PENNSYLVANIA CHILD WELFARECompetency-Based Training and Certification Program

A N N U A L R E P O R T F O R F I S C A L Y E A R 2 0 0 2 / 2 0 0 3

That children link us with the future is hardly news…

When we participate in the growth of children,

a sense of wonder must take hold of us,

providing for us a sense of future.

≈ Greta Hofmann Nemiroff ≈

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TRAINING PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Competency-Based Training and Certification Program (Training Program) is acollaborative effort of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, University of Pittsburgh, School of SocialWork, and the Pennsylvania Children and Youth Administrators. It was established to train direct service workers,supervisors, administrators, and foster parents in providing social services to abused and neglected children andtheir families. The Training Program is centrally managed by the University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work andregionally administered through county-based regional training centers. The Child Welfare Training SteeringCommittee provides ongoing planning for the Training Program. This committee is a democratic body composed ofrepresentatives involved in the implementation of the Training Program. The purpose of the Training SteeringCommittee is to provide the structure and process for setting the direction and planning of the Training Program.

PENNSYLVANIA CHILD WELFARE Competency-Based Training and Certification Program

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OUR VISION

The Vision of the Training Program is safety, permanence, and well-being for children & youth, families,

and communities, supported by the work of competent, committed, and confident professionals.

OUR MISSION

The Mission of the Training Program is to train those working in the Child Welfare system and to support

those working with us to help families and communities to safely parent children and youth.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

The Training Program is guided by these beliefs, values, and principles; and strives to demonstrate them

in practice:

✦ Each person and family has strengths and resources, which should be maximized in our work

with them. We respect each person’s connections to their families and communities.

✦ All people deserve respect as individuals and are valued as part of the human family. Each

person’s unique blend of culture is valued and included in our work.

✦ The people who do the work in our communities to assure the safety and well-being of children,

youth, and families demonstrate their status as professionals and deserve to be respected and

paid at a professional level.

✦ Our learners are adults who need learning opportunities that are solution-focused, timed to their

needs, built on their life experiences, and mesh with their self-concept. (Malcolm Knowles)

✦ The PA Child Welfare Practice Standards inform our work, including the development of

curricula, the presenting of training, and the transfer of learning into practice in order to achieve

mission-critical outcomes.

✦ We are committed to using practitioners throughout the training process, including curriculum

development and review, and in training.

✦ We value all team members, including our trainers, and recognize their contributions to the

history and future success of the Training Program.

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OUR LEADERSHIP

The Training Steering Committee provides leadershipin setting the direction and planning of the TrainingProgram. The Training Steering Committee membersrepresent the key stakeholders of the TrainingProgram and represent the diversity of thePennsylvania Child Welfare system. Membership iscomprised of the following roles:

✦ Representatives from the Office of Children,Youth, and Families/Department of PublicWelfare

✦ University of Pittsburgh, School of Social Work

✦ Central Management Organization ExecutiveDirector

✦ Host-County Administrators for the sevencounty-based regional training centers

✦ Non-Host County Administrators as appointedby the Pennsylvania Children and YouthAdministrators Association

✦ RTC Directors

✦ Consumers of the Training Program

✦ Representative from the Pennsylvania PrivateProviders

✦ Cross-system representatives participate inTraining Steering Committee meetings basedon projects of the Training System.

The Training Steering Committee is co-chaired by theOffice of Children, Youth, and Families, andPennsylvania Children and Youth AdministratorsAssociation. The Training Program’s CentralManagement Organization provides technicalassistance to the co-chairs as needed.

OUR SKILLS-BASED APPROACH TO CHILDWELFARE PRACTICE

During Fiscal Year 2002/2003 the Training Programcontinued to focus on the development and deliveryof skills-based training that supports the PennsylvaniaChild Welfare system in achieving positive outcomemeasures for children and families as defined by theChild and Family Services Review in child safety,permanence, and well-being.

