Across Oklahoma, families are increasingly concerned about the future of vital social services. Questions arise about the direction of Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) programs, with some wondering, Is Oklahoma Dhs Ending Home Care Programs? While information on specific program changes requires direct verification from DHS sources, it’s crucial to understand the bedrock services that remain essential for vulnerable children and families. Among these, foster care and the robust training provided to foster parents stand out as pillars of support.
This article delves into the critical role of foster parent training in Oklahoma, as offered by DHS. Regardless of any potential shifts in other home care programs, the need for qualified and compassionate foster parents remains constant. DHS provides comprehensive training programs at no cost to equip individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to provide safe and nurturing homes for children in need. Let’s explore the types of training available and how Oklahoma DHS supports foster parents in their vital role.
Foster Parent Pre-Service Training: Your First Step
Becoming a foster parent in Oklahoma requires a commitment to comprehensive pre-service training. This mandatory training ensures that individuals are well-prepared to care for children who have experienced trauma and are in DHS custody.
Traditional Foster Care Training
For those interested in Traditional Foster Care, Oklahoma DHS mandates a twenty-seven (27) hour pre-service training course. This course is designed for applicants and adult household members who will be directly involved in caring for a child. The curriculum is carefully structured, with each class building upon the previous one to provide a holistic understanding of foster care. Due to the sensitive nature of the material and space constraints, class sizes are limited, emphasizing the personalized attention given to each prospective foster parent.
The training is grounded in the reasonable and prudent parent standard and focuses on the core values and guiding principles essential for nurturing children who have experienced maltreatment. Key areas covered in the Traditional Foster Care pre-service training include:
- Protecting and Nurturing Children: Learning effective strategies to safeguard and care for children who have suffered abuse, emotional maltreatment, or neglect.
- Promoting Healthy Development: Understanding child development stages and methods to encourage physical, emotional, and social well-being in foster children.
- Trauma-Informed Care: Recognizing the impact of trauma on children and implementing safety measures to create a secure and stable environment.
- Supporting Family Connections: Facilitating and nurturing relationships between foster children and their biological parents, siblings, and kin, according to DHS guidelines, recognizing the importance of these connections for a child’s identity and well-being.
- Team Collaboration with DHS: Understanding the importance of building safe, supportive relationships and working collaboratively with DHS as part of a team dedicated to the child’s best interests.
To enroll in this essential training, interested individuals should contact their resource specialist, who will provide details on dates, times, and locations.
Therapeutic Foster Care and Intensive Treatment Family Care Training
For those seeking to provide care at a more specialized level, Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) and Intensive Treatment Family Care (ITFC) require a more intensive initial training. Applicants for TFC and ITFC, along with all adult household members, must complete thirty-six (36) hours of pre-service training based on the Pressley Ridge Treatment Foster Care curriculum. This in-depth training prepares foster parents to care for children with more significant emotional, behavioral, or medical needs.
The curriculum for Therapeutic Foster Care and Intensive Treatment Family Care pre-service training encompasses the following modules:
- Introduction to Treatment Foster Care
- Professional Parenting I & II
- Understanding Childhood Development I & II
- Developing Healthy Relationships
- Therapeutic Communication
- Understanding Behavior
- Changing Behavior
- Skill Teaching
- Conflict Resolution
- Understanding and Managing Crisis
This comprehensive training ensures that foster parents in TFC and ITFC settings are equipped with specialized skills to meet the unique challenges of caring for children with heightened needs.
Foster Parent In-Service Training: Continuous Growth and Support
The journey of foster parenting is one of continuous learning and growth. Oklahoma DHS recognizes this and mandates annual in-service training hours to ensure foster parents remain updated on best practices and continue to develop their skills.
- Traditional Foster and Kinship Care: Each adult in a Traditional foster or kinship home is required to complete 12 hours of training each year.
- Therapeutic Foster Care: Adults in Therapeutic Foster Care homes need 18 hours of training annually.
- Intensive Treatment Family Care: For Intensive Treatment Family Care, the requirement is 20 hours of training per year, with six (6) of these hours being clinical in nature.
DHS offers a variety of flexible options for obtaining these in-service training credits, acknowledging the diverse schedules and learning preferences of foster parents:
- Workshops/Conferences/Seminars: Attending relevant workshops, conferences, and seminars provides valuable in-person learning and networking opportunities.
- Support Groups: Participating in DHS-approved support groups that include a training component can earn two training credits per meeting. These groups provide peer support and focused learning.
