Zone Director Recommendations_L. Flieth

During the time I have been assisting with Interim Director duties, specific to the Child Welfare Unit and Adult Protective Service Unit, I have attempted to gain a deeper understanding of current functioning and contemplate solutions. Below are some of the observations and recommendations I would offer for consideration in selecting the next CCHSZ Director. If I had a theme for it, it would be to look for someone who can see the “big picture” and can operationalize a strategy to align the agency’s activities accordingly. The second theme would be: supportive accountability.  The next Director should be an individual who is present, accessible, and communicates with openness and transparency to staff. Staff have expressed appreciation for with current interim co-directors for being responsive and following up with them— communicating back with answers, information, decisions.  Leadership will need to hold staff accountable directly, with honesty and without “repercussions”, and have the same expectation for supervisors to hold their staff accountable. It does not appear that current mid-level supervisors are able (or willing?) to identify and address problematic performance issues with the staff they supervise.  Specific to Child Welfare Unit: The Supervisors do not operate consistently or as a team. There appears to be personality conflicts which impede their ability to work together and cooperatively. This is a barrier to the work flow, as cases transition from one program to another. The personality differences amongst supervisors have resulted in animosity between programs in general, further impeding any agency teamwork or cohesion. It was recently learned that there is a supervision coach who is working with the CW supervisors. Kim and I will be meeting with this provider to learn more about the service and if it can be utilized to address some of these concerns.  The Adult Protective Service Unit appears to be completely disconnected and forgotten about by the remainder of the agency. They are an independent group and do have strong support and supervision through DHS but operate almost as a separate entity. While they do not seem to require a significant level of attention, they should be included in agency communications and activities.  It appears that there is a general lack of leadership at all levels. It does not appear that CCHSZ has an environment where staff have been empowered to develop their own leadership and decision-making skills. The term “repercussions” is frequently utilized. It is unclear where repercussions may have come from or what they were, but there appears to be a culture of strict hierarchy. Processes are followed without consideration of efficiency or practicality, and critical or creative thinking is not encouraged. The next director should develop leadership and decision-making skills to empower staff through supervision, support and accountability. From my position within the child welfare and APS units, we are trusting staff to make decisions about safety and well-being of vulnerable children and adults, but yet require a Director signature on routine paperwork. These types of inconsistencies are imbedded in a variety of areas & processes.  It is essential that the Director reach out to and work with administration at DHS, the county, clients and community partners to learn what their experiences are when