Hines, A. M., Lee, P. A., Osterling, K. L., Tweed, M. (2007). Mental Health Service Utilization and Outcomes for Children and Youth in the Child Welfare System: An Empirically Based Curriculum

This curriculum focuses on issues related to mental health service utilization and outcomes among children in the child welfare system. In spite of the documented need for mental health services for these children, there is a lack of information on children involved with both the child welfare and mental health systems. In order to improve our understanding of the issues and needs of this population, this curriculum focuses on five areas: (a) demographic and system-related characteristics of children involved in both the child welfare and mental health systems; (b) clinical need for services, service utilization patterns, and association between mental health service utilization and child welfare outcomes; (c) policies affecting mental health service utilization by children in the child welfare system; (d) collaboration between child welfare and mental health systems; and (e) resources for collaboration and service provision for children and youth in both the child welfare and mental health systems. The curriculum will provide research highlights, conceptual frameworks, tools, and experiential opportunities to strengthen understanding of a wide range of issues related to mental health service utilization among children in the public child welfare system. (165 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Rhee, S., Chang, J. (2006). Child Abuse: Characteristics and Patterns Among Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese American Families: An Empirically Based Curriculum

This curriculum focuses on child maltreatment issues and effective practice strategies among immigrant Asian families. Specifically, it elucidates demographic and behavioral characteristics of child abuse victims and perpetrators in four major immigrant Asian communities (Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese), factors contributing to the selection of two types of placement (in-home and out-of-home) by child protective services workers, and effective child welfare practice with immigrant Asian families. (106 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Chang, J., Liles, R., & Hoang, T. (2006). Factors Leading to Premature Terminations of Kinship Care Placements

This curriculum focuses on factors that may lead to differential placement outcomes for children who have become dependents of the court, as the result of abuse and neglect, and have been placed with kin rather than in traditional foster homes. It is intended for use by child welfare faculty in California’s schools of social work or social welfare in both BSW and MSW programs and may be used in direct practice or Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE) classes. In addition, the curriculum, or parts from it, may be used in workshops provided to line workers, supervisors, and/or managers by any of the public child welfare training academies in California or public child welfare agencies. The intent of this curriculum is to provide students and child welfare professionals with (a) background information on kinship care as an alternative to traditional foster care, (b) a brief review of the literature pertaining to the characteristics of dependent children in kinship care and their care providers, (c) opportunities to discuss beliefs about why kinship care is valuable (or not) and why it may or may not be successful, (d) demographic data pertaining to selected characteristics of children in kinship care and their care providers derived from a sample of California child welfare cases, (e) factors which may or may not be related to premature termination of kinship care placements, (f) caregiver perceptions of differential placement outcomes, (g) social worker perceptions of differential placement outcomes, and (h) opportunities to discuss how students and/or child welfare workers can decrease premature termination of kinship care placements. The curriculum is accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation containing key points from each module followed by one or more slides presenting an “active learning experience.” (78 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Drabble, L., Tweed, M., & Osterling, K. L., (with Navarrette, L., Pearce, C., Riberio, P., & Twomey, E.). (2006). Pathways to Collaboration: Understanding the Role of Values and System-Related Factors in Collaboration Between Child Welfare and Substance Abuse Treatment Fields

Research over the last 20 years has documented a strong correlation between substance abuse and risk of involvement in the child welfare system. More recently, a growing body of research and policy analysis focused on addressing the needs of substance-abusing families in child welfare calls for “bridging the gap” in values and attitudes between child welfare and substance abuse treatment service delivery systems and developing collaborative models for intervention and case planning. This research-based curriculum increases awareness about how individual and professional values may impact interdisciplinary practice and is designed to develop skills for improved collaborative practice among child welfare workers, substance abuse treatment professionals, and other professionals working with substance abusing families involved in the child welfare system. This study examined similarities and differences in values and perceived capacity for collaboration between substance abuse and child welfare fields based on survey data from respondents in counties in California. The instruments used in this study, the Collaborative Values Inventory (CVI) and Collaborative Capacity Instrument (CCI), were developed by Children and Family Futures/National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. (123 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation | Accompanying Appendixes

Weaver, D., Chang, J., & Gil de Gibaja, M. (2006). The Retention of Public Child Welfare Workers.

