Child Welfare leaders Guidebook: Positioning Human Service Programs to Help Abused and Neglected Children to Become Effective Adults

Private child welfare agency leaders, aspiring leaders, people interested in human service management, graduate students in social work administration and charitable organization leadership are the intended audience. Readers will learn the most important tasks that leaders perform and how to achieve excellent results. This is a high level how to book for those seeking the knowledge and skills to excel in social administration. This work is based on my experience leading a private child welfare agency for thirty-four years. At the time I left to accept a director of human services position in county government the agency applied an $18 million budget and three hundred staff and contractors to help 5000 children and their families annually. Residential, school, home, adventure camping, child welfare, and behavioral health services were provided to abused, neglected, and emotionally troubled children and their families. My professional experiences also include fifteen years of direct practice with individuals, couples, families, teenagers and children and, teaching graduate and undergraduate students in the fields of social work, sociology, and social policy Also, I served as a board member for a child abuse prevention coalition, a child advocacy center, a domestic violence agency, and a child care center. My credentials include a Master's of Philosophy and a PhD. in social work from Columbia University. Also, I earned a B.A. and M.S.W. degree and have a license to practice social work in Pennsylvania. The book examines the performance and ethics of successful leaders. There is an analysis of the way to hire and deploy the first-rate staff needed to achieve positive consumer outcomes. Also, I review the subject of staff compensation and benefits. There is an outline of the use of independent contractors. Working with the agency board of directors, the board's stewardship, fundraising, and policy roles, as well as relationships between the president and the board of directors, are addressed. Board committee descriptions are provided. I devote four chapters to the subject of fundraising, one each on public child welfare contracts, and private fundraising. There are two chapters on grant writing covering the establishment of a grant writing program, federal grant resources, grant application instructions and, and the content of successful large federal grants for child welfare services. There is extensive material on financial management for non-financial managers. This includes a description of the chart of accounts, the general ledger, cash versus accrual accounting, depreciation, periodic financial reports, accounts receivable reports, and the balance sheet. Readers will learn how to use these reports to design their marketing efforts with public child welfare customers and to improve agency financial results. Also, I write about all aspects of the annual independent audit, an IRS audit, constructing a Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse policy and the annual federal 990 Return filing. There is instruction on the formulation of a treasury policy and an investment policy. I give extensive instruction on policy-making and specific policies for private child welfare agencies. Program development and agency history, program selection styles, and criterion enable agency heads to expand the agency. I address the formulation of a minimal as well as a comprehensive strategic plan. Also, there is instruction on the types of insurance policies required, and purchasing insurance. Readers will master federal discrimination law and the use of an employee complaint officer to minimize employee complaints and lawsuits. There is attention to the basic board of director policies, including the articles of incorporation, bylaws, conflict of interest and whistle blower policies. There is a report on executive searches, compensation, and employment contracts.