The Training Program, in collaboration with its keystakeholders, previously identified the skills ofassessment, interviewing, and case documentation ascritical to the helping process. The Training Programmoved forward in its efforts to develop and delivercurricula that would support workers in developingthese key skills. After contacting the baccalaureateschools of social work in Pennsylvania in 2001 toobtain information on the framework for practicetaught to bachelor of social work students, theTraining Program adopted the interactional helpingskills and solution-focused interviewing as theframework for practice in which all curricula would beanchored.

Interactional Helping Skills

The interactional theory was originally developed byWilliam Schwartz. Dr. Lawrence Shulman, basingmuch of his work on Schwartz, further developed thediscrete skills utilized in the Interactional HelpingSkills Model. The model was first introduced in themid 1970’s and has been consistently modified by Dr.Shulman since that time. At the core of Dr. Shulman’stheory is a model of a helping process in which theskills of the helping professional assist in creating apositive working relationship with families. Therelationship that is formed becomes the mediumthrough which the helping professional influences theoutcomes of practice with families. The modelidentifies four phases in the helping process. Thephases identified by Dr. Shulman parallel the phasesof the casework process: prepatory phase or the workdone prior to engaging the family, contracting phaseor clarifying your purpose and role in developing afamily service plan, work phase or accomplishing thetasks of the family service plan, and the transitioningphase or preparing to adopt or close the case with thefamily. The Training Program has selected 14 of theinteractional skills to teach to child welfareprofessionals. The skills are first presented to childwelfare professionals in core training. During coretraining, child welfare professionals learn how toapply the skills in their work with families andchildren. During specialized trainings, child welfareprofessionals continue to practice the application ofthe interactional helping skills learning how to applythe skills in the complex situations that face the

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families and children served by the child welfaresystem. The skills include:

✦ Tuning into self

✦ Tuning into others

✦ Focused listening

✦ Identifying other’s feelings

✦ Tuning into the environment

✦ Tuning into the authority theme

✦ Clarifying purpose and role

✦ Reaching for feedback

✦ Questioning

✦ Using strengths to offset risks

✦ Reaching inside of silences

✦ Displaying understanding of other’s feelings

✦ Summarizing

✦ Identifying next steps

Solution-Focused Interviewing and Strength

Focused Practices

The Solution-focused approach was pioneeredthrough the work of Steve de Shazer and Insoo KimBerg. Beginning in the mid-1970s, de Shazer and Bergand their colleagues, through an inductive process ofobserving clients in therapy, sought to determine whatactivities were most helpful to clients. In 1982, deShazer hit upon the idea that there is not a necessaryconnection between problem and solution - asignificant shift from the medical model whichrequires that connection. Influenced by research incommunication by others, and their own research,they developed the Solution-focused Model. Insolution-focused intervention, the child welfareprofessional is guided by the following principles:

✦ The client is the expert about his or her life.

✦ To be helpful, the professional must facilitatethe process of empowering the client to buildsolutions.

✦ Solutions are individual and may emergewithout a necessary connection to a specificrelated problem.

✦ Understanding the direction that the clientwants to go and the strengths that may supportthat direction replaces a lengthy formal,standardized assessment.

✦ The “problem” does not exist apart from theclient as a whole person in context.

✦ The job of the professional is to help the clientdevelop well-formed goals and solutions basedupon exceptions to the “problem” situation.

During the core training, child welfare professionalslearn how to conduct solution-focused interviews withfamilies and children.

OUR TRAINING PROGRAM STRUCTURE

In 2002/2003 the Training Program, inclusive of theCentral Management Organization (CMO) and theRegional Training Centers (RTC), continued to focuson developing a program structure that would bestsupport the transfer of learning and skills-basedtraining initiatives that were launched in 2001/2002.The Training Program staff assessed the transfer oflearning and skills-based training initiatives to identifywhat components of these initiatives should becomeincorporated into the on-going operations of theTraining Program. A decision was made to supporttransfer of learning efforts in both initial core trainingand specialized and related training. In addition, thedecision was made to review and revise all curricula toinclude skills building components. These decisionswill assist in supporting the initial professionaldevelopment of child welfare workers and supporttheir on-going career development. Reorganization atthe CMO took place to support the commitment totransfer of learning and skill development. The ChildWelfare Professional Development Department wasformed to focus on the development and delivery ofcore training for casework staff, supervisors, andadministrators. The department’s focus is to deliverskills-based training to newly employed staff and toprovide transfer of learning support on the job thatwill assist in the initial skill development. The goal ofthe department is to assist individuals in developingas child welfare professionals. The Child WelfareCareer Department focuses on the development ofspecialized training that will promote the on-goingcareer development of child welfare professionals in