This curriculum is intended to help child welfare workers, administrators, and policy-makers increase the job retention of public child welfare caseworkers. California’s statewide shortage of social workers is expected worsen, and the field of public child welfare is facing its own acute shortage of social work personnel. More important, high turnover rates in child welfare agencies are a major obstacle to timely investigations, compromising the ability of agencies to protect children. The retention of public child welfare workers is an immediate pressing professional and practical concern, and this curriculum points directly to specific solutions to the problem. (58 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Berrick, J. D., Ayasse, R. H. (2005). Improving Educational Services for Foster Youth Living in Group Homes: An Analysis of Interagency Collaboration.

The purpose of this curriculum is to heighten the awareness and increase knowledge of child welfare workers, foster care providers, and school staff regarding the educational needs of foster children and to develop specific skills to address those needs and smooth the transition to new school environments in order to avoid unnecessary absences from school caused by transferring to a new foster home. The process requires a three-way collaborative effort between the caseworker, foster care provider, and school staff, and this curriculum provides clear, concise, and practicable actions for all of the responsible professionals to enable them to operate effectively as part of a collaborative team. (209 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Pasztor, E. M., Goodman, C. C., Potts, M., Santana, M. I., & Runnels, R. A. (2002). Kinship Caregivers and Social Workers: The Challenge of Collaboration

This curriculum was developed as an empirical foundation for a practice model that facilitates collaboration toward providing the highest level of service for at-risk children and their families. It teaches collaboration in nine areas: legal issues, financial issues, health and mental health, education/school, family relationships, child management, support services, fair and equal treatment, and general satisfaction. It is organized around five competency areas: respecting the knowledge, skills, and experiences of others; building trust by meeting needs; facilitating communication; creating an atmosphere in which cultural tradition, values, and diversity are respected; and using negotiation skills. The curriculum is divided into five sections: Introduction to the Curriculum, Conducting the Training, Training Modules (two 3-hour modules for inservice training), Classroom Modules (for undergraduates and graduates), References and Annotated Bibliography. (345 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Merdinger, J. M., Hines, A. M., Lemon, K., Wyatt, P., & Tweed, M. (2002). Pathways to College: Understanding the Psychosocial and System-Related Factors That Contribute to College Enrollment and Attendance Among Emancipated Foster Youth: An Empirically Based Curriculum

This curriculum, written for graduate social work students and child welfare workers, is designed to improve the quality of care and services provided to children in out-of-home care. It highlights the importance of providing child welfare services that are responsive to the needs of children who must prepare for emancipation and the responsibilities of adult life. While more research efforts are aimed at tracking youth emancipating from the foster care system, little is known about those who are currently enrolled in post-secondary education. Further, research on youth exiting the foster care system tends to highlight negative outcomes. Little is known of former foster youth who go on to lead healthy and productive lives and what the contributing factors were that enabled them to succeed. Understanding their pathways to college and identifying the factors related to educational achievement can help inform program and service delivery to youth currently in the foster care system. (186 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Salsgiver, R. O. (2000). Child Welfare Practice: Keeping Children With Disabilities in Their Home

This six-part curriculum introduces working with children with disabilities and is based on a model that sees disability as an issue of diversity rather than of dysfunction and medicine. It may be used in part, but use in whole is strongly recommended. The modules address the competencies involving cultural skills and knowledge and impact competencies regarding child welfare skills and knowledge about child abuse. They cover: quantifying the number of persons with disabilities in the United States and California, having participants understand their own values and attitudes regarding children with disabilities, physical and sexual abuse affecting children with disabilities, families with children with disabilities, a generic model of practice that includes children with disabilities and their families, and a resource directory. (189 pages.)

