WHO IS ACCREDITED?

Private Organization Accreditation
Southeastern Regional Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services is a Local Management Entity, covering the geographic areas of Bladen, Columbus, Robeson, and Scotland counties. SER ensures continuity of care to consumers through access to a quality of care system available 24/7/365 days a year through management of our network provider services.
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VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIAL
Judy Kay, LCSW
Volunteer Roles: Peer Reviewer; Team Leader
In administration for 22 of 24 years at Child Saving Institute, a COA-accredited not-for-profit child welfare agency in Omaha, Nebraska. Retired approximately two years ago, I moved to Tucson, Arizona, where I advocate for children's rights as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer to three young children.
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Purpose
Child Protective Services protect children from abuse and neglect and increase child well-being and family stability.
CPS 14: Personnel
Personnel are qualified and receive support to provide immediate and ongoing services to children in need of protection.
Note: When the organization is unable to fully implement one or more personnel standards, intensive efforts should be made to fully implement the other standards. For example, if the organization is unable to recruit workers with specific qualifications, it can ensure that appropriate supervision and workload standards are implemented.
Table of Evidence
Self-Study Evidence | On-Site Evidence | On-Site Activities |
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CPS 14.01
Child protection workers are qualified by:
- an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field; or
- a bachelor’s degree in social work or a comparable human service field with two years of related experience.
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CPS 14.02
Supervisors are qualified by an advanced degree in social work or a comparable human service field and at least two years experience working with children and families, preferably in child protective services.
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CPS 14.03
Child protection workers have the competencies needed to:
- empower and engage families;
- assess risk and safety and identify families with special needs;
- collaborate with community providers;
- exercise good judgment and competent decision making; and
- work with the court system when necessary.
Interpretation: Competency can be demonstrated through education, training, or experience.
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CPS 14.04
Child protective services workers and supervisors, depending on job responsibilities, are knowledgeable about relevant provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), including:
- the importance of ICWA and special considerations for working with American Indian and Alaska Native children;
- the identification of American Indian and Alaska Native children;
- determination of jurisdiction;
- appropriate notice and collaboration with the child’s tribe;
- active efforts to prevent removal or reunify families;
- placement preferences that support the child’s connection to their native culture and heritage; and
- court procedures.
Interpretation: All child protective services personnel should be trained in the basic requirements of ICWA with additional specialized training for staff in specialized service units, such as intake and permanency planning. Screening personnel must be trained on how to identify children with American Indian or Alaska Native heritage. Workers should also be informed of the cultural norms and historical trauma associated with Indian tribes.
Research Note: Training resources on the Indian Child Welfare Act are available from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the National Indian Child Welfare Association, and the California Social Work Education Center.
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FPCPS 14.05A manageable workload, which includes caseload and other organizational responsibilities:
- makes it possible for workers to meet practice requirements;
- does not impede the achievement of outcomes; and
- takes into consideration the qualifications and competencies of the worker and case status and complexity.
Interpretation: Case complexity can take into account: intensity of child and family needs, size of the family, and the goal of the case. Generally, investigative workers should manage no more than 12 active investigations at a time including no more than 8 new investigations per month. Ongoing and preventive services workers should be working with no more than 15-18 families (cases) at a time, with no more than 10 children that are in an out-of-home placement. However, there are circumstances under which caseloads may exceed these limits. For example, caseload size may vary depending upon the volume of administrative case functions (e.g., entering notes, filing, etc.) assigned to the worker. Caseloads may also be higher when organizations are faced with temporary vacancies on staff. New personnel should not carry independent caseloads prior to the completion of training.
Note: The evaluation of this standard will focus on whether the assigned workload is manageable for staff, taking into account the factors cited in the standard and interpretation. The specific caseload sizes stated in the interpretation are only a suggestion of what might be appropriate. Each organization should determine what caseload size is appropriate, and reviewers will evaluate: (1) whether the organization’s designated caseload size reflects a manageable workload, and (2) whether the organization maintains caseloads of the size it deemed appropriate.
Research Note: Two themes in staff retention literature indicate that high caseloads and time-consuming paperwork are primary factors in child welfare workforce turnover.
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CPS 14.06
Supervisory personnel are involved in all decisions related to child safety and permanency, and workers have access to a supervisor by telephone 24 hours a day.
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CPS 14.07
Supervisors or experienced workers provide additional support when personnel are new or are still developing competencies.
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CPS 14.08
The program director or designee ensures:
- work schedules are flexible;
- sufficient staff coverage at all times;
- supports are in place to prevent burnout; and
- non-exempt employees that work overtime are appropriately compensated.
Interpretation: Non-exempt employees are compensated for overtime according to the Fair Labor Standards Act.