This three day course is targeted for new Social Worker IIs, new Social Worker IIIs (who are new to the Department), and new Supervisors (who are new to the Department).  Participants will understand: the vision and mission of the Iowa Department of Human Services and how that is represented in the Model of Practice; the core functions of child welfare practice in Iowa throughout the life of the case, from intake to safe case closure; review the history and evolution of children's rights and child welfare services in the U.S. and Iowa; legal statutes that regulate child welfare practice and apply it to the assessment process throughout the life of a case; the values and conflicts inherent in the practice of child welfare and understand how their own values can influence their perceptions and decisions; be able to identify ways to keep themselves safe in the field; learn interviewing skills and stages of the interview and how to integrate those skills into an effective assessment; how to assess strengths and needs for children and families to identify safety and risk factors for children and families; and be able to define safety and risk and develop effective safety/crisis plans.

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Lori A. Mozena, L.M.F.T.
Beth Smith