Training Catalog

The goal of this training is to introduce learners to the Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) process, and to understand how to work with families/youth involved with the child welfare system. An overview of the principles and phases of FGDM, including which cases are appropriate for referral to the FGDM process, is provided. Individuals will learn the specific skills, strategies, and techniques fundamental to facilitating and coordinating FGDM meetings in the context of child welfare. The training will cover the history, philosophy, and core practice elements of FGDM, along with an analysis of how it supports the goals of the MAAFPCWDA legislation by preventing out-of-home placements and promoting family reunification. It will also explore how FGDM aligns with the goals of ICWA by preserving families and preventing unnecessary out-of-home placements, thereby supporting reunification within American Indian communities. 12.0 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

The goal of this training is to introduce best practices when working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and trans, queer and questioning, intersex, asexual or agender, and two-spirit (LGBTQIA2S+) youth. LGBTQIA2S+ youth are over-represented in child welfare systems and have been subjected to historical discrimination and oppression contributing to vulnerability and challenges. This training is intended to increase the awareness, knowledge, skills and abilities of social workers and supervisors to work effectively with this unique population through self-reflection, data, resource sharing, and interactive activities. 6.0 CEUs.

NOTE: This section is for Hennepin County employees only. The Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPCWDA) was passed in 2024 and seeks to promote family stability by establishing minimum standards to prevent the arbitrary removal of children from their families and improve permanency outcomes, including family reunification. This initial four-hour training is designed to ensure county workers are prepared to utilize active efforts in their casework with disproportionately represented families, with special emphasis on African American families. 4.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

Note: This section is only for Hennepin County employees. The Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPCWDA) was passed in 2024 and seeks to promote family stability by establishing minimum standards to prevent the arbitrary removal of children from their families and improve permanency outcomes, including family reunification. This initial four-hour training is designed to ensure county workers are prepared to utilize active efforts in their casework with disproportionately represented families, with special emphasis on African American families. 4.0 CEUs.

These instructor-led virtual workshops build on the Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Self-Paced course. Learners will dive further into the spirit, principles, processes, and skills of MI, with an emphasis on practical application. 14.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

This training will address crucial aspects of best practice in child welfare and domestic violence co-occurrence cases. Training will include historical social context setting and practice application, focusing on strengths-based practice. Partnering with non-offending parents and engaging offenders in accountability and change. In particular, participants will utilize two key protocols and practice applying them in scenario-based exercises to help build skills to enhance field work. Intended Audience: Experienced workers who have not taken Foundations training since January 2021. 6.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

The goal of this course is for case workers to learn about their roles and responsibilities when involved in child protection legal proceedings and collaborating with courtroom professionals. Federal and Minnesota law requires county agencies to engage in reasonable/active efforts to support families involved in the child welfare system. Learn how focusing on family’s cultures and strengths can be beneficial. In addition, gain in-depth knowledge of how to prepare for court hearings and prepare proper documentation and acquire tips for testifying at trials. 6.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

At this time this course is only offered for child welfare and child protection workers. The training allows trainees to gain knowledge of trafficking and exploitation, and to develop skills pertinent to the child welfare response to youth and families impacted by trafficking and exploitation. The goal of this training is to provide staff with the knowledge and skills to: identify trafficking, identify exploitation, identify youth at-risk of trafficking or exploitation, assess and respond to potential trafficking and exploitation of youth, and coordinate with partners in meeting the needs of youth and families; and demonstrate culturally responsive practice. Intended Audience: Experienced workers who have not completed Foundations training (since 2020) or SEY x203 or x204 (since 2019). 6.0 CEUs.

This course, also known as Home Studies, is designed to help you gain an understanding of the Home Study assessment process. It will introduce you to engaging and conducting interviews with applicants and explore how to equitably and collaboratively assess an applicant's strengths and needs. By enhancing your knowledge of the Home Study Assessment, you will enhance your ability to gather, synthesize, assess, and summarize an applicant’s ability to provide for the safety and well-being of children. This course consists of three self-paced trainings followed by two instructor-led trainings (in-person). 15.5 CEUs.

