Resource Library

The Center for States designs products, services, and learning experiences to increase understanding and awareness, and build knowledge and skills. The Center focuses its attention on developing products and resources on several core organizational and practice topics.

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Library and Information Services

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The Center for States provides research assistance and responds to information requests on building capacity in child welfare.

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Learn how we can help your agency build the capacity to thrive.

Email: capacityinfo@icfi.com 
Phone: 1.844.222.0272

Visit the Center for States' Contact Us webpage for more information.

Showing 1 - 15 of 37 resources
PDF

Learn the definition and find information about normalcy and the reasonable and prudent parent standard in the PL 113-183.

Video

Frankie is 14 years old and lives with his sister, brothers, and moms. He and his sister were adopted when they were 2 years old and 4 years old, respectively. He loves spending time with his aunts, uncles, and cousins and loves being part of a big family.

PDF

Adapt proven strategies from this publication to improve specific areas of culture and that support collaborative development of an effective service array.

PDF

Adapt strategies from this publication to improve specific areas of culture and climate to support partnering with families after conducting an assessment.

PDF

Get guidance, tips, and strategies for assessing agency culture and climate. 

PDF

Use this guide for tips, and strategies concerning the critical role leadership plays in creating and sustaining positive organizational culture.

PDF

Use this tool with your prevention planning team to prepare for and tackle the adaptive challenges that many states face as they develop and implement prevention plans. 

Infographic

Browse the themes and key takeaways from the How We Partner With the Community to Improve Service Options podcast series.

PDF

This publication looks at buzzwords in the context of words or phrases commonly used in child welfare reporting and documentation that can be subjective or carry negative connotations, and offers strategies to minimize their negative impact.

Video

Buzzwords: Moving to Behavioral Descriptors doodle video is a short, animated video that follows a child involved in a child welfare investigation. The video describes what buzzwords are and illustrates the impact they can have on children and families. It also demonstrates how to recognize buzzwords and offers strategies for transforming buzzwords into objective, behavior-based descriptors.

PDF

Use this crosswalk to start thinking concretely about prevention planning as a change and implementation process. 

PDF

Understand the role of coaching in supporting workers, including coaching functions, effectiveness, models, and strategies.

PDF

Learn effective strategies to collect, analyze, and use data related to caseworker visits.

Video

Shares Stephen’s story about being a community-based provider and policymaker in Florida, the need for laws that empower caregiver decision-making, creating Florida’s reasonable and prudent parent standard (RPPS), and the effect RPPS and normalcy laws can have on foster care.

Podcast

Listen to child welfare agency leaders in the District of Columbia, service providers, partners in community collaboratives, and sister agencies talk about how they coordinate service planning and delivery, are culturally responsive to the community, and provide seamless services to families.