Training
2024-25 Cohorts are FULL.
Contact Coordinator for Waitlist and Future Training Opportunities.
PACC is a cohort-based training that enhances permanency and adoption competence for professionals working across child welfare and mental health settings. The program offers over 70 Social Work Continuing Education Hours, including the required 2 hours in Social Work Ethics and 4 hours in Cultural Responsiveness content.
The program engages cross-disciplinary, intercultural, and anti-oppressive approaches across all course elements. These principles are established within a "living" set of Grounding Principles, visited throughout PACC.
Coursework is a hybrid of independent online learning, interactive classroom sessions, and case consultation. Training schedule, pace and assignments are designed for participants with full-time employment.
Eligibility
- Learners need to have earned a BA/BS degree OR have 5+ years of work experience in a permanency/adoption-adjacent role
- For the purposes of skill application, learners should have a current professional role impacted by permanency and adoption across an array of settings including public and tribal child welfare, mental health, education, or healthcare. Inquire with the coordinator with questions regarding eligibility.
Scholarships and Registration
Thanks to generous scholarship funding from the MN Department of Human Services to offset the cost of each participant’s tuition, the fee for the full program is $275 plus a $40 registration fee.
There are limited FREE enrollment spots for those employed by one of Minnesota's 11 federally-recognized tribes.
The Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy is sponsoring additional scholarships (less $40 registration) available to professionals employed by a Minnesota county in a public child welfare role (county, state) or tribal agency working with or on behalf of Title IV-E eligible children.
Inquire with the PACC Coordinator about eligibility.
Refunds for withdrawing from PACC will be issued according to the following timelines:
| Date of Cancellation | Refund Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 30 days prior to start date | Full tuition refund, less $40 registration fee |
| 29 to 14 days prior to start date | 50% tuition refund, less $40 registration fee |
| Less than 14 days prior to start date | No refund |
| After program has begun | No refund |
PACC’s Continuing Education hours include:
National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative
The National Adoption Competency Mental Health Training Initiative (NTI) is a free web-based training designed to help professionals better address the mental health & developmental needs of children in foster, adoptive or guardianship families. Each PACC participant will enroll in the NTI track of their choice: either Child Welfare (20 instructional hours) or Mental Health (30 instructional hours). The two tracks include similar content specified for either professional context:
Interactive Application Sessions
Interactive Application Sessions are designed specifically for Minnesota’s adoption and permanency workforce to share and deepen their practice knowledge through application with experienced mental health and child welfare facilitators. Section 001: Metro-area cohort sessions will include both in-person and virtual classrooms, and Section 002: Statewide cohort sessions will be fully virtual classrooms.
Case Consultation
Case Consultation will be offered via Zoom between interactive sessions, and those groups and schedules will be set at the time the cohort is established.
Full classroom and case consult attendance and participation is required. Self-paced NTI tracks must be finished at the end of the program, or may be waived if previously completed within two years of starting PACC. Upon completion of all elements, participants will receive a certificate of completion.
2024-25 Training Calendar
Public Health Guidelines
Hybrid PACC cohorts include in-person classroom learning. PACC classroom policies will follow state mandates and University of Minnesota guidelines regarding public health considerations including the wearing of face coverings when applicable. University FAQ about COVID-19 Prevention and Wellbeing.
Group norms around safety and comfort when in shared spaces will also be discussed and updated as needed.