minority children in certain services, such as foster care or community-based services. Has this been identified as a concern for your agency?

    YES	1
    NO	2 [SKIP TO Q14]

    
    
13. Is your agency involved in any of the following special initiatives designed to address the over-representation or under-representation of minority children in services?

    a. Training?

    YES	1 Please describe:
    NO	2

    b. Matching child welfare workers and families?

    YES	1 Please describe:
    NO	2

    c. Performance measures to reduce racial imbalance in placement?
    

    YES	1 Please describe:
    NO	2

    
    
14. Has your agency begun using performance-based measures that are tied to financial incentives or sanctions? Please include only those used to measure agency performance rather than those used by the agency to measure contractor performance.
    
    

    YES	1
    NO	2 [SKIP TO Q16]

    
    
15. Which of the following performance-based measures is your agency using? For each selected measure, please complete Column C as indicated.
    
    

    A. Performance-Based Measure	B. Using the measure?	C. In what month and year did your agency begin using this measure?
    a. Investigations?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    b. Family preservation?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    c. Family reunification?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    d. Length of time in foster/out-of-home care?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    e. Adoption?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    f. Preparation for independent living?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    g. Reoccurrence of abuse or neglect?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    h. Child fatalities?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    i. Permanency?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y
    j. Use of least-restrictive placements?	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y

16. In addition to the previously discussed changes in legislation, what changes have you seen in...
    
    

    	Decreased a lot	Decreased a little	Remained unchanged	Increased a little	Increased a lot
    a. The unemployment rate of adults served by your agency? Would you say unemployment has	1	2	3	4	5
    b. The poverty level of children and families served by your agency? Would you say poverty has	1	2	3	4	5
    c. The prevalence of substance abuse among referred parents? Would you say the prevalence of substance abuse has	1	2	3	4	5
    d. The age of children receiving services? Would you say the age has	1	2	3	4	5
    e. The number of child abuse reports? Would you say the number has	1	2	3	4	5
    f. Admissions into out-of-home care? Would you say admissions have	1	2	3	4	5

    
    
    
17. What are your greatest concerns about the future of child welfare services?

Agency Expenditures

 

The next questions are about your agency’s expenditures. When answering these questions, please think about the most recent fiscal year.

18. What were the start and end dates of the most recent fiscal year?

    Start Date:					End Date:
    	MM	DD	YYYY			MM	DD	YYYY

    
    
    
19. During that fiscal year, what were your agency’s total child welfare expenditures for all sources for the following programs? Please do not include costs incurred by other agencies servicing families (e.g., mental health or substance abuse).
    

Program			Total Funds Expended (all sources)
a.Child abuse prevention services (primary prevention) /family			$____,____,____.00
b.Child Protective Services (CPS)			$____,____,____.00
c.In-home services (services providedto child and family while childremains in the home, i.e., individualand family counseling, medicaland education services for child,substance abuse, counseling,family preservation services, etc.).Do not include costs incurred byother agencies servicing the family.			$____,____,____.00
d. Foster care services and group care			$____,____,____.00
e. Adoption services			$____,____,____.00
f. Independent living services			$____,____,____.00
g. Other local programs			$____,____,____.00
h. Total expenditures (all sources)			$____,____,____.00

Staff Resources

The next questions are about all agency staff resources including contractual workers. Again, when answering these questions please think about the fiscal year reported in Question 18.

20. For all funding sources (federal, state, and local), how many child welfare employee Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) positions in Column A were authorized and filled on the first day and last day of the fiscal year? Please complete columns B, C, D, and E for each type of position.
    
    

    A.Type of Position(Includescontractual workers;temporarynon-merit system workers)		B.AuthorizedFTE on firstday of fiscalyear	C.Filled FTEon first dayof fiscalyear	D.AuthorizedFTE on lastday of fiscalyear	E.Filled FTEon last dayof fiscalyear
    a. CPS investigative workers
    b. Other direct serviceworkers (in-home, foster,adoption, case managers)
    c. Case work supervisors
    d. Administrative/supportworkers
    e. Other workers
    f. Total (all FTE positions)

21. During that fiscal year, what percent of direct service positions were filled using contractual workers (e.g., temporary workers, non-merit system positions)?

    %

22. During that fiscal year, what percent of direct service workers were union members?

    %

23. During that fiscal year, how many staff were hired by your agency? Please include investigative workers, other direct service workers, case worker supervisors, administrative/support staff, and other workers.

    Hired

24. How many workers terminated employment during the fiscal year?

    Terminated Employment

25. During that fiscal year, what were the minimum and maximum salaries for:
    
    

    	Position	Minimum (entry level)	Maximum
    a.	Caseworkers whose primary responsibilities were the investigations of child abuse and neglect	$____,____,____.00	$____,____,____.00
    b.	Caseworkers whose primary responsibilities were the provision of other child welfare services (including in-home services, placement and foster care, and adoption)	$____,____,____.00	$____,____,____.00
    c.	Case Work Supervisors	$____,____,____.00	$____,____,____.00

26. Some child welfare agencies fund positions on the basis of “caseload” (that is, a position is created for a specified number of cases) and others on the basis of “workload” (that is, a position is created for a specified number of investigations or home studies completed).

    The next question asks about the method of funding positions your agency uses and the caseload or workload per position. For each position in Column A, please check the type of funding approach your agency uses in Column B. Then enter the caseload or workload per worker required for funding in Column C as indicated. Otherwise, check “no such position” and continue with the next position in Column A.

