New Family Case Managers

Select any New Family Case Manager training to see a detailed overview of the course and course competencies.

Course Overview:

Getting To Know DCS is a one-day course that will provide new workers with an overview of the expectations of the cohort training period and the roles and responsibilities of a Family Case Manager (FCM). This course will outline the Practice Model and introduce best practices and challenges of the FCM role.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Introduce new workers to the expectations of cohort training.
Discuss intervention generated risk and the challenges that are inherent to the Family Case Manager role.
Review the history and guiding principles of the Indiana Department of Child Services including the Mission, Vision,
Values, and tenets of the Practice Model.
Review New Worker Cohort training schedule and components.
Define the optimal traits for a Family Case Manager.

Course Overview:

Engagement is a one-day training that will introduce new workers to the importance of engaging with diverse families, stakeholders, DCS staff, and other individuals they will encounter within the various domains of their work. The process of Engagement is analyzed within the context of a family’s culture, their strengths and protective factors, and with consideration to power dynamics inherent in the FCM role. An emphasis is given to developing trust-based, collaborative relationships along with a demonstration of treating others with Genuineness, Empathy, Respect, and Professionalism.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Understand and respond appropriately to the needs of the individuals you interact with as an FCM.
Recognize value and strategies for engaging families with cultural identities and life philosophies which differ from your own.
Understand and assess for the presence of protective factors, inventory & functional strengths, and risks for child maltreatment.
Understand importance of engaging in and develop collaborative, trust-based, working relationships with children, families, resource parents, providers, and community partners.
Recognize how power dynamics impact the FCM’s relationship with the family.
Demonstrate an ability to treat others with professionalism, empathy, genuineness, and respect.

Course Overview:

Culture & Diversity I & II are complementary one-day trainings that will provide insight to new workers about incorporating cultural humility into their practice. New workers will also learn to apply the values that underlie a family-centered approach to child welfare to their assessments and/or cases, including keeping families together, building on family and individual strengths, promoting growth and change, and respecting each family’s uniqueness and individuality.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Raise personal awareness of individual culture, and discover how values, norms, and behaviors are developed and influence interactions with others.
Understand the differences between the concepts of cultural competency and cultural humility, and how these influence interactions with others.
Be able to identify the causes of disproportionality, and understand its impact on the perceptions and role of an FCM.
Recognize the varied power dynamics that exist between caseworkers and families, while implementing inclusive language into their vocabulary as an FCM.
Demonstrate an understanding of how to incorporate the components of the DCS Practice Model into the cultural elements of the FCM role.

Course Overview:

Worker Safety is a one-day course that will provide new workers information on risk management and safety awareness. New workers will be able to recognize unsafe situations and develop practical and useful methods for safety intervention, such as verbal de-escalation. New workers will also learn considerations to take with families where there is a risk of substance use.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Understand how rare worker safety incidents are and how DCS supports FCMs by minimizing the risks inherent to the FCM role.
Understand the role of law enforcement and identify situations when they can accompany FCMs on home visits.
Recognize situations that are unsafe and understand how to prepare for various risks and maintain your safety while conducting home visits.
Recognize materials and hazards common in homes where drugs are used and/or manufactured.
Understand how the development of trust-based relationships will help to ensure safety.
Understand how engagement skills can be used to prevent dangerous situations and how to respond when an individual begins to escalate.
Understand how the DCS Practice Model supports worker safety.

Course Overview:

Critical Thinking is a half-day training that will provide new workers with the opportunity to define and practice the process of thinking critically as well as to begin to reflect upon their own personal values, biases, assumptions, and gaps in knowledge when engaged in the problem-solving process.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Clearly state a problem, understand its meaning and think through its implications within the context of the four quality indicators (Safety, Stability, Permanency, and Well-Being)
Demonstrate an application of the DCS Practice Model skills to the FCM role within the context of critical thinking.
Engage in reflection of one’s gaps in knowledge and recognize the value of multiple alternative perspectives for future practice.

Course Overview:

Trauma and its Effects on Children and Families is a two-day training which focuses on trauma and the effects it has on children and families. New workers will learn about typical child development and attachment and how those two areas are affected by trauma which will be defined within the context of child abuse and neglect and as a consequence of DCS intervention. This course will also highlight the long-term effects trauma can have on children as they grow and ways in which resilience may help offset the effects of trauma.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Identify indicators of typical developmental milestones for children and indicators of developmental delays and disabilities that may affect development.
Understand how protective factors and risk factors contribute to a child’s safety, stability, permanency, and well-being.
Understand the importance of positive attachments between children and their caregivers and the result when attachment is disrupted or non-existent.
Recognize the trauma associated with the categories of neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.
Understand the potential trauma associated with domestic violence, substance use, and mental health issues within the context of child maltreatment.
Understand how DCS intervention can contribute to a child’s trauma.
Recognize the short-term and long-term impacts trauma has on children and how resilience can help mitigate its effects.

Course Overview:

Interviewing is a one-day course designed to provide new workers with the opportunity to learn and practice the application of interviewing techniques, engage in the information gathering process, as well as ensure children and their families receive services uniquely suited to their needs.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Gather sufficient and complete information to assist in problem solving and stimulate critical thought and reflection through a competent utilization of interviewing skills and techniques.
Listen effectively, invite multiple avenues of inquiry through open-ended questions, probe for new ideas, and adapt interactions for variable situations.
Demonstrate an application of theoretical concepts and skills to practical field scenarios through interview practice.
Understand policies related to interviewing and the importance of FCM’s adherence to these policies.
Develop a greater understanding of the role that interview challenges play in the assessment process and the role motivational interviewing plays in the process of case planning.
Develop a greater understanding of the role that cultural humility plays within a successful interview.
Practice interviewing skills and techniques to assess the four quality indicators, presence of protective factors, and integrate practice model skills.