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Pennsylvania. The goal of the department is todevelop training that would promote advanced skilldevelopment. The Child Welfare OrganizationalDevelopment Department was formed to provide theRTCs with the support needed from the CMO in thedevelopment and delivery of training plans that assistagencies in achieving the outcomes of safety,permanence, and well-being for children and theirfamilies. The Training Program also began to workwith the Department of Public Welfare and theChildren and Youth Administrators Association on thecreation of the Center for Excellence. The Center forExcellence will focus on supporting the practiceimprovement efforts occurring in Pennsylvania as aresult of the Child and Family Services Review andthe development and implementation of the ProgramImprovement Plan. The Management InformationSystems and Office Management Departmentsremained within the structure of the Training Programto support curriculum development, training delivery,and transfer of learning efforts. A Training Programorganizational chart is provided in the appendix.

OUR TRAINING PROGRAM: LOOKING BACK ON2002/2003

During 2002/2003, the Training Program (inclusive ofCMO and RTCs) continued work in the following keyareas of responsibility as outlined in the strategic plan:

✦ Training Needs Assessment

✦ Develop and Revise Training Materials andTools

✦ Recruit, Develop, Approve, and EvaluateTrainers

✦ Communication, Collaboration, and QualityAssurance with Key Stakeholders

✦ Databases, Data Collection, Data Reporting,and Web-site Development

✦ Certification

The following is a summary of work completed in eachof the key areas of responsibility.

TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT

A training needs assessment instrument is utilized bythe Training Program to assess the individual trainingneeds of staff. The instrument currently used by theTraining Program is referred to as the IndividualTraining Needs Assessment (ITNA). The ITNA is alisting of competencies required by child welfare staff.

In 2002/2003, the Training Program consulted withthe Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) to assistwith a revision to the ITNA. The Training Programcompleted work on the development of a trainingneeds assessment that supports the identification ofindividual training needs specific to the outcomemeasures the agency is attempting to achieve. AQuality Assurance Committee (QUAC) will be formedin November of 2003 to review the instrument. Theinstrument will be piloted, followed by statewideimplementation in 2004.

The Training Program, in conjunction with county,state, program, and private provider representatives,also developed computer-related competencies toassess the training related to the computer skillsneeded by child welfare professionals. Thesecompetencies will be included in the newly revisedtraining needs assessment.

While the new ITNA was being developed, RTCsworked with counties to ensure ITNAs werecompleted with staff. The RTCs completed the annualdistribution of the ITNA to counties within theirregion, monitored the return of the ITNA, submittedthe ITNA to the CMO for data entry, and utilized datacollected in the development of training plans for theregion.

DEVELOP AND REVISE TRAINING MATERIALS ANDTOOLS

Curriculum for the Training Program is divided intothree categories; foundation (core), specialized, andcomputer skills. All workshops are developed andevaluated according to guidelines consistent withtraining needed for Social Work licensure. The CMOstaff ensures workshop content is consistent withcurrent research and relevant to practice through theimplementation of a quality assurance process.Curriculum content reflects Pennsylvania specific

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material, is based on current research, promotes theimplementation of the Pennsylvania Standards forChild Welfare Practice, and supports caseworkpractice that promotes safety, permanence, and well-being for children and their families. Curriculafocusing on skill development and permanency issuesalso support Pennsylvania in the implementation ofthe Program Improvement Plan.

