H.B. 93

1

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS FOR
2 CASEWORKERS
3 1999 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Matt Throckmorton
6 AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES; REQUIRING ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR
7 A CHILD WELFARE WORKER, DEPENDING ON THE WORKER'S JOB EXPERIENCE;
8 AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
9 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
10 AMENDS:
11 62A-4a-107, as enacted by Chapter 260, Laws of Utah 1994
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
13 Section 1. Section 62A-4a-107 is amended to read:
14 62A-4a-107. Mandatory education and training of caseworkers -- Development of
15 curriculum.
16 (1) There is created within the division a full-time position of Child Welfare Training
17 Coordinator, who shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the director. The employee
18 in that position shall not be responsible for direct casework services or the supervision of those
19 services, but shall:
20 (a) develop child welfare curriculum that is current and effective, consistent with the
21 division's mission and purpose for child welfare;
22 (b) recruit, select, and supervise child welfare trainers;
23 (c) develop a statewide training program, including a budget and identification of sources
24 of funding to support that training;
25 (d) evaluate the efficacy of training in improving job performance;
26 (e) assist child protective services and foster care workers in developing and fulfilling their
27 individual training plans;

28 (f) monitor staff compliance with division training requirements and individual training
29 plans;
30 (g) expand the collaboration between the division and schools of social work within
31 institutions of higher education in developing child welfare services curriculum, and in providing
32 and evaluating training; and
33 (h) report annually to the board and the Legislature on training activities, compliance with
34 the training plan, and achievement of individual training goals.
35 (2) (a) The director shall, with the assistance of the child welfare training coordinator,
36 establish a core curriculum for child welfare services that is substantially equivalent to the Child
37 Welfare League of America's Core Training for Child Welfare Caseworkers Curriculum.
38 (b) Any child welfare worker who is employed by the division for the first time after
39 [April] July 1, [1995] 1999, shall, before assuming significant independent casework
40 responsibilities, h [ and in no case later than six months after initial employment, ] h successfully
41 complete:
42 (i) the core curriculum[.]; and
43 (ii) except as provided in Subsection (2)(c), on-the-job training that consists of observing
44 and accompanying h [ one or more ] AT LEAST TWO h capable and experienced child welfare
44a workers as they perform
45 work-related functions:
46 (A) for three months if the worker has less than six months of on-the-job experience as a
47 child welfare worker; or
48 (B) for two months if the worker has h SIX MONTHS OR MORE BUT h less than 24 months
48a of on-the-job experience as a
49 child welfare worker.
50 (c) A child welfare worker with at least 24 months of on-the-job experience is not required
51 to receive on-the-job training under Subsection (2) h [ (a) ] (b) h (ii).
51a h (3)The DIVISION SHALL PROVIDE AN ANNUAL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATIVE CHILD
51b WELFARE OVERSIGHT PANEL BEFORE NOVEMBER 1 ON THE IMPLEMENTATION AND STATUS OF
51c ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR CHILD WELFARE WORKERS REQUIRED UNDER SUBSECTION (2). h
52 Section 2. Effective date.
53 This act takes effect on July 1, 1999.

Legislative Review Note
as of 1-22-99 10:58 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel