Interview Guide for State-level Administrators

Attachment P

Interview Guide for

State-level Administrator

Form Approved

OMB No. 0920-XXXX

Exp. Date:

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Interview Guide for

State-level Administrator

This guide should be administered to Colorado State staff.

Note: Begin audio-recording the interview.

Staff Role/Context

1. What is your current position title and role?

1. What are your main responsibilities?

2. How long have you been in your current role?

2. Before your current position, did you work in other positions for the State?

1. What positions?

2. How long were you in that role (those roles)?

Vision/Mission

(ASK INTERVIEWEE)

Before we get started, I would like to clarify some terminology . How do you refer to Child Welfare and TANF/Colorado Works?

3. What is the vision (mission or values) of Child Welfare?

4. What is the vision (mission or values) of [TANF/Colorado Works]?

5. In your opinion, do the visions/missions of Child Welfare and TANF/Colorado Works complement or support each other?

• Probe on vision, mission statement, common goals, shared clients, other similarities

Leadership/Managerial

(READ TO INTERVIEWEE)

During this interview we will be asking questions about integration. We define integration as the coordination of TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare policies and processes that link services across service boundaries for newly identified clients, dual-system clients, or clients with multiple co-occurring needs. Integration can be used to describe a range of activities, such as several agencies providing a service at one location and the creation of shared planning and budgeting. We use the term integration here to describe the activities taking place between TANF/Colorado Works (“welfare”) and Child Welfare agencies or divisions.

6. Do you think the leadership at your agency has supported the two agencies/divisions working together and becoming integrated?

If yes:

6a. How has leadership supported the two divisions working together?

• Probe on guidelines/policies, information sharing, data sharing, cross-training

If no:

6a. Why do you think there has been a lack of support?

6b. Do you think support is growing for the two divisions working together?

7. How do you feel about the move toward integrating TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare?

• Probe on whether it is positive/negative and why

8. How do your colleagues feel about the integration of TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare?

1. What types of integration are desirable?

2. How does integration benefit clients?

3. How does integration benefit employees?

Funding

9. Do TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare share funding?

If yes:

1. When did the sharing of funds begin?

2. What proportion of total funds is shared between TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare?

3. For what types of services or supports are the funds shared?

• Probe for shared funding related to certain programs, shared staff, office space

1. Who is responsible for overseeing the budget of the shared funding?

2. What, if any, are the challenges associated with sharing the Child Welfare and TANF/Colorado Works funding? How were these challenges addressed?

• Probe on Federal-, State-, or county-related barriers

Cross-Training

10. Do staff members at your agency receive cross-training about how TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare work together?

If yes:

1. Who designed the training?

2. What is the primary content of the training?

3. Who participates in the training?

4. Who conducts the training?

5. How is the training funded?

6. Is the training mandatory?

• Probe on attendance and participation

7. How frequently is the training offered?

Communications

11. What is the process for sharing information, including confidential information about clients, and referrals to community-based services, between TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare?

1. What types of information are shared (case records, etc.)?

2. How often is information shared?

3. Who shares this information?

4. Are there meetings in place to discuss clients, cases, etc.?

5. Is there a legal agreement in place regarding information sharing?

Data Systems

12. What types of data are collected from the [TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare] systems?

1. Are process measures collected (caseloads, # referrals)?

2. Are outcome measures collected (family or child outcomes)?

3. Is any other type of data collected?

• Probe:

• Since when are these data collected?

• What are the data sources?

• What data collection tools or instruments are used?

• Who uses this information and how?

Decision-making

13. At the State level, do Colorado Works and Child Welfare have shared decision-making structures and mechanisms?

If yes:

1. When did TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare begin this shared decision-making process?

2. How are decisions made?

• Probe on the decision process, is there a vote, who is involved, etc.

3. Do the two agencies share equally in the decision-making process?

If no:

13a. Do you think there should be shared decision-making? Why or why not?

Case Planning

14. Has there been any discussion within the Department of Human Services to increase coordinated case planning for TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare clients?

1. When did these discussions begin?

15. Has coordinated case planning (between Child Welfare and TANF/Colorado Works) been implemented?

1. How long has coordinated case planning been in place?

2. Do the two agencies share equally in the case-planning process?

Committees or Workgroups Related to Integration

16. Is there a formal committee or other structure that oversees the integration of service activities between Colorado Works and Child Welfare?

If yes:

1. How long has this committee been in place?

2. How often does this committee meet?

3. What are the core functions of this committee?

4. Are you a member of the committee?

If no:

16a. Is such a committee being considered?

Facilitators and Barriers

17. How receptive are staff about the collaboration between Colorado Works and Child Welfare?

17a. Why do you think that is?

18. What factors do you think help facilitate TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare working together/integrating?

19. What are the barriers to TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare working together/integrating?

19a. Are there any specific barriers when working with any target populations? (e.g., clients with complex service needs, families receiving both TANF and Child Welfare services, teens that cannot live with parents due to abuse and neglect).

20. What factors do you think would help facilitate TANF/Colorado Works and Child Welfare working together/integrating?

EXAMPLE FACILITATORS TO USE AS PROBES IF NEEDED

• Policy at the state level

• Policy at the federal level

• Extent of agency consensus on appropriate integration model

• A common assessment tool

• A common client information system

• Ability to share client information between programs

• Availability of staff

• Middle manager or supervisor commitment to integration

• Client-serving staff commitment to integration

• Extent of client-serving staff understanding of need for services integration

• Availability of funding/blended funding from TANF/Child Welfare

• Integration is a high priority for executive staff

• Coordination of client timelines between the two programs

• Extent of flexibility in the Colorado TANF Plan

• Extent of flexibility in Colorado Child Welfare laws / regulations

Conclusion

21. From your perspective, what do you think is the future direction of integration between Colorado Works/TANF and Child Welfare services?

1. Why do you think this?

22. Is there anything else you would like to add, any recommendations or lessons learned?

Those were all of my questions. We have learned a lot. Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today.

State Staff 8