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ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT

The Administrative Department is committed to supporting The Child Welfare Resource Center by providing excellent customer service to our internal and external partners. It is our desire to use our expertise, skills, and knowledge to efficiently support The Child Welfare Resource Center by being an integral part of all projects. Our trust and respect for each other maintains a strong team spirit and prideful work environment.

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Administrative Department Contact Information - Main Office Phone: (717) 795-9048

Position
Name
Direct Line #
Email
Department Manager Rhonda Gladfelter 717-605-0212 rondag@pitt.edu
Department Supervisor Jessica Stevens 717-605-0252 jas616@pitt.edu 
Department Supervisor Andrea Randolph 717-605-0223 aks45@pitt.edu
Executive Assistant Frank Revesz 717-605-0231 frevesz@pitt.edu
Administrative Coordinator Melissa Weeks 717-605-025 mew195@pitt.edu 
Administrative Assistants
Name
Ext.
Email
Central region training materials Chris Burger 717-605-0307 cdr21@pitt.edu
Registration Statewide Region Training Material Vacant
West and Northeast regions training materials Vacant >
Philadelphia region training materials Joan Wirick 717-605-0284 jgw21@pitt.edu
Instructor/Standaradized Cient Support Melissa Yoho 717-605-0286 mec153@pitt.edu
Meeting Room Coordination Sarah Milletics 717-605-0262 smm307@pitt.edu
Administrative Support for the Statewide Quality Improvement Department Karin Walters 717-605-0289 ksh46@pitt.edu
Administrative Support for the Statewide Quality Improvement Department Nancy Raback 717-605-0265  nmr114@pitt.edu
Administrative Support for the Independent Living Unit Sherri Krodel 717-605-0232 slk114@pitt.edu
Administrative Support for the Curriculum & Trainer Development Department Rachel Deitrich 717-605-0320 rak182@pitt.edu
Administrative Support for the Organizational Effectiveness Department Yasline Raback 717-605-0266 ymr7@pitt.edu
Administrative Support for the Research & Evaluation and Fiscal/HR Departments Linda Conner 717-605-0251 lac202@pitt.edu

Administrative Support for Administrative Department

Victoria Huerta 717-605-028 vah57@pitt.edu
Front Desk/Lobby Receptionist Faith Elmes 717-605-023 fme6@pitt.edu 


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CURRICULUM & TRAINER DEVELOPMENT

The Curriculum and Trainer Development Department develops and revises tools, materials, and curricula that align with and support the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Practice Model and improvement initiatives such as the Child Family Service Review, the Continuous Quality Improvement project, and established empirically-based best practices. These tools, materials, and curricula are developed for specific classifications of child welfare professionals including direct service workers, supervisors, and administrators. The Resource Center offers both foundational and specialized related curricula in the classroom, online, and in blended formats.

Additionally, to support continuous quality improvement and the consistent and competent delivery of training sessions and workshops, the Resource Center engages in multiple activities and strategies in its recruitment, selection, and development of its trainers.

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If you have a curriculum-related question, please call the main number and ask for the curriculum supervisor. If you have a trainer/consultant related question, please ask for the trainer/consultant supervisor.


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FISCAL AND HUMAN RESOURCES

The Fiscal and Human Resources Department manages business operations for the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center and acts as liaison to appropriated departments within the University for fiscal and human resources matters. Staff develop and manage program budgets; prepare monthly invoices for reimbursement of program expenses from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; coordinate lease agreements for office space, training facilities, and equipment; prepare and manage contracts for goods and services; maintain equipment inventory; process and monitor accounts payables; manage conference registrations, flight reservations, and employee travel reimbursements; manage vehicle fleet leases, maintenance, and usage; coordinate employee recruitment; oversee web-based time reporting; provide payroll and employee benefits support; maintain personnel records; and coordinate resolution to personnel matters.

To see more on Human Resources such as Job Openings or Benefit information see the Human Resources page.






ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

We work with child welfare agencies to help them make changes to strengthen their services for children, youth and families.

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RESEARCH AND EVALUATION

The Research and Evaluation team collaborates with internal and external partners to assess, inform, and improve child welfare processes, products, and practice. We contribute to the field of child welfare by conducting applied research, engaging in innovative approaches to linking research and practice, promoting greater use of evidence-informed decision-making, and supporting the child welfare workforce in order to better serve children and families.

The Research and Evaluation team collaborates with all other CWRC departments and Pitt School of Social Work faculty as well as the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, Office of Children, Youth and Families; Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts; County Children and Youth Agencies; and Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administrators.




STATEWIDE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT DEPARTMENT

Responsibilities include:

  • Implementation of new programmatic areas and integrating existing program areas.
  • Manage statewide projects, including models, initiatives, programs, and systems efforts, as assigned through the process of Initiation, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation, and Closing of the project.
  • Administer and coordinate efforts regarding parent and youth engagement including: Independent Living (IL), the IL youth retreat, the Parent Advisory Committee and the Youth Advisory Board.
  • Maintain and support ongoing partnerships with the Department of Public Welfare and other statewide partners including, but not limited to, SWAN, PCYA, PCCYFS, KidsVoice, Juvenile Law Center, and PA Partnership for Children.

