NEW
CASE WORKER
ACADEMY
The New Case Worker Academy is a collaboration among the NPT offices at Nevada's flagship universities and the state's Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), Washoe County, and/or Clark County family services offices.
Trainees will attend intensive classroom training weeks focused on Nevada’s child welfare safety model for decision-making. Classroom training time with NPT is interwoven with hands-on practice that connects classroom learning to field-based practice when trainees return to their field offices for On-the-Job Training (OJT) with agency trainers/supervisors.
UPCOMING COHORT DATES for NORTHERN NEVADA
Training Year 2026-2027
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Fall 2026: August 24 - October 26
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Winter 2027: January 11 - March 12
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Spring 2027: April 12 - June 11
Supervisors should reach out to NPT to enroll new workers in Academy
SAMPLE SCHEDULE for NORTHERN NEVADA
Week 1 - Classroom Learning (Mon-Fri)
Topics may include: Overview of Child Welfare Practice, Boundaries in the Social Service Field, Ethics in Child Welfare, Overview of Trauma, Overview of the SAFE Model, Intake, etc.
Week 2 - On-the-Job Training (OJT) with your agency
Week 3 - Classroom Learning (Mon-Fri)
Topics may include: Present Danger Assessment & Present Danger Planning (PDA/PDP), Motivational Interviewing, Melvin Simulation, Information Collection & Strategic Pathway, Shannon Simulation
Week 4 - On-the-Job Training (OJT) with your agency
Week 5 - Classroom Learning (Mon-Fri)
Topics may include: Judging Sufficiency, NIA Capstone, Confirming Safe Environment (CSE), Court 1, Safety Plan Determination
Week 6 - On-the-Job Training (OJT) with your agency
Week 7 - Classroom Learning (Mon-Fri)
Topics may include: Conditions for Return, Protective Capacity Family Assessment (PCFA): Overview & Preparation, Introduction, and Discovery, Court 2, Motivational Interviewing
Week 8 - On-the-Job Training (OJT) with your agency
Week 9 - Classroom Learning (Mon-Fri)
Topics may include: Permanency Simulation, Protective Capacity Family Assessment (PCFA): Case Planning, Protective Capacity Progress Assessment (PCPA), Permanency Capstones, Permanency Goals
Week 10 - On-the-Job Training (OJT) with your agency