- Peer Meetings/Gatherings: Activities such as mentoring, advisory committee participation, and association meetings can contribute up to a maximum of six hours of annual training credit.
- Parent Skills Training: Specialized parent skills training programs like Sooner Start, Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) are valuable resources for in-service training.
- Independent Study: Engaging in independent study, such as reading books or articles, or reviewing the DHS Monthly Resource Reminder, can count for up to six hours of training credit per year.
- Videos/Webinars/Podcasts/Computer-Based Training: Utilizing online resources like videos, webinars, podcasts, and computer-based training modules offers convenient and accessible training options.
- Medical/Developmental Care Skills Training: Training focused on specific medical or developmental care skills relevant to foster children is also recognized for credit.
Certificates and Training Verification
To ensure proper documentation of training hours, DHS requires submission of certificates for trainings that issue them. Along with the certificate, a training agenda or documentation of training content and time should be provided to your worker. For training activities without certificates, the In-Service Training Verification Form should be completed and submitted.
In-Service Training Verification Form
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Training Credit Hours: Understanding the Breakdown
DHS provides a clear guideline for converting training minutes into credit hours, ensuring consistent tracking of in-service training:
In-Service Training Credit Hours
| Minutes | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 30 | .5 |
| 60 | 1 |
| 90 | 1.5 |
| 120 | 2 |
| 150 | 2.5 |
| 180 | 3 |
Credit hours are calculated based on class minutes, allowing for precise tracking of training time.
Credit for Reading: Books and Articles
Independent study through reading is also encouraged, with credit hours awarded based on the number of pages read:
| Number of Pages Read | Credit Hours |
|---|---|
| 50 | 1 |
| 51-100 | 2 |
| 101-150 | 3 |
| 151-200 | 4 |
| 201-250 | 5 |
| 251-300 | 6 |
Credit hours for reading are determined by page count, promoting continuous learning through literature. It’s always advisable to confirm with your worker about the eligibility of a specific activity for training credit before completion to ensure it meets DHS requirements.
Expanding Your Knowledge: Additional Training Resources
Oklahoma DHS is committed to providing foster parents with access to a wide array of training resources. Beyond the mandatory pre-service and in-service training, numerous additional opportunities are available to deepen your understanding and skills.
TBRI® Training for Foster and Adoptive Caregivers
Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) is a powerful approach for caring for children who have experienced trauma. This two-day training provides an overview of TBRI® principles, focusing on the impact of trauma on the brain, attachment theory, and strategies for building connection and addressing challenging behaviors. It equips caregivers with Empowering and Correcting principles to create a nurturing and healing environment.
Empowered to Connect
Empowered to Connect offers readily accessible training resources in both written and video formats, featuring insights from Dr. Karyn Purvis, a renowned expert in trauma-informed care. These resources are designed for parents and caregivers of children who have experienced adverse childhood experiences, stress, and maltreatment, providing practical tools and strategies.
Foster Care & Adoption Learning Management System
Oklahoma DHS utilizes a Foster Care & Adoption Learning Management System (LMS) offering a variety of training modules. Foster parents can request enrollment through their CW Specialist. This LMS includes the initial 12 hours of RFT Training and numerous other courses, typically providing one hour of credit per training, each followed by a quiz. Certificates can be printed upon completion and submitted to your CW Specialist.
Oklahoma Adoption Competency Network
The Oklahoma Adoption Competency Network (OACN) fosters a statewide community of learning and support for everyone involved in adoption, including foster and adoptive parents, adoptees, biological families, and professionals. OACN offers a range of events, including webinars, book clubs, support groups, and specialized trainings addressing crucial topics such as loss, grief, attachment, trauma, and therapeutic parenting.
Oklahoma Complete Health Child Welfare Training and Education
Oklahoma Complete Health Children’s Specialty Plan provides free trainings to support providers, partners, caregivers, foster parents, and adoptive parents in delivering quality care. Training topics encompass a wide range of relevant areas, including Adverse Childhood Experiences, understanding children’s emotions, creating normalcy for youth in foster care, addressing problem sexual behavior, promoting healing in adoption and foster care, and trauma-informed care. These trainings are offered virtually and in-person at no cost.
Foster Club Training *
Foster Club offers a wide range of online courses, with over 18 currently listed, ranging from 1.5 to 3.0 credit hours. Subscription is required to receive training credit. Bulk rate pricing is available for agencies.