Course Overview:

Teaming & Facilitation is a one-day course designed to prepare new workers for CFTM Facilitator Training which occurs in the county offices with the help of trained peer coaches and other DCS staff. In this course, new workers will also learn more about the family-centered practice.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Understand the DCS Practice Model.
Learn about the empowerment of families, child safety, cultural recognition, team roles, team formation, and team functioning.
Execute CFTM prep and facilitation (upon completion of facilitation training).

Course Overview:

Culture & Diversity II continues the emphases of practicing cultural humility throughout the life of a case and will also provide new workers an opportunity to learn about specific elements of culture and diversity.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate with (and engage families within) the different cultures that they will encounter through their work.
Understand and identify the complex circumstances which impact child welfare needs that are unique to the LGBTQ community.
Identify the manners in which a culture of poverty can affect the families that DCS serves.
Understand how systemic racism manifests itself within the arenas that an FCM serves.
Recognize the multiplicity of values, norms, and behaviors that an FCM may encounter, which belong to children, families, and related stakeholders.
Demonstrate an ability to connect the topics learned within this training to the DCS Practice Model.

Course Overview:

Legal Roles and Responsibilities is a two-day training of basic legal concepts, DCS policy and Indiana law as it relates to the role of an FCM. This training also provides new workers with opportunities to practice completing court reports and preparing for court testimony.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Understand the legal mandates that guide DCS policies and procedures.
Understand how to utilize the CHINS definition of the Indiana Juvenile Code to protect children.
Recognize the sequence and purpose of the legal proceedings in the CHINS process.
Understand the concept of due process and due process procedures used during the life span of the case.
Understand how accurate documentation and standards of proof help to ensure the protection of Indiana’s children.
Gather, prepare and document case information for court.
Understand how the legal roles and responsibilities of a family case manager align to the DCS Practice Model.
Utilize the juvenile court to provide testimony that will ensure the safety, stability and permanency of children.

Course Overview:

Assessing Child Maltreatment is a three-day training that highlights the importance of conducting a holistic assessment to ensure the safety, stability, well-being, and permanency of Indiana’s children. In this training, new workers will learn how to gather information in a culturally competent manner, to draw conclusions and then make decisions that are in the best interest of the child.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Recognize and incorporate the concepts of child maltreatment into their practice.
Have a clear understanding of the “gathering information” step of the assessment process and ways to incorporate aspects of the DCS practice model into those processes.
Have a clear understanding of the “analyzing information” step of the assessment process and ways to incorporate aspects of the DCS practice model into those processes.
Have a clear understanding of the “Drawing Conclusions” & “Making Decisions” steps of the assessment process and ways to incorporate aspects of the DCS practice model into those processes.
Have a clear understanding of the “Creating & Implementing Strategies and Plans” step of the assessment process and ways to incorporate aspects of the DCS practice model into those processes.
Have a better understanding of how to engage and coordinate with resource parents.
Understand the importance and process for transitioning a case.

Course Overview:

Car Seat Awareness training will aid new workers in understanding the proper procedures for installing car seats for the safe transportation of children while in their care. (Disclaimer: This is an awareness course, not a certified child passenger safety technician course. Therefore new workers will NOT be qualified to assist families with installation in passenger vehicles, serve as a Certified CPS Technician qualified to check a car seat at a child passenger safety event, set up and coordinate a child passenger safety event or inspection station without guidance of a Nationally Certified Technician, serve as a child passenger safety/seat belt technical expert for the media, or operate child restraint loaner/distribution programs)

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Select the proper child safety car seat based on the child’s approximate age, height, and weight. New workers will demonstrate car seat installation of several different models, and know how to apply this knowledge to other car seats and vehicles.

Course Overview:

Case Planning and Intervening for Permanence is a three-day course that introduces new workers to the skills for planning and implementing case plans that promote safety, stability, permanency, and well-being of Indiana’s children. In this training, new workers will learn to engage families in the service planning and delivery process through, identify necessary services and also revise judgments throughout the life of a case that are in the best interest of the child.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Have a clear understanding of the “intervening” process and ways to incorporate aspects of the DCS practice model into those processes.
Have a clear understanding of “permanence” and how it aligns to the DCS practice model.
Understand DCS policies and procedures for case planning.
Be able to develop a case plan by creating goals, objectives and identifying activities with the families.
Understand the importance of concurrent planning
Understand all of the available permanency options
Will be familiar with Older Youth Services provided by DCS and how to incorporate them into the case planning process
Be familiar with the Quality Service Review (QSR)
Understand the importance of revising judgments throughout the life of a case and how to incorporate that skill into their practice
Have a better understanding of how to engage and coordinate with resource parents

Course Overview:

Self-care will help new workers identify personal and professional symptoms of stress and secondary trauma while developing practical and useful methods for managing those stressors. New workers will learn methods to promote self-care in both long-term and short-term solutions that include using programs and support systems available to DCS staff.

Course Competencies:

After training, participants will be able to:

Define state of well-being, stress, and stressors which threaten one’s state of well-being.
Identify how mind and body respond to stress.
Recognize trauma and trauma related disorders associated with child welfare professionals.
List personal and professional strategies for coping with job-related stress and trauma.
Produce a self-care plan.