CPSW Matrix | Child Welfare Education Partnership

CPSW Training Matrix

Course	Average Hours	Description
ADA Communication Toolkit	1	This course will provide a foundational understanding of hearing, vision, and speech disabilities and an introduction to the assistive technologies available to clients. This course will provide strategies for communicating with clients who have specific hearing, vision, or speech needs.
Special Education	6	This course provides an overview of education requirements and considerations for children and youth in the care of DCYF. This course will provide an introduction to special education, including information regarding special education legislation and relevant Division policies. Participants will gain an increased understanding of the importance of supporting and advocating for the educational needs of children and youth.
Basic Bridges	6	This self-directed online training provides introductory information and education to staff utilizing “Bridges,” DCYF’s SACWIS data system. This training provides information on all five of the Bridges modules for staff.
Central Registry	3	This workshop gives an overview of the function and purpose of the Central Registry. Participants will learn about the various parts of the Appeals Process (i.e., testimony, witnesses, rules, evidence, and confidentially). Participants will learn how to access the central registry in Bridges and have step by step instructions for sending information to the Central Registry. This course will be delivered in an online learning format.
Child and Adolescent Mental Health	3	Child and Adolescent Mental Health will focus on mental health as being part of every child and youth’s development. Children and youth with positive mental health are often able to function well across different environments. While children and youth with mental health challenges, often struggle with daily function in some way. Mental health disorders in children and youth can be treated and managed. The continuum that mental health occurs on and the changing nature of this domain will be explored throughout the course. The course will help participants become more aware of mental health disorders most prevalent in youth, including warning signs, symptoms, and issues related to specific high-risk populations. The material will cover strategies for working with youth experiencing mental health challenges and/or a mental health crisis and how to collaborate with providers and families in these situations. The role of the child welfare professional in working with children and youth experiencing mental health challenges will be highlighted.
Communicable and Infectious Diseases	6	This course provides an overview of a variety of childhood infectious diseases and alerts caregivers to situations that have the potential for disease transmission. The course clarifies how infections occur, how they are passed from one person to another, universal precautions, immunizations, and other ways of protecting children and their caregivers from illness. This course will guide caregivers in the prevention and prompt treatment of illnesses.
DCYF Orientation: Our Practice Model	2	This training provides an in-depth overview of the mission, vision, values, principles, and strategies which guide agency practice with children and families in New Hampshire. The course is trained by agency administrators including the Director, who speak to the specifics of how to engage families in services, placement of children, development of case plans, permanency planning, and ethics related to the agency's IV-E plan. Policies, procedures, and practices are discussed via case examples.
Document Imaging	2
History of Child Welfare and Mandatory Reporting	3	This training provides an overview of the history of child welfare in New Hampshire and the United States including the key pieces of legislation that made child welfare what it is today. The training also outlines the Mandatory Reporting laws and how it is relevant to every individual in the state. Additionally, the training will review how to recognize various forms of abuse and neglect.
Revenue Enhancement with RMS	6	This workshop will provide crucial information regarding the various federal funding sources and how to access these sources in order to provide services to children & families. Staff will learn about the various federal funding sources, IV-A, IV-E, and Medicaid for both services and administration. Documentation requirements for accessing federal funds will be discussed.
The Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect	12	This workshop examines the developmental consequences of child abuse and neglect from birth through adolescence; establishes a framework for the early recognition of developmental problems, and stresses the importance of including developmental and remedial services in child welfare case plans. Strategies to promote the healthy development of children who have been abused and neglected are presented.
Separation, Placement, and Reunification	12	In this class; you will examine the grieving process, and how to help caregivers recognize signs of stress related to loss. You will learn about Separation, Placement, and Reunification from the perspective of the child, the birth parent, and the caregiver. The student will be able to identify different viewpoints and learn how to support families through the process.
Meet and Greet
Professional Growth and Self Care	3	The mentoring program is designed to provide support to new staff beyond the typical supervisory relationship. This training brings both mentors and mentees together to discuss the concept, benefits, expectations, and the implementation of the Mentoring Program at NH DCYF. Mentoring is intended to assist the new CPSW in understanding the functions of their role and the environment in which they will perform their duties and is guided by the Core workbook that accompanies the eight Core Training Modules. This course is delivered in the classroom.
Diversity Equity and Inclusion	8	In this class, we are going to explore the knowledge, skills and, attitudes that hopefully, as a person who has chosen to be in service with others, you bring into your interactions with children, youth and families in New Hampshire as you support their system involvement and transition to independence. Some of the things you already know, some will be brand new and challenge your perspective of how you view the world. In the spirit of meeting people where they are, we have to commit to acknowledging that people know what feels right to them and have the power to determine their future. In this way, we as facilitators and you as practitioners are river guides on a journey.
Effective Engagement and Communication	3	This training provides strategies to handle communication that can be challenging and the root cause for those challenges including de-escalation techniques, how they can influence communication breakdowns, challenges, and disruptions, and how to prevent conflict when delivering difficult information. Effective engagement and communication involve active listening, clear messaging, empathy, and preventative skills including rewording.
Quality Contacts and Documentation	3	In this course, you will learn the importance of writing skills, proper documentation, the impact report writing has on your profession, and gain the ability to write reports that meet the qualifications of DCYF best practice, as well as other State and Federal reporting requirements. You will understand the importance of good listening and observation skills and the impact they have on your documentation and report writing. The course will review the elements of grammatically correct, cohesive writing and basic mechanics, as well as give advice on developing your own writing style.
