This document is an agency readiness assessment for implementing a new treatment foster care model called Together Facing the Challenge (TFTC). It consists of a series of statements that agency personnel are asked to rate on a scale to assess their agreement level. It also includes some short answer questions. The purpose of the assessment is to validate intuitions about an agency's readiness for change, facilitate discussion, solicit honest staff feedback, share results, and confirm readiness to implement TFTC. It aims to evaluate current practices and develop a clear implementation plan.

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Agency Readiness Assessment
Thank you for your interest in implementing Together Facing the Challenge (TFTC) within your agency.
As we begin the process we will assess your agency’s ability and level of commitment to effectively
implement TFTC in your treatment foster care program. This questionnaire is a tool for agency
personnel to review present practice. The “up-front” thought invested in assessing current program
practices will be time well spent! This period of reflection will give your agency the opportunity to
evaluate your system as a whole, and to effectively develop a clear plan for enhancing the services you
provide to the youth and families served within your treatment foster care program. The purpose of
this assessment is to:
 Validate intuitions and feelings about how ready your agency is for making this change
 Facilitate discussion with leadership team and agency staff
 Solicit reviews from staff and ask for honest answers while protecting confidentiality
 Share results with agency staff, such as implementation and potential transition steps
 Confirm that agency is ready to implement the Together Facing the Challenge treatment
foster care model
This first part of the assessment consists of generalized questions that follow a rating scale of:
1=Strongly Disagree,
2=Disagree,
3=Neutral,
4=Agree,
5=Strongly Agree.
Score the rating in the box to the right of statement. Some questions also have an open-ended
response capacity calling for detailed answers.

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Readiness Assessment Scale
1=Strongly Disagree, 2=Disagree, 3=Neutral, 4=Agree, 5=Strongly Agree
1 Administrative leadership and staff are committed toward agency change.
2 Changes are communicated on a consistent basis within the agency.
3 The agency uses multiple communication methods to keep staff informed
of organizational changes.
List methods:
4 Agency personnel work together as a team.
5 Techniques are in place to identify gaps in effective communication.
6 Activities are in place to help support a healthy work environment.
List activities/supports:
7 Incentives are in place to reinforce agency staff and treatment foster
parents that are doing great work.
List incentives:

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8 Effective strategies are implemented to address staff and treatment foster
parent turnover.
List strategies:
9 Job responsibilities of direct care staff are well defined.
10 Treatment foster parents receive consistent and effective feedback
regarding their parenting skills.
11 There is opportunity for direct care staff to take leadership roles.
12 There is an established team that addresses changes within the agency.
14 Feedback is consistently used to determine how change is being adopted
by agency staff.
15 Agency is flexible during periods of change.
16 Agency provides opportunity for on-going staff training.
17 Training is developed and scheduled proactively, based on the needs of
the treatment foster parents and agency staff.
Short Answer Questions
1. What infra-structure does your agency currently have in place to support and
maintain stability during periods of change?
2. What strategies will the agency implement to sustain Together Facing the
Challenge over time?

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3. What does your agency hope to gain by adopting Together Facing the
Challenge?
4. What types of changes are addressed within the agency?
5. How does your agency track progress?
6. What on-going trainings are provided for staff and treatment foster parents?
7. What training is required of new direct care staff?