Webinar held January 30, 2013

Casework Teaming to Reduce Workload, Enhance Effectiveness & Boost Morale, was the seventh session in What Works for the Workforce: Leadership Competencies in Action – the NCWWI’s National Webinar Series on Leading Change to Strengthen the Child Welfare Workforce.

Casework Teaming, whereby casework functions are shared among multiple staff and group supervision is utilized to make case decisions and meet client needs, is designed to (a) reduce caseworker isolation and workload; (b) improve workforce retention; and (c) strengthen casework decision making and service delivery to children, youth and families.The NYS Teaming Initiative started as a pilot in 2007 with 5 teams; at the time of the webinar in January 2013, 11 counties had a total of 26 different teams in child protection, prevention, foster care, adoption and youth in transition. This session  provides an in-depth overview of all aspects of casework teaming, and highlights the development, implementation, and outcomes of this effective caseload/workload management strategy, and offers specific lessons learned, tips for other agencies, and the leadership skills and competencies necessary to sustain it over time. Presenters include:

• Gail Haulenbeek, MSW, who is Director of the Bureau of Program Monitoring and Practice Improvement, Division of Child Welfare and Community Services for NYS Office of Children and Family Services. Ms. Haulenbeek has more than 30 years of child welfare leadership experience, including designing the NYS child welfare outcome-based training system and the current safety assessment protocol; developing CPS, foster care and preventive services case review processes and quality assurance tools as well as a multi-provider training and technical assistance system to support adolescents in foster care; leading the Teaming Model of child welfare practice, the OCFS child welfare supervision support initiative, “BASSICS” and the implementation of the state’s differential response program, “Family Assessment Response.”
• Kathleen McLean, MSW, who is Project Coordinator for the NYS Teaming Initiative at the NYS Child Welfare/Child Protective Services Training Institute at the Research Foundation for SUNY / Buffalo State College Center for Development of Human Services. Ms. McLean is a foster and adoptive parent, and she has been an adolescent social services program director, educator, school social worker, and project coordinator and trainer for a variety of non-profit organizations.
• Patricia Mantey, who has been a Supervisor for the Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families for the last 4 years. Ms. Mantey has worked for Albany County since 1999, moving from Family Services Caseworker to Senior Caseworker to Supervisor, and has been teaming since 2010.
• Sharon Kollar, LMSW, who is the NCWWI’s National Peer Network Coordinator. Her previous positions include Senior Administrative Analyst for the NYS Office of Children and Family Services providing oversight of local child welfare agencies, implementation of NYC’s Improved Outcomes for Children, and the Teaming Initiative pilot; fellow at the NYS Social Work Education Consortium; and direct service provider for adults, children and families.

 1-page Summary

Casework Teaming 1-pager

 Recordings

• Webinar Recording (video)
• Learning Lab Recording (audio only)
• Webinar MP3 (audio only)

  Handouts

• Presentation Slides
• NCWWI Leadership Competency Framework Summary
• Casework Teaming in NYS Guidebook
• Operating Agreement in Albany: Rules of the Road
• Top 10 Teaming Activities
• Case Scenarios for Teaming
• Teaming Video