Welcome to The Acorn! Each month we share the latest trainings and resources available to child welfare professionals throughout Minnesota.
Updates
Courses Assigned by Supervisors Please be aware that you still need to enroll in a course even after your supervisor has assigned it to you. Learn more here.
Update on SEY Requirement All Minnesota county and tribal staff with child protection duties are required to complete training on sex trafficking and the
sexual exploitation of youth. If you have questions about whether this applies to you or if you have met the requirement, we have updated our information about this legislative requirement. Read more here, and let us
know if you still have questions.
Account Creation is a Two-Step Process If you have requested a Training Portal account, or if your supervisor has invited you to create an account, the account approval is just the first step. Once approved,
you will receive an email with steps to complete creating your account. If you do not receive that email, check your spam folder. If you need the approval email re-sent to you, just let us know at info@mnchildwelfaretraining.com. Need to Cancel Your Registration? Our class sizes tend to be small and we often have a waiting list. Follow the instructions here if you need to drop a course.
Training
The courses below are now available for registration through the Minnesota Child
Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA) Training Portal. Go to our website, www.mnchildwelfaretraining.com, and then log-in to the Training Portal using the top-right navigation. From there, select the Training Catalog, where you will find course descriptions and links to register.
Current Workers and Supervisors
Family Group Decision Making: Overview and Facilitation (CWTA X202) July 13-14 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Each Day | Northeast Regional Learning Center at TTCP
Signs of Safety Three Month Review (CWTA X207) July 18 | 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Online
Structured Decision Making (CWTA X200) August 25 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Online Responsive Child Welfare Practice with LGBTQ Youth (CWTA X210) August 30 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Online New Worker Training
Child Welfare Foundations Training (CWTA X100) Foundations training is only for new county and tribal workers who are involved in child protection, and is assigned by a supervisor or tribal leader through the Training Portal. Participants must be able to attend all dates/times.
Classroom 4: October 11-13 (9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Each Day)
Accommodation Requests If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in a training, contact us as soon as possible at info@mnchildwelfaretraining.com. Attendance Trainees who miss more than 30 minutes of any given training will
not receive CEUs; for required training you will need to repeat the entire course.
Change to NTI Requirement Coming Soon for New Workers
The National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) is a self-paced online training 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. Currently, learners taking Child Welfare Foundations Training (CWTA X100) complete the NTI modules as part of the cohort in which they were assigned.
Starting with Cohort 98, which starts on September 6 in the Northwest Regional Learning Center, the NTI training will be its own course, separate from each Foundations cohort. It will still be a required part of completing CWTA X100, but the registration will be separate. We hope this change will allow learners more time and flexibility to complete NTI before the end of their Foundations training. We will continue to share more information about this change as it becomes available.
Staff Highlights
Meral Acikgoz Graduate Assistant
Meral Acikgoz is a Ph.D. student in Evaluation Studies at the University of Minnesota. She previously worked at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), UN’s Migration Agency in Turkey over ten years in various capacities, advising on and implementing migration policies and laws. Learn more...
Other Training and Webinars
Tribal Training and Certification Partnership (TTCP) The Aabinoojiiyag-Wakhanheza Un Thantanhanpi - “For All the Children” Sacred Being: Tribal Training and Certification Partnership was established in 2019 to address disproportionality and improve outcomes in the child welfare system for American Indian families through culturally- and competency-based training and assistance. The TTCP was developed in partnership with Minnesota tribes, who maintain significant involvement in ongoing program development and activities. Learn more about several upcoming events and trainings offered by
TTCP. 2022 Child Abuse Summit: August 22-24 This hybrid Summit is an opportunity to learn about the identification and treatment of child abuse and neglect from both regional and national experts. The Summit is designed to provide professionals from all disciplines with the knowledge, tools, and skills to identify and treat all types of child maltreatment, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. Learn more on their website.
Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate (PACC) PACC is a cohort-based training that enhances permanency and adoption competence for professionals working across child welfare and mental health settings. Very limited spots remain in the 2022-23 cohorts but applicants are still encouraged to apply to get access to the priority waitlist. Learn more and apply now!
Phoenix Learning Xchange (PLX) Space in the PLX program is going fast, but there is still room in the Rochester cohort. Limited scholarships are available for professionals employed by a Minnesota county in a child welfare role (child protection, foster care, permanency/adoption). There are only a few remaining FREE enrollment spots for Tribal workers or employees of Tribal or Indigenous organizations. Inquire with the Program Coordinator at efronsoe@umn.edu or fill out your application by visiting their website.
Employment Opportunities
The Training Academy is seeking applicants for a Community Trainer to deliver an established curriculum for an advanced course in Sexually Exploited Youth. We are also seeking a Curriculum Developer to work with subject matter experts on curriculum revision, design, and development.
Visit our employment page to learn more about these opportunities.
