STATEWIDE TRAINING COORDINATION
Description, Values and Roles
Version 2.1 | 10/3/13
About This Document
This document articulates the values and roles of California’s university-based regional child welfare
training system. It is intended to inform the public of the values and operations of the coordinated
training system, as well as to guide the coordinating partners in their work together.
It should be noted that not all the activities of these entities are coordinated statewide, and that other
entities outside of this coordinated system provide training to child welfare staff and others in the child
welfare services community. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) provides information
on the training that is provided outside this coordinated system.
Coordinating Partners
Currently 10 organizations are involved in the coordinated system:
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California Department of Social Services (CDSS);
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County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA);
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California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC), University of California, Berkeley;
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Bay Area Academy (BAA), CSU, Fresno;
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Central California Training Academy (CCTA), CSU, Fresno;

Northern California Children and Family Services Training Academy (Northern Academy),
Center for Human Services, University of California, Davis Extension;

Public Child Welfare Training Academy—Southern Region (PCWTA), San Diego State University;
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University Consortium for Children and Families (UCCF), University of California, Los Angeles;
CSU, Long Beach; CSU, Los Angeles; CSU, Northridge; CSU, Dominguez Hills; and University of
Southern California;

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (LA DCFS);
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Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice (RCFFP), Center for Human Services, University of
California, Davis Extension.
Background Information on Coordination of Training Efforts
California’s state-funded, county-administered system presents unique opportunities and challenges—
particularly for in-service training. Much like the rest of the child welfare system, this training system
originated with the counties’ needs. The Regional Training Academies and the Inter-University
Consortium developed excellent and diverse training programs for staff at all levels that met the needs
of the counties in their region. At the same time, several statewide initiatives emerged that require a
more coordinated approach to training and a higher degree of collaboration amongst all the training
entities.
As California and the federal government continue to focus on outcomes-based performance evaluation
for the child welfare system, coordinated training efforts become increasingly important. In fall 2002,
California began the Child and Family Services Review (CFSR). Required by the federal government, this
included an assessment of the child welfare training system. At the same time, Assembly Bill 636
mandated a new system of accountability for the child welfare system. Like the CFSR, AB 636 (now
called the C-CFSR) focuses on outcomes for the child welfare system and will require counties to
evaluate outcomes as never before, analyzing data to determine how to improve their systems. Training
will play a pivotal role in both collecting data and responding to it.
Several other large projects, such as implementation of new legislative and policy changes, point to a
more coordinated child welfare training system.
Charged by CDSS with coordinating statewide in-service training, all the coordinating partners must
balance the increased standardization required by the CFSR and C-CFSR with the regional system’s
unique ability to respond to counties’ training needs. Responding to these changes and creating a forum
for collaborative discussion and decision-making with all partner agencies are the main focus of the
coordinated system.
Values of the Coordinated System
The coordinated statewide training system:
 Promotes safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families;
 Balances statewide and regional/county needs;
 Encourages integration of evidence-based practices as they emerge;
 Is based on participatory decision-making processes;
 Promotes time efficiency, cost effectiveness, and quality training products.
Roles in the Coordinated System
 California Department of Social Services (CDSS)
CDSS is the single state agency responsible for meeting the statewide training needs, per WIC
16256. CDSS advances and facilitates the administration’s priorities and policies. It supports the
coordination between RTA/UCCF/LA DCFS/RCFFP training initiatives and other statewide training
initiatives. This includes, but is not limited to:
 Communicating the priorities of the administration about statewide training initiatives and
activities, seeking input as appropriate;
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Managing the contracting process to assure that training is progressing in an effective and
strategic manner, consistent standards and requirements for collaboration and coordination
of delivery in accordance with the CDSS administrative contracting manual;
Providing assistance and advocacy on funding for training, in consultation with the CDSS
Administrative Services Division;
Working with the county agencies (child welfare and probation) to provide final decisions on
Statewide Training and Education Committee (STEC) and other stakeholders’
recommendations;
Advancing the decisions and recommendations from STEC and other child welfare initiatives
within CDSS and to other statewide entities to ensure consistency with policies and
procedures.
 County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA)
CWDA provides statewide and regional input on and oversight of the training system from a county
perspective. This includes, but is not limited to:
 Communicating the priorities of CWDA and the counties about statewide and regional
training initiatives and activities;
 Reviewing and providing input on the structure of the coordinated statewide training
system, as well as the contracts intended to meet statewide and regional training needs, to
assure that county needs are met;
 Providing assistance and advocacy on funding for training, in consultation with CDSS, to
state and federal policy makers;
 Participating in the collaborative coordination processes facilitated by CalSWEC to identify
current and future statewide training priorities and gain agreement on standards for
training;
 Working with CDSS to provide final decisions on STEC and other stakeholders’
recommendations for training;
 Advancing the decisions and recommendations from STEC and other human services
initiatives within CWDA and the counties.