Staying Safe During Home and Office Visits	6	This workshop is based on the belief that staff can provide appropriate, effective interventions in crisis situations. Staff will gain practical strategies and techniques for managing behaviors in various levels of crisis. Emphasis will be placed on understanding crisis and developing the skills to prevent crisis or intervene in early crisis situations. Safe preparation and interventions necessary for safe home and office visits will also be covered.
Child Passenger Safety Training
Substance Use Disorder: The Impact of Addiction and Substance Misuse	9	This course will provide education about addiction, recovery, and relapse. Various forms of treatment, the process of relapse and the impact of parental SUD’s on children will be discussed during the training. The DCYF drug testing process is reviewed and drug testing as a tool for motivation and accountability is discussed. A presentation about various drugs and drug paraphernalia is provided to participants including ways to identify signs and symptoms of impairment.
Better Together	6	Better Together fosters equal and mutually respectful partnerships between birth parents, foster parents, child welfare agency staff, allies, and community partners. Fathers and mothers, relative caregivers, foster parents, and community partners must be involved in the Division for Children Youth and Families is to successfully improve the lives of children/ youth and also increase reunification outcomes so that together we achieve our goals of keeping children in safe, loving and permanent homes.
Investigations	24	Investigations and Assessment in Solution-Based Child Protection explores the principles common to all investigative processes and unique principles for the investigation and assessment of child physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Participants will learn the factors to consider in planning and conducting investigations. Participants will learn the complexity of conducting thorough and accurate assessments through the concepts of critical thinking. Key concepts include, among others, conducting interviews, safety planning, unique features of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, structured decision making, safety vs. risk, protective authority, and factors that may contribute to the child’s safety. In this course, participants will also apply learning in an online, Zoom format to ensure understanding of the content.
Working with Families Coping with Mental Health Issues	6	This course will focus on adults/parents dealing with mental health challenges. As workers in the field of child welfare, it is important for you to have an understanding of the stigma surrounding mental health issues, different signs, symptoms, and types of diagnoses, and strategies for working with families. Having a family member with mental illness affects the whole family unit. So, it is also important to have knowledge about how children in the family are affected. Throughout the course, you will connect the information you are learning to your work in the field. Keep your own biases and assumptions in mind as you work through the material, and stay open to shifting these notions.
Impact of Domestic Violence	6	This course introduces attendees to the dynamics of domestic violence including power and control and the causes of domestic violence. Attendees also will learn about the effects of witnessing domestic violence on children. The course will explain the Family Violence Prevention Specialist program and will explain how the referral to the FVPS works and the services offered by domestic violence crisis centers. The Parent Partner program is also highlighted. Attendees will also become familiar with the NH Domestic Violence protocol and receive some guidance on documenting co-occurring cases of DV and Child Abuse and Neglect.
Trauma-Responsive Child Welfare	6	This workshop will discuss various facts and myths about mental illness, its impact on families, and available services. The discussion will cover various major mental illnesses that affect both adults and children as well as how the system works to serve individuals and families. The training will cover intervention strategies and options. In addition, individuals with personal experience of the mental health system of NH will be present to share their perspectives and assist trainees to build communication skills and competency related to work with children and families affected by mental illness.
Prevention and Placement Case Planning	12	This training will explore a casework approach that integrates engagement and protective authority. Engaging and involving families in the case planning and delivery process is crucial to case planning success. Participants will discuss how to identify prevention services, learn to conduct risk assessments, assess child and family needs, develop Child Specific Plans, and oversee and evaluate the effectiveness of matched services. The importance of engaging families, including fathers and parents who are incarcerated, will be explored. Additionally, this training examines the Family First Prevention Services Act and supports learners in navigating a placement case and case reviews
Permanency	6	This course will focus on the importance of permanency for children in the foster care system. Participants will identify the timeframes established to achieve timely permanency for children and permanency goals. This course will touch on siblings' relationships, court protocols, the stability of placement, concurrent plans, Match Meetings, Disclosure meetings, PPT, and post-adoption services.
Supporting Adolescents in Child Welfare	6	In this course, participates will have the opportunity to explore some of the unique challenges that youth aging out of care face. Resources and their importance for transitioning youth will be explored. Positive Youth Development and Primary Caring Adults will be defined and elaborated on through the course. Participants will learn a variety of strategies in supporting adolescence in the foster care system and in the process of aging out. Some key processes that will be covered in this course are the APPLA process, Primary Caring Adults, NH Adolescent Program, Adult Living process, NH Trails, the 90-day transition plan, as well as others.
Human Trafficking	6	It is very important for child protection and juvenile justice service workers to be aware of the problem of human trafficking and to understand the signs and behaviors children, youth, and adults may exhibit when they have or are being exploited. Children and youth in the child protection and juvenile justice system are at higher risk and are more vulnerable to human trafficking. Traffickers use a combination of threats and subtler coercion to draw people into forced labor and sexual exploitation. It is critical that child welfare workers learn strategies and tools for the prevention, assessment, and documentation of human trafficking. The overall goal of this course is for participants to understand their role as professionals working with children and families experiencing human trafficking.
Legal Aspects and Legal Writing for CPS	18	This training covers Federal legislation, New Hampshire’s legal definitions of abuse, neglect, and the New Hampshire Neglect/Abuse Reporting Statute, and gives an overview of the Family court process. Also addressed are the permanent commitment process, what constitutes good testimony, and the caseworker's role and responsibilities in the courtroom (complete with mock–trial). Participants will learn about the various parts of the Appeals Process and pertinent NH Supreme Court decisions (i.e. Bagley, Jane Doe & Ethan H.) Classroom based.
Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)	3	This workshop will provide an overview of the Interstate Compact on the placement of children, and the Interstate Compact on Juveniles. Participants will be given an overview of the Interstate Compact on the placement of children and the Interstate Compact on Juveniles.

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