Jones, L. (2000). Choices: A Child Welfare Curriculum Module on Voluntary Services and Court-Mandated Services

This module compares the relative effectiveness of court mandated versus voluntary service plans in preventing child maltreatment recidivism and analyzes family characteristics that influence how families are recommended for court mandated services. Results showed that the type of plan does not make a difference on case outcome; similar rates of recidivism were noted between both types of plans after the cases closed. Also, while children were more likely to remain in the home in families that received voluntary plans, when other factors were controlled, the voluntary plan advantage disappeared. (145 pages.)

Okamura, A., Quinnett, E. (2000). Family Group Decision-Making Models for Social Workers in the Child Welfare Setting

This curriculum introduces the Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) model of working with families in child welfare and is based on a core belief that within families lies the wisdom to find solutions to protect their own children and resolve other issues of concern. The six modules cover: the historical perspective of FGDM; models of FGDM; cultural competency; micro, mezzo, and macro level skills utilized in FGDM; practice; and outcome measures. In addition to lecture content, modules include instructional guides and suggestions, interactive exercises, topics for discussion, video and other resource suggestions, and a pre- and posttest instrument with answer sheet. An appendix of handouts, workshop evaluation form, references, and list of information sources and resources is included. (128 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation

Becker, I., Daly, D., Gross, B., Robertson, G., Robinson, M., Casey, D., et al. (2000). Indian Families and Child Welfare: A Training Curriculum

This module supports the guidelines of the Indian Child Welfare Act. It provides information on: overcoming Indian families' fundamental mistrust and engaging families appropriately; how federal Indian policy affects Indian communities: Indian culture, traditions, family, and child rearing; the role of extended family systems and community networks for reservation and non-reservation Indians; the premise and guidelines of the ICWA and related federal and state laws that govern the implementation of the ICWA: the notion that the best interests of the Indian child are served by the tribes; collaborating with tribal workers; the role of cultural factors in risk assessment of Indian child welfare cases; community resources and skills in networking within the Indian community and within rural Indian community settings; skills in a variety of social work methods; and the differences between particular tribes. (236 pages.) Accompanying PowerPoint Presentation | Accompanying Supplemental Materials

Rice, S. (2000). Non-Violent Conflict Management: Conflict Resolution, Dealing with Anger, Negotiation and Mediation

Conflict is inevitable and if unresolved, has negative impacts that reach far beyond the principal parties. Managing conflict in a non-violent manner can increase the ability of everyone involved to work more effectively with clients, staff, and other personnel. This module teaches conflict management through a combination of skill-building and philosophical discussion to enable participants to become invested in the idea that non-violent conflict management is better, more effective, and more efficacious in the long run than either conflict avoidance, or an aggressive approach that produces "winners" and "losers." The material can be presented in training sessions of varying lengths from one class to an entire semester. The author recommends separating the three modules over time to allow time for integration of skills. (95 pages.)

Clark, S. J., & Dickinson, N. (1998). Development of Competencies for the California Public Child Welfare Curriculum Through Evaluation and Partnership

This report covers the development and uses of competencies, the programmatic foundation of CalSWEC's child welfare services effort for public child welfare graduate social work education. Competencies are developed to create a foundation of principles, goals, and learning objectives for public child welfare MSW students and outline what graduate social work specialists in child welfare need to know and be able to do in order to provide professional services to disadvantaged families and children. Part I describes the collaborative methods used to develop the competencies. Part II lists the actual competencies. Each competency includes an objective, a recommendation for the setting where the competency can best be learned (field/classroom), associated activities for use in the classroom and field, and suggested methods of student evaluation. Competencies have been used to: enhance collaboration between MSW programs and public agencies by providing a set of learning objectives for field placement contracts and a means for student evaluation, apply classroom learning to field practice, develop empirically-based curriculum, and develop curriculum for continuing education of public child welfare workers. (81 pages.)

