PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

PIÑON

PERSPECTIVES NEW MEXICO CYFD PROTECTIVE SERVICES E-MAGAZINE : JULY 2013

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

YOUR PERSPECTIVES I found Piñon Perspectives very interesting and

helpful. It is a different, fun way to see what’s go-

ing on. I particularly love the photography.

Jordyn Barela,

Student Intern

CYFD, Protective Services

I really enjoy the Q&A section of each newslet-

ter. It’s nice to read about other viewpoints from

around our Protective Services Division. Thanks

for the great job.

Emily Martin

CYFD

Community Services Bureau

Very nice and informative.

Rachel O'Connor

Director

Santa Fe County

Health and Human Services Division

WELCOME We greatly appreciate hearing from our CYFD

workforce, our external community partners, and

those working in the Child Welfare arena in other

states. Our goal is to provide you with a way to

communicate with the PS workforce and share

lessons learned nationally. Please consider shar-

ing your news, perspectives, ideas for new arti-

cles, insights, interviewees, and photography. All

the best– The Piñon Perspectives Team

Contact us at: pinon.project@state.nm.us.

THE ART OF PIÑON

About the Photography: New Mexico’s rich history

and vibrant landscapes inspire photographer

Armando de Aguero. In this issue we share de

Aguero’s distinctive images from his series Santa

Fe’s Canyon Road: Textures, Shapes & Shadows.

©Armando de Aguero. You may view his portfolio

here: www.yomando.zenfolio.com

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

Q&A:

Linda Cravens-

Rodriguez Statewide Central Intake

(SCI) Manager

What do you like most about your job?

Every day brings a new challenge. My job

is interesting because not only do you learn

something new on a daily basis, but you

are continually multitasking so many

different things, and at times, I do get

overwhelmed with all that we do.

The reports coming in are becoming more

complex due to the blending of families,

children are being placed in dangerous

situations more often it seems, and as a

Manager I have to always be focused on

the immediate safety of the child/children

involved in any report. Receiving reports

statewide is not a simple matter. So, I love

my job because it is so different and it is

not monotonous.

Continues on next page

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

PS is a very complex area where people special-

ize---and those of us working in it often experi-

ence a small part of the overall system---How

have you learned about the PS “big picture”?

I’ve learned about Protective Services big picture

by staying around, networking with my peers in

other parts of the State, visiting their offices and

generally asking questions about their individual

work. I

don’t know all there is to know about every de-

partment, but certainly believe I have a good

overview of each. Being at SCI so many years

has provided this opportunity for me. So if you

want to get into Who’s Who, you’d better first

learn what’s what.

What innovation would like to bring to PS in NM?

Speaking very selfishly here, I would like to bring

in a state-of-the-art phone system for SCI. SCI’s

work is not easy and it is the “hub” of the agency.

It would be nice to have recorded calls, it would

be great to be able to track phone numbers for

additional questions if needed.

It would be nice to have a tracking system to help

us locate family addresses.

What are success stories you hear out in the field

or other states?

Several States have called SCI to inquire about

our Centralized System for Intake. Indiana was

most impressed with our structure and as far as I

know intends to model their centralized system

after NM’s.

Other success stories from the field is knowing

that families who have come into the system do

not return, that the youth in our system manage

to graduate from high school or college when all

the odds have been against them, those are the

true success stories.

How can Central Office and County Office staff

foster courageous conversations……addressing

work problems and conflict.

Continues on next page

What is a typical week for you?

A typical week for me is running from meeting to

meeting, talking to dissatisfied citizens about their

reports and why we are not removing the kids from

“that” home, conducting presentations, being avail-

able to CYFD staff statewide and to SCI staff on a

24-hour/day basis, trying to handle personnel is-

sues, taking reports of abuse/neglect when we

have calls waiting, helping the supervisors process

reports when we are short staffed, making deci-

sions on a daily basis that impact families either in

a positive or negative way, always with the safety of

the children in mind.

What are the biggest challenges you face in your

job?

Time, space, equipment, financial resources just

like everyone else. I have a wish list that has

grown to three pages in length. However, the big-

gest challenge for me is the difference in work eth-

ics between generations.

My generation does not question authority, nor do

you place yourself in a position of demanding

something without having worked hard for it, these

type of issues. In having to work in an environment

where the work ethic is so different can be very

challenging.

How have you found ways to enhance your work

experience?

I’ve enhanced my work experience by coming to

understand that families and human beings are

complex, and trying hard to deter from being judg-

mental about anything or anyone, being fair and

being appropriate at all times. I know that anything

I say or do is a reflection of the entire department,

so I keep this in mind always.