 California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC)
CalSWEC is contracted by CDSS to coordinate statewide in-service training activities. This includes:
 Facilitating collaborative processes (with CDSS, counties, CWDA and RTAs/UCCF/RCFFP) to
identify current and future statewide training priorities1 and gain agreement upon statewide
standards and competencies for training;
 Providing assistance and resources to counties, RTAs/UCCF/LA DCFS/RCFFP and other
entities to meet statewide standards and training priorities;
 In collaboration with coordinating partners, facilitating the development and
implementation of strategic planning processes for meeting statewide training priorities;
 In collaboration with coordinating partners, coordinating the development, revision and
dissemination of the Common Core Curricula;
 Facilitating the development and implementation of a framework for the evaluation of the
efficacy of training that can be used statewide, including data analysis and report
generation.
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For the purposes of this document, statewide training priorities are defined as those that are: legislatively
mandated or required by state or federal regulations; agreed upon by CDSS and CWDA; and/or shared widely
across county systems.
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 Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice (RCFFP)
The RCFFP is charged by CDSS to support the development and implementation of family-centered
practice in child welfare and human service agencies collaborating with child welfare (e.g., juvenile
probation, mental health, community-based organizations) throughout California. This includes:
 Partnering with initiatives to support implementation of discrete practice models;
 Collaborating with other training institutions to develop and disseminate training curriculum
that supports family-centered practice;
 Supporting Groups of counties implementing consistent practice models with training,
convenings and other professional services;
 Responding to the needs of individual counties throughout the state in their quest to
implement family-centered practices;
 Maintaining a growing clearinghouse of information relevant and timely to family –centered
practice;
 Assisting agencies in articulating the relationship between multiple practice models.
 RTAs/UCCF/LADCFS (Roles in the Coordinated System)
The roles below apply to all of the regional training entities as they relate to the coordinated system.
The roles of the different entities within their own region are listed in a separate section.
In terms of the coordinated system, the RTAs and LA DCFS/UCCF:
 Participate in a collaborative process with CDSS, CWDA, RTAs, and CalSWEC to identify
current and future statewide training priorities;
 Within the parameters of the county assessment and planning process, and based on the
capacity of the training organization, provide assistance and facilitate processes to achieve
statewide training priorities;
 Share information and resources;
 Participate in a collaborative process with CDSS, CWDA, RTAs, RCFFP and CalSWEC to
identify statewide standards and competencies to support positive outcomes for children
and families;
 Participate in a collaborative statewide process to develop an evaluation framework;
 Within the parameters of the region’s training delivery system, participate in the statewide
evaluation framework;
 Develop and revise curricula based on current practice and research.
RTA/UCCF/LA DCFS (Roles within Their Region)
 Bay Area Academy (BAA)
The Bay Area Academy’s primary mission is to provide professional education and training that
supports the quality and enhances the outcome of services to children and families served by public
child welfare agencies in the Bay Area. The Academy utilizes Title IV-E funds to offer core and
advanced training courses, conferences, technical assistance and other professional development
services at various locations throughout the Bay Area:
 Provide Common Core training for newly hired child welfare staff;
 Provide Foundations of Supervision training to newly promoted child welfare supervisors.
 Provide advanced training to child welfare caseworkers, supervisors, managers and other
child welfare-related staff working in public child welfare agencies within the region;
 Provide training and technical assistance related to major statewide and regional practice
improvement initiatives, including training related to the CFSR and C-CFSR;
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Establish linkages between postgraduate professional training (induction and in-service) and
the pre-professional education now occurring through BSW and MSW programs in the Bay
Area;
Collaborate with other training institutions to develop and disseminate training curricula;
Maintain resources relevant to best practices in public child welfare.
Participants eligible for BAA services work in the public child welfare field and include public child
welfare workers, supervisors, managers, nurses, support staff, foster care providers, mental health
workers and community services professionals. Participants do not pay any fees related to research
and development, instruction, materials, or facilities. The Academy provides services in the
following 12 counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco,
San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma. A variety of regional and county-specific
programs are currently provided.
The Academy is a program of the CSU, Fresno, College of Health and Human Services. It receives
oversight from the Bay Area Social Services Consortium (BASSC), the Training Advisory Board (TAB)
(comprised of training managers and Child Welfare Directors), and CDSS.
 Central California Training Academy (CCTA)
The Central California Training Academy serves an 11-county region in Central California and utilizes
Title IV-E funds to:
 Provide induction training for newly hired child welfare staff;
 Provide induction training for newly promoted child welfare supervisors;
 Provide in-service training for child welfare caseworkers, supervisors, managers, and other
child welfare-related staff working in public child welfare agencies within the region;
 Support/augment county automation efforts (CWS/CMS) by providing training and technical
support;
 Provide training and technical assistance related to major statewide and regional practice
improvement initiatives, including training related to the CFSR and C-CFSR;
 Establish a region-wide mentoring system to facilitate the training transfer of learning.
