University Partnership Program 

The University Partnership Program (UPP) is a unique collaboration among the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, eight of Ohio's public schools of social work, Public Children Services Association of Ohio, Ohio's 88 county public children services agencies (PCSAs), and the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program. The purpose of UPP is to bolster Ohio’s professional child welfare staffing by increasing the number of well-trained BSW and MSW graduates who enter the public children services workforce. Studies show that those going through a program such as UPP stay longer and are more satisfied than those who did not complete such a program prior to employment.  

UPP students take special courses on child welfare, complete a field placement in a PCSA, and upon graduation receive partial tuition reimbursement after accepting a casework position in an Ohio PCSA. Those who complete the program may not have to take the required CORE training that all other new child welfare workers must complete the first year of employment. UPP graduates have become regularly sought after for open PCSA caseworker positions.  

ODJFS issued a policy clarification on Confidentiality and SACWIS access for UPP Interns placed at PCSAs (December 7, 2012)

Program Evaluation:

• 2012 CWUPP Program Evaluation: A Summary of UPP data and a summary report of student focus groups

• The Ohio Title IV-E University Partnership Child Welfare Education Program Evaluation (June 2009: Denise E. Bronson, MSW, Ph.D., & Tamara S. Davis, MSSW, Ph.D.)

• The Ohio Title IV-E University Partnership Child Welfare Education Program Evaluation (June 2007: Denise E. Bronson, MSW, Ph.D., & Tamara S. Davis, MSSW, Ph.D.)

• 2009-2010 University Partnership Program Report