The Advancing Practice for Permanency and Well-Being focused training, developed by the National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI), is a state-of-the-art, standardized, web-based training aimed at building the capacity of child welfare and mental health professionals in all states, tribes, and territories to effectively support children, youth, and their foster, adoptive, and guardianship families.
This advanced learning opportunity for child welfare professionals complements and builds upon topics covered in the following WCWPDS courses: Placement, Concurrent Permanency Planning, Family Find and Engagement, Trauma Informed Practice, Cultural Competency, and Foster Parent Pre-Placement and Foundation.
The web-based courses are free training resources funded through a cooperative agreement (#90CO1121) between the Children’s Bureau, and the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) working alongside the University of Maryland School of Social Work, Institute for Innovation and Implementation.
In addition to the caseworker course, a supervisory component that focuses on supporting supervisors to coach caseworkers on the implementation of the training concepts into day-to-day practice is available. Finally, a web-based course for mental health professionals was developed and is also available free of charge.
The NTI courses provide the skills, strategies, and tools professionals need to:
- Support children to heal from trauma and loss.
- Provide parents with skills to parent more effectively.
- Collaborate effectively with child welfare and mental health professionals.
- Improve outcomes for permanency, child well-being, and family well-being and stability.
More information about the NTI Initiative is available here.
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About the NTI Training for Child Welfare Professionals and Supervisors
This is an exciting opportunity for the child welfare workforce to expand and improve practice skills for working with children in out-of-home care and preparing children for permanency in their forever home either by guardianship or adoption.
Consistence approaches, trauma informed responses and common language established in this training will improve your agency practice with children in out-of-home care. The NTI training connects all the concepts and best practices and delivers them with a structure based in theory followed by actionable practice changes with children, parents, out-of-home caregivers, and mental health providers.
What is the Goal of the NTI Training for Child Welfare Professionals?
The NTI training was designed to help child welfare professionals better understand and address the mental health needs of children, youth and their families moving toward or having achieved permanency through adoption or guardianship. It also seeks to improve collaboration between the child welfare and mental health service systems with shared language and aligned curricula. The NTI training aims to improve the outcomes by infusing enhanced permanency, adoption, and mental health competency in the provision of casework and clinical practice.
What is the Goal of the NTI Training for Child Welfare Supervisors?
Supervisors have access to an additional 5 hours of supervisor specific training which focuses on supporting supervisors to coach caseworkers on the implementation of the training concepts into day-to-day practice and includes a downloadable guide with tips and activities. Supervisors can access additional transfer of learning tools on the NTI website.
Audience
The NTI for Child Welfare Professionals Training is appropriate for:
- Child Protective Services and Youth Services Caseworkers
- Tribal Child Welfare and ICW Staff
- Foster Care Coordinators
- Public Adoption Program Staff
- Support Staff
The NTI for Child Welfare Supervisors Training is appropriate for those who supervise casework practice.
Accessing the NTI Training
The training is available for free via the Child Welfare Capacity Building Collaborative CapLEARN site.
Search for one of the two following titles:
- National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) for Child Welfare Professionals
- National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) for Child Welfare Supervisors
When you click on the course title, you will be redirected to the CapLEARN login page where you will be able to REGISTER for a free account or log in if you already have one.
Once you are logged into your account, you will be able to enroll in and complete the course.
CEH’s
Participants who successfully pass all the module post-tests (80% passing) will be able to print off a certificate of completion from CapLEARN.
The credit hours are as follows:
- NTI for Child Welfare Professionals Training: 20 hours
- NTI for Child Welfare Supervisors Training: 25 hours
NTI training is eligible for CEH’s as defined in the Wisconsin Administrative Code MPSW 19 here.
Once you have completed the training and printed your certificate of completion, enter the information into your PDS Online account as an External Training.
Adding an External Training in PDS Online
If you have a PDS Online account and wish to count the training hours earned toward your Ongoing Training requirements, complete the training, print your certificate of completion, and enter the information into your PDS Online account as an External Training.
You can access the directions for adding an external training session into your PDS Online transcript and having your supervisor approve it here.
The complete User Guide to PDS Online Registration and Learning Management System can be accessed here.