FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Since 1991, the University of Arkansas social work program has generated more than $13 million for their collaborative efforts to improve public human services throughout the state. This year, a $3.99 million welfare reform contract with the Arkansas Department of Human Services raises that total to $17 million.

According to Joe Schriver, director of the social work program, these funds will be used to support an academic partnership between nine Arkansas universities — including University of Arkansas system members in Fayetteville, Pine Bluff, Monticello and Little Rock, as well as Arkansas State University, Harding University, Arkansas Tech University, Philander Smith College and Southern Arkansas University.

"We have granted this contract to a university system because of the wide resources they can provide in terms of knowledge, skills and statewide coverage," said Ruth Whitney, director of the Division of County Operations of the Arkansas Department of Human Services. "Their ability to produce individuals who meet the mark for educational excellence will be a great benefit to the welfare reform process."

The public welfare system provides support and services to more than 12,000 families across the state. In 1997, Arkansas passed a welfare reform act that shifted the responsibilities of its 450 case managers. Previously, welfare agents monitored policy and processed forms. With the new legislation, they became directly involved with welfare recipients — evaluating each person’s skills and preparing that person for employment.

"Case managers are now expected to provide a much more systemic approach to people’s strengths and problems in order to get them off the rolls and into sustainable employment," said Schriver. "They now need professional skills as opposed to the technical skills they used in the past."

Such a shift requires a comprehensive re-training of case managers across the state of Arkansas. To facilitate this statewide effort, consultants from each university in the academic partnership will work with their local welfare agencies. The U of A - Fayetteville will not only serve case managers in Northwest Arkansas but will work with specific agencies across the state that most need training and resources.

According to Bev Steimla, UA administrator of the academic partnership, training for welfare case managers and supervisors will occur in three stages - skill assessment, case review and the implementation of a professional development plan that is unique for every agent.

"The philosophy of this program is not to go in there as instructors, finger-pointing about what the case managers do wrong," said Steimla. "We are taking it from a strengths perspective. We believe they know a lot. There are just certain areas in which we can provide support and resources for them."

The case consultation project will not only improve the quality of services offered to Arkansas families and change the administration of public welfare. It will also change the way that scholars work together, the way that universities serve the community and the way that students learn about social programs and services.

The unique nature of the academic partnership explains why the Department of Human Services chose to grant this competitive contract to a university system, said Schriver.

"Usually, when an opportunity like this arises, universities compete against each other rather than collaborating. That results in a very localized impact or at best, an ineffective statewide coverage because no single institution can manage such a geographically large project," he explained.

In addition to reaching out to other universities, the consultation program reaches out to the larger community —fulfilling the U of A’s commitment to service as Arkansas’ primary land grant institution.

Not only will the program create up to 70 professional jobs for Arkansas residents, but it will impact the lives of people who may normally have little contact with the University, said Steimla.

"This is about higher education changing the way it meets the needs of the constituency it serves," Schriver added.

That constituency includes social work students. Not only does the contract provide funding for research, technology and salaries, it also includes financial support for student internships - enabling University students to work alongside faculty and professional social workers in practical, real-world situations.

Students at the U of A - Fayetteville must complete a minimum of 400 hours of fieldwork before they can graduate with a social work degree. Therefore, both Schriver and Steimla see the case consultation contract as a program of tremendous educational benefit.

"In terms of social work education, this is the next wave," said Schriver. "It is not taking education away from the classroom but taking it beyond the classroom - placing it in local communities and making it relevant."

The collaborative and service-oriented nature of this project places the University of Arkansas and its academic partners on the cutting edge of a national trend to make social work education practical and integrative.

"It’s unusual that nine four-year institutions and a division of the Department of Human Services would collaborate on something as long-term and far-reaching as this project," said Steimla. "Not only is this partnership benefiting the state, it’s acting as a model for social work programs across the nation."

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ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIP CONTACTS:

University of Arkansas - Pine Bluff
Andrea Stewart, (870)543-8173 stewart_a@vx4500.uapb.edu

University of Arkansas - Monticello
John Short, (501)460-1047

University of Arkansas - Little Rock
Howard Turney, (501)569-3240 hmturney@ualr.edu

Arkansas State University
Pat Freudiger, (501)972-3705 patfreud@toltec.astate.edu

Harding University
Terry Smith, (501)279-4561 tsmith@harding.edu

Arkansas Tech University
Marti Wilkerson, (501)968-0283 bsmw@atuvm.atu.edu

Philander Smith College
James Ayers, (501)370-5259

Southern Arkansas University
Tommy Milford, (501)235-4208 tmmilford@saumag.edu