I have also made it a point that my work experi-

ence at SCI is very customer focused and express

to staff constantly that the person at the end of

that phone line is helping to pay your wages, so we

need to be helpful, respectful, and friendly at all

times. Taking pride in the work we do as a team

because, to quote John Ruskin, “When a man is

wrapped up in only himself, he makes a pretty

small package.”

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

I think the only way to have these types of conver-

sations is to lay the problem out on the table, ask

questions, keep tempers under control and reach

a mutual agreement on the remedy. If an apology

is warranted, then apologize.

How can Information Technology improve the PS

process----with laptops, tablets and cellphones of-

fering access to the net?

New, faster computers would be wonderful, but I

understand the budget constraints. SCI got large

screen monitors about 3 years ago and we are so

grateful for this. A newer data system would be

nice too….but it all comes down to money, and I

wish PS had more of it to make these improve-

ments.

What type of professional development opportuni-

ties would you like to see offered?

What CYFD offers now for professional develop-

ment is very appropriate….but there is so much

going on at one time, that things get meshed to-

gether. The joining of forces with NM Highlands

and NMSU is wonderful regarding the social work

program. I think I would like to see more special-

ized training.

Even though it’s important to have “the big pic-

ture” about CYFD, I think that each department

(SCI, Permanency, Investigations, IHS, etc.) should

be stand alone trainings for staff that are coming

in to each of these divisions. Then, after a certain

amount of time on the job, maybe a year or so,

cross train these staff members.

How does our collection of data inform practice?

You can’t go out and buy a car if you don’t have

any idea how much money you have. Likewise, on

the job, how can you implement change, or im-

prove on the old without numbers that let you

know how, when and why the change will help

you. Social work practice and child welfare has

certainly seen many changes

Thank you for your time and insights, Linda.

Quotable Quotes

Together we can

do what

we can never

do alone.

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

Piñon’s Big

Picture:

What are

Office Hours? The Piñon Project focuses on the entire

workforce, with the goal of empowering staff

in order to improve all Protective Services.

One aspect of the empowerment comes in

the form of “Office Hours.”

Continues on next page

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

Office Hours Process:

Project Team Presentation 15 minutes

Project Team provides an update on progress to-

date and presents the Adaptive Challenge to

moving forward.

What is the Adaptive Challenge?

What assumptions are being tested or gaps

being narrowed?

Who are the major players? What are their

conflicting perspectives and interests?

What actions have you taken or are thinking

about taking in reference to the challenge?

How do you plan to measure progress?

What are your real stakes and interests?

What have you learned about “the system” so

far?

Data Gathering Questions 15 minutes

Executive Sponsor and CLA Team pose diagnos-

tic questions to the Project Team.

What are the formal relationships among the

major players? Informal alliances?

Where is the senior authority on the issue?

What other competing commitments are evi-

dent? What would success look like to the

team?

Brainstorming Discussion (Executive Sponsor

and CLA Team) 20 minutes

Executive Sponsor and CLA Team interpret and

discuss on what they heard.

What are the Team’s stakes?

What challenges face the Team related to

loss, competence or loyalty?

What issues or values does the Team repre-

sent in the challenge?

What has the Team done so far to work the

problem? What has the Team decided not to

do?

What are the underlying or hidden issues?

What are the value choices the Team has to

make? How does the situation look to the

other players? What is the story they are tell-

ing themselves? What options are off the ta-

ble for the Team and why?

What has the Team contributed to the prob-

lem? What is their piece of the mess?

What possible interpretations has the Team

been understandably unwilling to consider?

Continues on next page

An Ongoing Process

What Office Hours can Achieve

Office Hours is a structured approach designed to

accelerate change efforts across organizations.

They can impact change within our system by de-

veloping promising practices that can be scaled

out to the entire state. Project Teams meet

monthly in 90 minute Office Hours sessions to fo-

cus on priority business imperatives selected in

partnership with Cambridge Leadership Associates

(CLA). This approach provides a safe environment

for teams to challenge established norms, compet-

ing commitments and legacy behaviors that tradi-

tionally impede progress and stall change. In the

process, teams will apply the skills and tools of

Adaptive Leadership to the change initiative under

CLA's guidance. The following overview identifies

the various roles and format for Office Hours.

Executive Sponsor: One executive Sponsor is as-

signed to each Project Team. The Executive Spon-

sor is responsible for supporting the team, mar-

shalling resources, advising the Team Leader, and

providing the necessary high profile authorization

needed to make progress. The Executive Sponsor

also holds the Project Team accountable. During

Office Hours the Executive Sponsor, in conjunction

with the CLA consultant(s), questions and gener-

ates interpretations and interventions for the team

to consider in their work. The Executive Sponsor

reports directly to the head of the organization for

this assignment.