Foundation Skills Training

Foundation (core) skills training is provided in thefollowing three distinct levels:

✦ Caseworker core skills training

✦ Supervisor core skills training

✦ Administrator core skills training

Caseworker core skills training

In 2002/2003, the Training Program, in consultationwith the American Humane Association, developed anew caseworker core skills training, “Charting theCourse Toward Permanency: A skills-based approachto working with children and their families.” Thecurriculum was written to assist with the initial skilldevelopment of newly hired child welfareprofessionals. The curriculum introduces caseworkersto the interactional helping skills and solution-focusedinterviewing models. During the training, caseworkerspractice applying the interactional helping skills to thevarious phases of the casework process with families.The following key components have been included inthe curriculum:

✦ Skills-Based Practice that provides traineeswith the skills to link risk, safety, and familyassessment to case planning outcomes andactivities

✦ Knowledge and skills that focus on timelypermanence in the least restrictive setting withfrequent visitation for all cases

✦ Pennsylvania Practice Standards

✦ Strengths Based Practice that empowersindividuals to be active participants in serviceplanning

✦ Embedded evaluations to insure skillsdevelopment in assessment, family engagementthrough interviewing, and case documentation

✦ Transfer of learning activities and personalizedindividual support at the work place via on-sitevisit by Transfer of Learning Specialist toensure transfer of knowledge and skills fromthe classroom to the agency setting

Currently the writing of the curriculum has beencompleted. The second pilot of the curriculum isscheduled to occur October 2003 through February2004; the third pilot will be held in January 2004 toFebruary 2004; and the fourth pilot will be heldFebruary 2004 to June 2004. It is anticipated that thestate-wide roll-out of the curriculum will start in July2004. A Core Training QUAC has provided input forthe development of the curriculum. A supervisoryoverlay to the curriculum has also been developed toensure supervisors are aware of the content of thenew curriculum. A Supervisory Overlay QUACprovided recommendations for the development ofthe Supervisory Overlay Curriculum. It is anticipatedthat the curriculum will be piloted in October 2004.

Supervisor core skills training

In 2002/2003, the Supervisory Training AdvisoryGroup (STAG) met to review the foundation levelsupervisory training, “Supervisory Training Series”.The STAG provided critical feedback andrecommendations regarding revisions to the existingSupervisory Training Series. The following are theproposed revisions for the curriculum:

✦ Focus on Skills-Based Practice

✦ Ability to support staff development of theskills needed to link risk, safety, and familyassessment to case planning outcomes andactivities

✦ Ability to support staff development of theknowledge and skills necessary to focus ontimely permanence in the least restrictivesetting with frequent visitation for all cases

✦ Ability to support strengths-based practice thatempowers individuals to be active participantsin service planning

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✦ Embedded evaluations to ensure skillsdevelopment

✦ Supports Pennsylvania Practice Standards

✦ Transfer of learning activities and personalizedindividual support at the work place via visit byTransfer of Learning Specialist to ensuretransfer of knowledge and skills from theclassroom to the agency setting

The curriculum is currently being revised. Theproposed completion of the first draft of the revisedcurriculum is January 2004. It is anticipated the firstpilot of the curriculum will be July 2004.

Administrator core skills training

In 2002/2003, the Training Program formed theLeadership Development Academy QUAC. The QUACprovided recommendations that will guide the writingof the Leadership Development Academy curriculum.The proposed content for the curriculum includes:

✦ Defining a vision and mission for your agency

✦ Purpose/expectations of agency staff and theroles and functions staff members need toperform

✦ How we see ourselves reaching the vision…getting to the desired future state

✦ How to identify what mission activities arecritical in the work place

✦ How to identify the means and resourcesneeded to achieve the mission

✦ How to obtain “buy-in” from key stakeholders

✦ How to obtain agency commitment

✦ Characteristics of Leadership

✦ Strategic Planning – (the Needs-Based Budgetand Planning process and using data forplanning)

✦ Personnel (staffing the agency and motivatingstaff to achieve mission critical activities)

As part of the new curriculum, a mentor program willalso be developed to support newly hired childwelfare administrators in their new role.

The curriculum is currently being developed.Proposed completion of the core outline is January2004. It is anticipated the first pilot will be held in thespring of 2004.

