5101:2-33-55. Education and in-service training requirements for PCSA caseworkers

(A) As used in this rule, "caseworker" is as defined in rule 5101:2-1-01 of the Administrative Code.

(B) A public children services agency (PCSA) may hire a caseworker only if the applicant has one or more of the following:

(1) Bachelor's degree in human services related studies.

(2) Bachelor's degree in any field and employed for at least two years in a human services related occupation.

(3) Associate's degree in human services related studies.

(4) Employed for at least five years in a human services related occupation.

(C) At the time of employment, the PCSA shall inform the employee of the educational requirements in order to continue employment with the agency.

(D) For employment to continue, a person described in paragraph (B)(2), (B)(3), or (B)(4) of this rule shall obtain a job-related bachelor's degree not later than five years after the date employment with the agency commences.

(E) A caseworker employed by the PCSA prior to October 5, 2000 is not required to comply with the educational provisions contained in paragraphs (B), (C) and (D) of this rule.

(F) PCSA caseworkers hired after January 1, 2007 shall complete all of the following:

(1) One hundred two hours of in-service training during the first year of the caseworker's continuous employment with the agency.

(a) This training requirement shall be met by attending the Ohio child welfare training program's (OCWTP), child welfare caseworker core training as described in section 5153.122 of the Revised Code.

(b) The director of the PCSA may waive the training requirement for a school of social work graduate who completed the university partnership program (UPP) described in section 5101.141 of the Revised Code, including the training on "Caseworker Core Legal Issues" if the caseworker completed the course as a UPP student.

(2) Thirty-six hours of annual in-service training in areas relevant to the caseworker's assigned duties after the first year of continuous employment with the agency as a part-time or full-time caseworker.

(3) A PCSA caseworker shall complete a minimum of twelve hours of domestic violence training within two years of the date of hire. Training shall include but is not limited to all of the following:

(a) Laws governing domestic violence, including all of the following:

(i) The definition of domestic violence under section 3113.31 of the Revised Code.

(ii) Mandates of courts, law enforcement and health care professionals.

(iii) Protection orders available to the victim under sections 2919.26 and 3113.31 of the Revised Code.

(b) The dynamics of domestic violence and the effect it has on the family and other members within the household including children and the elderly.

(c) The identification and assessment of domestic violence, including physical, behavioral, emotional and verbal indicators that a family or household member may be at risk of domestic violence.

(d) Safety planning for the victim of domestic violence and other family members within the household at risk of abuse or neglect, including children and the elderly.

(e) Accessing supportive and preventative services through coordination with community service providers.

(4) A PCSA caseworker shall complete an introductory course in human trafficking within two years of the date of hire. Training shall include but is not limited to all of the following:

(a) Laws governing human trafficking, including all of the following:

(i) The definition of human trafficking under section 2929.01 of the Revised Code.

(ii) Mandates of court, law enforcement and other organizations working to bring attention to the problem of human trafficking.

(iii) The criminal offense of trafficking in persons under section 2905.32 of the Revised Code.

(b) The dynamics of human trafficking and its effects on the victims.

(c) Human trafficking: What is it?

(d) The provision of resources to identify and assess victims of human trafficking. "The standards for Services to Trafficked Persons" was developed in 2010, by the Ohio human trafficking commission survivor services committee to provide best practice guidelines for Ohio communities seeking to develop or strengthen a response system for survivors of human trafficking (humantrafficking.ohio.gov/links/ Service-Standards.pdf) .

(G) All PCSA caseworkers shall complete an introductory course in human trafficking as defined in this rule . This may count toward the thirty-six hours of required annual in-service training.

(H) The PCSA may elect to offer initial orientation training about the agency and the community to newly hired caseworkers. If an agency offers initial orientation training, this does not count toward fulfilling the mandatory training requirements outlined in paragraph (F)(1) of this rule.

(I) A newly hired PCSA caseworker who completed the UPP, shall do all of the following within the first year of employment:

(1) Complete an individual training needs assessment.

