The Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP) is a comprehensive, competency-based in-service training program for Ohio’s public child welfare staff and caregivers. In the case of Adoption Assessor Training, training is for all public and private agency workers working in adoption and foster care.

Adoption Assessor Training is required for all social workers providing foster care and/or adoption services in Ohio. Only persons who are employed by or under contract to a licensed foster care or adoption agency are eligible to be Adoption Assessors.

The training is offered in two tiers. Individuals must complete Tier I within six months of the date of hire, and then complete Tier II within three years after completing Tier I. 

Participants must keep records of their attendance at the workshops and include a completed ODJFS form 1680 in their personnel records, as well as keep a copy in their personal records and send a copy to ODJFS at the address below, certifying that they have completed the training and meet the educational and employment qualifications to be an Adoption Assessor. Send the completed 1680 form to: ODJFS, Adoption Section, 255 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43215.

Tier I Adoption Assessor training includes six workshops and 36 hours of training. All Cuyahoga County Tier I workshops will be held at Adoption Network Cleveland, 4614 Prospect Ave., Suite 550, Cleveland, Ohio.

To register for Tier I contact Julius Jackson at (216) 482-2324. You may also contact Luke Owens at the Regional Training Center by fax at (213) 432-3516 or phone with questions at (216) 881-5387. 

Adoption Assessor Training Hand-Out: April - June 2012

Family & Child Assessment #201-A1-S
Trainer: Angela Irby
Date: Tuesday & Wednesday January 17 & 18, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm - 2 day

Adoption Assistance #201-A4-S
Trainer: Linda Loveland
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2012
Time: 9am-12pm

Placement Strategies #201-A5-S
Trainer: Linda Loveland
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2012
Time: 1pm-4pm

Birth Parent Services #201-A2-S Trainer:
Trainer: Cheryl Reber
Date: Thursday, April 12, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm

Pre-Finalization Adoption Services #201-A6-S
Trainer: Maureen Heffernan
Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm

Post Finalization Adoption Services #201-A3-S
Trainer: Zoë Breen-Wood
Date: Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm

Tier II Adoption Assessor Training, an advanced series of workshops, is required for all social workers who provide foster care and/or adoption services in Ohio, and who have completed Tier I training.

Assessors have three years following the completion of Tier I to complete the second tier of training. Assessors who take Tier II workshops must have completed all six days of Tier I training. Tier II Adoption Assessor training includes four workshops and 36 hours of training. All Cuyahoga County Tier II trainings will be held at Adoption Network Cleveland, 4614 Prospect Ave., Suite 550, Cleveland, Ohio.

To register for Tier II contact Julius Jackson at (216) 482-2324. You may also contact Luke Owens at the Regional Training Center by fax at (213) 432-3516 or phone with questions at (216) 881-5387.

Achieving Permanency through Interagency Collaboration #201-A7-S
Trainer: Rhonda Abban
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm

Gathering & Documenting Background Information #201-A10-S
Trainer: 
Date: Friday, April 27, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm

Cultural Issues in Permanency Planning #201-A8-S
Trainer: Raymond Lloyd
Date: Thursday & Friday, March 8 & 9, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm - 2 day

Openness in Adoption #201-A9-S
Trainer: Maureen Heffernan
Date: Monday & Tuesday, June 25 & 26, 2012
Time: 9am-4pm - 2 day