Foster Parent Training*
FosterParentTraining.com provides extensive in-service training materials, offering over 250 hours of content that can be downloaded and printed. A yearly subscription is required for credit, providing access to a vast library of resources. They also offer options for couples memberships.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension *
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension offers diverse online courses related to child care and behavioral health. Official credit requires passing a course exam and paying a processing fee for a printable certificate. Courses are available in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, expanding accessibility.
FosterParentCollege.com **
FosterParentCollege.com provides a vast library of over 70 online trainings in English and 20+ in Spanish. This national site offers research-based, self-paced courses available 24/7, focusing on trauma-informed parenting and specific behavior challenges. Course enrollments are free with a training account registered through the National Resource Center for Youth Services.
Foster Care & Adoptive Community **
Foster Care and Adoptive Community (FCAC) Training offers an extensive catalog of over 150 courses, with new topics continuously added. This national platform requires a fee for each training. Certificates are generated immediately upon passing a course test.
* Please note that Foster Club Training, Foster Parent Training, and Texas A&M Extension require payment by the resource parent.
** Oklahoma DHS provides 12 pre-paid online in-service training hours annually through Foster Care & Adoptive Community (FCAC) or Foster Parent College (FPC) for DHS and Tribal foster, kinship, and adoptive parents. Access these pre-paid hours through the National Resource Center website. You will need your foster care contract number from your worker to access these benefits.
Important Note: Reimbursement is not available for trainings directly purchased from FCAC or Foster Parent College websites. Pre-paid training hours are not applicable to Therapeutic Foster Care or contracted agency placements. Families in these situations should discuss in-service training options with their contracting agency.
Community Trainings, Events, & Conferences
Local community trainings, events, and conferences can also potentially qualify for training credit. It’s essential to check with your worker for approval before attending to confirm eligibility.
Support Networks: Building Community and Knowledge
Oklahoma DHS, through its partnership with the OU Outreach National Resource Center for Youth Services, has established the Oklahoma Kinship, Foster, and Adoptive Family Support Network. This network plays a vital role in providing in-service training, fostering communication among resource families and DHS, and organizing valuable resources.
Network groups are tailored to the specific needs and composition of resource families within each community. Virtual support groups are currently held monthly, with information sent directly to resource parents via email. Membership is open to all approved resource parents/families, whether through DHS, a contracted agency, or a Tribe with a DHS contract. Resource parents from contracted agencies are encouraged to participate in DHS Network support groups in their area.
These support groups are facilitated by trained resource parent facilitators supported by the National Resource Center for Youth Services (NRCYS). Attendance at a support group meeting earns two hours of in-service training credit, with training tailored to the unique needs of the participating families.
Books, Magazines, & Articles: Resources for Continued Learning
DHS also recognizes the value of independent learning through reading. The following are suggested resources, and it’s always recommended to check with your Resource Specialist about the eligibility of other materials for training credit:
No Drama Discipline by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.: This book explores the connection between child neurological development and parental responses to misbehavior, offering compassionate discipline strategies.
The Whole Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.: This practical guide explains the science behind children’s brain development and provides insights into understanding and navigating meltdowns and challenging behaviors.
The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family by Karen B. Purvis, Ph.D., David R. Cross, Ph.D., Wendy Lyons Sunshine: A vital resource for adoptive parents of children who have experienced early trauma, focusing on healing and attachment.
The Kinship Parenting Toolbox Edited by Kim Phagan-Hansel: A comprehensive resource for kinship caregivers, covering topics from organization and finances to support systems.
The Foster Parenting Toolbox Edited by Kim Phagan-Hansel: A practical guide to foster parenting, addressing transitions, grief, loss, anger, and family dynamics.
The Power to Connect by Teresa and Chuck Easter: This book focuses on effective communication skills, essential for building strong relationships and navigating foster care dynamics.
Completing the Circle by Thomas Poplawski: Explores the cooperative relationship between school and home in supporting children’s development, particularly relevant to Waldorf education principles.
Fostering Families Today Magazine: A bimonthly magazine offering guidance and support for foster parents throughout their journey.
Adoption Today Magazine: An award-winning publication focused on the well-being of adoptees and adoptive families, addressing physical, psychological, and emotional aspects.
Black girl at whiteboard thinking.
Change the Life of a Child in Oklahoma Today
Regardless of ongoing discussions around Oklahoma DHS programs and whether there are changes to home care services, one thing remains clear: children in Oklahoma need safe, loving homes. Foster parents are the heart of this system, providing crucial care and stability. Oklahoma DHS is dedicated to supporting these caregivers through comprehensive, no-cost training and resources. If you’ve been considering foster parenting, now is the time to step forward and make a difference.
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