Video Library: Northern California Training Academy

Created July 10, 2024 by Northern Academy

This resource provides access to videos produced and/or used by the Northern California Training Academy in support of training for child welfare practitioners. 

Looking for something else? Return to the CHS Resource Barn by clicking here.

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Adult Protective Services

APS Video Series

Developed by the Northern California Training Academy, the APS video series provides Adult Protective Services social workers with several tips and strategies for effectively serving the APS community.

Tips for Testifying in Court

Harm Reduction Approaches for Adult Protective Services

Undue Influence: Effective Interventions for Adult Protective Services

Working with Resistive Clients in Adult Protective Services


Adult Protective Services Workforce Innovations Series

Adult Protective Services Workforce Innovations (APSWI) is a training program of the Academy for Professional Excellence, a project of the San Diego State University School of Social Work. Training videos associated with APSWI are accessible below. Additional APSWI resources are available at the APSWI website.

Successful Initial Home Visit, Self-Neglect: 

Initial In Home Visit, Self-Neglect, Gone Wrong

Initial In Home Visit, Self-Neglect (Alternate Intro)

Home Visit: Addressing APS Professional Safety

Caregiver Neglect Allegation, Home Visit: Alleged Perpetrator Interview

Financial Abuse Allegation, Home Visit: Alleged Perpetrator Interview


Advanced Analytics and Continuous Quality Improvement

Advanced Analytics

Advanced Analytics for Child Welfare Administration: This thirty minute presentation serves as a preview/orientation to the Northern California Training Academy's in-person training: Advanced Analytics for Child Welfare Administration.  


2019 CQI Statewide Conference: Keynotes

Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning (Full Keynote): Presented by Jami Ledoux, Casey Family Programs

Data Visualization (Full Keynote): Presented by Ann Emery, Depict Data Studio

Qualitative Data-Mining in the Human Services (Full Keynote): Presented by Colleen Henry, Silberman School of Social Work

Unconscious/Implicit Bias in the Human Services (Full Keynote): Presented by Bryant Marks, National Institute on Race and Equity


2019 CQI Statewide Conference: Thought Takeaways

Building a CQI Process for the Workforce: Presented by Anita Barbee, Kent School of Social Work 

Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning: Presented by Jami Ledoux, Casey Family Programs

Implicit/Unconscious Bias in the Human Services: Presented by Bryant Marks, National Institute on Race and Equity

Understanding and Utilizing Qualitative Data-Mining: Presented by Colleen Henry, Silberman School of Social Work; and Bryan Victor, Indiana University School of Social Work


2018 CQI Statewide Conference: Thought Takeaways

A Leader's Role in Building a CQI System: What does a Leader Look Like:  Presented by Larry Brown, Child Welfare Consultant

Becoming a Learning Organization: Presented by Khush Cooper, CEO, Khush Cooper & Associates

Getting "Better" at the Work We Do: Presented by Chapin Hall Research Fellow Jennifer Haight, this video outlines 5 tips for getting better at doing our work in child welfare through the use of a CQI system.

Making the Right Investment and Asking the Right Questions: Lessons Learned from Tennessee: Presented by Britany Binkowski, Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Child Welfare Reform in the Tennessee Department of Children Services.

The Building Blocks of a CQI System: Lessons Learned from New Jersey: Allison Blake shares her experience from her time as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Families, including the creation of a statewide CQI system.

The Keys to Making an Effective Graph Presentation to Tell the Right Story: Presented by Ann Emery, Data Visualization Consultant

Three Key Factors for Improvement and Quality in Human Services: Presented by Yolanda Green-Rogers, Senior Policy Analyst, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago

Three Keys to Guiding a CQI Process: Presented by Lily Alpert, Senior Researcher, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago


Continuous Quality Improvement Video Series

CQI Series Module 1: CQI Series Overview: A brief introduction to the Continuous Quality Improvement in Child Welfare Services series, a hybrid learning experience comprised of several interactive workbooks and video-based modules that focus on a number of topics that relate to the development of the CQI process in child welfare. 

CQI Series Module 2: An Introduction to CQI: This self-paced module provides a working definition of CQI and highlights the differences between CQI and Quality Assurance (QA). The module also explores how to prepare a child welfare agency for establishing a CQI culture.

