5101:2-33-55 EDUCATION AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR PCSA CASEWORKERS.

(A)      EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 5, 2000 SECTION 5153.112 OF THE REVISED CODE STIPULATES A PUBLIC CHILDREN SERVICES AGENCY (PCSA) MAY HIRE A CASEWORKER ONLY IF THE APPLICANT HAS THE FOLLOWING EDUCATIONAL OR EMPLOYMENT CREDENTIALS:

(1)      BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN HUMAN SERVICES RELATED STUDIES;


(2)      BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN ANY FIELD AND EMPLOYMENT FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS IN A HUMAN SERVICES RELATED OCCUPATION;


(3)      ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE IN HUMAN SERVICES RELATED STUDIES; OR


(4)      EMPLOYMENT FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS IN A HUMAN SERVICES RELATED OCCUPATION.

(B)      WHEN A PCSA HIRES APPLICANTS WHO MEET THE REQUIREMENT OF PARAGRAPH (A)(2), (A)(3), OR (A)(4) OF THIS RULE THE AGENCY, AT THE TIME OF EMPLOYMENT, SHALL INFORM APPLICANTS THAT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE AGENCY THEY MUST OBTAIN A JOB-RELATED BACHELOR'S DEGREE NO LATER THAN FIVE YEARS AFTER THE DATE EMPLOYMENT WITH THE AGENCY COMMENCES. A CASEWORKER WHO HAS ALREADY OBTAINED A NON-HUMAN SERVICES RELATED BACHELOR'S DEGREE MAY PURSUE A MASTER'S DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THIS RULE.


(C)      ALL CASEWORKERS EMPLOYED BY THE PCSA PRIOR TO OCTOBER 5, 2000 ARE NOT REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE EDUCATIONAL PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN PARAGRAPH (A) OF THIS RULE.


(D)      PURSUANT TO SECTION 5153.122 OF THE REVISED CODE, (PCSA) CASEWORKERS, AS DEFINED IN RULE 5101:2-1-01 OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, SHALL, AT A MINIMUM, COMPLETE:

(1)      NINETY HOURS OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF A CASEWORKER'S CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT WITH THE AGENCY; AND


(2)      THIRTY-SIX HOURS OF ANNUAL IN-SERVICE TRAINING IN AREAS RELEVANT TO THE CASEWORKER'S ASSIGNED DUTIES AFTER THE FIRST YEAR OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT WITH THE AGENCY AS A CASEWORKER.

(E)      THE PCSA MAY ELECT TO OFFER INITIAL ORIENTATION TRAINING ON THE AGENCY AND THE COMMUNITY TO NEWLY HIRED CASEWORKERS. IF AN AGENCY OFFERS INITIAL ORIENTATION TRAINING, THIS DOES NOT COUNT TOWARD FULFILLING THE MANDATORY TRAINING REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN PARAGRAPH (D) OF THIS RULE.


(F)      DURING THE FIRST YEAR OF CONTINUOUS EMPLOYMENT CASEWORKERS SHALL, AT A MINIMUM, PARTICIPATE IN TRAINING COURSES THAT COVER ALL OF THE FOLLOWING TOPICS:

(1)      RECOGNIZING AND PREVENTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT;


(2)      ASSESSING RISK TO CHILDREN;


(3)      INTERVIEWING PERSONS;


(4)      REVIEWING AND CONDUCTING ASSESSMENTS INVOLVING REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT;


(5)      STRENGTH BASED INTERVENTION TECHNIQUES;


(6)      INTERVENING WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES;


(7)      PROVISION OF SERVICES TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES; AND


(8)      OTHER TOPICS RELEVANT TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT SUCH AS NORMAL CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, CULTURAL DIVERSITY, AND SEPARATION AND PLACEMENT.

(G)      IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN PARAGRAPH (D)(1) OF THIS RULE, CASEWORKERS SHALL ATTEND THE OHIO CHILD WELFARE TRAINING PROGRAM'S "CHILD WELFARE CASEWORKER CORE".


(H)      THE PCSA DIRECTOR MAY WAIVE COMPLETION OF ONE OR MORE TRAINING COURSES CONTAINED IN THE OHIO CHILD WELFARE TRAINING PROGRAM'S "CHILD WELFARE CASEWORKER CORE" WHEN:

(1)      PCSA CASEWORKERS WERE PREVIOUSLY EMPLOYED BY ANOTHER PCSA OR THE SAME PCSA AND COMPLETED ONE OR MORE TRAINING COURSES.


(2)      SOCIAL WORK STUDENT INTERNS, WHO ARE HIRED BY THE PCSA AS A CASEWORKER, HAVE COMPLETED THE "CHILD WELFARE CASEWORKER CORE".