Specialized Training

The Training Program developed and implementedthe following new curricula:

✦ Supervisory Issues in Substance Abuse Cases

✦ Working with Adolescents

✦ Overview of Mental Health Disorders inChildren and Adolescents

✦ Anxiety and Related Disorders in Children andAdolescents

✦ Schizophrenia in Children and Adolescents

✦ Intake and Investigation

✦ Drug and Alcohol Relapse and Recovery

✦ Adult Psychopathology: An Overview Part 1

✦ Adult Psychopathology: An Overview Part 2

✦ Adult Psychopathology: Schizophrenia Disorder

✦ Adult Psychopathology: Depression Disorder

✦ Adult Psychopathology: Anxiety Disorders

✦ Adult Psychopathology: Bi-polar Disorder

✦ Truancy Prevention Education

✦ Depression and Suicide in Children andAdolescents

✦ Delinquency, Substance Abuse, and EarlySexual Activity in Children and Adolescents

✦ Attention and Activity Disorder in Children andAdolescents

✦ Reactive Attachment Disorder in Children andAdolescents

✦ Parenting Styles: A Cross Cultural Perspective

✦ The Pennsylvania Model: A Guide toIndependent Living

✦ Working with Schools

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The process for developing and implementing thecurricula included a review of the literature and bestpractice, surveys of child welfare professionals, andQuality Assurance Committees.

In addition, the following foster parent curricula weredeveloped:

✦ Parenting the Child Who has been Abused

✦ Practical Parenting for School-age Children (6-11 Years)

✦ Practical Parenting for Adolescents (12-17Years)

✦ The Effects of Abuse and Neglect on Infant andToddler Development

✦ Child Development: Preschool Years

✦ Child Development: School-age Children

✦ Child Development: Adolescent Years

✦ Foster Parenting and Child Development

The Training Program also consulted with the CWLAto conduct a review of all curricula. The reviewincluded the completion of a crosswalk of all curriculato the outcome measures of safety, permanence andwell-being, and the Pennsylvania Child WelfarePractice Standards. The review also commented onthe extent to which the curriculum promoted skilldevelopment in the areas of assessment, interviewing,and case documentation. The results of the reviewwill be used by the Training Program to makerevisions to the curricula ensuring the curriculasupport skill development of casework staff andpromotes the outcomes of safety, permanence, andwell being.

Computer Skills Training

In 2002/2003, the Training Program developed andimplemented the following computer skills training:

✦ MS Office 2000

✦ MS Office XP

✦ Adobe Reader 5.0 (PDF)

✦ Mail Merge

✦ Computer Fundamentals and File Management.

RECRUIT, DEVELOP, APPROVE, AND EVALUATETRAINERS

The Training Program uses a workshop model formost of its training. Trainers have thoroughknowledge of Pennsylvania Child Welfare practice, thePennsylvania Standards for Child Welfare

Practice, and the outcome measures from the Childand Family Services Review in the area of safety,permanence, and well-being. Trainers are alsoexperienced with well-developed presentation andgroup process skills. All applicants go through ascreening, interview, and assessment processaccording to Program standards. Trainer applicantscomplete the Training Program’s screening/application/approval process according to TrainingProgram guidelines. The participants for eachworkshop evaluate the trainer’s performance utilizingthe Training Program’s workshop evaluation form.Staff from the Training Program conduct bi-annualobservations and evaluations on all trainers in order toensure quality. If performance ratings fall belowTraining Program standards, technical assistance isprovided to the trainer to improve performanceaccording to Training Program policy. Technicalassistance is also provided to further develop atrainer’s skills.

In 2002/2003, the Training Program conducted fiveDevelopment of Trainers (DOT) sessions. The DOTprovides new trainers with an understanding of adultlearning theory and its importance to the delivery oftraining and supports the development of platformskills in new trainers. The DOT sessions conductedincluded two sessions in which participants were fromacross the state, one session in which participantswere trainers of private provider agencies and twosessions in which participants were selected by thePhiladelphia Department of Human Services in orderto support training efforts being conducted inPhiladelphia as a result of the Child and FamilyServices Review. A total of 50 new contractedtrainers were brought into the Training Program.Currently the Training Program has 267 contractedtrainers.