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Programmatic Roles within the Statewide Quality Improvement Department

  • Child Welfare Demonstration Project: Starting in 2013, Pennsylvania's Child Welfare Demonstration Project focuses on implementing or expanding the use of family engagement strategies, conducting comprehensive assessments of child and family needs and strengths, and utilizing evidence-based practices to improve placement decisions and child and family functioning.
  • Child and Family Services Review:  Provide support in the development of Pennsylvania’s Statewide Self-assessment and Program Improvement Plan as well as the onsite review as part of the Federal Child and Family Services Review; provide oversight of the statewide Quality Services Review process and revision of the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Practice Standards.
  • Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act:  Coordinate the implementation and maintenance of citizen review panels in Pennsylvania; participate in other CAPTA related activities, including the Children’s Justice Act, Citizens’ Review Panels, and Developmental Screening Research Project.
  • The Children’s Justice Act: The Children’s Justice Act (CJA) is a federal grant awarded to each state to develop, establish, and operate programs designed to improve the child-protection system.
  • Pennsylvania's Child Welfare Practice Model: Pennsylvania's Child Welfare Practice Model outlines that children, youth, families, child welfare representatives and other child and family service partners need to work together as team members with the shared community responsibility to achieve positive outcomes. These outcomes can be achieved by consistently modeling the values and principles at every level and across all partnerships and by demonstrating the specific and essential skills to be utilized across all aspects of the child welfare system.
  • Continuous Quality Improvement effort: Implementing change at the local level is critical to the achieve-ment of positive child, youth and family outcomes, particularly in a state-supervised and county-administered state. A well-developed Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process will be a vehicle to drive change for-ward in Pennsylvania.
  • Quality Visitation: The Child and Family Services Improvement Act of 2006, which was reauthorized in 2011, provides funding for improving caseworker decision making including targeting caseworker retention and recruitment issues, as well as access to mobile technology. Funding is available through 2016.
  • Independent Living: Manage the statewide aspects of Independent Living, a Title IV-E, federally-funded, state-administered, program to prepare foster care youth, ages 16-21, for their transition from foster care to independence.
  • Family Centers:  Since its inception in 1992, the Pennsylvania (PA) Family Center (FC) Initiative has been a vehicle for integrating and providing services to help children and families become healthy, safe and self sufficient. The demonstrated impact of FCs, linked with other community based and family support efforts has helped to advance this vision for FCs that all Pennsylvania children and their families will be healthy, educated, and self-sufficient and will be living in a safe home and community. The PA Child Welfare Resource Center is proud to provide support and technical assistance to Family Centers throughout the Commonwealth.
  • Statewide Training Events: Coordinate and manage statewide events and project roll out.
  • Practice Improvement:  Manage efforts regarding Youth and Family Integration at the local and state level.
  • Youth Ambassador:  Manage youth integration activities and projects; and advocate for youth in the child welfare system.
  • Parent Ambassador:  Manage parent integration activities and projects and advocate for parents in the child welfare system. Oversee Families and Communities United, a committee dedicated to empowering individuals involved in family serving systems to promote and encourage safe healthy living and stability for children, youth and families in the state of Pennsylvania. FCU consists of Birth Parents; Kinship families; foster parents; and partners who have experiences with Family serving systems.

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TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT


  • Develop and maintain computer applications used to support the initiatives of the Resource Center and its affiliates.
  • Develop and maintain reporting from multiple applications and databases for the Resource Center, county Children and Youth Agencies, DHS-OCYF, and private providers.
  • Provide technical assistance and support to the Resource Center and affiliates through operation of a Help Desk, training, media development and duplication, function arrangements, network support, and hardware/software installation and maintenance.
  • Produce videos and technology based tools used to enhance the delivery of curriculum, Transfer of Learning, and a variety of other initiatives.
  • Develop and maintain multiple websites updating regularly to ensure accuracy; and
  • Develop and maintain web-based courses and workshops.

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Roles within the Technology Development Unit

  • Systems Programmer – Provides development, maintenance, and testing of all software applications housed at the Resource Center. Assists in the development of online courses and workshops. Develops and maintains reporting from multiple applications. Collaborates with Training Program staff in the development of modules used to support research, Child Welfare initiatives, and streamlining processes.
  • Instructional Specialist – Collaborates with Resource Center staff on the development of videos, and technology based tools used to enhance the delivery of curriculum, Transfer of Learning, and a variety of other initiatives. Provides technical assistance and support to the Resource Center and affiliates through operation of a Help Desk, training, media development and duplication, and function arrangements.
  • Technology Specialist – Provides development and ongoing maintenance of all websites supported by the Resource Center. Develops online courses and workshops. Provides technical assistance and support to the Resource Center staff and its affiliates through the provision of a helpdesk, training, function arrangements, database development, network support, hardware/software installation, testing, and maintenance.

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CWRC Satellite training room management, including room reservations for approved outside agency use
Building Operations
Direct Service Worker, Supervisor, Leadership
Family Group Decision Making, Citizen Review Panel, CQI/CFSR, CJA
Demonstration Project, FGDM teleforms
Training/Meeting Room Reservations, Meeting Room Usage Approval Requests, CAPS
West & Northeast Regions
SAT Fee Waivers, Youth Advisory Board (YAB), Older Youth Retreat
Family Centers, CWEB/CWEL
CTC; Online E-Learn Classes; Internal Trainings & County Workers taking CPSL, all statewide training
Username & Password
Central & Southeast Regions
Trainer Information
Philadelphia
Statewide