This paper is a case study of the stresses and psychological impact of the unexpectedly sudden closing of a foster care agency, an extreme example of crisis management. In this case, the manager used the opportunity to prepare her staff for a future outside the agency, her clients for the new caregiving situation they would soon face, and herself for her own uncertain future. She accomplished this with little help or information from her superiors, an information vacuum that made her job much more difficult. From this painful and demanding situation, she managed to produce some positive results.
Marsha is the director of a small foster care agency, supervising a staff of five. Lisa, the senior staff member, is the survivor of two previous managers. She respects Marsha's ability as a manager and prefers the hands-on experience of casework to administrative challenges. While Diane, the next caseworker, is moderately effective in working with clients, she is short-tempered with other staff members and sloppy in her recordskeeping. Marsha has wanted to fire her but has been unable to do so because she suspects the administration would have used the opportunity to eliminate Diane's position altogether.
Christine joined the staff shortly after Diane. She has been a social worker for more than 15 years, and, although she was quite competent when she began with the agency, Marsha suspects that Christine is suffering from burnout. Beth is the newest caseworker on staff, having been hired just seven months earlier to fill a vacancy when another staff member left to have a baby. This is her first full-time job as a social worker, and she has proved to be eager and enthusiastic. Also on staff is Grace, the office supervisor. Grace first opened and read the memo to the staff that was the first official notice that the city was closing the agency in December. She was understandably upset and showed the memo to each staff memb...