Team Leader: The Team Leader heads up the team

by convening, scheduling and running the project

team meetings. The Team Leader is accountable

for the outputs and results generated by the Pro-

ject Team and reports directly to the Executive

Sponsor for this assignment. The Team Leader also

produces the 48-Hour Report following each Office

Hours Session. The 48-Hour Report will be shared

with the leadership team to measure progress.

Project Team: The Project team consists of people

who have a direct stake and accountability in mak-

ing progress on the Adaptive Challenge, as well as

those who have a valuable, peripheral view or un-

derstanding of the work. Other members may be

added at the discretion of the Team Leader in con-

sultation with the Executive Sponsor.

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

Intervention Brainstorming (Executive Sponsor and

CLA Team) 5 minutes

Executive Sponsor and CLA Team brainstorm

around possible interventions.

What possible initiatives should be under-

taken?

What are low risk tests of some of the ideas

discussed?

What courageous conversations need to take

place?

What new partnerships or relationship shifts

need to happen?

What are specific and possible goals over the

next month to achieve?

What would success look like to the players

other than the Team?

Project Team Reflection (Project Team) 5 minutes

Project Team discusses what they heard; comment

on what has been heard. The idea is that the Team

will “rent” the ideas, trying them out rather than

“buying” them or defending against them.

Priority Next Steps (Full Group) 30 minutes

Full group discussion to design future experiments

and next steps.

Identify potential action step(s) you may undertake

in the next four-six weeks. (The Team is expected

to submit a 48-Hour Report which will detail the

actions they will take between now and the next

Office Hours Session.) The 48-Hour Report is de-

signed to capture reflections and action items fol-

lowing the Office Hours consultation. The Team

Leader is responsible for producing and submitting

the report to the leadership team.

A Work in Progress

The CYFD Piñon Project is a work in progress and

continues to evolve, with participation from every

level of Protective Services. To keep up to date on

the Piñon Project, including Office Hours, visit:

www.cyfd.org/pinonproject

If there are particular questions you have about

the Piñon Project and your role in it, please contact

us. pinon.project@state.nm.us.

FACTS & FIGURES

PS is a very complex system with a workforce in

every county of the state.

Can you guess how many dedicated people it

takes to make our system work? Here are a few

numbers that begin to paint a picture of PS.

Number of PSD Positions: 845.8

Number of Investigators: 148

Number of Permanency workers: 133

Number of Attorneys: 34

Number of SCI workers: 32

Number of In-home workers: 44

Number of Placement workers: 75

Number of Client Service Agents: 57

Number of CPS/I-HS supervisors: 102

Number of regions: 5

Number of county offices: 33

NEWS & UPDATES

On June 20 Bernalillo County Protective Services

threw the 2nd Annual Foster and Adoptive Parent

Awards Dinner. It was held at the Le Dera Golf

Club and was attended by close to 100 people. All

parents received certificates of appreciation and

there were many door prizes given away. There

were four categories of award from the dinner.

The Foster Parent of the Year Award was given to

Martin and Erica Alvarado. The Adoptive Parent of

the Year was awarded to Peter McKenna and

Janet Patterson. The Rookie of the Year was

awarded to Sandra and Curtis Chang. The Lifetime

Achievement Award was presented to Davidia

Medley. Given the appreciative response, we hope

to make this a great event every year. Much

thanks is given to all who made the event a suc-

cess.

If there are particular news or updates you wish to

share, please email us your information in a word

document by the 20th of the month to be pub-

lished on the first of the month. We look forward

to hearing from you. pinon.project@state.nm.us.

PIÑON PERSPECTIVES JULY 2013

COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS

Courageous Conversations are a tool to assist us in more actively communicating with each other and our

partners. When an individual has a Courageous Conversation you are challenging current practices and

fostering improvements and growth. This is done through communication/conversations, listening & act-

ing on feedback and providing feedback that leads to improvements. For us to make improvements in our

system we have to build relational trust and establish a culture where Courageous Conversations and

feedback are required.

In Adaptive Leadership, Cambridge Leadership Associates (CLA) defines Courageous Conversations as

orchestrating conflict and maintaining the relationship. These are done in multiple sessions. There are

four parts to every conversation:

Polite – Start to establish who is involved in the conversation and who is speaking.

Debate – This is the position each individual presents. Many conversations get stuck at this point.

Reflective Inquiry – Ask questions to find out about the other individual’s feelings, indicate you have

heard what they said and are interested in hearing more. “Why” questions are not helpful because they

lead to individuals feeling defensive.

Courageous Conversation – Actual conversation with the individual related to the issue.

Individuals flow between the four parts of the conversation, especially if something was missed in one of

the earlier parts. Individuals bring the “heat” up in the debate part and lower the “heat” in the polite and

reflective parts.

We hope to hear and share on-going examples of courageous conversation in the workplace. Please send

yours, anonymously if you wish, in 150 words or less to Piñon Editor at Piñon.project@state.nm.us