New Jersey Child Welfare Training Partnership
In January 2007, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) chose RSSW to coordinate a partnership with select colleges and universities throughout the state to develop and implement the New Jersey Child Welfare Training Partnership (NJCWTP). Current partners include The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, and Kean University.
IFF serves as the lead agency for this partnership. Working with DCF, NJCWTP provided in-service training to workers throughout the state's public child welfare system. In 2008, 38 trainers attended a 13-day long "train the trainer" experience to prepare them to train the workforce on the practice model. Approximately 3500 DYFS leadership and casework staff were provided with two 3-day modules (totaling 36 classroom hours of training) on the Department of Children and Families; newly adopted Case Practice Model. Staff who received the training was overwhelmingly satisfied with their overall experience as evidenced by the course's evaluation.
The NJCWTP also designed and developed, through a collaborative process with DYFS, a training program for the Assistant Family Service Workers AFSW). During 2008, 190 AFSWs were provided the three-day training. Additionally, 250 newly hired DYFS staff was provided the Concurrent Planning for Timely Permanency training. Finally, on-going training was provided to staff in the DYFS residential centers on topics such as suicide, depression, and substance abuse.
In collaboration with the New Jersey Child Welfare Training Academy (NJCWTA) and the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the NJCWTP also is responsible for providing in-service and competency based training to the Division of Youth and Family Services' leadership and case workers (DYFS) in accordance with its
Modified Settlement Agreement.
Programs and services provided by the NJCWTP are:
- Delivery of training to DYFS leadership and case workers on the competencies necessary to implement their Case Practice.
- Development and delivery of a training program for DYFS Assistant Family Service Workers
- Delivery of training to newly hired staff on Concurrent Planning and Mental Illness
- Delivery of on-site training and technical assistance to supervisors and case workers in advance case practice.
- Evaluation of training delivery impact
- Facilitation of curriculum workgroup
- Review and/or modification of case practice curriculums
Through the partnering relationships with the other universities/colleges, the NJCWTP offers training courses at locations in the northern, central and southern regions of the state. The NJCWTP features an extensive quality assurance program to facilitate the identification of future training needs, assess trainee satisfaction with course offerings, and provide a feedback loop for continual course improvements.