Listeners will learn about brain development in early childhood and the effects of environment on brain architecture. Dr. Zeanah will also help attendees understand the developing brain as a system that can be damaged and needs nurturing from its environment in order to grow.

About the Speaker: Charles Zeanah, Jr., MD, has worked clinically and studied children exposed to violence for over 30 years. Throughout his career, Dr. Zeanah has studied the effects of adverse early experiences, including trauma, abuse, and neglect on young children’s development. He has been a leader in infant mental health, exploring attachment and attachment disorders in conditions of extreme risk. He also has studied interventions designed to enhance recovery following exposure to adverse experiences and has published widely on these topics.

Dr. Zeanah is a Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Tulane University School of Medicine. He is also the Director of the Institute of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health. At a policy level, he serves on the DCFS Internal Advisory Group and directs Tulane’s Early Childhood Policy Leadership Institute.

Dr. Zeanah has won numerous awards for his outstanding work, including the Norbert and Charlotte Rieger Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the Blanche F. Ittelson Award for Research in Child Psychiatry, the Agnes Purcell McGavin Award for Prevention from the American Psychiatric Association, the Serge Lebovici Award from the World Association for Infant Mental Health, and many more.

THIS IS A MONTHLY SERIES HOSTED BY LOUISIANA CASA – CURRENTLY SCHEDULED THROUGH JUNE 30, 2022. Sign up for each month separately.

Birth Parent National Network (BPNN) webinar, Policy Discussions and Developments: Impacts on Parents, Children and Communities,

on Thursday, August 26 from 10 – 11:30 AM PT/ 11- 12:30 PM MT/ 12 – 1:30 PM CT/ 1- 2:30 PM ET.

Lauren Behsudi, Public Policy Advisor, Casey Family Programs and Jim McKay, Alliance Public Policy Director I will be co-presenting on the webinar along with fellow Birth Parent National Network (BPNN) members.

We will be discussing:
(1) Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)
(2) Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA)

BPNN members will share examples of how they have provided education and expertise on these federal laws based on their lived experience. This webinar will provide an opportunity for all participants to discuss and share their perspectives and policy priorities.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Upcoming Changes to Congregate Care in CINC Cases: Qualified Residential Treatment Programs and the Court Process (QRTPs)

AUGUST 27th 12:30pm to 1:30pm

The Court Improvement Program of the Louisiana Supreme Court in partnership with the Pelican Center for Children and Families welcomes you to attend a virtual introduction to Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs), a key component of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which became law in 2018.

FFPSA is focused on placing children with family members or in foster homes rather than in congregate care settings and encourages the use of QRTPs only when necessary to address trauma and behavioral health challenges. Judicial review and approval are required for QRTP placement beginning on October 1, 2021. This CLE/CEU will provide an overview of QRTP requirements, timelines, and family engagement. Presenters will explain the court review process and the standards and findings that must be met for QRTP placement. Participants will be directed to helpful resources.

This training is designed for district attorneys and assistant district attorneys, Bureau of General Counsel, parents’ attorneys, children’s attorneys, DCFS staff, CASA, and court staff.

This course is free and has been submitted for 1.0 hour of CLE and CEU. Applications are pending.

Course Objectives:

Increase knowledge of recently enacted Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) provisions related to Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs)
Understand timelines and requirements for QRTP placement, court review and ruling processes, and family engagement
Access QRTP resources including an FAQ and Quick Reference Guide and Bench Card
Develop familiarity with model court documents

CLICK HERE

Among child welfare service and program goals is the achievement of children and youth’s educational progress to match their potential and needs. Educational success of children and youth in the child welfare system depends, in part, on the collective efforts and collaboration of caregivers (foster, adoptive, and kinship), social workers, and agency management to address challenges and strategies for success.

CWLA will be hosting Dr. Gwen Bass for a webinar based on the four-part skill building training Fostering School Success: How Caregivers and Social Workers Can Support the Educational Needs of Children that will share how to improve school experiences and long-term outcomes for children who have experienced trauma CLICK HERE

Red Book Training Course – Fall 2021

This online Red Book Training Course is designed to assist you in preparing for the Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS) examination. It can also serve as an overall review of dependency competency areas. The course will consist of seven weekly webinars. The material covered in the course is drawn from Child Welfare Law and Practice: Representing Children, Parents, and State Agencies in Abuse, Neglect, and Dependency Cases (3rd Edition). The course is intended to assist you in breaking the material down, focusing on important concepts, and guiding you through the material in the Red Book. This course will not cover every chapter. The instructor has made intentional decisions about what information to cover in the time that is allotted for the course. If a chapter is not covered, that does not mean that content from that chapter will not appear on the exam. Therefore, you should incorporate any chapters that are not covered into your self-study plans.