CQI Series Module 3: The Denominator: This is the first of several modules that focus on best practices in measurement and methods that are critical to supporting effective CQI in child welfare. 

CQI Series Module 4: Duration: This second module related to measurement focuses in more specifically on the correct approach to measure duration in a child welfare program. 

CQI Series Module 5: The Window: This final module related to measurement focuses on skills and knowledge necessary to understand prospective change. 

CQI Series Module 6: Qualitative Case Reviews: This module focuses on the qualitative analysis necessary to the CQI Process and developing and conducting case reviews. 

CQI Series Module 7: Evaluation of Data: This module provides an overview of the different types of child welfare data evaluations and provides some pointers for how to think about their design. 

CQI Series Module 8: Plan-Do-Study-Act: This module walks participants through the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle using a specific example and employing the skills and methods discussed in previous modules.


Coaching Videos

2019 Coaching Webinar Series

Benefits of Coaching: What Does the Research Say: Presented by April Allen and Nancy Hafer

Brain-Based Coaching: Presented by Beth Cohen and Nancy Hafer

Coaching Clients and Adolescents: Presented by Nancy Hafer and Tammy Sandoval

Critical Thinking, Coaching and Supervision: Presented by Julie Collins, Nancy Hafer and Michael Schultz

Nurturing and Cultivating Resilience through Coaching: Presented by Laurie Ellington and Nancy Hafer



2018 National Coaching Conference: Thought Takeaways

Adaptive Leadership in Human Services: Presented by Isabel Blanco, Senior Director, Casey Family Programs

Coaching with Secondary Trauma, Burnout, and Well-Being in Mind: Presented by Beth Cohen, clinical and organizational psychologist

Demystifying Coaching for Human Services Organizations: Presented by Marie Legault, Coaching Practice Leader at the Center for Creative Leadership

Skills-based Coaching: Presented by Nancy Hafer, Academic Coordinator, Northern California Training Academy


2017 National Coaching Conference

Opening Session: Presented by Adela de la Torre, Ph.D., vice chancellor, agricultural economist and director of the Center for Transnational Health at UC Davis

Coaching in the Moment: Both Immediate and Long-Term Outcomes from Brief Conversations: Presented by James Flaherty, MCC, founder, New Ventures West

Using the Tools of Critical Thinking within Health and Human Services: Presented by Linda Elder, Ph.D., educational psychologist

What Millenials Are Teaching Us About Coaching Best Practices: Presented by Eric Fenner, managing director, Casey Family Programs

Coaching with Social Neuroscience in Mind: Presented by Beth Cohen, Ph.D., organizational and clinical psychologist

Recap: 2017 National Conference on Coaching in Health and Human Services


Coaching Toolkit Videos

The Coaching Toolkit for Child Welfare Practice includes several videos featuring simulated coaching sessions intended to enhance the learning of those wishing to implement coaching.

Coaching: The Coaching Agreement: Goal Setting

Coaching: The Coach and the Worker

Coaching: Performance Development Coaching

Coaching: The CLEAR Coaching Model


Additional Coaching Videos

Implementing Coaching in Child Welfare: A quick look at some of the key benefits of coaching for both learners and the organizations they are a part of.

Visit Coaching in Child Welfare Services: Marty Beyer, developer of visit coaching, provides a comprehensive overview of this innovative approach to supporting parents as they visit their children who are in foster care.


Continuum of Care Reform

Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) and Child and Family Teams (CFTs)

CANS within the CFT Process: Mary Sheppard, Chief of the Child Protection and Family Support Branch in California, speaks about All County Letter 18-81 and the on-going training and technical assistance available from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS). 

Dr. Lyons on CANS: Dr. John Lyons, creator of the CANS tool, provides an overview of the tool and how it’s intended to capture the stories of the families within the Child and Family Team (CFT)  process.



Core for Social Workers Videos

Assessing for Key Child Welfare Issues

Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence and Trauma (Introduction): This video discusses how violence and trauma affect children, including the serious and long-lasting consequences for their physical and mental health; signs that a child may be exposed to violence or trauma; and the staggering cost of child maltreatment to families, communities, and the Nation. 


CMI Skills Lab

Free Hugs Campaign: An uplifting video that is used in Core to help social workers restore a sense of balance and perspective in the midst of one of the most difficult topics.

