CFSP 5 Year Plan - RI Department of Children, Youth & Families

DEPARTMENT SPONSORED TRAINING ACTIVITIES –
Title IV-B/IV-E Training Plan
Introduction –
The Department of Children, Youth and Families has a cooperative agreement
with the Rhode Island College School of Social Work to provide training services in
support of the Child Welfare Institute (CWI). As referenced previously, the CWI plays a
significant role in preparing new DCYF employees for their responsibilities as social
caseworkers. The CWI also provides a mandatory in-service curriculum of 20 training
hours per year, as required by RIGL 42-72-5(b)(10).
The six-month pre-service training class is offered three times a year for new
social workers beginning work with the Department. In each of these six month courses,
336 hours of classroom training and site visits are planned, integrated with work in the
field. Each topic requires between 3 and 18 hours of class time. The pre-service modules
also include 20 hours of training with the RICHIST (SACWIS) data system.
Workers begin their pre-service experience through an integrated process of
classroom training and practical field experience by assignment to a Family Service Unit
(FSU) within the Regions. Workers are affiliated with their FSU unit on the first day of
their orientation which allows the student workers to remain in their Region, with their
new supervisory unit for the first week. Over the succeeding two to three weeks, the
class receives intensive, formalized classroom instruction. Subsequently, the workers
will remain in their Region for 4 days a week and in the Institute 1 day a week. This
approach provides new workers strong support earlier in the training process – within
their regions and from co-workers, as well as from the Child Welfare Institute staff.
Over the past four years, beginning in FY 2006, five pre-service classes have been
completed with a total of 102 students enrolled. The current Core 1 pre-service class
began on March 23, 2009 with four SCWs and six Juvenile Probation and Parole Officers
participating.
Training Plan –
The training plan is supported by cooperative agreements with Rhode Island
College and the University of Rhode Island. Associated costs are allocated into Title IV-
E training, Medicaid training, and TANF training in accordance with the State’s approved
cost allocation plan. The portion of the contract that relates to IV-E reimbursable preservice
and in-service training is multiplied by the blended IV-E eligibility penetration
rate which was 51.82% as of June 30, 2009. This blended rate is inclusive of the
adoption penetration rate of 60.90% and the foster care eligibility penetration rate of
37.78%. The resulting amount is then claimed as IV-E Training which is reimbursed at
the 75% training rate where applicable. For those courses included in the training plan on
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