This course will explain the purpose of a DCFS home study and the specific roles each program has in the home study process. The course will also provide an overview of the home study outline and information needed to complete the home study. At the completion of this course, participants will be able to: - Describe the purpose of a home study - Describe the requirements for each program (CPS, FS, FC and HD). - Describe the required content for a home study

New Workers will be provided with information related to Interviewing and Assessment during the Level 2 Family Assessment Moodle course and Effectively Engaging Children Moodle course. This course is intended to supplement the content by discussing the importance of a strengths- based approach and use of solution-focused skills and questions. The course will also provide video examples of some of the solution-focused questions.

This course is designed to provide you with basic information as it relates to working with, assessing for, and assisting children and adults with a variety of mental health disorders. Participants will learn what the more common mental disorders are in children and adults, how they present, what types of providers are utilized for treatment, and how to make client referrals to those providers. Also presented will be DCFS policy on medication. Lastly, participants will learn about the signs and symptoms of those contemplating suicide and what steps can be taken to assist with prevention.

Everyday life has its own demands and stresses. These demands and stressors are greatly increased for child welfare professionals due the responsibilities they have for children and families. This course will assist child welfare professionals in recognizing stressors in their own life and how it impacts them. The course will also provide healthy strategies to handle stress. Exposure to secondary traumatic stress and burnout are other issues facing child welfare professionals. This course will assist CW professionals in recognizing the signs and symptoms as well as ways to manage it all in a healthy way. Course Objectives: - Assist child welfare professionals in recognizing stressors in their own life and how it impacts them - Provide healthy strategies to handle stress - Assist CW professionals in recognizing the signs and symptoms of traumatic stress and burnout

This course will help participants understand risk of maltreatment in the families we serve. It will provide an overview of the risk assessment (Structured Decision Making) tool used by DCFS Child Welfare and will provide an opportunity for participants to observe the completion of this tool with a peer in their office. Course Objectives: The participant will ... - Identify the difference between risk and safety - Recognize risk factors for child maltreatment in the families we serve - Understand and complete the risk assessment too (Structured Decision Making)

Substance use among Americans has risen sharply in the past decade, with a particular increase in use of the opioid, fentanyl. There is substantial overlap in the families served by child welfare agencies and substance abuse treatment. It is imperative that child serving professionals have a foundational knowledge of drug classification/identification, the influence parental substance use has on the safety and wellbeing of children, and strategies to support families when addiction is prevalent.