Mindfulness Exercise: This 4-minute exercise presents you with a chance to practice mindfulness skills.


Engagement and Interviewing

Randy Price Interview: A sample first CWS investigative interview in which the interviewee is the possible perpetrator of physical abuse and intimate partner violence.

Marti Price Interview:  A sample first CWS investigative interview with a possible witness of physical abuse (possible perpetrator), intimate partner violence (possible victim). There is also a possibility of failure to protect. 

Crystal Smith Interview: A sample contact visit with an indicated victim of physical abuse.


Engagement Knowledge and Skill Reinforcement Lab

Knowing Who You Are (from Casey Family Programs): Featuring the voices of youth in care, this video explores racial and ethical identity for youth in care and illustrates why race and ethnicity matters. 

Interviewing Children: Getting More with Less (from Thomas D. Lyon)


Fairness and Equity

Legalize Democracy Excerpt: This excerpt provides a brief history of white privilege, racism and oppression in America.


ICWA and Working with Native American Families and Tribes

Governor BIA Speech: Kevin Grover's apology for the Bureau of Indian Affairs to Native Americans.

"500 Nations": This excerpt from the 500 Nations documentary series examines the history of Native Americans in California before and after the arrival of settlers.

FACES - Implementing the Indian Child Welfare Act (full): This is the full, 12 minute version of the video.

FACES - Implementing Indian Child Welfare Act (abridged): This is the short, one minute version of the video.


Key Issues in Child Welfare Practice: Social Worker as Practitioner

Dating Violence Key Concepts: Byng Student Council and video team members created this video to raise awareness about Teen Dating Violence. Teen DV Awareness month is February.

Healing Neen: This story illustrates the consequences that untreated trauma has on individuals and society at-large, including mental health problems, addiction, homelessness and incarceration. 

Trans-Theoretical Model of Behavior Change: A short ePresentation introducing the trans-theoretical model of behavior change.


Legal Procedures and Responsibilities

Court Scene from the film "My Cousin Vinny": An entertaining clip illustrating the testimony of an expert witness in court.

Getting Ready for Court: Tips for New Social Workers Part 1: Angie Stephenson, an Assistant Attorney General for Child Welfare with the NC Department of Justice, explains the child welfare worker's role in court and offers suggestions on preparing to testify in court.

Getting Ready for Court: Tips for New Social Workers Part 2: Angie Stephenson, an Assistant Attorney General for Child Welfare with the NC Department of Justice, offers advice for child welfare worker who are new to testifying in court.

Juvenile Dependency Court Orientation: This video is an introduction to the court process for parents who have had children removed from their care. It describes detention, jurisdiction, disposition, and review hearings.


Managing Change Knowledge and Skill Reinforcement Lab

Child and Family Team Meetings: This video describes the use of child family team meetings for public child welfare workers.


Managing Transitions Knowledge and Skill Reinforcement Lab

Cultural Humility: People, Principles and Practices by Vivian Chavez (Part 1): A 30-minute documentary by San Francisco State Professor Vivian Chávez that mixes poetry with music, interviews, archival footage, images of community, nature and dance to explain what "Cultural Humility" is and why we need it. 

TED Talk by Benjamin Perks: How Do We Stop Adversity from Becoming a Life Sentence?: This presentation examines prevalence of adverse childhood experiences; demonstrates a direct link between the level of adversity in childhood and worse outcomes in adulthood in health, addiction, imprisonment, education and life success; and explores ways to prevent and respond to childhood adversity and support victims.


Orientation to Child Welfare Practice and Common Core 3.0

"We Believe" Video: This unplifting video was produced to support the Child Welfare Core Practice Model in California. 


SOP Foundational Institute

Solution Focused Questions: This video provides an example of utilizing one of the tools associated with Safety Organized Practice in an emergency response situation. Specifically, this video explores the use of solution focused questions.

Family Safety Networks: Carver County Case Example: A mother discusses her experience with Carver County's use of a Family Safety Network and the way this network helped her improve the safety and stability in her family. Family Safety Networks are one of many tools utilized as part of the Safety Organized Practice approach to child welfare.

First Follower: Leadership Lessons from the Dancing Guy: A brief example demonstrating how an individual's leadership can create an impactful movement.


Teaming, Collaboration and Transparency

Giselle John: An engaging story highlighting one former foster youth's journey and the important role the community played in contributing to her safety and well-being.

