62A-4a-107 - Mandatory education and training of caseworkers -- Development of curriculum. - Utah Statutes

62A-4a-107. Mandatory education and training of caseworkers -- Development ofcurriculum.
(1) There is created within the division a full-time position of Child Welfare TrainingCoordinator, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the director. The employeein that position is not responsible for direct casework services or the supervision of thoseservices, but is required to:
(a) develop child welfare curriculum that:
(i) is current and effective, consistent with the division's mission and purpose for childwelfare; and
(ii) utilizes curriculum and resources from a variety of sources including those from:
(A) the public sector;
(B) the private sector; and
(C) inside and outside of the state;
(b) recruit, select, and supervise child welfare trainers;
(c) develop a statewide training program, including a budget and identification of sourcesof funding to support that training;
(d) evaluate the efficacy of training in improving job performance;
(e) assist child protective services and foster care workers in developing and fulfillingtheir individual training plans;
(f) monitor staff compliance with division training requirements and individual trainingplans; and
(g) expand the collaboration between the division and schools of social work withininstitutions of higher education in developing child welfare services curriculum, and in providingand evaluating training.
(2) (a) The director shall, with the assistance of the child welfare training coordinator,establish a core curriculum for child welfare services that is substantially equivalent to the ChildWelfare League of America's Core Training for Child Welfare Caseworkers Curriculum.
(b) Any child welfare caseworker who is employed by the division for the first time afterJuly 1, 1999, shall, before assuming significant independent casework responsibilities,successfully complete:
(i) the core curriculum; and
(ii) except as provided in Subsection (2)(c), on-the-job training that consists of observingand accompanying at least two capable and experienced child welfare caseworkers as theyperform work-related functions:
(A) for three months if the caseworker has less than six months of on-the-job experienceas a child welfare caseworker; or
(B) for two months if the caseworker has six months or more but less than 24 months ofon-the-job experience as a child welfare caseworker.
(c) A child welfare caseworker with at least 24 months of on-the-job experience is notrequired to receive on-the-job training under Subsection (2)(b)(ii).
(3) Child welfare caseworkers shall complete training in:
(a) the legal duties of a child welfare caseworker;
(b) the responsibility of a child welfare caseworker to protect the safety and legal rightsof children, parents, and families at all stages of a case, including:
(i) initial contact;

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(ii) investigation; and
(iii) treatment;
(c) recognizing situations involving:
(i) substance abuse;
(ii) domestic violence;
(iii) abuse; and
(iv) neglect; and
(d) the relationship of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution of theUnited States to the child welfare caseworker's job, including:
(i) search and seizure of evidence;
(ii) the warrant requirement;
(iii) exceptions to the warrant requirement; and
(iv) removing a child from the custody of the child's parent or guardian.
(4) The division shall train its child welfare caseworkers to apply the risk assessmenttools and rules described in Subsection 62A-4a-1002(2).
(5) When a child welfare caseworker is hired, before assuming significant independentcasework responsibilities, the child welfare caseworker shall complete the training described inSubsections (3) and (4).

Amended by Chapter 306, 2007 General Session