What Is Technical Assistance? Creating Descriptive Categories and Operational Definitions of “Training and Technical Assistance” for Quantitative Analysis

Background: The Children’s Bureau supported a comprehensive network that provided T/TA to State and Tribal child welfare systems. Ten NRCs delivered T/TA in their topical areas of expertise and five regional ICs provided intensive T/TA and supports to 25 jurisdictions through intensive projects that lasted at least 2 years and supported the implementation of change initiatives. The cross-site evaluation of ICs and NRCs captured in-depth data on the delivery and coordination of T/TA provided to child welfare systems. T/TA was described and characterized in various ways including amount; duration; delivery mode; type; and characteristics, such as primary practice area. Using an implementation science framework, T/TA was mapped to stages of implementation, including problem identification, strategic planning, design/selection, initial implementation, and full implementation.

Methods: NRCs and ICs recorded T/TA in a tracking database, referred to as OneNet. Centers recorded all group trainings and events provided to general audiences. They also recorded individualized T/TA that was tailored to the specific needs of jurisdictions in response to requests or applications for assistance. Data were periodically checked for quality assurance.

Using OneNet data from October 2010 through December 2013, frequency statistics were used to describe and characterize T/TA.

Results: Among 520 T/TA requests, 81 percent were based upon the jurisdiction’s self-assessment. All States received some T/TA from NRCs, with six States receiving over 600 hours and 16 States receiving less than 200. T/TA to Tribes increased over the three years both in volume and in the number of Tribes engaged. NRCs had a broad geographic span, whereas ICs focused on providing intensive T/TA to jurisdictions with Implementation Projects (IPs). IPs focused on a range of child welfare issues, including practice models; Tribal/culturally competent responses; Data, Quality Assurance, Technology, and T/TA Systems; Supervisory and Workforce Capacity; and Stakeholder Engagement. Over 75 percent of all IC and NRC T/TA was provided onsite and primary audiences included middle managers, agency leadership, supervisors, and direct workers. More than half of IC and NRC T/TA hours involved consultation/problem solving, while one-third included facilitation and information dissemination. For ICs, one-third of T/TA involved coaching and tool/product development. The three main practice areas of NRC T/TA focused on safety and risk assessment, casework practice, and family engagement in case decision-making. For ICs, the three main practice areas included “general”, reflecting their overall focus on implementation of systems change; assessment of safety and risk; and comprehensive family assessment. Mapping NRCs’ T/TA to the stages of implementation showed that the majority of hours were devoted to the early stages of implementation.

Implications: ICs and NRCs supported capacity building and systems change initiatives in child welfare through T/TA. As jurisdictions strove to improve child welfare systems, there was an increased focus on the use of data to make informed decisions and implementation of evidence-informed interventions. Strengthening the capacities of future social workers to utilize data will support child welfare systems’ efforts.