Wisdom of Geese:A motivational illustration of the importance of teamwork.


Transition Practice

Excerpt: From Place to Place: A 20 minute cut of the award winning documentary "From Place to Place," this segments looks at the current state of child welfare practice and ways in which it can be improved moving forward.

Voices for Youth: Supporting Adolescents in Foster Care: This video features a candid conversation with foster youth as they describe their experiences in the foster care system. 


Trauma Informed Practice

ACEs Video: A TED Talk on the impact of childhood trauma.

Frontline: Social Work Short Film: This short film features young people explaining how social workers have made a difference to their lives.

Historical Trauma: This video describes the impact of the historical trauma suffered by Native Americans.

Importance of Culture: This video looks at the intersection of trauma and culture and the importance of recognizing this intersection in the context of providing trauma informed care.

ReMoved: Originally created for the 168 Film Festival, ReMoved follows the emotional story through the eyes of a young girl taken from her home and placed into foster care.


Trauma Informed Practice and Key Issues in Child Welfare Practice Knowledge and Skill Reinforcement Lab

COD's Part 1: Supporting Parents with Co-occurring Disorders in Child Welfare: This video looks at identifying co-occurring disorders, building strong support networks, and understanding Barriers to Recovery.

COD's Part 2: Case Planning that Supports the Path to Recovery: This video looks at identifying the right resources, collaborative case plans, and safety planning

COD's Part 3: Integrated Approaches, Bias, and Meeting Parents Where They Are: This video looks at recognizing personal bias, integrated service planning, and understanding the unique needs of families.


Values and Ethics in Practice

"Social Work Ethical Dilemmas" Video: This video showcases some ethical dilemmas social workers could face and highlights how the NASW code of ethics come into play.


Crisis Communication and Preparation Series

The Northern California Training Academy and Casey Family Programs' Crisis Communication and Preparation video series is designed to walk child welfare leaders through steps to take in order to be prepared before an incident occurs, including the development of a crisis communication plan, working within a political environment, and creating a narrative that promotes successful solutions that will improve the safety and well-being of children and families in care. For additional resources, including accompanying workbooks, please visit the series website.

Anatomy of a Crisis: This segment explores how and why a single incident can cause so much damage, and the importance of a communications plan before, during and after an incident occurs.

Transparency and Confidentiality: This segment explores the balance between transparency and confidentiality. 

Preparation in Child Welfare: Transparency and Confidentiality Q&A: This segment digs deeper into the previous "Transparency and Confidentiality" segment by allowing participants from Northern California counties to ask questions relative to their jurisdictional contexts.

The Crisis Toolkit: This segment details what every agency should have on hand before, during and after a crisis occurs.

Crisis Toolkit Q&A: This segment digs deeper into the previous "Crisis Toolkit" segment by allowing participants from Northern California counties to ask questions relative to their jurisdictional contexts.

One County's Journey from Crisis to Recovery: In this segment, Casey Family Programs' Executive Vice President of Systems Improvement David Sanders reflects back on how a crisis communication strategy in Los Angeles County was utilized to bring about positive change for children and families served by child welfare.

Old and New Media: This segment examines the do's and don'ts of crisis communication within the worlds of old and new media.

The Impact of Trauma: This segment explores ways to mitigate the impact of trauma for those working closest to a crisis.

From Crisis to Recovery: This segment follows an example of moving from a period of crisis to a period of recovery.

Recovering from a Crisis: This segment examines actions that can be taken in the weeks and months after a crisis in order to restore credibility and get back on course.

Recovering from a Crisis Q&A: This segment follows up on the previous "Recovering from a Crisis" module through a question and answer session with conference participants.

Tips for Recovering from a Crisis: This segment follows up on the previous "Recovering from a Crisis" module with a series of tips on best practices moving forward.

The Politics of Crisis: This segment discusses the importance of maintaining trust and credibility with public and private stakeholders.


Documentaries and Special Topics

CSEC Survivors Speak Out: Three courageous human trafficking survivor advocates expose various methods human traffickers use to exploit their victims. In addition, the survivor advocates explore multiple ways in which service providers can help mitigate the impact of trauma for victims of human trafficking.

