Welcome to The Acorn! Each month we share the latest trainings and resources available to child welfare professionals throughout Minnesota.
Updates
September is Child Welfare Workforce Development Month
This month is a good time for child welfare professionals to celebrate their
achievements, connect with colleagues, and for child welfare leaders to focus on how to support and recognize their workforce. The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute (NCWWI) has a number of events and resources available. Check it out!
Recognize a Colleague or Team If you are looking for an easy way to show your appreciation to a coworker, community partner, or team, just fill out this form. We will email that person or team a personalized certificate, and they will be given the option to be recognized through our social media.
Motivational Interviewing Training Pilot On Friday, September 15, the Introduction to Motivational Interviewing (MI) Skills for Child Welfare Professionals: Self-Paced
Module will be available through the Training Portal. Over the next few months, the Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy (MNCWTA) is piloting several cohorts of MI training. The self-paced module must be completed prior to registering for the instructor-led cohort. MI is a practice tool that promotes behavior change through deep listening, reflection, and principles rooted in empathy and supporting self efficacy. Learn more.
Melissa graduated with a degree in Family Studies from St. Olaf College, and received her MSW from Washington University in St. Louis,
Missouri. She is entering this position after almost 25 years of experience in child welfare practice and social work higher education settings, including roles at Children's Home Society and Family Services, the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, and the Social Work and Family Studies Department at St. Olaf College. Learn more.
Training
The courses below are available for registration through the Minnesota Child Welfare
Training Academy (MNCWTA) Training Portal. Go to our website, www.mnchildwelfaretraining.com, and then LOGIN (located in the top-right navigation). From there, select the Training Catalog, where you will find course descriptions and links to register.
Need a Training Portal Profile? Ask your supervisor to invite you. If you are a tribal leader or supervisor, or you do not need a supervisor to assign your trainings, submit the New Profile Request Form. Be sure to use your most up-to-date email and to only use lowercase letters (for both profile requests and invitations). If you have technical issues, complete the Help & Support form here.
Specialty Training
Human Trafficking and Sexually Exploited Youth: Basic Training for Child Welfare (CWTA X205) September 13 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Virtual October 10 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Virtual
Collaborative Safety - Advanced Practice (CWTA X208)
September 19-20 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Each Day | Virtual
Location Change: This course was previously scheduled for in-person
Structured
Decision Making (CWTA X200) October 3 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Virtual
Domestic Violence Co-Occurrence: Partnering and Engaging Parents (CWTA X209) October 4 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Virtual
Legal Practice Skills (CWTA X201) October 12 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Owatonna November 9 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. | Roseville
Family Group Decision Making: Overview and Facilitation (CWTA X202) November 7-8 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Each Day | Marshall
Supervisor Training
ICWA/MIFPA Foundations for County Agency Supervisors (CWTA X216)
September 18-19 | 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Each Day | Virtual
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. Remind your employees that they still need to enroll in a course even after you have assigned it to them. Learn more here. A checklist of all new worker requirements can be found here. New workers can begin the National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) CW Professionals (CWTA X401) modules after they register for Foundations.
Child Welfare Foundations Training (CWTA X100) | Cohort 113 September 12 - November 30 | Roseville (WAITLIST)
Child Welfare Foundations Training (CWTA X100) | Cohort 114 October 3 - January 11 |Owatonna Coming Soon Cohort 115 | November 14 - February 1 | Roseville Cohort 116 | December 5 - February 22 | Virtual Accommodation Requests If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in a training, contact us as soon as possible at info@mnchildwelfaretraining.com.
Attendance Learners who miss more than 30 minutes of training will not receive credit. Learners who miss more than 30 minutes of Foundations (new worker) training will need to repeat that specific classroom. If the training takes place over several days, you can only miss 30 minutes total; not 30 minutes per day. Please plan ahead to adjust court dates, on-call shifts, caseload
responsibilities, etc. 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.
Other Trainings and Webinars
Permanency Regional Training The DHS Permanency Support Unit staff will hold permanency trainings at the Regional Learning Centers across Minnesota. Each training will be in person; space will be limited to the room size at each location. These offerings are designed for county and tribal child welfare and/or child protection workers.Each training is from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Below are the dates:
SSIS Coffee Talk: SSIS Tips and Tricks SSIS users are invited to join the DHS SSIS Business Operations Section Tuesday, September 26, at 9:00 a.m. for a discussion of SSIS Tips and Tricks. Questions are appreciated in advance and can be directed to Heide Moris, SSIS Mentor Program
Coordinator.Registration is required.
ICWA/MIFPA Ongoing Worker Training (CWTA X212) 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. Course registration is located in the MNCWTA Course Catalog. 9:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Each Day
Permanency & Child Welfare Fall Conference November 14-16
Join the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) as they revisit and unpack the complexities of permanency. Opportunities for travel stipends will be made available for up to 130 travelers from Greater Minnesota. Learn more on their website.
Phoenix Learning Xchange (PLX) Starts Soon! The Twin Cities cohort for PLX is starting soon, but a few seats are still available. There are also seats available in the virtual cohort that begins in January 2024. Learn more here!
