The National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) is

a five year, federally-funded cooperative agreement awarded to the Center

for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.). This training initiative is

intended to build the adoption competent mental health capacity of child

welfare professionals and mental health practitioners. NTI provides the casework and

clinical practices that address the complex mental health needs of children, youth and

their families moving toward or having achieved permanency through adoption and

guardianship.

NTI Objectives To create, deliver and pilot 2 state of the art,

evidence-informed, web-based training courses

that build the competency of child welfare

professionals and mental health practitioners

To infuse enhanced adoption competency in the

provision of casework and clinical practices to

improve well-being outcomes for children, youth,

and their families

To provide technical assistance to states, tribes

and territories to support planning for and use of

this web-based training with an aim of integrating

it into their own training systems

To evaluate the effectiveness, process, system

change, and cost of NTI

NTI Curriculum Unique Features These state of the art, web-based trainings are

designed utilizing adult learning principles to

actively engage the user through completion. Each

self-directed module includes an inviting mix of text,

video and audio which presents information that

enhances knowledge, skills, and values to increase

adoption competence. Modules include links to

resources, quizzes, activities, and opportunities for

reflection using examples and stories from adoptive

parents, children, and other subject matter experts

for each content area.

Content areas include:

Becoming an adoption competent child serving

professional

Addressing complex mental health needs of

children in foster, adoptive and guardianship

7 4

families

Promoting secure attachments

Understanding race, class, ethnicity, culture and

diversity within adoption and guardianship and

the impact on children's mental health

Exploring the impact of loss and grief on

children's mental health

Addressing the impact of trauma on child

development and mental health

Supporting positive identity formation

Promoting family stability before and after

adoption/guardianship

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University of Maryland, School of Social Work,

Institute for Innovation and Implementation

The University's Institute, a major training and

implementation center with nationally recognized

expertise in children's mental health and child welfare,

will produce and deliver the web-based curriculum

and provide related web-based support. In addition,

the School of Social Work will evaluate NTI. Additional

information about the Institute and its Online Training

Center is available at http://theinstitute.umaryland.

edu/trainiiig/onlinetraining.cfm.

PolicyWorks, Ltd.

The Virginia-based program evaluation and policy

research firm will conduct scans of adoption

competency training programs to inform curriculum

development and jurisdictional scans to inform pilot site

selection and coordinate quality assurance activities.

Implementation Partners States, Tribes & Territories & National

Leadership Organizations

Child welfare/mental health directors, adoption

managers, & training managers

National Indian Child Welfare Association Strategic Partnerships Cultural responsiveness consultation; linkages The National Adoption Competency Mental Health within tribal CW/MH providers & training programs; Training Initiative (NTI) is guided by a national network development & implementation consultation of experts, advisors, and partners:

National Advisory Group

NTI has convened a group of experts in child welfare,

adoptions/guardianships, and mental health, including

former foster youth and adoptive parents to inform

the development of competencies and curriculum

content.

Curriculum Consultants

Susan Livingston Smith, Ph.D. and Carol Bishop, LMFT

are collaborating in development of the curricula

for child welfare professionals and mental health

professionals.

Alliance for Strong Families & Communities Linkages

within private provider networks and organizations;

training resource scans

The Dave Thomas Foundation

Linkages within Wendy's Wonderful Kids national

networks; consultation related to development,

implementation and sustainability of web-based

training

Lilliput Children's Services

Coaching Network development and oversight

Rudd Adoption Research Program/

UMass, Amherst

Dissemination efforts; Work Group participation,

Dr. Hal Grotevant

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Bureau

www.adoptionsupport.org