 Assist Central Region county human service directors with action oriented research, training,
policy analysis, and policy/program development;
 Establish linkages between postgraduate professional training (induction and in-service) and
the pre-professional education now occurring through BSW and MSW programs in the
Central California area.
The CCTA operates under the leadership of a collaborative Advisory Board of Directors comprised of
county welfare directors, a CDSS representative, the Dean of the CSU Fresno, College of Health and
Human Services (who also serves as the Project Director), and the chairs of the Master of Social
Work Programs at CSU, Fresno; CSU, Stanislaus; and CSU, Bakersfield. Additionally, the CWDA
Regional Children’s Services Sub-Committee operates as an advisory body to Academy staff and the
Board of Directors.
The overall goal of this collaborative project is to increase the professional skills and knowledge of
public child welfare workers, supervisors, managers, and administrators in the Central California
region.
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Training topics are identified in an ongoing, collaborative planning process using statewide training
priorities, CCTA training needs assessments, CCTA/CWDA Regional work groups, and Management
staff directives.
 Inter-University Consortium Department of Children and Family Services (UCCF/LA DCFS)
The Inter-University Consortium Department of Children and Family Services (UCCF/DCFS) Training
Project is a collaborative endeavor between the Los Angeles County Department of Children and
Family Services and the graduate programs of social work at CSU, Long Beach; CSU, Los Angeles;
University of California, Los Angeles; CSU, Northridge; CSU, Dominguez Hills; and the University of
Southern California.
The overall goal of this collaborative project is to increase the professional skills and knowledge of
Los Angeles County public child welfare workers. Through specialized Centers on Child Welfare
located at each university, the training project provides both training to DCFS staff, and specialized
pre-service for MSW students. Training topics are identified in an ongoing, collaborative planning
process using statewide training priorities, DCFS training needs assessments, DCFS/UCCF work
groups, and management staff directives.
 Northern California Children and Family Services Training Academy
The Northern California Training Academy serves 28 counties in northern California, including
frontier, rural, and urban populations.
The Northern Academy operates under the leadership of a collaborative Advisory Committee
comprised of county welfare directors, CDSS representatives, Title IV-E coordinators, and social work
department chairs for Sacramento, Humboldt and Chico State Universities; faculty from the
University of California, Davis; and county child welfare program managers, supervisors, and training
coordinators. Additionally, the CWDA Children’s Committee of Northern and Mt. Valley regions
provide guidance to a diverse continuum of comprehensive, competency-based in-service training,
field training with practice leaders, research, evaluation, and consultation.
The overall mission of this collaborative project is to increase the professional skills and knowledge
of public child welfare workers, supervisors, managers, administrators, Tribal, and other communitybased partners through a variety of modalities including classroom, field, and on-line learning.
Training topics are identified in an ongoing, collaborative planning process using statewide training
priorities, northern county training needs assessments, CWDA regional work groups, and the
Northern Academy’s Advisory Committee. The Academy is committed to innovation and
dissemination of the best and most promising practices to support improved outcomes for children
and families.
 Public Child Welfare Training Academy – Southern Region (PCWTA)
PCWTA has for 14 years provided competency-based and culturally relevant training for the public
child welfare staff and Title IV-E-funded community agencies in five southern counties. PCWTA is a
project within the School of Social Work at San Diego State University. The counties served include:
Imperial, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino ,and San Diego. A working partnership exists among the
schools of social work in the region: San Diego State University (SDSU), California State University at
San Bernardino (CSUSB), and Loma Linda University.
PCWTA currently delivers training at two fixed sites, one in Riverside and one in San Diego, in
addition to training sites within the five counties. The latter responds to county needs related to the
expansiveness of the southern region and the challenge of staff travel to training.
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PCWTA utilizes Title IV-E funds to provide Common Core training for line workers, supervisors, and
managers, as well as ongoing advanced training throughout the region. PCWTA utilizes classroom, elearning and blended learning modalities in training delivery. It utilizes a rigorous evaluation system
to ensure the highest quality of training and to ensure transfer of learning for our trainees—at all
levels.
A collaborative advisory process is utilized to establish training needs. This process involves a
quarterly Training Planning Committee meeting that includes training and management staff, who
represent the five counties, and Title IV-E project coordinators from our partner universities. Here
the training needs are prioritized based on each county’s C-CFSR process, evidence-based research,
best practice, and new state initiatives.
Additionally, PCWTA participates in statewide collaborative processes that include CDSS, CalSWEC,
RTA partners, and others engaged in and relevant to CWS training in California. Also, on a regular
basis, the Director and PCWTA Program Manager meet individually with the Children’s Directors of
the five southern counties to share information, coordinate, and discuss training plans and policy.
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