Advanced Training for Mental Health and Child Welfare Professionals
Children who have experienced the trauma of abuse, neglect and abandonment are at high risk of developing behavioral and emotional responses that challenge their adjustment with adoptive and foster families. Access to adoption competent mental health services is a critical component in promoting stable and healthy outcomes for these children and their adoptive families.
The Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare (CASCW) at the University of Minnesota with funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services, is pleased to partner with the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.) to offer the Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate (PACC), an advanced level certificate program for mental health and child welfare professionals.
Permanency and Adoption Competency
Participants with a clinical mental health background will gain an understanding of the permanency and adoption process of children in the child welfare system. At the same time, permanency and adoption child welfare workers will gain an understanding of the clinical needs of children, youth and families involved in permanency and adoption, as well as the interventions and therapies used by clinicians.
The permanency and adoption competent mental health or child welfare professional:
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Understands the nature of adoption as a form of family formation and the different types of adoption
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Understands the clinical issues that are associated with separation and loss and attachment
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Understands the common developmental challenges in the experience of adoption
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Understands the characteristics and skills that make adoptive families successful
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Is culturally competent with respect to the racial and cultural heritage of children and families
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Is skilled in using a range of interventions to effectively
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Engages birth, kinship, and adoptive families toward the mutual goal of helping individuals to heal
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Assists adoptive families to strengthen or develop and practice parenting skills that support healthy family relationships
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Is skilled in advocating with other service systems on behalf of birth and adoptive families.
Competencies developed by the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.)
Goals of PACC
The goal of the PACC is to increase the number of qualified permanency and adoption mental health and child welfare professionals in the state who are able to work in collaborative and multicultural contexts. Through the multidisciplinary context of the PACC, professionals will develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to competently facilitate adoption and other permanency plans and work across systems to better serve children and families.
Building on the Training in Adoption Competency (TAC) curriculum developed by C.A.S.E., CASCW has added additional modules on understanding the child welfare process and policies and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA).
Additionallly, C.A.S.E. is currently developing a national credential for professionals providing adoption and permanency services. Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate graduates with a master's level degree will be eligible for the national credential upon its development.
Graduates of the Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate who have a baccalaureate deree will be able to petition for the national credential of completion upon successful completion of a master's degree in the future.
The Permanency and Adoption Competency Certificate will build and sustain an adoption competent mental health and child welfare professional workforce able to serve the unique and complex clinical needs of adopted and fostered children, youth, and adults and families at all stages of the permanency process.
For further information, please contact:
Jae Ran Kim
Mail: 219 Peters Hall, 1404
Gortner Ave.
St. Paul, MN
55108
Phone: 612-626-3831
Email: blev0001@umn.edu
Funding made available through Minnesota Department of Human Services Child Safety and Permanency Division through grant GRK%30794.
