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CHILD WELFARE STIPEND Child Welfare Education Program (Title IV-E) The Child Welfare Education Program (CWEP) is a partnership between the Wisconsin Division of Children and Family Services and the Social Work Professional Program at UW – Green Bay. CWEP operates with federal funds made available through Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which provides training stipends for BSW students who are committed to a career in public child welfare. The stipend is a monetary award, paid at the beginning of each semester, which is equivalent to the cost of in-state tuition and fees. The Child Welfare Education Program’s primary goal is to prepare graduate social work students for employment in regional public, tribal and community partner agencies that provide child welfare services Toward this end, the Program combines specialized child welfare coursework with a supervised field practicum in a public or tribal child welfare agency in NE Wisconsin. Students accepted into the Program are awarded a stipend equivalent to the cost of in-state tuiton and fees for the Senior year. Program participation requires a commitment by the student to work in a public or tribal child welfare agency upon graduation. Eligibility Students in their Junior year of the BSW Program who envision a career in public or tribal child welfare in the State of Wisconsin are eligible to participate. Program requirements Applicants must meet and / or agree to these general requirements: BSW student in good standing Enrollment in Child Welfare Emphasis courses Willingness to complete Senior field practicum in public child welfare agency Attend a one-day Child Welfare Practice Seminar prior to field practicum, as well as any other subsequent meetings scheduled by the Child Welfare Coordinator Commitment to work full-time for one calendar year in a Wisconsin public, tribal or community partner child welfare agency upon graduation Application A packet will be distributed to each student who expresses an interest in working in the field of child welfare. The packet consists of an Application form, Field Placement Screening Tool, Contract and Program Guidelines. All applications received by February 15 will receive full consideration. Selection and distribution of stipend awards The Child Welfare Coordinator will conduct an initial screening of all applications to ensure that the student’s practice and employment interests are congruent with the program goals. When the number of qualified applicants is equal to the number of stipends available in any given year, the Child Welfare Coordinator, in consultation with the Program Chair and BSW Field Coordinator, will issue stipend awards. When the number of eligible applicants exceeds the number of stipends available in any given year, applications will be reviewed and approved by at least three members of the BSW Child Welfare Curriculum Committee, according to criteria established by this Committee. Stipend awards will be issued to the most qualified applicants. Stipends are awarded for Fall and Spring Semester of the Senior year. Stipend payments will be disbursed to student accounts by the UW – Green Bay Bursar at the beginning of each semester. Field education Participants must complete their Foundation and / or Advanced Practicum in a Wisconsin public or tribal child welfare agency. Approved field agencies include, but are not limited to, the following: Brown County Department of Human Services Calumet County Department of Human Services Door County Department of Social Services Fond du Lac County Department of Social Services Green Lake County Department of Human Services Kewaunee County Department of Human Services Marathon County Department Social Services Department Marquette County Department of Human Services Manitowoc County Department of Human Services Menominee County Department of Human Services NEW Partnership for Children and Families Oconto County Department of Human Services Oneida Tribal Social Services Outagamie County Department of Human Services Portage County Health & Human Services Shawano County Department of Human Services Sheboygan County Department of Human Services Waupaca County Department of Human Services Waushara County Department of Human Services Winnebago County Health & Human Services Wisconsin DCFS – Adoption Services Wood County Department of Human Services Contracts A current contract signed by the student and the Child Welfare Coordinator must be on file prior to disbursal of any stipend funds. Contracts are in effect until the CWEP participant’s obligations are fulfilled or stipend funds are reimbursed in full. The availability of stipend funds is contingent upon continued federal and state funding. Any additional contractual stipend or grant award requiring a post-graduation employment commitment is to be considered separate from the requirements for this program. Student requirements To remain an active participant in the program, students must meet these expectations: • Successfully move toward completion of the BSW degree • Be accepted for and successfully complete approved field placement(s) • Complete the Wisconsin Child Welfare Training System online Pre-Service training in conjunction with the field placement • Demonstrate competency in child welfare practice • Participate and attend all CWEP meetings and activities as defined above • Assure that employment schedules and demands do not interfere with course and field work Post-graduation employment commitment Prior to graduation, students will meet with the Child Welfare Coordinator to develop a plan for employment. Job annoucements from throughout Wisconsin are posted on the CWEP D2L site. Qualified employment (as defined below) within the state of Wisconsin will meet this requirement. The employment commitment is one calendar year. Stipend recipients must apply for and accept qualified employment within the NE Wisconsin region comprised of the 26 “NEW Partnership” counties: http://www.uwgb.edu/newpart/Partner.htm Early