Training Requirements

• Caseworker Requirements
• Supervisor Requirements
• Assessor Requirements
• Foster Caregiver Requirements

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Caseworker Training Requirements

Mandated Core Training

The ORC requires that newly hired caseworker complete 102 hours of Core training within their first year of employment. The Caseworker Core Series must be taken in sequence and consists of the following eight modules:

See a brief description of each module.

Link to the Regional Training Centers' staff training calendars.

Attendance at the learning labs that accompany Modules II, IV, and V is not required, but is strongly recommended, as the labs are designed to help participants take what they learned in the workshop to a skill level through practice and application. In addition, the new Core Series utilizes pre- and post training assignments.

View a checklist outlining the sequence of the eight Caseworker Core Modules, along with listing of all pre- and post training assignments and recommended learning labs for their corresponding modules.

Mandated Non-Core Training
Caseworkers are required to receive 12 hours of Domestic Violence training within two years of hire.

Mandated Ongoing Training
After completing the Core Series in their first year, caseworkers are required to attend 36 hours of ongoing training each year thereafter.   The workshops attended should be those identified by completing the Individual Training Needs Assessment (ITNA).

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Supervisor Core Training Requirements

Mandated Core Training

The OAC requires new supervisors complete a minimum of 60 hours of training in their first year of employment in their supervisory position and 30 hours of inservice training every year there after.

The OCWTP's Supervisor Core curriculum is 72 hours and is designed to be completed during the first year of the supervisor's continuous employment.

The Supervisor Core Series consists of the following six modules, which the OCWTP strongly recommends be taken in sequence:

See a description of the content covered in each module.

Link to the Regional Training Centers' staff training calendars.

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Assessor Training Requirements:

Only an individual meeting all of the following requirements may perform the duties of an assessor:

1. The individual must be in the employ of, appointed by, or under contract with a court, public children services agency, private child placing agency, or private noncustodial agency;

2. The individual must be one of the following:

• A professional counselor, social worker, or marriage and family therapist (licensed under Chapter 4757 of the Ohio Revised Code);
• A psychologist (licensed under Chapter 4732 of the Ohio Revised Code);
• A student working to earn a four-year, post-secondary, or higher degree in a social or behavior science, or both, and who conducts assessor duties under the supervision of a professional counselor, social worker, marriage and family therapist, or psychologist.  Effective July 1, 2009, a student is eligible under this division only if the supervising professional has completed assessor training in accordance with the rules of the Ohio Revised Code.  (See below).
• A civil service employee engaging in social work without a license.  (See ORC 4757.41 (A)(5)).
• A former employee of a public children services agency who, while so employed, conducted the duties of an assessor.

3. The individual must complete the following training requirements:

• Complete Tier I Assessor training (six days of training) within one year taking first assessor training session.
• Complete Tier II Assessor training within three years of completion of Tier I.  NOTE: You must attend all six Tier I training sessions (in any order) and submit your Form 01680 before attending any Tier II sessions.
• Take six hours of Post Tier II adoption or foster care-specific training every two years.
• Assessors who completed Tier II prior to December 11, 2006, must complete six hours of "Post Tier II" training every two years, beginning December 11, 2006.  In other words, by December 11, 2008, you must attend six-hours of training which addresses adoption or foster care-specific issues that relate to your job duties as an Assessor. All Assessors who complete Tier II on or after December 11, 2006, must complete six hours of additional "Post Tier II" training every two years beginning on the date he/she completed Tier II.
• Any assessor who has not performed assessor duties for three or more years must attend the 12-hour assessor refresher.

View descriptions of each Tier I and Tier II Foster & Adoption Assessor Module.

View statewide Foster & Adoption Assessor training calendars.

Assessors are certified and must submit a Form 01680 upon completion of Tier I.  Assessors are then required to keep their certification current by completing Tier II training within three years of completion of Tier I and submitting an updated Form 01680.

Form 01680:

A copy of your Form 01680 must be submitted to ODJFS upon of completion of:

1. Tier I.
2. Tier II.
3. Six hours of Post Tier II training.  (A copy of your training certificate and a course outline must accompany the 01680.)
4. The 12-hour Assessor Refresher--required for Assessors who have not performed assessor duties for three or more years.  (A copy of your training certificate and a course outline must accompany the 01680.)

ALL 1680 FORMS MUST BE POSTMARKED WITHIN TEN WORKING DAYS OF COMPLETION OF EACH REQUIREMENT

You may obtain a Form 01680 at http://www.odjfs.state.oh.us/forms/inter.asp Select Search/Sort by: "Form Number"; search for "01680"; click on "Search.” To print a form that you can fill out by hand, select "Fill In" under PDF. To download a form that you can fill out and save on your computer, select "MS Word."

IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT YOU KEEP COPIES OF YOUR 01680s AND ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS (CERTIFICATES AND COURSE OUTLINES) IN A FILE IN YOUR PERSONAL POSSESSION!

PLEASE NOTE:  You may NOT take Assessor training to meet your Post Tier II training requirement.

FAILURE TO MEET ALL REQUIREMENTS MAY RESULT IN:

1. A FINDING OF NON-COMPLIANCE DURING MONITORING
2. CORRECTIVE ACTION OR LICENSURE SUSPENSION BY THE SOCIAL WORKER LICENSING BOARD
3. OTHER DISCIPLINARY ACTION

AND REMEMBER… This information is current as of April 1, 2010, but laws and rules change frequently.

Please direct your questions regarding Assessor requirements contact the OCF Helpdesk: 866-886-3537 or Help-Desk-OCF@odjfs.state.oh.us

Assessors may link to 5101:2-48-06 in the Ohio Administrative Code to review requirements for assessors.

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Foster Caregiver Training Requirements

The Ohio Child Welfare Training Program provides in-service training to licensed foster caregivers.  Each caregiver must complete training commensurate with the level of fostering they provide:   

The in-service or continuing training topics must reflect the training needs of each foster caregiver, as identified by his or her recommending agency.  Some of the topics listed below might be training needs of foster caregivers, but continuing training workshops are not limited to these topics. 

Workshops designed to meet the identified training needs of caregivers are provided at the eight Regional Training Centers and public children service agencies throughout the state.  Foster caregivers should contact their Regional Training Center for a calendar of workshops.  See links to RTC foster parent training calendars.

The OCWTP has developed a series of workshops designed for newly licensed foster caregivers. These curricula build on the learning provided during Preservice training and allow caregivers to go beyond awareness and knowledge by developing skills.  While this series focuses on foster parents early in their foster care careers, it can also benefit seasoned foster caregivers who display training needs in any of the competencies trained in the Foster Care Fundamental series.

View brief descriptions of all foster caregiver courses.

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