Professional Capacity Committee Minutes - August 11, 2004

NCACDSS Professional Capacity Committee

Meeting Minutes

August 11, 2004

 

Members present: Co-chair Sarah Bradshaw , Co-chair Larry Johnson , Neil Walters , Robert Sanchez-Langston, Jay Burrus , Earl Marett , Jerry Rhodes , Nicki Griffin. Staff present: Donna Pygott and Keri McManus Special Guests: Sherry Bradsher and Teresa Turner (Division of Social Services)

 

Co-chair Sarah Bradshaw called the meeting to order at 11:40AM at the NCACDSS office in Raleigh . Introductions were made to start the new fiscal year.

 

Child Welfare Training Issues (Discussion)

Ms. Bradsher and Ms. Turner began the topic by discussing the successes and losses in the new budget that affect training. A handout was provided from the Conference Report on the Continuation, Capital and Expansion Budgets to show the amounts or reductions and increases. The main topics discussed from the handout were Child Welfare Contracts (-$500,000), Reduce Funds for Training Centers (-$300,000), and Program Support/Training for MRS Counties (+$750,000). Ms. Bradsher requested feedback from directors and requested they give direction on ways of delivering training. It was determined that a special workgroup should be created to discuss the possibilities. There is a timeliness issue which requires that some decisions are made quickly while others may take months. A handout was also provided giving numbers for Registrants from County DSS 's by Curriculum during 2003. The numbers showed a low turnout to many credited courses. A discussion ensued over ways to reduce training courses and provide registrants with better information. Data collection and knowledge assessments would also provide data on better ways of providing training especially pre-service training for CPS workers. The Professional Capacity Committee would like to coordinate with the Children Services Committee to form a workgroup and has suggested that Laura O'Neal would be a great member of the workgroup. There may be a possibility to receive credits from other training such as AOC or DV and remove or consolidate trainings that are not being attended. Mr. Sanchez-Langston volunteered to be on committee/workgroup. Jerry Rhodes volunteered his Social Work Supervisor to participate.

 

Committee Charter/Scope of Work (Review)

Donna went over the proposed amendments to the Committee Charter and Scope of Work. The committee recommended striking “boards” and “and provide a statewide approach for the effective recruitment, classification and retention of all local county DSS staff” from the Role of the Committee. Under Committee Tasks: 1.) add “leadership” before staff, 3.) strike this sentence. Under Selection of Committee Members added “The Professional Capacity Committee membership shall include the elected District Representatives.

 

Annual Report – FY 2003-2004 (Review)

The committee reviewed a copy of the Professional Capacity Annual Report, which expresses many successes of the committee's work.

 

Committee ‘Back Burner” List (Discussion)

1. District Representative training at the annual planning retreat in July 2004
• Accomplished at Retreat in July
2. Director Certification Program
• Sarah has the information collected to resume discussion. The committee suggests five major topics of training:

• i. Media Relations

• ii. Fiscal

• iii. Developmental/Organization

• iv. Legal

• v. Personnel

1. Continue finalizing work on IOG legal training
• December 7-8, 2004 – Agenda is set and will see information come out soon
2. Research on tech based training
• Want more interactive web-based training including a resource library and detailed information on topics of interest
3. Years of Service Awards for DSS employee acknowledgment - Annual SS Institute (brochure type vs. sheet of paper)
• Clarification was given that the committee would like a nicer design to be prepared for the Institute Program. The Year of Service Awards is usually an insert and the committee would like for it to be part of the program. It could serve a souvenir for award recipients.
• Send out press release recognizing Year Of Services Award recipients
• Sarah to send out email requesting remainder of counties to send in list of award recipients. Neil also stated that he and Lee will be following up with those counties.
4. DSS Board training provided by IOG (See March minutes for Carver info.)
5. New Director Welcome to NCACDSS. Call/letter from executive director and president. Communications Coordinator to contact for information purposes.

 

Social Services Institute/Leadership Survival Skills Session (Review Agenda)

Handout of Agenda

Ms. Bradshaw and Denelle Manley have been communicating about the Leadership Survival Skills Session Full Day agenda. The 2003 feedback was taken into consideration and the agenda was adjusted accordingly and the three hour OSP session on Employee Relations was added.

 

Mentor Assignments (Review Current List/Discuss)

The mentor assignment lists needs to be re-formatted to include the official start dates of new directors. Ms. McManus agreed to make the necessary changes to the list. The list will be re-formatted so that mentors and mentees can rotate off the list after two years.

 

There was also a suggestion for Mr. Rhodes for feedback/survey/response card to inform the mentor of how well he/she is doing. Ms. McManus will create the feedback form and report to committee.

 

Next Meeting/Other Discussion

The next meeting is scheduled for 1:30pm as agreed by the co-chairs. Ms McManus announced that the Professional Capacity Committee is scheduled to meet in room 1068 of the Albemarle Building at 1:30pm . It was brought up that this time conflicts with the Fiscal Committee meeting and many members of the Professional Capacity Committee attend the Fiscal Committee. Also, obstacles for district rep attendance need to be reduced. The Professional Capacity Committee will bring this to the Board to discuss a change.

 

With no further business to discuss the committee adjourned at 1:00pm .