Colorado Family Development
Credential (FDC)
Laura Benavente- Colorado FDC State
Coordinator
FDC Background

FDC is a research and evidence based family support
training and credentialing program.

FDC started in 1996 in Ithaca, New York at Cornell
University and has expanded to 17 states, and
Washington D.C.

Colorado Family Education Resource and Training
Program (CFERT) brought FDC to Colorado, and the
Colorado State University Extension Growing Strong
Colorado Families (GSCF) work team has implemented
FDC around the state.
FDC Colorado

To date FDC has been introduced into 92
organizations in 19 Colorado Counties.

16 Credentialing Courses (90 Hour) are
currently running in the state.
Are you wondering if this training
will stress out an already
overworked staff ?


Are you trying to decide if your staff will feel
like this is just one more thing on their
already full plate?
Let’s look at impact by workers who have
attended an FDC course:
Perceived Impact by Workers After
Attending FDC

Workers reported they learned knowledge
and skills in the following areas:



Listening, empathy and mutually respectful
relationships.
Goal setting, advocating and recognizing
strengths.
Understanding diversity.
Perceived Impact by Workers After
Attending FDC

FDC participants reported the following:

Increase in professional self-esteem.

Increase in global self-esteem and mastery.

A greater feeling of professional respect from
co-workers.

Feeling less burned out
Are you wondering if your staff will
be able to use what they learn?

Will the classroom lessons translate to real
world work, or do the concepts only work in
an ideal world?

Can staff really use what they learn ?
Recent Participant Testimonial

“Following the training I have found it very
useful to sit down with a family and complete
the circle assessment prior to doing any
further work. This has helped the family
realize that some of the issues or stress they
deal with, can be reduced or even eliminated
after really analyzing all of the support they
have around them. ”
Recent Participant Testimonial

“When I come across anything these days
that may cause stress, I take a minute and
imagine a miracle removing that source of
stress from my life. This has helped me in
my work by refocusing my energy on the
solution rather than dwelling on the
problem/stressor. I have made this a life a
principle and pass these ideas on to
everyone whose path I cross. “
Outcomes

In addition to impacts on the organizational
culture such as staff perceptions and
improved work behaviors there are also
financial impacts such as staff retention.
Financial Impact

US Department of Labor reports employee
replacement cost is 1/3 of new hire salary.

University of Wisconsin Extension created a
detailed worksheet that captures both the
direct and indirect costs associated with
replacing a staff person. Assuming the
replacement position is $15hr position the
cost is $6815.
Financial Impact of Staff Loss


Assuming the following:
 Vacating staff provides 2 weeks notice
 Position is vacant for 4 weeks
 1 week of training time
 4 weeks 25% productivity
 6 weeks 50 % productivity
 6 weeks 75% productivity
= 22.5 weeks to get back to full capacity!
ROI Analysis of FDC

FDC takes 90 hours (2.25 weeks) and offers
the following :




Improved staff efficiency
Increased staff self esteem
The tools to create an environment that minimizes
burn out and staff attrition.
Staff attrition costs $6815 and it takes 22.5
weeks to get an organization back to optimal
productivity.