ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses key organizational requisites for success, including clear goals, specific outcomes, strong leadership, and positive organizational climate. One of the most critical components of organizational excellence is attracting and maintaining a stable, motivated, and skilled workforce. Demands for system improvement in child welfare(CW), public health, and behavioral health necessitate increased leadership attention to staffing, career ladders, and staff development because the new practice models and evidence-based interventions require a more highly skilled workforce. Some of the most effective staff in CW may be first career retirees or transfers from other fields. The challenges associated with recruiting, selecting, and retaining qualified CW staff are formidable but must be addressed, because effective CW services require personnel capable of providing skilled interventions. A variety of innovative program designs have been proposed along the lines, along with a call for client-centered and outcome-oriented services. If a family-centered approach to service delivery is to be implemented, part of that approach involves empowering clients.
