Child Welfare Certification Training Program

The Child Welfare Certification Training Program is a competency based training curriculum for child welfare social workers in the state of North Dakota.

Child welfare practitioners are required to complete this training within their first year of employment in the State of North Dakota. Trainees will receive the Child Welfare Practitioner Certificate upon satisfactory completion of the program. Satisfactory completion includes attendance at all of the in-class sessions and completion of all assignments.

Child Welfare Certification Training Program

Child Welfare Certification is a five session training program held at the University of North Dakota (UND). Training consists of virtual live and in person sessions along with online modules and take home assignments designed to address competencies.

Certification Schedule

Child Welfare Certification Training is designed to address the needs of the child welfare practitioner with special emphases in each of the required training sessions to include, but not limited to:

• Philosophical, ethical, and legal mandates of child welfare with a special emphasis on child abuse and neglect assessment.
• Providing wraparound strength-based case management services.
• Understanding and skill based learning of North Dakota's Safety Framework Practice Model, which includes a definition of safety, set criteria for removal and reunification, and ability to Identify protective capacities in parents and caregivers
• Knowledge and skills in working with the legal system including understanding the role of the Indian Child Welfare Act and providing testimony in court.
• Understanding and working with children and families in out-of-home care with emphases on attachment and separation issues, concurrent and permanency planning, visitation, reunification, and providing support to the foster family.

Attendance is required at all sessions. If a trainee is absent or plans to be absent for any portion of the training, they must notify Children and Family Services Training Center (CFSTC) of their conflict/absence and discuss how that session will be covered. Trainees are also required to complete all assignments in order to be certified. If there are barriers to completion of the requirements they must be discussed with the CFSTC staff.

Upcoming Certification Dates

• SPRING 2025: REGISTRATION CLOSED (Course Currently Full)

  • Session One: January 13-16 (Online)
  • Session Two: February 10-13 (Grand Forks)
  • Session Three: March 3-5 (Online)
  • Session Four: March 24-27 (Grand Forks)
  • Session Five: April 7-10 (Online) 
          *** Waiting list in process for Fall of 2025 course ***

• FALL 2025: REGISTER HERE (Check Back for Dates)

You must register for the entire training session. Please register early due to cohort size limitations. Registrants will receive more detailed information prior to the training.

If a session is full, preference will be given to Human Service Zone workers. For further information, contact UND CFSTC at 701.777.3442 or und.cfstc@UND.edu.

Training Fee

CFSTC provides the training at no cost.  CFSTC does cover the cost of lodging for Child Welfare workers employed with ND Human Service Zones & Tribal Social Services. Nexus-PATH Treatment Foster Care, DJS, and AASK/Post Adopt workers are encouraged to attend our one week virtual Wraparound Child Welfare Partner Orientation Training instead. Please contact CFSTC with any cost related or training questions. 

Child Welfare Certification Faculty

The Child Welfare Certification Training program faculty are selected on the basis of their knowledge, experience and training abilities. The core training staff is from the UND CFSTC. They are supplemented by other trainers who have special topic expertise. Trainers include:

• Amy Oehlke, LMSW, Director, Children and Family Services Training Center.
• Jason Moug, MA, Training Coordinator, Children and Family Services Training Center
• Rachel Behm, LMSW, Training Coordinator, Children and Family Services Training Center
• Katrina Strasner, LBSW, Training Coordinator, Children and Family Services Training Center
• Dereck Stonefish, Native American Training Institute Training Coordinator
• Heather Simonich, MA-LPC, Center for Holistic Health Director
• Kirsten Hansen, LBSW, DHHS CFS Prevention and Protection Administrator
• Deb DeWitz, LMSW, Owner of Family Resource Consultants
• Anna Frissell, JD, Red River Children's Advocacy Center Director
• Shawn Peterson, BS in Criminal Justice Studies, Juvenile Court for North Dakota Director
• Jim Fish, BA in Sociology with a Minor in Criminal Justice, MA in Counseling, North Dakota Juvenile Court Juvenile Court Officer III
• David Conrad, LCSW, retired Senior Clinical Instructor from University of Colorado Denver
• Katie Krukenberg, LMSW, University of Mary Associate Professor of Behavioral Sciences