The Department requests to add one Social Service Staff Development Specialist (SSSDS) position in the Children and Family Services (CFS) bureau to adequately respond to the increasing training needs and professional development of CFS staff. CFS is currently on a state corrective action plan that must be completed by 6/1/16 and the additional position is needed to train new and current staff.  
  
Since 2014, CFS has hired over 50 new Social Workers and 10 administrative and support staff. All new child welfare social workers and supervisors are mandated to complete California Common Core Training that consist of 26 courses for Social Workers and nine courses for Supervisors within 12 months of hire and maintain 40 hours of annual training thereafter (Reference- Div 14 MPP- Staff Development/Training). California Common Core Training is currently being revised as Core 3.0, which will now require a field instructor to provide 24-30 hours field based training as well as new E-Learning modules to each new Social Worker. The piloting and gradual implementation of Core 3.0 began in March 2015, with a full roll out by 2017. CFS requires one Social Services Staff Development Specialist to provide three cycles of Core training per year.  
  
Additionally, CFS has been without a trainer for the state Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS) since 2008. The CWS/CMS system provides for public child welfare; missing and incorrect data has adversely affected the state and federal measures and outcomes for CFS. This has impacted compliance, quality control, and services to youth and families.   
  
Lastly, Child Welfare state and federal mandates over the past year and in the upcoming two years require staff training and practice reform. Mandated trainings will include Commercially Sexually Exploited Children, Continuum of Care Reform, Resource Family Approval, and Foster Parent Recruitment, Retention, and Support.  
  

If the Social Service Staff Development Specialist position is not added Children and Family Service will lack the internal capacity to provide and track the required trainings. CFS and the Department will continue to be at risk of not being in compliance with Federal mandates of State Title IV-B and IV-E program requirements and risk sanctions.  

Without proper training, Child Welfare Social Workers will not have the appropriate skills and knowledge to assess for child risk and safety. Social Workers will also be missing a trauma informed, culturally driven, foundation of services to youth and families. This could lead to children being left in dangerous and life threatening situations or result in children remaining unnecessarily in long term foster care.  
  
Missing and incorrect data in CWS/CMS can affect children’s eligibility for federal aid and newly mandated services through initiatives such as Katie A. mental health services, Commercially Sexually Exploited Child (CSEC), and the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD).