About the BSW Consortium
Background
Children and families are the heart of a healthy society. Working with children and families in need of social services can be very demanding. In general, the child welfare profession experiences a high degree of turnover in child welfare staff. This is especially true if those working in child welfare have not had specialized training.
In spring 2005, the Minnesota Title IV-E BSW Consortium was
established to address the need for social workers specifically trained
in child welfare to serve communities throughout Minnesota. The
consortium, led by the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare at
the University of Minnesota School of Social Work, consists of the
undergraduate social work programs at five state universities:
Bemidji State University
Minnesota State
University Mankato
Minnesota State University
Moorhead
St Cloud State
University
Winona State
University
Consortium member schools provide stipends for BSW students with an interest in and commitment to child welfare. The stipends are awarded to approximately 45-50 students each year. The five social work programs vary in size and support from 4 to 13 students per year. The Minnesota BSW Consortium contracts with the Minnesota Department of Human Services for federal Title IV-E funds to provide increased educational opportunities and funds to prepare bachelor’s level social workers for a career in public child welfare services in rural Minnesota.