(2) Attend training on the legal aspects of child protective services . Caseworkers who completed this training as a UPP student, shall not be required to repeat this training.

(3) Complete a minimum,of thirty-six hours of ongoing training (if the rest of the core requirements are waived by the PCSA director).

(J) The PCSA director may waive certain training course requirements if any of the following occurs:

(1) Within the last two years the PCSA caseworker was previously employed by another PCSA or the same PCSA and completed one or more OCWTP's "Child Welfare Caseworker Core" training courses at any time during the caseworker's previous employment with the PCSA. However, any core courses not completed by the caseworker during the previous employment cannot be waived.

(2) A PCSA hires an individual who has completed the UPP pursuant to paragraph (F)(1)(b) of this rule.

(3) A PCSA hires an individual who was a social work student intern, and who completed the "Child Welfare Caseworker Core" as part of the internship,including "Caseworker Core Legal Issues".

(4) A caseworker has documentation of completion of domestic violence training as outlined in paragraph (F)(3) of this rule if previously employed by another PCSA or the same PCSA within the past two years.

(K) If a waiver is granted pursuant to paragraph (J)(3) of this rule, the PCSA shall provide in-service training to the caseworker on changes in policy and procedures occurring during the lapse in time since the caseworker completed the course.

(L) PCSA staff supervising caseworkers shall work with each caseworker to determine the caseworker's training needs and to ensure compliance with paragraph (F) of this rule at a minimum of once every two years. Training needs shall be based upon all of the following:

(1) Prior background and experience of the caseworker.

(2) Job duties and responsibilities of the caseworker.

(3) Competencies the caseworker and supervisor identify as needs.

(M) The caseworker and supervisor shall jointly develop a training plan to address needed competencies. This training plan will be accessible within the statewide learning management system, "E-Track." The PCSA may contact the OCWTP regional training center for assistance in identifying appropriate training activities for the caseworker.

(N) A caseworker's ongoing in-service training requirements may be fulfilled by participating in a variety of training activities. These training activities may include training offered by any of the following:

(1) OCWTP.

(2) Ohio human services training system (OHSTS).

(3) Ohio department of job and family services (ODJFS). Up to six hours of rules training may be counted toward meeting the continuing education training requirement.

(4) Accredited colleges or universities if the course work is relevant to the caseworker's assigned duties. When calculating in-service training hours through completion of courses offered by colleges or universities, the PCSA shall use the number of semester/quarter hours awarded by the college or university as indicated on the college or university transcript.

(5) Seminars, conferences and workshops relevant to the caseworker's assigned duties.

(O) The PCSA shall be responsible for all of the following:

(1) Maintaining the education and in-service training records of PCSA caseworkers through "E-Track," the learning management system developed through the Ohio child welfare training program. Notify the OCWTP ("E-Track" person add/edit web form) within thirty days of new caseworkers and assessors hired by the agency, in order for the OCWTP to establish an "E-Track" person record for the employee.

(2) Submitting completed caseworker core waiver forms signed by the PCSA director pursuant to paragraphs (F)(1)(b), (J) (2), and (J)(3) to the respective regional training center for inclusion in "E-Track" for documentation of compliance .

(3) Maintaining all employees education and in-service training records, including college transcripts and documentation of compliance with all provisions of this rule.

Effective: 10/31/2019
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 4/17/2019 and 10/31/2024
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 5153.112, 5153.122, 5153.123, 5153.124, 5153.127
Rule Amplifies: 5153.112, 5153.122, 5153.123, 5153.124, 5153.125, 5153.127
Prior Effective Dates: 08/01/1987, 01/01/1989, 12/15/1995, 03/01/1996, 01/01/1997, 09/01/1997, 04/01/2001, 02/01/2003, 07/01/2006, 01/01/2007, 08/17/2009, 05/01/2013, 04/01/2016, 06/01/2017