application for Wisconsin social work certification is recommended. Qualified child welfare employment The general child welfare job functions that meet program guidelines for post-graduation employment include: • Child protective services (investigation / risk assessment) • Case management (ongoing protective services, substitute care, etc.) • Family preservation / reunification services • Child placement services (foster, kinship and group care) • Independent living services • Permanency planning • Adoption services • Foster home recruitment / licensing Post-graduation employment search & reporting Graduates must document their job search activities and report these to the Child Welfare Coordinator each quarter for one year after graduation. Supplementary materials, such as copies of employment announcements and applications, letters documenting the outcome of employment applications, and verification of employment may be required at the discretion of the Child Welfare Coordinator. Graduates must accept offers for qualified employment, notify the Child Welfare Coordinator, and remain employed for at least one calendar year. If requested, participants must agree to sign a release-of-information form authorizing the Child Welfare Coordinator to verify qualified employment. Federal guidelines governing child welfare traineeships (SEC. 429 [42 U.S.C. 628a]) obligates the Social Work Professional Program to “track the employment record of the recipient, for the purpose of determining the percentage of recipients who secure employment in the field of child welfare services and remain employed in the field” for a 3-year period that begins on the date the recipient completes their program of study. By signing the Contract, CWEP participants agree to provide current contact information to the Child Welfare Coordinator for three (3) years after graduation in order to fulfill this federal requirement. Completion of contract The contract will be considered to be completed when one of the following conditions is met: • The stipend recipient completes one year of qualfied employment in a Wisconsin public, tribal or community partner child welfare agency • The stipend recipient is granted a waiver of their post-graduation employment commitment • The stipend recipient reimburses the full amount of stipend funds received Participants will receive written notice when they have fulfilled the requirements of their contract. Default Failure to comply with all program requirements places participants in default, which requires them to reimburse UW – Green Bay the full amount of stipend funds received within 90 days of notice of default. Participants will be considered in default when one of the following conditions exists: • Withdrawal from the CWEP Program at any time • Failure to adhere to basic program requirements as determined by the Child Welfare Coordinator • Failure to graduate from the BSW Program. • Failure to document search for qualified employment for one year after graduation • Failure to maintain contact with and respond to requests for information from Child Welfare Coordinator during the contract period • Failure to accept offers of qualified employment in the 26 NE Wisconsin counties • Voluntary or involuntary termination (based upon a personnel action, not layoff) of qualified employment during the employment commitment period. Participants will receive written notice when they are in default of their Contract. An invoice for the full amount of stipend funds received will be issued by UW – Green Bay. Reimbursement of stipend funds Participants, who withdraw from CWEP or the BSW Program, must immediately notify the Child Welfare Coordinator of the circumstances of their withdrawal and their plan for voluntary reimbursement of stipend funds. All stipend funds must be reimbursed within 90 (ninety) days of the date of withdrawal from either program. CWEP participants who are in default of their Contract, and who do not make arrangements for and / or follow through with voluntary reimbursement of stipend funds, will be referred for collection. Participants are responsible for the balance due UW – Green Bay in addition to any collection agency or legal fees. Deferral / waiver of employment obligation Participants who are unable to complete their post-graduation employment commitment due to military deployment, a health or family-related emergency, or other extenuating circumstance may request a deferral or waiver of their post-graduation employment commitment. Participants who document active search, as defined above, for qualified employment for a minimum of twelve (12) months after graduation, and have not secured such employment, may request a waiver (cancellation) of their post graduation employment commitment. In either of these situations, the participant must initiate a written request to the Child Welfare Coordinator which includes supporting documentation. The Child Welfare Coordinator may defer or waive the recipient from their post-graduation employment commitment. Child welfare program staff For further information, materials, or questions about the Child Welfare Education & Program, please contact: Matthew Mattila, ACSW, CISW Child Welfare Coordinator UW – Green Bay 2420 Nicolet Dr., CL – 710 Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 mattilam@uwgb.edu (920) 465-2867 The Child Welfare Coordinator is authorized to make decisions regarding the day-to-day operations of the Child Welfare Education Program. All questions and concerns regarding the Program should be discussed with the Coordinator. If, in the judgment of the Child Welfare Coordinator, participants fail to comply with the program requirements contained in this document, all outstanding stipend payments will be suspended and participants will receive notice of default. If participants have a concern regarding a decision made by the Child Welfare Coordinator, they should contact the Social Work Program Chair: Chair Social Work Professional Program UW – Green Bay 2420 Nicolet Dr., CL – 710 Green Bay, WI 54311 (920) 465 – 2049