Black, J. (1998). Interagency Child Welfare Practice: Collaboration in Service of Children and Families

This project provides a comprehensive overview of interagency collaboration in child welfare practice: it's three modules address the what, where, why, when, who, and how of collaborative practice; define collaboration in this context; provide a sound rationale for developing collaborations; outline strategies for overcoming barriers; explain the various stakeholders and systems involved; and describe the skills needed to build effective collaborations. The curriculum can be used on its own, or to augment existing courses or training sessions, and incorporates newly developed competencies on interagency collaboration in addition to CalSWEC core competencies. (149 pages.) Accompanying Annotated Bibliography | Accompanying Supplemental Materials (handouts and overheads)

Orozco, E., & Clark, S. J. (1997). Ethnic Sensitive Child Welfare Practice: Videotape Series Guide

This is for videotape owners who have lost their user's guide. It suggests ways to use the videotapes and includes information on focusing discussions, leading exercises, providing handouts, and preparing exam questions. (35 pages)

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Frasch, K., Brooks, D., Reich, J., & Wind, L. (2004). Enhancing Positive Outcomes in Transracial Adoptive Families
$52.00

This curriculum explores the experiences and challenges of transracial adoptive families with the goal of improving the quality of services and supports provided to them. In addition, there is a growing subset of transracial adoptive families who choose to maintain contact with their child's birth family. Very little information exists to help these families or their child welfare workers understand the bumpy terrain of openness. This curriculum fills some of the many gaps in knowledge and practice. It includes summaries of transracial adoption literature, a theoretical discussion on normative development in transracial adoptive families, practice oriented information including discussion questions and exercises, case vignettes, worker guidance, a self-assessment tool, and findings from the in-depth qualitative study of 12 transracial adoptive families in California conducted as part of this project. Findings themes include: the complicated factors involved in choosing transracial adoption; how the children and youth understand the meaning of their adoption; issues around the choice to maintain contact with the adopted child's birth family, the role of the contact, and the vulnerability of contact arrangements; the role of race in family life and development, negotiating different cultural worlds, and developmental changes; and the role of services and supports prior to and following adoption. (317 pages.)

Public Child Welfare Training Academy, Southern Region. (2003). First Response: Interviewing Young Children About Abuse & Neglect
$18.00

This videotape re-enacts an interview with a 6-year-old girl (using an older girl to represent the subject) who neighbors suspect lives in an abusive home environment. The program outlines the fundamental components that social workers use when interviewing a possible victim of child abuse to ensure that the child's needs are met, laws are followed, and the interview is conducted in a nonjudgmental manner. It contains three segments: an uninterrupted sample interview, the full interview with commentary, and several examples of inappropriate interviewing techniques. (35 minutes VHS.)

Jones, L., & Daly, D. (2002). Family Unity Meetings: Practice, Research, and Instructional Curricula
$137.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$52.00 - with transparencies on disk

This module explores the implementation, process, and outcomes of the Family Unity Meeting in San Diego County, which provides a case study for Family Group Decision Making. Module I covers factors that distinguish between families that accept or reject an invitation to a meeting, the meeting process, outcomes, family perspectives on family change, the use of social support, and family satisfaction with services. Module II includes a synopsis of Family Group Conferencing; legislation supportive of FGC; the history, definition, and philosophy of FGC; models of FGC; process of FGC; facilitator's role; trends and evaluation FGC; classroom exercises; videotape suggestions; and a bibliography. Module III is a proposed semester course syllabus that focuses on FGC and strength-based practice. Module IV is a handbook designed for field instructors and students who are engaged in FGC as part of the student's field practicum. Includes PowerPoint presentations. (318 pages.)