The Training Program completed twenty-one trainerobservations and seven technical assistancesthroughout the year.

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Fourteen Training on Content (TOC) sessions wereconducted for the newly developed curricula (topicspreviously mention) in order to approve trainers totrain the curricula.

COORDINATE, DELIVER, AND MARKET TRAINING EVENTS

Training is delivered at the local level through RTCs.RTC staff perform local administration andcoordination of the Training Program to facilitate boththe system’s ability to respond to individuals, theirtraining needs, and to engage staff to participate intraining activities. The CMO staff assuresstandardization among training regions through themonitoring of the RTCs. The CMO and RTC staffcollaborate in the coordination of statewide andspecialized training events that are needed by childwelfare professionals throughout the state.

In 2002/2003, the Training Program delivered 1,252workshops consisting of 1,866 days of training. A totalof 20,841 participants attended training with 8,113child welfare professionals receiving at least one dayof training. A complete summary of training data forthe Training Program is provided in the appendix ofthis report.

In addition to the casework training sessions thatwere offered, the Training Program initiated computerskills training sessions. The following is an overview oftraining provided.

Course Title Number of Number ofCourses Trained Participants

Access 2 16Adobe Reader 5.0 (PDF) 73 —Excel 2 13Computer Fundamentals 1 7Mail Merge 2 11Outlook 4 19PowerPoint 2 9Word 6 40Totals 92 115

The Adobe Reader 5.0 Portable Document File (PDF)training sessions were conducted on-site in countyagencies to ensure all child welfare staff inPennsylvania received training in the use of AdobeReader. As part of the training sessions, the TrainingProgram placed the Pennsylvania Standards for Child

Welfare Practice, the Orientation, Training andResource Manual, the Visitation Manual, the ChildProtective Services Law, and the Juvenile Act on thedesk tops of all child welfare staff. These documentsare critical in the day-to-day work of child welfareprofessionals. By placing the documents on the desktops it ensures easy access to these materials. TheAdobe Reader is the software used to allow child welfareprofessionals to use these documents on their desk tops.

The Training Program established eight regionaltraining computer labs. The labs are used for thedelivery of computer skills training at the followinglocations: Altoona, Meadville, Mechanicsburg,Monroeville, Quakertown, Ridgway, Scranton, andWilliamsport.

In 2002/2003, the Training Program also facilitatedand/or assisted in the development and delivery ofspecialized statewide training events includingcollaboration with the Supervisory Training AdvisoryGroup to plan for the three supervisor springconferences and three supervisor fall conferences,collaboration with the Pennsylvania State FosterParent Association to provide twelve trainers for theirannual conference, collaboration with the PrivateProvider Training Advisory Group to plan for oneannual statewide training event, collaboration with theState Wide Adoption Network to provide trainers fortheir quarterly conferences, collaboration with theIndependent Living Project Management Team tocoordinate one Independent Living statewideconference and four regional training sessions forIndependent Living.

COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, ANDQUALITY ASSURANCE WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS

The Training Program achieves its vision and missionthrough communication, collaboration, and qualityassurance with key stakeholders. The TrainingProgram implements a collaborative approach to thecompletion of program projects, development anddelivery of training curriculum, and on-going reviewcurriculum through the inclusion of key stakeholdersin the Program. The Training Program forms advisorygroups, QUAC, and project teams to implement thiscollaborative approach as well as solicit feedbackthrough regular contacts with county and state staff.

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In 2002/2003, the Training Program providedleadership to the following advisory committees inorder to support program development and growth inthe area of diversity, supervisor training, and COREtraining and curriculum oversight:

✦ Diversity Task Force

The Diversity Task Force continued to providerecommendations to support the inclusion ofdiversity in all training materials andcurriculum. The Diversity Task force alsoconducted train the trainer sessions on the useof the Diversity Handbook for trainers.