A. Type of Position		B. Type of Funding (Pleasecheck the type of methodused)	C. Number per Worker (Please enter caseloadper worker or workload per worker)
a. CPS screeners		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to b)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?
b. CPS investigativeworkers		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to c)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?
c. In-home serviceworkers		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to d)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?
d. "Long-term fostercare workers		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to e)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?
e. Adoption workers(home studies)		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to f)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?
f. Adoption workers(placementsupervisors)		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to g)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?
g. Adoption workers (post-adoptive services)		Caseload method Workload method No such position in      this agency (Go to     Question 27)	Caseload per worker? Workload per worker?

 

Foster Care Resources

The next questions are about foster care resources. When answering these questions, please think about the fiscal year reported in Question 18.

27. Does your agency give preference to relatives when considering placement options?
    
    

    YES	1
    NO	2

28. On the last day of the fiscal year, what percent of foster care homes used by your agency received specialized/difficulty of care payments for children with behavioral, emotional, developmental, or medical special needs? Please include only kinship foster homes and non-relative foster homes.
    
    %

Service Activities

The next questions are about your agency’s service activities. Again, please respond for the fiscal year reported in Question 18.

29. During the fiscal year, how many reports alleging child abuse and neglect were received by your agency?

    Reports

30. Of the reports in Question 29, how many did your agency receive that were...
    
    

    1. Not referred for CPS investigation or assessment (that is, reports of child abuse and neglect that were screened out prior to investigation)?

       Not referred for CPS investigation/assessment

    2. Referred for CPS investigation or assessment
       
       Referred for CPS investigation/assessment
       
       

    
    

31. During the fiscal year, what was the total number of voluntary custody arrangements?

    Arrangements

32. Family preservation services are typically designed to help families at risk or in crisis.
    Services may be designed to prevent foster care placement, reunify families, or support adoptive families. During the fiscal year, what was the total number of children served by your agency in family preservation programs?

    Children

33. The next question is about family support services. We define family support services as those services that are primarily community-based preventive activities designed to promote the well-being of children and families. Services are designed to increase the strength and stability of families, increase parent’s confidence and competence in their parenting abilities, afford children a stable and supportive family environment, and otherwise enhance child development. During the fiscal year, what was the total number of children served by your agency (or by community-based organizations funded by your agency) in family support programs?

    Children

34. For each of the following types of placement, record the number of children who entered out-of-home care during the fiscal year in Column B, the number who exited out-of-home care during the fiscal year in Column C, the number who were in out-of-home care on the last day of the fiscal year in Column D, and the number of additional beds needed for each type of placement in Column E?
    
    

    A. Placement Type	B. Number of Children who Entered Care during the Fiscal Year	C. Number of Children who Exited Care during the Fiscal Year	D. Total Number of Children in Care on Last Day of Fiscal Year	E. Number of Additional Beds Needed on the Last Day of Fiscal Year
    a. Kinship foster care
    b. Non-relative foster care
    c. Therapeutic/Treatment foster care
    d. Group homes (8 children or less)
    e. Residential group care (more than 8 children)
    f. Emergency shelter
    g. Independent living
    h. Transitional housing for emancipated youth
    i. Subsidized guardianship

    
    

35. For each of the following types of placement, how many children were in kinship care as of the last day of the fiscal year?
    
    

    Placement Type	Number of Children in Kinship Care as of Last Day of Fiscal Year
    a. Relative receives foster care payment and has to meet normal licensing requirements
    b. Relative receives foster care payment, but without having to meet normal licensing requirements (includes licenses that are restricted to the care of a related child)
    c. Relative receives TANF for child in care only, but no foster care payment
    d. Relative already receives TANF for self and now receives it for child, but no foster care payment
    e. Relative receives no financial, medical, or other assistance
    f. Non-relative (i.e., “fictive kin”) placement
    g. Assisted kinship guardianships

    
    
    
36. The next question is about the adoption status of children in care during the fiscal year.
    
    

    1. On the first day of the fiscal year, how many children were in care with a goal of adoption?

       Children

    2. Of the children reported in “a”, how many were legally free for adoption?

       Children

    3. Of the children reported in “a”, how many were placed for adoption by the end of the fiscal year?

       Children

    4. Of the children reported in “a”, how many were legally adopted by the end of the fiscal year?

       Children

37. The remaining questions are about services that may be subcontracted by your agency.
    In your agency, which of the services in Column A are subcontracted? For each subcontracted service, please complete Columns C, D, and E, as indicated.
    
    

    A. Service	B. Is service subcontracted?	C. In what month/ year did your agency begin subcontracting?	D. Is case management subcontracted?	E. Are case managers responsible for court reports?
    a. CPS investigation or assessment	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2
    b. Family preservation/ in-home services	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2
    c. Family reunification services	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2
    d. Foster care placements	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2
    e. Residential treatment	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2
    f. Adoptive placements	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2
    g. Recruitment: Foster care/ adoption	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	M M   Y   Y  Y  Y	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2	Yes . . . . . 1 Yes . . . . . 2

    
    
38. Compared to five years ago, is your agency subcontracting...
    
    

    A lot more services	1
    Somewhat more services	2
    About the same amount of services	3
    Somewhat fewer services	4
    A lot fewer services	5

That’s all the questions we have for you. Thank you for providing this important information for the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being. The field representative assigned to your agency will pick up the completed questionnaire in the next few days.

In case we have questions about the information provided in this questionnaire, please list the name, title, and telephone number of the primary respondent for this survey:

Name:_________________________________________________________________

Title:__________________________________________________________________

Telephone #: (______ ) _______-________

How much time did your agency spend completing this questionnaire?

Hours	Minutes

 

 

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