Frame, L., Berrick, J. D., Sogar, C., Berzin, S. C., & Pearlman, J. (2001). CalWORKS and Child Welfare: Case Management for Public Child Welfare Workers
$40.00

This curriculum is designed to educate social workers about the experiences and needs of families involved with both public welfare and child welfare services so that they can provide high quality case management services within a post-welfare reform environment. Based on research from a longitudinal, ethnographic study of families living in an urban environment, the curriculum includes: a review of child welfare outcomes in the welfare reform era; a description of welfare reform as implemented in one county, including examples from the client's perspective of managing within a welfare-to-work environment; a cost of living analysis of life on welfare; a set of case examples illustrating pathways from welfare to child welfare, with special attention to aspects of welfare reform which may play a role in child welfare outcomes; and a discussion of how to apply qualitative research methods toward improving child welfare practice, as well as an explanation of the research methods used for the study. (170 pages.)

Rasmusssen, L. (2000). Strategies for Identifying & Assessing Children with Sexually Abusive Behavior Problems: Part One: Two Curriculum Modules
$222.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$44.00 - with transparencies on disk

Module I discusses effects of sexual abuse trauma on young children; describes the adverse effects of sexual abuse trauma and the role of past victimization experiences in motivating sexual acting out; includes a literature review; and covers affective, cognitive, and behavioral effects. Two practice models that explain the effects of abuse are discussed and compared, and an integrative treatment model is introduced. Module II discusses childhood sexual development, reviews research on sexual behavior problems in children, presents research findings about normative sexual development in children as well as criteria differentiating sexually abusive behavior problems from age-appropriate sex play, includes experiential exercises on sexual values, and reviews and discusses clinical and research methods used to classify types of children with sexual behavior problems. Each module contains learning objectives, suggested readings, an outline of issues addressed in the module, and suggestions for teaching the module in the classroom and in field practicum. (233 pages.)

Weaver, D., Furman, W., Moses, T., Linsdey, D., & Cherin, D. (1999). Effects of Computerization on Public Child Welfare Practice: An Empirically Based Curriculum and An Empirically Based Curriculum Designed for Use in California Child Welfare Training Academies
$70.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$59.00 - with transparencies on disk

This project studied the impact of the implementation of the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) on child welfare practice by examining the casework practices affected by computerization, measuring the extent to which these practices were affected by computerization, and identifying organizational and individual factors that influenced the effect of computerization on these practices. Findings showed that the implementation of CWS/CMS did not lead to drastic changes in the ways in which CWSs carried out their daily work; time spent with clients was unchanged. However, the study demonstrated that CWS/CMS led to modest but crucial changes in how workers spent their time on the job, affected the quantity and quality of relationship with coworkers, and changed some workers' attitudes toward their agency and job. (340 pages.)

Hohman, M. (1998). Assessment, Intervention, and Recovery Support for Substance Abusing Parents in the Child Welfare System
$58.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$38.00 - with transparencies on disk

This curriculum covers a combination of the following public child welfare competencies: ethnic sensitive and multicultural practice; core child welfare skills; social work skills and methods; and human development and social environment. Sections on assessment and intervention; treatment models, principles, and programs, self-help groups, the recovery process, and relapse prevention are included, as are models of the recovery process, references, transparencies, self-help brochures, website resources, and pre- and posttests. (123 pages.)

Berrick, J. D., Needell, B., Shlonsky, A., Simmel, C., & Pedrucci, C. (1998). Assessment, Support, and Training for Kinship Care & Foster Care: An Empirically Based Curriculum $61.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$55.00 - with transparencies on disk

This curriculum, which may be used in whole or in part, offers an overview of foster care, background on the characteristics of kin and non-kin foster parents, and trends in foster care. Special emphasis is placed on foster care recruitment, training, and retention efforts as well as the foster care payment rate structure. A comprehensive look at the elements that comprise quality of care in kinship and non-related foster homes is included. The curriculum highlights the philosophical reasons for providing quality care, the history and philosophy of kinship care, a legal history and brief policy analysis of kinship care, and domains of quality. Practice tips for child welfare workers and administrators are included, as well as a chapter where kin and non-kin foster parents address their relationship with the child welfare system and recent child welfare policies affecting foster parents and kinship caregivers. (333 pages.)

