Children’s Services Administration
235 S. Grand Ave., Suite 1508
P.O. Box 30037
Lansing, MI 48909
L-
STATE OF MICHIGAN
Department
of Human
Services
To: / CountyDirectors
District Managers
Child Welfare Urban Field Operations Director / Date:
From: / Terry A. Salacina, Director, Field Operations Administration
Kathryne A. O’Grady, Director, Children’s Services Administration
DHS-2-A (Rev. 5-10) Previous edition obsolete. MS Word
Subject: / Policy Review and Certification ProcessResponse Due: None
DHS-2-A (Rev. 5-10) Previous edition obsolete. MS Word
This L-letter introducesa new policy review and certification process,which all children’s services supervisors, from both DHS and private childplacing agencies must follow. All children’s services supervisors must certify that they reviewed newly released policy manual material or interimbulletins with their staff. The Child Welfare Training Institute (CWTI) will begin this process on Dec. 1, 2010. The certification processwill assist caseworkers in meeting training requirements under thesettlement agreement; see L-09-122 CW, regarding qualifying training hours.
CWTI will be administering the policy review and certification processthrough the Juvenile Justice Online Technology (JJOLT). JJOLT will notify supervisors via emailof the release of any new policy or an interimbulletin.Adoption, CPS, foster care and juvenile justice supervisors will receive email alerts pertaining to the area they supervise. Permanency planningconference (PPC)supervisors will receive notice of all adoption, foster care and CPS policies or interim bulletinssince PPC facilitatorsmust be aware of all changes in policy to be prepared during a PPC.
Upon receiving the initial email, supervisors will have 30 days to review the new policy or interim bulletin with their staff and certify onJJOLTthat they have read and reviewed the new policy with all their applicable staff.The completion date will be the date the supervisor signs into JJOLT and certifies he/she reviewed the policy with staff. Supervisors may not have the opportunity to review the policy with a staff member who is on a leave of absencelonger than the 30-day period. However, when the absent staff member return(s) to the office, the supervisor must reviewany changes that occurred in policy during the time the staff was on leave.
The initial email will contain specific JJOLT directions on the certification process. Best practice is for a supervisor to review the new policy or interim bulletin during a staff meeting; however, supervisors may review policy on an individual basis, if needed.
After reviewing the policy and completing the certification process on JJOLT,supervisors will submit the names of staff who participated in the reviewto theirlocal office training coordinator. The local office training coordinator will enter the qualifyingtraining hours on
JJOLT. In order to comply with Licensing Rule 400.12212, the agency must be able to provide a hard copy of the verification during a licensing review.
JJOLT will generate a reminder email 20 days after sending the initial email.In the event a supervisor does not complete the policy review and certification process within the 30 days, JJOLT will generate a final email. CWTI will periodically run reports for field operations, program office and Child Welfare Contract Compliance Unit staff that detail whether supervisors are certifying the policy review in JJOLT.
Supervisors must register for the appropriate training track(s) in JJOLTfor this process to be effective. If a supervisor manages more than one program area, s/he may register for multiple training tracks. Supervisors can contact the JJOLT Help Desk at
with any JJOLT specific questions.
DHS-2-A (Rev. 5-10) Previous edition obsolete. MS Word
Number and Status of Previous L-Letters Issued on the Same Subject: None
Contact Office: Federal Compliance
Telephone Number and E-mail address of Contact: Joanne Nicholson, 517-373-3372,
Distribution: Child Welfare Supervisors
Obsolete Date: No
c:Executive Staff
Terrence Beurer
Jane Goetschy
Steve Yager
DHS-2-A (Rev. 5-10) Previous edition obsolete. MS Word