View the Schedule and Syllabus

CLE

Accredited for 8 hours of CLE in Colorado (50-minute hour).  CLE approval in at least one state can streamline an attorney’s CLE application in another state.  Check with your jurisdiction for details on simplified CLE applications and online/on-demand learning requirements.

The registration fee is $200 per person for groups and NACC members ($100 for CWLS; $275 for nonmembers) and includes access to live sessions, recordings, the electronic Red Book, and the RBTC workbook! Registration is open through June 22nd.

Registration Link

Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs) and the CINC Court Process

Friday, September 10 | 12:00–1:00pm
Virtual CLE Training for Judges and Court Staff

The Court Improvement Program of the Louisiana Supreme Court in partnership with the Louisiana Judicial College and Pelican Center for Children and Families welcomes you to attend a virtual introduction to Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs), a key component of the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), which became law in 2018.

FFPSA is focused on placing children with family members or in foster homes rather than in congregate care settings and encourages the use of QRTPs only when necessary to address trauma and behavioral health challenges. Judicial review and approval are required for QRTP placement beginning on October 1, 2021. This CLE will provide an overview of QRTP requirements, timelines, and family engagement. Presenters will explain the court review process and the standards and findings that must be met for QRTP placement. Participants will be directed to helpful resources.

This course is free, but advance registration is required.  Approved for 1 hour of CLE.

Safety: Continuous Quality Assessment in Child Welfare

Cases through Child Welfare Assessment & Decision-Making

Join us for this two-day ONLINE training event focused on ensuring safety of children involved in the child welfare system. This training will look at the new Child Welfare Assessment & Decision Making-Model utilized by DCFS child welfare workers and other tools to evaluate the safety and risk issues of our most vulnerable children. New court forms will be introduced and reviewed. This course will reinforce the system focus that “removal of a child from their family is the safety plan of last resort.”

This is an interactive workshop, so we recommend that you login into the zoom meeting using a laptop, desktop, or device that has a camera, mic, and speakers which will allow you to share your video and be visible and interact with the other attendees.

Course Objectives:

Learners will be able to define related terms.
Learners will be able to apply the principles of Child Welfare Assessment Decision Making Model to a new set of facts in order to assess a child’s safety.
Learners will be able to apply the principles of Child Welfare Assessment Decision Making Model to create practical safety plans.
Learners will be able to articulate the Child Welfare Assessment Decision Making Model analysis to support or defend safety decision making.
Learners will demonstrate an understanding of the Child Welfare Assessment Decision Making Model analysis as a tool for in and/or out- of- court advocacy for their client(s).
Instructors:

Mark Harris, JD, Pelican Center for Children & Families
Richard Pittman, JD, CWLS, Louisiana Office of Public Defenders
Rebecca May Ricks, JD, CWLS, Louisiana Mental Health Advocacy Services
Franchesca Hamilton Acker, JD, Acadiana Legal Services Corporation
Kim McCain, LMSW, Louisiana Department of Children & Families Services  CLICK HERE

TBRI® Correcting Principles will provide an in-depth look at strategies for correcting behaviors.

*must attend TBRI® Introduction & Overview online or in person prior to attending this training

Module 1: Monday September 13, 12:00 pm-1:30pm
Module 2: Wednesday, September 15, 12:00pm-1:30pm
Module 3: Monday, September 20, 12:00pm-1:30pm
Module 4: Wednesday, September 22, 12:00pm-1:30pm

Training provided by Crossroads NOLA CLICK HERE

Child Welfare Worker Recognition Event 2021

Join co-hosts NCWWI and the Children’s Bureau for a one-hour virtual recognition event on September 14 at 3 pm EDT. This year’s speakers will talk about your ability to positively influence a life’s trajectory through the heart, the head, and the hands. CLICK HERE