Department of Civil Service

Description:

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS), promotes quality child welfare services and good case practice along with services to children, youth, and families in the New York City region. This is done through partnerships, oversight, monitoring, supervision, technical assistance, and resources in order to expeditiously advance positive changes in the lives of children and families.
The field placement site is in the NYC Regional Office (NYCRO), Prevention, Program Assessment, and Improvement unit (PPAI).
Duties:
(a) Developing a deeper understanding of the policy analyst's role and function. The importance of how policies are developed for legislation, developed from legislation, drafted/prepared for implementation, including the impact of policies at the community, social and economic, organizational, and personal/familial levels. Skills were enhanced to identify legislation relevant to child welfare as well as the policies that affect program and procedure change.
(b) Developing an understanding of the importance of adherence to statutory standards and mandates, including how to ably monitor policy sustainability through ongoing reassessment/amendment/suspension of existing policies and practice principles.
(c) Building ongoing practical experience to develop knowledge regarding networking and the importance of communication with stakeholders.
(d) Strengthening platform skills.
(e) Developing reliable and valid tools to measure fidelity of organizational policy and practice.
(f) Utilizing available resources to enhance practical knowledge of program development from a global perspective as compared to individual approaches.
(g) Ongoing review of the standards that contribute to successful policy implementation, programmatic operations, growth, and sustainability.
(h) Understanding how an organization's internal and external policies are designed. And, how to prioritize an organization's mission/policies/procedures while retaining the balance for administrative, supervisory, and front-line staff.
(i) Developing time and task management skills.
(j) Gaining global perspectives on how best to measure and analyze child welfare policy vs. practice.
(k) Developing and strengthening critical assessment and analytical skills.

Skills:

Writing and Verbal Skills

Time & Task Management Skills

Critical Assessment & Analytical Skills

Interpersonal Relationship Skills

Professional Ethics

Internship Areas: Planning/Analysis/Research, Policy Enforcement, Public Policy