Target Audience: caseworkers; case aides; supervisors; state staff; foster, kinship, and adoptive families

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are traumatic events occurring before age 18 and include all types of abuse and neglect, as well as parental mental illness, substance use, divorce, incarceration, and domestic violence. The repeated stress of these experiences has proven effects on the development of the brain, with the impact occurring over a lifetime. People who experienced high levels of trauma as children are at a much higher risk for health issues, such as heart disease and lung cancer. 

The long-term impact of adverse childhood experiences gained wider acceptance through the landmark CDC-Kaiser Permanente ACE Study. In this interactive Web-based training, you’ll explore the study and lessons learned. You’ll also gain an understanding of how toxic stress can impact brain development and, in turn, long-term health and well-being outcomes. Furthermore, you will begin to explore prevention and intervention strategies to help mitigate the impact of ACEs. 

Target audience: caseworkers; supervisors; foster, kinship, and adoptive parents

This interactive, self-guided online course is designed to help child welfare professionals and foster, kinship, and adoptive parents understand the impact of trauma on the development of adolescents who have experienced child abuse and neglect.

Target audience: caseworkers; supervisors; foster, kinship, and adoptive parents

Target Audience: caseworkers and supervisors

Entering complete and accurate data into Trails is critical. In this brief course, you’ll engage in three short interactive activities—including a demonstration of what, where, and how to enter data—that will assist caseworkers and supervisors alike in avoiding common errors when documenting contact in Trails. 

Learners who have already completed this WBT can access the training at any time to review it.

Target Audience: caseworkers; supervisors; case aides; foster, kinship, and adoptive parents

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) affect nearly 30 percent of children and youth in the foster care and adoption system and 15 to 25 percent of those in the juvenile justice system. Do you know how to support children, youth, and families who are impacted by them? This Web-based training, with customized content for both caseworkers and caregivers, explores the research around the impacts of fetal alcohol exposure and how FASD affects behavior and functioning. You’ll examine what FASD looks like to adults and think about what it feels like to an affected child or youth. Using case scenarios, you’ll explore practical strategies and interventions for supporting these children and youth at home, in school, and in the community.

BEFORE ENROLLING, click HERE to see if there are open seats in an upcoming session! 

Are you looking to deepen your knowledge and understanding of issues related to substance use? Join this interactive learning opportunity to connect with experts in the field and your peers for a deep dive into substance use and child welfare practice.

In this virtual series of six 60-minute case-based learning experiences, you’ll explore the following:

Not only will you hear from experts, but you’ll also discuss challenging cases and build solutions with your peers, creating a community of practice to share experiences and continue learning into the future!

The Web-based training The Substance Use Puzzle: Putting Together the Pieces has foundational information related to this ECHO series. We encourage you to complete the WBT prior to the first session so that you can make the most of your virtual sessions.

Target Audience: child welfare professionals and resource parents

Informed supervision is the daily supervision of a juvenile who has committed a sexual offense. This short web-based training introduces the role of an informed supervisor, standards for informed supervision, and best practices. In this course you will learn the following:

• Basic terminology regarding sexual offenses
• Goals and phases of treatment for youth who have committed sexual offenses
• How multidisciplinary teams work with the informed supervisor and the youth
• Safety planning around high-risk behaviors and protective factors

Although this course does not certify you to be an informed supervisor, you will learn some basics on how to keep the youth and community safe, ways to hold the youth accountable, and ways to maximize the health of the youth and minimize deviant behaviors. 

Target audience: caseworkers; supervisors; child welfare professionals; foster, kin, and adoptive parents; community partners

Target Audience: resource caregivers

In this training, you'll learn how to become an advocate for children in your home to ensure they receive the services and supports that they need. Emphasis is placed on being a lifelong learner, recognizing the importance of developing a support network (school, community supports, friends, medical), and learning about the types of services and supports that the child and/or the family that is fostering or adopting might find beneficial.