WHEN A WAIVER IS GRANTED THE PCSA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDED IN-SERVICE TRAINING TO THE CASEWORKER ON CHANGES IN POLICY AND PROCEDURES WHICH HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE LAPSE IN TIME THE CASEWORKER COMPLETED THE COURSE AS PART OF THE CASEWORKER'S NINETY HOURS OF IN-SERVICE TRAINING.

(I)      PCSA STAFF WHO SUPERVISE CASEWORKERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WORKING WITH THE CASEWORKER TO DETERMINE THE CASEWORKER'S TRAINING NEEDS AND TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH PARAGRAPH (D) OF THIS RULE. AT A MINIMUM OF ONCE EVERY TWO YEARS THE CASEWORKER AND SUPERVISOR SHALL COMPLETE THE ODJFS 01827 "CASEWORKER INDIVIDUAL TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT (ITNA)" WITH THE CASEWORKER. TRAINING NEEDS SHALL BE BASED UPON:

(1)      PRIOR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE OF THE CASEWORKER;


(2)      JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CASEWORKER; AND


(3)      COMPETENCIES THAT THE CASEWORKER AND SUPERVISOR IDENTIFY WHICH THE WORKER NEEDS TO ATTAIN.

(J)      AFTER REVIEWING A CASEWORKER'S TRAINING NEEDS, THE CASEWORKER AND SUPERVISOR SHALL IDENTIFY THE TRAINING/COURSES IN WHICH THE CASEWORKER WILL NEED TO ENROLL. THE PCSA MAY CONTACT THE OHIO CHILD WELFARE TRAINING PROGRAM'S REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE COURSES FOR THE CASEWORKER.


(K)      ONGOING IN-SERVICE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS MAY BE FULFILLED BY ATTENDING A VARIETY OF TRAINING EVENTS. THESE TRAINING EVENTS MAY INCLUDE TRAINING OFFERED BY:

(1)      OHIO CHILD WELFARE TRAINING PROGRAM;


(2)      OHIO HUMAN SERVICES TRAINING SYSTEM;


(3)      OHIO DEPARTMENT OF JOB AND FAMILY SERVICES (RULES TRAINING MAY BE COUNTED TOWARD MEETING THE CONTINUING EDUCATION TRAINING REQUIREMENT AS LONG AS IT DOES NOT EXCEED SIX HOURS OF A CASEWORKER'S ANNUAL TRAINING REQUIREMENT);


(4)      ACCREDITED COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES WHEN THE COURSE WORK IS RELEVANT TO THE CASEWORKER'S ASSIGNED DUTIES(WHEN CALCULATING IN-SERVICE TRAINING HOURS THROUGH COMPLETION OF COURSES OFFERED BY COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES THE PCSA SHALL USE EITHER THE NUMBER OF SEMESTER/QUARTER HOURS THE CASEWORKER IS AWARDED UPON COMPLETION OF THE COURSE BY THE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY); AND


(5)      SEMINARS, CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS.

(L)      THE PCSA SHALL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR :

(1)      NOTIFYING THEIR DESIGNATED OHIO CHILD WELFARE TRAINING PROGRAM REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER OF NEW CASEWORKERS HIRED BY THE AGENCY IN ORDER FOR THE REGIONAL TRAINING CENTER TO ESTABLISH A TRAINING HISTORY OF THE EMPLOYEE;


(2)      MAINTAINING ALL EMPLOYEES' EDUCATION AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING RECORDS, INCLUDING COLLEGE TRANSCRIPTS AND DOCUMENTATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH ALL PROVISIONS OF THIS RULE; AND


(3)      HAVING THE CASEWORKER COMPLETE, ON A ANNUAL BASIS, THE ODJFS 01825 "PUBLIC CHILDREN SERVICES AGENCY TRAINING RECORD FOR CASEWORKERS" OR ENTER THE SAME INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE ODJFS 01825 ON THE AGENCY'S DATA BASE OR A FORM DEVELOPED BY THE PCSA .

REPLACES RULE 5101:2-33-55

EFFECTIVE DATE: April 1, 2001

REVIEW DATE:

CERTIFICATION: Jo Ann Davidson

DATE

PROMULGATED UNDER: REVISED CODE SECTION 111.15.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: REVISED CODE SECTION 5153.16.

RULE AMPLIFIES: REVISED CODE SECTION 5153.112, 5153.122, 5153.16, 5153.75

PRIOR EFFECTIVE DATES: 8/1/87, 1/1/89, 12/15/95, 3/1/96, 9/1/97.