✦ Supervisor Training Advisory Group

The Supervisor Training Advisory Groupprovided recommendations on the content toaddress in the statewide supervisory trainingevents, the content for the supervisory overlayfor Charting the Course towards Permanency:A skills-based approach to working withchildren and their families and they providedrecommendations for the revisions to theSupervisory Training Series.

✦ CORE Training Advisory Group

The CORE Training Advisory Group continuedto provide feedback on the direction of thedeveloping of the caseworker Core TrainingCharting the Course towards Permanency: Askills-based approach to working with childrenand their families.

✦ Independent Living Project Management Team

The Independent Living Project ManagementTeam provided feedback on the direction of theIndependent Living Project located at theTraining Program.

✦ MIS Advisory Group

The MIS Advisory Group assisted in thedevelopment of the computer skillscompetencies and provided feedback on thedevelopment of the computer skills trainingcurriculum.

✦ Transfer of Learning Advisory Group

The Transfer of Learning Advisory Groupprovided critical input and feedback on theinitial direction for the Training Program’stransfer of learning efforts.

✦ Private Provider Training Advisory Group

The Private Provider Training Advisory Groupset the direction for the expansion of theTraining Program’s audience to include stafffrom private provider agencies. The advisorygroup developed a training session to introduceprivate agencies to the Training Program,organized a statewide training event for theleadership of public and private child welfareagencies, and developed a plan for theinclusion of private agency staff to attend theSupervisory Training Series and keycaseworker CORE workshops.

The QUACs were held based on curriculum topicsunder development and for the revision of the ITNA.

The Training Program also participated on thefollowing statewide committees:

✦ Child and Family Services Review ManagementTeam and sub-committees

✦ Program Improvement Plan Management Teamand sub-committees

✦ IV-E Planning Committee

✦ State Wide Adoption Network (SWAN)Advisory Committee

✦ Foster Parent Association Board

✦ CASSP Advisory Committee

As part of the Training Program’s role on the Childand Family Services Review Management Team andsub-committees, the Training Program coordinatedfocus groups to obtain information from child welfareprofessionals, families served by the system, and keystakeholders. The purpose of the focus groups was tocollect information regarding the quality of services tofamilies by the child welfare system. The informationis being used by the Program Improvement PlanManagement Team in the development and implementa-tion of a statewide practice improvement plan.

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DATABASES, DATA COLLECTION, DATAREPORTING, AND WEB-SITES

Data is collected regarding all Training Programactivities and Independent Living activities using acomputerized database and other ManagementInformation Systems (MIS).

STARS (State Tracking and Recording

System)

An individual training record is maintained for everyworker in the system. A training report, which includesall workshops presented and evaluation scores is main-tained for Training Program Trainers. Data is communi-cated between the training regions and CMO staff atthe University. Data outputs include: reports of work-shops presented, participants in training, evaluationscores, training needs, training attending by individualparticipants, training presented by individual Trainers,attendance of training by staff of a local agency, costper workshop data, and other fiscal data.

PILOTS (Pennsylvania Independent Living

Outcome Tracking System)

An individual data file is maintained on each youthreceiving independent living services to monitor thedelivery of services. Reports are made available to theOffice of Children, Youth, and Families and thecounties based on need.

CERTIFICATION TRAINING

Certification Training, including CORE Curricula, theOrientation, Training and Resource Manual (OTRM),and Supervisory Training Series (STS) is offered toensure all child welfare professionals can receivecertification training requirements within 12-18months of employment.

Curricula are organized around the goals of the ChildWelfare System and consistent with the PennsylvaniaStandards for Child Welfare Practice and theoutcomes from Child and Family Services Review. ACORE curriculum for Caseworkers and the STScurriculum for Supervisors has been developed toassure uniform training of the foundation levelcompetencies.

The OTRM has been developed to assist supervisorsin training new child welfare direct service workers. Itis designed to guide the orientation and training of thenew worker. The OTRM has one module tocomplement each of the CORE Trainings. The OTRMis designed to assist in the transfer of learning for thenew worker.

In 2002-2003, a total of 23 rounds of CORE trainingand 7 rounds of the Supervisory Training Series wereoffered throughout the state to assist child welfareprofessionals in meeting certification trainingrequirements. A total of 435 casework staff completedcertification and 72 supervisory staff completedcertification.

