In September 2006, the State of Washington, Department of Social and Health Services, Children's Administration (CA) engaged WRMA and its subcontractor, the American Humane Association (AHA), to perform a workload study that would establish baseline standards by accurately measuring the current operational workload of caseworkers. The standards, based on basic child welfare practices, would then serve as a baseline for later cost-benefit analysis and a break-even estimate for a new State of Washington Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS).
This study involved measurement of current time spent on all case-related and supervisory activities, including case data entry, and information processing and retrieval. It provided a comprehensive measurement of workload for both the Field Services Division and the Division of Licensed Resources, involving six regions and 55 field offices statewide. It also provided the Children's Administration with a prospective workload model that is reusable by not only providing an inventory of workload for the current distribution of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) and caseloads in the agency, but also for hypothetical scenarios of different distributions of FTEs and types of activities. Hypothetical scenarios could be based on potential future changes in best practices and full implementation of the comprehensive CA Practice Model. The major tasks undertaken in this study included:
Task Inventory - Developing the service categories and tasks was the first phase of this project. Study groups from all regions and the central office participated in describing services and defining descriptive terms. The first phase was completed with the development of a Task Inventory.
Time Study Procedures - The second phase of the study developed a computerized time recording method in which staff members logged all of their work time for a month. A special feature of the time recording was assigning service time to specific children and families in the same way as a computerized billing system would. All CA staff participating in the study received training on the Task Inventory definitions and the computerized time log software. These procedures and computerized tools were designed to be transferred to CA at the conclusion of the study. Modifications to study periods and values of the Task Inventory can be made without special computer programming skills.
Time Study Data Collection - All CA staff members who "touched a case" as well as central office staff members caring for children and families participated in the time study for one month. The time study results described existing casework practice for services and stand as the current Workload Profile.
Standard Setting - Standards were constructed for time required to complete all required tasks in light of the actual time study results. Focus groups in all regions of the state and the central office helped to define minimum workload requirements if all legal, policy, and ethical practice requirements were met on a timely basis. These estimates of workload for services then were reviewed by senior CA staff.
Staff Allocation Model - Analysis of case service times derived from the time study data along with workload service standards provided a basis for resource estimations. The gap between current workload and the workload demand estimated from constructed standard service times resulted in a calculation of the need for additional staff to reduce the current workload level called for by the newly defined standards. Consideration of this need in the context of existing caseload and staff full time equivalent positions provided an optimal staffing allocation model.
During this effort, WRMA prepared the following publications:
- Washington State Children's Administration Workload Study, Volume I: Workload Study Report
- Washington State Children's Administration Workload Study, Volume II: Methodology
- Washington State Children's Administration Workload Study, and Summary Report
