Posted: March 12th, 2023

Informational Policy Interview

only has to be two pages I attached the interview I did with my intern supervisor. Question have already been asked.

Informational Interview Assignment

Informational Interview with Policy Analyst Assignment    Students will interview someone at their field practicum site who is responsible for policy development and/or analysis using the questions below. The written summary should be no more than 2 pages (not including the cover page). Students should include the name and title of the individual they interviewed and the agency name in their summary of the interview. This assignment will be due towards the end of the semester.  Required Questions

1. Can you explain what your roles and responsibilities are? How did you begin working on policy matters? 
2. How are policies developed at this agency? What steps are involved?
3. How are existing policies analyzed? Are there specific policy analysis models that are used?
4. What key federal and state laws inform agency policies?

Optional Questions 

1. What types of situations would warrant a modification to a policy?
2. What are some facilitators to your policy work? What are some barriers? 
3. How is the agency funded?
4. How do the agency’s funding sources inform agency policies?
5. How is the agency involved in policy advocacy at the local, state, or federal level on behalf of their consumers?
6. Are there local organizations that the agency collaborates with to advocate for local, state, or federal policies that support the well-being of their consumers? If so, please explain.
7. What roles do (or could) agency social workers play in policy development and analysis?
8. How has research and evaluation been used to inform your policy work?

Is there anything else that you can share to help me to understand the importance of policy work at your agency? 

Required Questions

1. Can you explain what your roles and responsibilities are? How did you begin working
on policy matters?

Jenn: Im a macro social worker. Instead of clinical groups, I work with the suicide hotline.
All have funding that comes from federal, state, or county sources. Based on different policies,
the majority of the Mental Services Act (google it) takes millionaire taxes and is used to fund
suicide prevention in the state of California.

I started working on policy matters by taking a larger role. In 2020 I was on the board of
directors (serving a 3-year term) I am also a Moreno valley library commissioner. My agenda is
to get mental health services in the library services and develop macro social work and policy in
multiple avenues. I’ve been a Crisis line supervisor for 5 years, and I am also serving as a chair
in the County suicide prevention committee. I’m leveraging more opportunities for the suicide
hotline.
2. How are policies developed at this agency? What steps are involved?

We have a number of accreditation bodies. Defined by our funders, they stipulate how
we use our funding. They define our policies and procedures.

We are required to have an annual competency. Every year they make sure we are
following their requirements. We are required to have our interns work with the department of
justice and be live scanned and fingerprinted. ASIST must be taken. The County will define
what needs to be done and it’s written in the contract. 211 is funded by AIRS and accredited by
the American Association of Suicidology. They also have their requirements for suicide hotlines.
2 of our accreditation bodies and guidelines Mental Services Act pay for a strategic plan.
Riverside county’s strategic plan has stipulations on how we run the program.

3. How are existing policies analyzed? Are there specific policy analysis models that are
used?

Each year a contract will be renewed where we will get funds from the government.
These funds come with stipulations. anything in those contracts, policies change based. The
mental health services act requires interns to have cultural competence classes and
trauma-informed policy. Being responsive to accreditations. We were in the process of going
partially remote. When the 2020 pandemic happened we went remote immediately. Go through
reaccreditation every 3 years. They provide us with a manual with what they are going to be
looking for. Conduct a self-audit to prepare for them. Provide 6 ASIST classes each year. They
look through evaluations and feedback from these classes. Test calls are conducted.

4. What key federal and state laws inform agency policies?
Mental Health Services Act. County suicide prevention Strategic plan. Terasoft ruling

(Homicide duty to warn). Mandated reporting laws.

Optional Questions

1. What types of situations would warrant a modification to a policy?

Change from the accreditation body. Change in one of the county contracts. The county
contract just asked us to add ourselves as the public point of contact for the mobile crisis unit.
We developed a way to make the mobile crisis available. Client needs (For example we needed
to meet quarantine needs to meet the needs of the community).

2. What are some facilitators to your policy work? What are some barriers?
Barrier: Being in inland southern California. Some of the large contracts have been going

to los angeles and san diego instead of us. Large federal programs will go to them.
A lot of big giant suicide prevention donors but many are based in Los Angeles and they

are targeted towards LA instead of San Bernardino County.
Some of our stakeholders don’t want to get involved because of the stigma of suicide.

The space we work in can be challenging for some people

She said the following were repetitive:
3. How is the agency funded?
4. How do the agency’s funding sources inform agency policies?
5. How is the agency involved in policy advocacy at the local, state, or federal level on behalf of
its consumers?
6. Are there local organizations that the agency collaborates with to advocate for local, state, or
federal policies that support the well-being of their consumers? If so, please explain.
7. What roles do (or could) agency social workers play in policy development and analysis?
8. How has research and evaluation been used to inform your policy work?

9. Is there anything else that you can share to help me to understand the importance of
policy work at your agency?

A lot of our peers are working in micro work and they are meeting with clients and
agencies. The agency launched 988. 988 required that there be somewhere to meet and
someone to respond. Very similar to paramedics. In the1970s 911 was required to be made
because they needed the public to have a place to call so that a medic could respond to their
medical emergencies. I think that it is important that we build an infrastructure that is not existing
yet. Its important in developing crisis mobile. I’m in constant meetings to build this response
unit. It takes a lot of people and activity to cover a population as big as ours.