THE TRAINING PROGRAMS INDEPENDENT LIVINGPROGRAM

The Training Program also provides leadership to theIndependent Living (IL) Program. This programprovides technical assistance to county agencies withIL programs. During 2002/2003, site visits wereconducted at 44 of the states 59 counties with ILprograms. During 2002/2003, 8 counties inPennsylvania did not have federally funded ILprograms.

Counties receiving on-site reviews during FY 02/03:

✦ Adams County – 5/15/03

✦ AIC/Philadelphia – 5/9/03

✦ Allegheny County – 9/3 – 5/02

✦ Armstrong County – 2/25/03

✦ Blair County – 6/3/03

✦ Bradford County – 4/29/03

✦ Cambria County – 2/26/03

✦ Centre County – 2/20/03

✦ Chester County – 4/22/03

✦ Clarion – 6/4/03

✦ Clearfield – 6/5/03

✦ Clinton County – 9/30/02

✦ Crawford County – 4/17/03

✦ Cumberland County – 5/13/03

✦ Delaware County – 6/17/03

✦ Erie County – 4/16/03 AN

NU

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20

02

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00

311

✦ Forest County – 6/3/03

✦ Greene County – 12/2/02

✦ Huntingdon County – 4/24/03

✦ Indiana County – 9/19/02

✦ Jefferson – 6/5/03

✦ Jefferson County – 8/15/02

✦ Lancaster County – 10/29/02

✦ Lebanon – 8/19/02

✦ Lehigh County – 6/18/03

✦ Lycoming County – 3/10/03

✦ McKean County – 10/01/02

✦ Mercer County - 9/24/02

✦ Northampton County – 6/19/03

✦ Northumberland County – 4/16/03

✦ Perry County – 2/27/03

✦ Pike County – 5/7/03

✦ Potter County – 10/8/02

✦ Schuylkill County – 3/27/03

✦ Snyder County – 2/6/03

✦ Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming Counties –3/12/03

✦ Tioga County – 3/26/03

✦ Union County – 3/19/03

✦ Venango County -9/23/02

✦ Warren County – 4/15/03

✦ Washington County – 2/24/03

✦ Westmoreland County – 11/19/02

During 2002/2003, the Independent Living Programundertook a new endeavor by developing teachingmodules. These modules are to be used by county ILcoordinators, staff(s) or caseworkers responsible forleading youth groups. The modules, while written inone hour segments, can also be modified based on theinstructor’s need. A training on content for IL staffwho lead groups will take place at the 2004 ILstatewide meeting, and on a smaller scale for thosenot able to attend the 2004 statewide meeting. Thefollowing two modules were developed during theyear:

✦ Accessing Housing

✦ Obtaining Employment /Conducting a JobSearch

Future topics for development include life books(materials and knowledge necessary for a youth tosucceed after care) and exploring educationopportunities beyond high school graduation.

Also, three county IL staff representing Philadelphia,York, and Montgomery County’s successfullycompleted the Development of Trainers workshop andwill be training the PA Model: A Guide to IndependentLiving.

The IL Staff coordinated Statewide TrainingOpportunities including four regional meetings for ILstaff and one annual statewide meeting for IL staff.Approximately 120 individuals attended the variousregional meetings with approximately 160 individualsattending the statewide meeting.

IN SUMMARY

The Training Program continues to support the childwelfare system through the delivery of training andtransfer of learning support. The efforts of theTraining Program are designed to support the TrainingProgram in achieving our mission, “to train thoseworking in the Child Welfare system and to supportthose working with us to help families andcommunities to safely parent children and youth.”

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Participant Information

1580

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CaseworkerSupervisorFoster ParentOther

“All our dreams can come true,

if we have the courage to pursue them.”

≈Walt Disney≈

2 Market Plaza WaySuite 102

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055Phone: 717-795-9048

Fax: 717-795-8013www.pacwcbt.pitt.edu

CO

MM

ON

WEALTH OF PENNSYLV

AN

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•D

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