Training Catalog

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.

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.

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.

This four-hour virtual training is designed to enhance what was learned in the orientation modules, rather than repeat the information. The goal is to provide experiential learning that shows how the content covered in orientation intersects with worker practice through a case study. Trainers will guide learners through a series of activities, reflections, and discussions. This course is required to complete before you can register for CWTA X113: New Worker Foundations. 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.

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.

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 four-hour virtual training is designed to enhance what was learned in the orientation modules, rather than repeat the information. The goal is to provide experiential learning that shows how the content covered in orientation intersects with worker practice through a case study. Trainers will guide learners through a series of activities, reflections, and discussions. This course is required to complete before you can register for CWTA X113: New Worker Foundations. 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.

NOTE: This section is for Rice County employees only. 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. 4.0 CEUs.

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 four-hour virtual training is designed to enhance what was learned in the orientation modules, rather than repeat the information. The goal is to provide experiential learning that shows how the content covered in orientation intersects with worker practice through a case study. Trainers will guide learners through a series of activities, reflections, and discussions. This course is required to complete before you can register for CWTA X113: New Worker Foundations. 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.

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.

Note: This section is only for St. Louis 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.

This four-hour virtual training is designed to enhance what was learned in the orientation modules, rather than repeat the information. The goal is to provide experiential learning that shows how the content covered in orientation intersects with worker practice through a case study. Trainers will guide learners through a series of activities, reflections, and discussions. This course is required to complete before you can register for CWTA X113: New Worker Foundations. 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.

Note: This section is only for St. Louis 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.

Note: This section is for St. Louis 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.

Note: This section is for St. Louis 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 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 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.

Note: This section is only for St. Louis 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.

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 St. Louis 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.

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.

Note: St. Louis County 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.

NOTE: This section is for St. Louis 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 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.

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.

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 four-hour virtual training is designed to enhance what was learned in the orientation modules, rather than repeat the information. The goal is to provide experiential learning that shows how the content covered in orientation intersects with worker practice through a case study. Trainers will guide learners through a series of activities, reflections, and discussions. This course is required to complete before you can register for CWTA X113: New Worker Foundations. 4.0 CEUs.

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. 16.0 CEU

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.

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.

This four-hour virtual training is designed to enhance what was learned in the orientation modules, rather than repeat the information. The goal is to provide experiential learning that shows how the content covered in orientation intersects with worker practice through a case study. Trainers will guide learners through a series of activities, reflections, and discussions. This course is required to complete before you can register for CWTA X113: New Worker Foundations. 4.0 CEUs.

Learners who are new child protection employees in Minnesota are statutorily required to complete New Worker Foundations within the first 6 months of employment. Please be mindful of the cohort chosen during registration to ensure attendance at all scheduled training dates.

This self-paced 15-minute training is designed for employees or supervisors of private or public youth recreation programs identified by law who must make a report if they have reason to believe that maltreatment of a child has occurred. The training features quizzes and interactive content. After you have completed all training content and taken the final quiz, you will receive a certificate of completion by email.

The Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Pathway 2 Training Documentation Approval course is the first of two Pathway 2 courses for workers who have successfully completed a minimum of 15 hour Motivational Interviewing training by a MINT certified trainer between 6/1/21 - present. If a learner successfully completed a 15-hour Motivational Interviewing training with a MINT trainer prior to 61/21, they will need to provide proof of attending and completing a refresher training if the training was held within the past 12 months. Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to register for the next course Pathway 2 Skills Demonstration.

In the Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Pathway 2 Skills Demonstration course, you will be asked to demonstrate your MI 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 MI skills and approach. Your responses will be reviewed at the end of the course, a final score will be assigned, and you will receive feedback on your demonstration.

The Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Pathway 3 Training Documentation Approval course is the first of two Pathway 3 courses for workers who have successfully completed a minimum of 15 hour Motivational Interviewing training by a MINT trainer hosted through their agencies. In this course, you will need to provide electronic documentation of a minimum of 15 hours of training that includes applied practice of basic MI skills.

The National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) is designed to enhance the capacity of child welfare professionals to better understand and address the mental health and developmental needs of children moving to or having achieved permanency through adoption or guardianship. The state-of-the-art, evidence-informed, standardized trainings provide casework and clinical practices to promote child well-being and family stability.

In the Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Pathway 3 Skills Demonstration course, you will be asked to demonstrate your MI 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 MI skills and approach. Your responses will be reviewed at the end of the course, a final score will be assigned, and you will receive feedback on your demonstration.

Motivational Interviewing (MI), a collaborative conversational style for strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change, has been shown to be effective in supporting the engagement and progress of individuals and families involved in child welfare services. The self-paced training will introduce learners to MI, including its history, spirit, principles, processes, and skills. NOTE - This course is a prerequisite for Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Instructor-Led Workshops.

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.

As the initial course in the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy's New Worker Training series, New Worker Orientation: Self-Paced Modules is an interactive, self-paced, virtual training designed to give you a basic understanding of the Minnesota child welfare system. You’ll be introduced to the values, concepts, and practices underlying child welfare practice in Minnesota, and you’ll gain an understanding of, and become familiar with, the following areas: Development of Cultural Practice for New Workers Roles and Responsibilities of Child Welfare Workers in Minnesota Structure of the Child Welfare System Child Welfare History and Policy Guiding Statutes and Practices Family Assessment/Family Investigation Disparity and Disproportionality Self-Care and Well-Being Mandated Reporting Please note: You must complete this course before you can register for New Worker Orientation: Instructor-Led Enhancement. Note: This course takes about 5 hours to complete; however, the Attest Completion of IDI Assessment quiz and the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) - Debrief Session quiz may take 1- 3 business days to be graded. Please plan accordingly.

Minnesota professionals identified by law who must make a report if suspected or known child maltreatment has occurred are considered Mandated Reporters. This 45-minute training is self-paced, and should only be completed by Minnesota County or Tribal Health and Human Services (HHS) Agency child protection workers. Course completion will be recorded in the training record of your Training Portal profile. NOTE: Mandated Reporters who are NOT county or tribal HHS child protection workers (healthcare, private agency social services, youth programs, private agency human services, mental health services, child care, education, law enforcement, coaching, probation/corrections, guardians ad litem, or clergy) should access this training in the course called Mandated Reporter Training (no log-in required).

NTI for Child Welfare Supervisors is a 25 hour web-based training that focuses on case work practices and professional skills for staff across the child welfare continuum to promote child well-being, permanency and family stability for children living with foster, adoptive or guardianship families. Child Welfare Supervisors will receive a “Supervisor Coaching and Activity Guide” to support staff in applying learning to daily practice.

The Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Pathway 2 LYSSN Proficiency course is for learners who have completed MI training through a MINT trainer previously and will be submitting an ongoing fidelity skills assessment score that meets or surpasses basic advanced standards. LYSSN assessment must have been completed within the last 3 months.

SSIS Essentials is a collection of seven self-pace lessons designed to provide caseworkers with an introduction to basic navigation and functionality of core SSIS functions. Learning is self-paced and experiential. Each lesson takes approximately 45 minutes to complete. While not required, we strongly suggest that all new workers complete this course.

Minnesota professionals identified by law who must make a report if suspected or known child maltreatment has occurred are considered Mandated Reporters. This includes individuals working in healthcare, social services, youth programs, human services, mental health services, child care, education, law enforcement, coaching, or probation/corrections, as well as those working as guardians ad litem or as clergy. This 45-minute training is self-paced and does not require a Training Portal profile. Learners will receive a Certificate of Completion by email.