This training will refresh the professional's knowledge, deepen the application of safety-focused practice utilizing the Structured Decision Making (SDM) safety and risk assessments, and strengthen the connection between the safety assessment and safety planning. Additional outcomes include understanding the "why" behind the SDM assessments, how to leverage the tool within consult teams, and connect engagement skills with assessments. Participants will be expected to bring applicable practice experiences. 6.5 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

The Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPCWDA) was passed in 2024 and seeks to promote family stability by establishing minimum standards to prevent the arbitrary removal of children from their families and improve permanency outcomes, including family reunification. This initial four-hour training is designed to ensure county workers are prepared to utilize active efforts in their casework with disproportionately represented families, with special emphasis on African American families. 4.0 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

The Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPCWDA) was passed in 2024 and seeks to promote family stability by establishing minimum standards to prevent the arbitrary removal of children from their families and improve permanency outcomes, including family reunification. This initial four-hour training is designed to ensure county workers are prepared to utilize active efforts in their casework with disproportionately represented families, with special emphasis on African American families. 4.0 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

Prospective foster care families should start by contacting the foster care licensor at their local county or tribal human services agency. Your licensor will work with you to assign training. If your licensor would like you to complete Foster Parent Training through the Training Academy, we will work with them to provide you with no-cost access to Foster Parent College self-paced modules, as well as the option to register and complete our Foster Parent Pre-Service Training (four virtual, instructor-led meetings). More information is available on our website.

The Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act (MAAFPCWDA) was passed in 2024 and seeks to promote family stability by establishing minimum standards to prevent the arbitrary removal of children from their families and improve permanency outcomes, including family reunification. This initial four-hour training is designed to ensure county workers are prepared to utilize active efforts in their casework with disproportionately represented families, with special emphasis on African American families. 4.0 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

These instructor-led virtual workshops build on the Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Self-Paced course. Learners will dive further into the spirit, principles, processes, and skills of MI, with an emphasis on practical application. 14.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

The Signs of Safety (SOS) course teaches a strength-based, safety organized framework that focuses on engagement and child safety. SOS provides practical skill development based on the guiding principles of child welfare practice for workers and supervisors. Participants will learn about the Signs of Safety overview with brief history, Appreciative Inquiry, the Questioning Approach, Harm and Danger Statements and Safety Goals, Three Houses, Safety House, Mapping, and Safety Planning and Safety Networks. Then 3-months later, learners will attend a review course that provides an opportunity to consult and improve their practice of the Signs of Safety techniques. Learners must be able to attend all dates of Signs of Safety, including the Three Month Review, in order to receive credit. 16.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

In support of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), Qualified Individual (QI) Training is available to prepare clinicians and community members to help reduce the number of children in child care institutions. QIs provide an objective and independent review of the needs and strengths of children to determine whether or not those needs can be met within their family or family foster home with community services, rather than being placed in a child care institution, known as a Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP). Learners must first be approved by DCYF to register. 12.0 CEUs.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

The 1.5-hour Coaching Circles are designed to help you foster a realistic self-appraisal, hone your MI skills (with practice and feedback) and increase your confidence in the approach. The topics in each course have some similarity that will prepare you to take the final skills demonstration course. Learners will need to register for each of the four sessions. Circles do not need to be completed in order. 1.5 CEUs Each.

This training prepares child welfare professionals to use Minnesota’s updated Structured Decision Making® (SDM) Safety Assessment tool to assess and respond to immediate child safety threats. Through guided practice, case vignettes, and policy alignment, participants will develop skills in identifying safety threats, evaluating protective capacities, and implementing effective safety planning. 6.5 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

This training is brought to you by the University of Minnesota Duluth Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP). This is an introductory course to the basics of the history of ICWA and application of ICWA and MIFPA. We have an education team comprised of several community trainers that come from University of Minnesota Duluth's MSW faculty and instructors, the Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies instructors and researchers; tribal child welfare workers, county child welfare ICWA specialists, urban ICWA workers, individuals with lived experience, the MN GAL program, and elders. Your education team will include a mixture of individuals representing these varied backgrounds. 12 CEUs.

This 2-hour self-paced online course is for anyone who uses the MAPCY tool, enters it into SSIS, and/or approves it, including staff at county agencies, Tribal agencies, and private agencies. This is a foundational training that is appropriate for new workers as well as a refresher for seasoned workers. The likely audience for this course is assessors who need to know how to complete the MAPCY and submit it for review and approval. The focus of this course is how to complete an accurate and high-quality assessment in a timely manner. Learners will understand MAPCY within the larger child welfare system and gain new skills to support permanency and children who are in care. 2.0 CEUs.

In the final course in MI Training, you will be asked to demonstrate your Motivational Interviewing skills through a series of simulated encounters. In particular, you will watch a series of videos that simulate a person you might be working with as a child welfare professional. After each video, you will record yourself as if you were responding to this person sitting across from you in a way that is consistent with the Motivational Interviewing skills and approach. Your responses will be coded, a final score will be assigned, and you will receive feedback on your demonstration. Upon completion of the course, you will receive an email from the DHS CQI Department about the final MI phase/fidelity monitoring requirements under the FFPSA policy.