Statewide Conference Illuminates the Human Narrative Hidden within Data
Nearly 300 participants from 45 counties and one tribe gathered in Sacramento to discuss how continuous quality improvement practices are instrumental in advancing child welfare and probation services.
From March 26-28, 2024, the Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services hosted hundreds of child welfare and probation professionals for the CQI Statewide Conference for Child Welfare and Probation in Sacramento. Sponsored by the California Department of Social Services, the annual in-person event explored how we can use continuous quality improvement (CQI) systems to paint a holistic picture of the people that these programs are designed to serve.
The conference brought social workers, probation officers, case reviewers, county agency leadership, CQI staff and analysts together to discuss the theme of this year’s event, Using Data to Improve: CQI as a Proactive Expression of Values. This was the first year the event was hosted outside the UC Davis campus, which allowed for a record-breaking 295 attendees from 45 counties across California, as well as from the Yurok tribe.
Keynote speakers Lindsay Boyd, Anita Barbee, Vanessa V. Klodnick, Barry E. Knight, Scott Modell and Kelly Knutson explored the many facets of CQI, drawing on both their industry experiences and their lived experiences. One participant noted the comprehensive nature of the presentations, pointing out that the conference emphasized “how CQI can be embedded in the organization, and not just be used as a tool within the agency.”
In addition to the keynote presentations, the conference offered 21 workshops in 4 tracks on topics including Developing Preventative Interventions in Partnership with Community, Safety Science as a CQI Strategy, Using Geographic Data to Explore the community Context for Racial Disparities and several probation-focused workshops, including the Pathway for a Dually Involved Youth Initiative.
Barry E. Knight kicked off the event with his presentation, “Hello, my name is___." – Unveiling the Faces and Stories Behind the Numbers, which encouraged participants to improve the quality of CQI by perceiving data as human stories and fostering a deeper understanding of the people they lead and serve.
“This session put to words some of the frustrations I've had,” one participant said of Knight's keynote. “It provided strategies for how we can change the culture in our organization and realign it to express our values to the fullest extent.”
“This was a great presentation and reminder that we are a team of humans working together towards noble goals," shared a participant following Scott Modell and Kelly Knutson’s presentation, Safety Science: Moving Away from Blame toward a Learning Culture, "and that we need to build each other up, not tear each other down, when things go wrong.” The presentation touched on the dangers of reactionary approaches to critical incidents, instead advocating for contemporary safety science approaches.
In Lindsay Boyd's presentation, Collaborative Progress: Advancing Probation Services and Human Services Collaboration Through CQI to Improve Outcomes for the Joint Youth in Our Care, she shared her experience as a former probation officer, and highlighted the profound and transformational impact that bridging collaboration gaps between probation officers and human services professionals can have on youth served by both programs.
Anita Barbee’s presentation How Both Values and Data Can Help Leaders Navigate Organizational Change in the Face of Workforce Challenges, and Vanessa V. Klodnick’s presentation Empathy, Alignment & Empowerment: The Secrets behind Effective CQI, both touched on strategies that organizations can use to navigate changing workforce dynamics. Barbee addressed the sociopolitical issues that affect the youth that now dominate the workforce and offered ways for leaders to equip their organizations to ensure better workforce outcomes, while Klodnick shared strategies to confront the complex emotions and power differentials that can affect an organization’s CQI vision.
After the event, a participant shared their takeaway from the speakers.
“I learned that CQI is not just about the numbers and case review data," they said, "but [also] how that information can be used to improve practices and the outcomes of children and families. Everyone is a part of CQI."
The Northern Academy at UC Davis Human Services would like to express our deep gratitude to all the planning committees, CDSS partners, Casey Family Programs, speakers, participants and staff who made the 2024 CQI Statewide Conference for Child Welfare and Probation a resounding success. Their commitment to compassionate and collaborative learning has left a profound impact on every participant.