Rogers, K., Ferguson, C., Barth, R. P., & Embry, R. (1998). Evaluating Community-Based Programs for Families At-Risk of Foster Care Placement: An Empirically Based Curriculum
$68.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$53.00 - with transparencies on disk

This curriculum, which can be used in whole or in part, provides background legislative initiatives, evaluations of Family Preservation/Support Programs in different areas of the country, and techniques in evaluating community-based programs. Chapters include: a description of the development of Family Preservation/Family Support programs including key federal legislation and California's implementation process; a review of current literature on both family support and family preservation evaluations; a state-wide matrix of County Five-Year Plans for the Family Preservation/Support Program Initiative, summaries of 10 county Five-Year Plans, and case studies of three counties; information on single-subject designs including the nature and scope of single-subject research and its relationship to time-series design; information on collecting and analyzing administrative level data to determine whether change has occurred in a target community; and analysis of administrative level data within a single-system design framework. This module addresses Child Welfare Policy, Planning and Administration competencies. (305 pages.)

Canto, C., Tracy, L., White, R. C., & Clark, S. (1998). Resource Guide for Ethnic Sensitive & Multicultural Practice
$36.00

This guide supports the California MSW program Ethnic Sensitive and Multicultural Practice competency module and is composed of: a listing of applicable competencies; bibliographic data; resources for course materials; continuing education and training resources; membership, advocacy, and service organizations; internet sources; and syllabi of nationwide courses which included content on ethnic sensitive and multicultural practice skills. The guide can be used as standalone material for use in individual classes within courses, to encourage the development of courses which cross-cut traditional social work education categories, as discussion tools or exercises in courses needing ethnic sensitive and multicultural practice examples, by researchers to access literature available in specific areas, and to highlight child welfare resources available on the internet. (160 pages.)

Mills, L. G., & Friend, C. (1997). Assessment and Case Management of Domestic Violence in Public Child Welfare
$89.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$45.00 - with transparencies on disk

This curriculum's modules are designed for sequential use, but can be used independently. Module I, aimed at first year methods students, explains the link between domestic violence and child abuse, the effects of domestic violence on children, and the availability of community resources (100 or 170 minute presentation). Module II, aimed at advanced practice methods classes, shares what researchers have learned in the area of responding to domestic violence, the elements of effective domestic violence case management, and rudimentary skills in conducting a domestic violence/child abuse interview using an assessment instrument that focuses on establishing an alliance with the battered woman (100 or 170 minute presentation). Module III, designed for a 3-hour advanced social lab or half-day agency training session, offers the effects of domestic violence on children, an opportunity for the student/trainee to consider how personal experiences may impact a case, and practice using the assessment instrument with a "Battered Woman" and/or "Child". Modules include: a summary, trainer notes, transparencies, sample resource packet, discussion and exercise materials, bibliography and section on CalSWEC priority areas regarding domestic violence. (273 pages.)

Walker, P., & Tabbert, W. (1997). Culturally Sensitive Risk Assessment: An Ethnographic Approach
$85.00 - with preprinted transparencies
$45.00 - with transparencies on disk

This curriculum combines systematic risk assessment (developed to address inconsistency and randomness in existing assessment tools and used to both identify factors which truly endanger children and illuminate strengths that may be build upon to ameliorate risk and preserve the family) with ethnographic interviewing (developed in response to a growing awareness of the importance of cultural differences in the helping process and the right of clients to receive culturally appropriate services). The combination of the two conceptual frameworks which helps clarify risks and strengths enables case plans and interventions to be more closely matched to what families are able and willing to do. (213 pages.)

University of California at Berkeley - California Social Work Education Center, California State University at Fresno - Child Welfare Training Project and Academic Innovation Center. (1994). Research Dissemination: The Movie
$18.00

In a perfect world, research informs practice, and practice suggests research. But in reality, researchers complain that nobody reads their findings, and practitioners who make the time to read research complain that it is difficult to understand and that the implications for practice are unclear. This videotape bridges the gap between researchers and practitioners. (30 minutes VHS.)

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