Cultural Humility: A Humber College Documentary: In February 2016, ten Humber College health sciences students embarked on an inter-professional immersion experience in Guatemala to discover the meaning of cultural humility. This video documents their experience.

Engaging Fathers Documentary: This documentary produced by UC Davis Extension's Center for Human Services shines a spotlight on Child Welfare Services' efforts to bring fathers out of the shadows and into their children's lives. 

Getting Clean After Meth: Tennille's Story: This is an up-close look at one woman's struggle with addiction and the removal of her children by Child Protective Services. The video shows how she got clean, got her kids back and what Northern California counties are doing to help addicted parents and their families. 


Health and Wellness

Basic Meditation Practices for the Social Services Community: A meditation specialist goes over basic meditation practices that can be completed in or around the workplace with minima interruption time.

How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain.

Reducing Stress in the Workplace/Exercises for Social Workers: A fitness specialist provides a series of brief exercises that can be completed in and around the workplace to reduce stress and fatigue.


Navigating the Dependency Court Series

The Navigating the Dependency Court series is designed to provide County Child Welfare Workers an overview of what they will experience the first time they attend court for one of their cases. The five video segments, each approximately eight minutes, explain the roles and mindset of the participants and the applicable laws that apply at each phase. 

Detention Hearings: These initial hearings are a family's first contact with the juvenile dependency court. This video discusses mandates, burden of proof and the courtroom environment.

Jurisdiction-Dispo Hearings: These are the hearings where the Court decides whether and how to exercise its jurisdiction over a family. This video discusses the applicable laws and options a court has.

Review Hearings: In cases where families are given the opportunity to reunify, the court must review progress and make decisions about return. This segment discusses the various options and legal distinctions within the mandated timelines.

366.26 and 366.3 Hearings: In cases where families do not reunify, the juvenile court has several options available. This segment will discuss the court's role in seeking and implementing these options.

Contested Hearings: A child welfare social worker may be called to testify at any time during a dependency proceeding. This final segment will discuss why cases become contested and provide some tips to workers who are about to testify for the first time.


Safety Organized Practice Videos

Consultation and Information Sharing Framework: Sue Lohbrach, developer of the framework, provides a comprehensive overview of the development, purpose and use of the tool built for transparently and collaboratively gathering, organizing and analyzing information related to child welfare cases.

Family Safety Networks: A Carver County Case Example: A mother discusses her experience with Carver County's use of a Family Safety Network and the way this network helped her improve the safety and stability in her family. 

First Follower: Leadership Lessons from the Dancing Guy: A brief example demonstrating how an individual's leadership can create an impactful movement.

Interview with Aquilino Wambar (Sac County): An emergency response social worker speaks on the benefits of utilizing Harm and Danger statements, Three Houses, and Scaling Questions while working with children and families.

Interview with Charlene Duffy (Sac County): A child welfare supervisor speaks about engaging parents to keep their children safe utilizing several safety focused strategies.

Motivational Interviewing Video: This video provides an overview of the concepts and skills in Motivational Interviewing.

R.E.D. Teams and the Consultation and Information Sharing Framework: R.E.D. Team and Framework developer Sue Lohrbach provides a detailed overview of the group decision making process and tool used for gathering, organizing and analyzing information related to the children and families involved in child welfare cases.

Social Workers at Solano County: Solano County social workers describe their experience working in the county and with Safety Organized Practice.

Social Work Home Visit with Ms. Smith (Heather and Grace): This role play demonstrates an effective and complete client meeting utilizing family engagement strategies.

Solution/Strength Focused Questions: Safety Organized Practice: This video provides an example of utilizing one of the tools associated with Safety Organized Practice in an emergency response situation. Specifically, this video explores the use of solution focused questions.

Three Houses Information Gathering Tool: An Introduction from Nicki Weld: Creator Nicki Weld introduces her tool that was designed to bring forward the voice of children and young people in the safety planning process of child welfare practice.

Using Practice Profiles: This video provides a detailed overview of Practice Profiles, which are designed to guide child welfare practitioners and supervisors in implementing Safety Organized Practice effectively


Workforce Development Videos

Collaborative Leadership Institute Videos

The Practice Improvement Group in Child Welfare Services: This video provides an overview of the concepts and steps involved with creating a Practice Improvement Group (PIG) in child welfare services, as well as an example of what a successful PIG looks like in practice.

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