Workforce Initiatives & Trainings
Trainings
Human Rights Campaign Foundation Trainings
NEW! Free e-Learning on Serving LGBTQ+ Youth & Families in Child Welfare Settings
The National SOGIE Center and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation have partnered to launch a new interactive e-learning module on serving LGBTQ+ youth and families in child welfare settings. This training is modeled after HRC’s All Children, All Families training (below), which was evaluated through the National Quality Improvement Center on LGBTQ2S Children and Youth in Foster Care grant and has shown promising evidence of its impact. The training covers foundational knowledge on serving the population, how to create affirming environments, best practices, and terminology. The National SOGIE Center and HRC have partnered to offer this training for free when participants enroll through the Center’s Learning Management System.
CEC Available.
All Children - All Families National Certification & LGBTQ+ Training Program
The All Children – All Families (ACAF) training, is an evidence-informed training that helps agency staff build knowledge and skills to serve LGBTQ+ youth, families, and caregivers. The training has been evaluated and data show that this training leads to increased knowledge of LGBTQ+ topics and improved attitudes and affirming behaviors towards LGBTQ+ people. Download the information sheet to learn more!
This short data dashboard gives a snapshot of the preliminary findings of the ACAF training that should help agencies and providers determine whether this training would meet their needs and goals. For questions on the data and information represented in this dashboard, please contact the National SOGIE Center at SOGIECenter@uconn.edu.
All Children – All Families Training of Facilitators
This comprehensive training prepares agency facilitators to train the evidence-informed ACAF Training. Facilitators will learn how to deliver the ACAF training as well as facilitate difficult conversation and help dispel myths and stereotypes associated with LGBTQ+ people. Prospective facilitators begin by observing training as participants and then complete classroom instruction with ACAF Expert Trainers. Prospective facilitators conduct teach-back presentations and receive feedback from ACAF Expert Trainers to ensure a firm grasp of content and teaching methods. Following completion of full program and achievement of baseline fidelity levels, participants conduct co- trainings with expert trainers as a final step to full certification to deliver content to the organization’s specific training audience. Download the information sheet to learn more!
All Children - All Families Caregiver Training Program
This two-hour training is designed to improve knowlege, attitudes, and skills related to caring for LGBTQ+ youth.
This short data dashboard gives a snapshot of the preliminary findings of the ACAF Caregiver training that should help agencies and providers determine whether this training would meet their needs and goals. For questions on the data and information represented in this dashboard, please contact the National SOGIE Center at SOGIECenter@uconn.edu.
Building Safety for Youth & Families
Building Safety for Youth and Families (Building Safety) is a training designed to increase the knowledge and skills of child welfare staff in recognizing and affirming young people’s sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression and to educate staff on making referrals to local LGBTQ+-specific programs.
The Building Safety implementation guide provides agencies with the information they need for replicating the Building Safety with LGBTQ+ Youth & their Caregivers in Child Welfare training. This guide outlines recommendations for creating and maintaining an implementation team, collaborating with state and local agencies if applicable, and providing ongoing support and quality improvement for facilitators and participants of the training.
This short data dashboard gives a snapshot of the preliminary findings of Building Safety that should help agencies and providers determine whether this training would meet their needs and goals. For questions on the data and information represented in this dashboard, please contact the National SOGIE Center at SOGIECenter@uconn.edu.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s All Children – All Families program certifies child welfare organizations for their LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts and delivers expert LGBTQ+ training nationally.
Through its certification process, All Children – All Families promotes LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and affirming practices among child welfare agencies and celebrates those agencies that are leading the field with innovative approaches to inclusion in its annual report. Participants gain access to a comprehensive, online self-assessment tool, free webinars on the latest best practices, and peer-to-peer learning opportunities.
The All Children – All Families National Training Program offers expert training, capacity building and coaching on a diverse range of LGBTQ+ topics for child welfare professionals and caregivers. High-quality, engaging and evidence-based training is available virtually and in-person at a variety of durations to meet your organization’s needs, including: one hour, 90 minutes, three hour, and full-day training and workshops as well as a multi-day Training of Facilitators program. Download the information sheets below to learn more!
Free E-Learning Module: Promoting Emotional Well-being for LGBTQ Youth
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Youth Well-Being Program is excited to offer this FREE online learning module for social workers, counselors, educators and other youth-serving professionals in partnership with the National SOGIE Center. This self-paced course takes approximately one-hour to complete and participants can earn one free CEC. This module offers an opportunity for youth-serving professionals to learn how to best promote safety, health, and well-being for LGBTQ youth at home, at school, and in systems of care.
The UConn School of Social Work is approved by the Connecticut Department of Public Health to provide continuing education credits (CECs) for social workers. The School is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. The University of Connecticut is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. through its Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.
Recorded Symposium: The New Normal: LGBTQ+ Youth Living Through COVID-19
The Philadelphia Coalition for Queer Justice and Intersectional Equity partnered with Innovations Institute to host a two-day virtual symposium on the state of LGBTQ+ youth in the child welfare system and how their experiences have changed in light of COVID-19. This symposium gathered medical professionals, child welfare workers, prevention workers, mentors, and executives from a variety of disciplines. Together we elevated the voices of experts to a national audience in the pursuit of equity for our LGBTQ+ youth.
The Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity Webinar Series
Each month, our Center of Excellence hosts webinars and Ask our Experts sessions focused on the best and latest practices to decrease behavioral health disparities impacting LGBTQ+ children, youth, young adults, adults, and older adults. CECs are available at no cost for both live and recorded sessions!
Resources for Workforce Development
AFFIRM.ME.: Cuyahoga County’s Guide on Improving Care & Visibility of LGBTQ+ Youth Involved in the Department of Child & Family Services
This guide documents the efforts, successes, and lessons learned that Ohio’s Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services experienced in implementing organizational change efforts within the county to better serve LGBTQ+ youth and their families. Cuyahoga County was successful in identifying LGBTQ+ youth in their care and providing those youth and their families with much-needed services around sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression. Also available is a standalone infographic outlining Cuyahoga County’s systems change journey.
Video: Learning About Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity & Expression
This animated short, available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French, reviews basic terminology that is important to know when working with people who have diverse sexual orientations or gender identities. This terminology includes sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, and more.
Tip sheet: Supporting the Behavioral Health Workforce to Implement Best Practices for LGBTQ+ People
All behavioral health care organizations provide services to LGBTQ+ people and their families, regardless of the organization’s size, location, or type of service provided. Therefore, it is imperative for organizational leadership to put policies and practices in place that affirm LGBTQ+ people. This tip sheet outlines actions leaders can take to support their workforce in being more welcoming and inclusive. This resource was created by our Center of Excellence on LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity in partnership with the National Family Support Technical Assistance Center.
Video: Gender Affirming Care
This 25-minute video, created by the Ruth Ellis Center, is for providers, for parents, doctors, therapists — anyone who is serving those who are trans or non-binary to better understand how to serve them, what resources are available to educate themselves about medicine or non-medical transitioning and language that’s more accessible to them to serve clients better.
Video: Supporting LGBTQ Youth Starts at Home
Watch our animated short, Supporting LGBTQ Youth Starts at Home. This animation focuses on the impact of rejection children, youth, and young adults can experience in their homes and communities and provides examples and strategies to promote support, acceptance and affirmation of youth with diverse SOGIE.
