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Professional Development

Building a strong workforce is a priority for many agencies given challenges to recruit, hire, train, and retain committed and knowledgeable staff. These resources support workforce development and provide information on pertinent topics.

Highlighted Resource

Child Welfare Practice Tip Sheets Series

Understanding Substance Use Disorders: What Child Welfare Staff Need to Know

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2023

This five-part series was developed for child welfare workers serving families affected by parental substance use disorders (SUDs). The

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Policy and Practice Resources

Child Welfare Practice Tip Sheets Series

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2023

This five-part series was developed for child welfare workers serving families affected by parental substance use disorders (SUDs). The

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Workforce Part 1 — The Workforce Development Framework (podcast)

Administration for Children & Families, Chil..., 2020

Examines how a holistic approach to workforce development applies at different levels

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Understanding Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Resource Guide for Professionals Referring to Treatment

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2019

Provides a fundamental understanding of the substance use treatment and recovery

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Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., n.d.

Includes resources that prepare professionals to enter the field of substance use

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National Child Welfare Workforce Institute

Provides resources related to workforce development in child welfare, leadership

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Related Online Training, Videos, and Webinars

Screening for Substance Use in Child Welfare Using the UNCOPE

Date: September 01, 2023

This pre-recorded video reviews the UNCOPE and through a case vignette demonstrates how to incorporate this screening in child welfare

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Additional Resources

Professional Development Supports for Home Visitors and Supervisors: Strengthening the Home Visiting Workfo...

Administration for Children & Families, Offi..., 2021

Examines the state of the professional development systems for home visiting with an

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Supporting the Virtual Workforce

National Child Welfare Workforce Institute, 2020

NCWWI develops and hosts workforce development resources for child welfare

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Health-eKnowledge

Managed by the Collaborative to Advance Health Services (CAHS) at the University of

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Find Help with a Personal Situation

Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Locator

To find treatment facilities confidentially, 24/7, please call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP).

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

National Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child has been harmed by abuse or neglect, please call 1-800-422-4453.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at Call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

National Suicide Prevention Line

For free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7, please call or text 988, chat 988Lifeline.org, or call 1-800-273-8255.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, help is available and there are options to receive compassionate care. You can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Both are confidential and available 24/7 to everyone in the United States and will connect you to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.

If you or someone you know are in crisis, thinking about harming yourself, attempting suicide, or harming another person, tell someone who can help right away. There are options to help you cope. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is confidential support, available 24/7 to everyone in the United States.

Contact Us

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare offers free technical assistance to a variety of systems on making policy and practice changes to improve outcomes for families affected by substance use disorders and involvement with child welfare services. To learn more about technical assistance services or if you have a question please email NCSACW at ncsacw@cffutures.org or call toll-free at 1–866–493–2758.

Administration for Children & FamiliesSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
https://ncsacw.acf.hhs.gov

An official website of the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare