Pennsylvania FAST Implementation

Abstract University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center Purpose This proposal is to support the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center implement a customized Family Advocacy Support Tool (FAST) for the use in the State of Pennsylvania. The implementation will include the creation of a customized FAST reference guide, a decision support model based on the customized FAST, training, technical assistance, and consultation. Methods 1. TCOM tool Implementation Support: provide technical assistance and consultation on implementation of the FAST. 2. Workforce Development: Reference Guide and Certification Course for Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center to ensure fidelity to the Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) approach: a. Develop a customized Pennsylvania FAST Reference Guide b. Create a customized online certification course for the Pennsylvania FAST on TCOMTraining.com. 3. Workforce Development: Pennsylvania FAST Training a. Curriculum Development technical assistance and consultation b. TCOM Overview: 1 (one) 4-hour workshop for up to 25 trainees c. FAST Orientation: 1(one) 4-hour synchronous and asynchronous training event for up 25 trainees. Pre-requisite: TCOM Overview. d. Training of Trainers (TOT): Synchronous and asynchronous training event split into two parts: i. Part 1 (5-hours) ii. Part 2 (5-hours) iii. Pre-requisites: TCOM Overview, FAST Orientation e. Training to include one-year access to TCOMTraining.com for attendees. 4. Precision Analytics: Decision Support Model Development a. Create a decision support model for Pennsylvania based on the FAST. b. Case Review: test the decision support model on clinical cases. c. Empirical Testing: test the decision support model using FAST administrative data. 5. Technical Assistance, Consultation: Integration of FAST into Pennsylvania electronic case management system. Qualifications of Key Staff April D. Fernando, PhD Background and experience: Dr. Fernando is the Associate Director for Workforce Development at the Center for Innovation in Population Health, and an Assistant Professor of Health, Behavior and Society at the College of Public Health, University of Kentucky. Dr. Fernando works with non-profit agencies as well as child welfare and behavioral health care systems across the United States in implementing Transformational Collaborative Outcomes Management (TCOM) and utilizing the TCOM tools such as the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS). She developed the CANS-Commercially Sexually Exploited version, which is used nationally. A licensed clinical psychologist, Dr. Fernando brings her years of experience as an educator, clinician, and mental health administrator to her work with TCOM and the CANS. Position Description: Dr. Fernando will be the FAST implementation lead for this project. In this role she will consult across the team to support the use of the FAST as a foundation for trauma-informed care and a data source for continuous quality improvement (CQI) efforts. John S. Lyons, PhD Background and experience: Dr. Lyons is the Director of the IPH Center and a Professor of Health Management and Policy in the College of Public Health. Across his 39-year career he has been an innovator and leader in outcome management and continuous quality improvement. He developed the theory of measurement—Communimetrics–behind the SSIT and the CANS. This year approximately 80% of all children and youth served in either child welfare or public behavioral health in the United States will receive a CANS assessment. Many implementations have sustained for nearly two decades evolving the approach consistent with the tenets of quality improvement. Dr. Lyons proposed the system management theory of TCOM which has been successfully used to foster positive change in systems across the United States and internationally. TCOM is the first person-centered theory of outcomes management and is intended to ‘engineer’ the implementation of person-centered thinking throughout a system of care. Dr. Lyons is a leader in research in residential treatment and psychiatric hospitalization and was Editor of the journal Residential Treatment for Children and Youth for seven years. Position Description Dr. Lyons will be the Decision Support Model lead for this project. Joanne E. Trinkle, MSW Background and experience: Joanne Trinkle, MSW is a Senior Policy Analyst at the Center for Innovation in Population Health at the University of Kentucky. Ms. Trinkle earned her Master’s in Social Work from Syracuse University. Ms. Trinkle brings over 20 years of experience in providing training, technical assistance and systems change support within children’s mental health and public child welfare systems of care. Ms. Trinkle is a master trainer and subject matter expert on various topics including caring for children who have experienced trauma, child and adolescent development, and service provision within Medicaid funded programs for special populations. Position Description: Ms. Trinkle will be the lead trainer. She will facilitate the FAST training events and assist with curriculum development. Stephen M. Shimshock, PhD Background and Experience: Dr. Shimshock is an Assistant Professor of Biostatistics in the College of Public Health. Dr. Shimshock provides analytical and consultation services to a wide variety of private and government agencies looking to transform the lives of youth and families. Dr. Shimshock has over 25 years of experience working in the social services field and extensive experience in cultivating data-informed learning cultures, or what he calls “cultures of best-practitioners.” Dr. Shimshock has a passion for helping communities connect their stories to data and their data to stories all in an effort to ensure system-wide change is in direct response to the strengths and needs of those being served by the system of care. Precision Analytics uses advanced statistical techniques to optimize placement of children and youth across levels of care to improve outcomes. He is also leading a national effort to understand outcomes of residential treatment using data from all the states currently using the CANS in their congregate care system. Position Description: Dr. Shimshock will be provide technical assistance and consultation for the integration of the FAST into the Pennsylvania case management system.