65C-33.001. Definitions

(1) “Agency” or “Employing Agency” refers to the Department, or any Sheriff’s Office or community-based care (CBC) provider under Grant Agreement or under contract with the Department to provide child welfare services.

(2) “Break in Service” refers to an interruption of an individual’s continuous employment in a position requiring Child Welfare Professional certification.

(3) “Certification” refers to the process whereby an individual must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, abilities and priorities necessary to competently discharge the duties of a Florida Child Welfare Professional, as evidenced by the successful completion of all applicable classroom instruction, field training, testing, and job-performance requirements of his or her position classification.

(4) “Certification Designation” refers to one (1) of the three (3) Child Welfare Professional categories in which an individual is eligible for certification. Each designation (Child Protective Investigator, Case Manager, and Licensing Counselor) has a training, testing and certification requirement.

(5) “Certified Florida Child Welfare Professional” or “Certified” refers to the designation earned by an individual who has met the criteria for Florida certification as a Child Protective Investigator, a Case Manager, or a Licensing Counselor.

(6) “Child Welfare Pre-Service Training Program” (also known as “Pre-Service”) refers to the multi-faceted child welfare pre-service curriculum, the primary component of which is classroom instruction. The Pre-Service Training Program may also include on-line learning and supervised agency-specific field activities.

(7) “Classroom Instruction” refers to the delivery and facilitation of approved, mandatory child welfare curricula.

(8) “Continuing Education” refers to all training in which a certified Child Welfare Professional participates in order to help develop or enhance his or her core competencies on an on-going basis.

(9) “Department” refers to the Florida Department of Children and Families.

(10) “Field Activities” or “Field Training” refers to one type of experiential learning which may be included in the State of Florida Child Welfare Pre-Service Training Program.

(11) “Florida Safe Families Network” (also known as “FSFN”) refers to the Department’s Statewide Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS). FSFN serves as the statewide electronic case record for all child abuse investigations and case management activities in Florida.

(12) “Full Certification” refers to the certification awarded after the provisionally certified professional has completed specified on-the-job experience and direct supervision requirements.

(13) “Group Supervision” refers to supervision provided to two (2) or more staff, either certified or uncertified, at the same time.

(14) “Individual Supervision” refers to face-to-face contact between a qualified supervisor and a provisionally certified professional during which the applicant apprises the supervisor of the status of a case, the case is discussed, the supervisor provides the applicant with oversight and guidance in working the case, and evaluates the applicant’s performance.

(15) “Intern” refers to an undergraduate or graduate level student undergoing supervised, practical training in the field of social work, child welfare, or a similar human services field.

(16) “OnLine Learning” refers to one type of learning experience, provided via a computer, which may be included in the State of Florida Child Welfare Pre-Service Training Program.

(17) “Position Classification” refers to the position in which a person is or has been employed.

(18) “Post-Test” refers to the competency-based, criterion-referenced, proctored, written or on-line test which is administered at the conclusion of the State of Florida Child Welfare Pre-Service Training Program classroom curriculum.

(19) “Primary case responsibility” refers to the principal person, unit or geographical area assigned to perform child welfare services for a specific child, investigation, family, or case.

(20) “Provisional Certification” refers to the certification of a Child Welfare Professional that is awarded after successful completion of pre-service training and the post-test, or the waiver test, prior to achieving full certification.

(21) “Pre-Service Child Welfare Trainer” refers to the Child Welfare Trainer who engages in instruction of any part of the Pre-Service Curriculum.

(22) “Secondary Worker” refers to a person, unit or geographical area assigned by the supervisor to perform child welfare services for a specific child, investigation, family, or case in a minor capacity or to a lesser degree than that individual which maintains the “primary” case responsibility.

(23) “Trainee” refers to an individual who is participating in pre-service training and has not yet received Provisional Certification.

(24) “Training Caseload” refers to the reduced number of cases assigned to each provisionally certified Child Welfare Professional after having successfully completed the pre-service curriculum and passing the post-test, or passing the waiver test.

(25) “Training Entity” refers to the employing agency which is responsible for the delivery of pre-service and continuing education to a particular circuit, region or geographical area.

(26) “Trainer Program” refers to the program approved by the Department through which Pre-Service Child Welfare Trainers are provided training, coaching, and evaluation to achieve and maintain competency in the training Pre-Service Curriculum.

(27) “Waiver Plan” refers to an individualized, written plan between the Child Welfare Professional, his or her supervisor, and a child welfare trainer, which, when the waiver process is implemented, addresses any supplemental training or activities needed by the Child Welfare Professional.

(28) “Waiver Process” refers to the procedure whereby an individual who meets the minimum educational and experiential criteria of a Child Welfare Professional is eligible to take a “waiver test” and enter into an individualized “waiver plan,” in lieu of participating in the pre-service training and post-test requirements.

(29) “Waiver Test” refers to the competency-based, criterion-referenced, proctored, written or online test which may be administered to individuals whose prior experience allows them the opportunity to take the test in lieu of completing the pre-service training requirements in order to achieve provisional certification.

Rulemaking Authority 402.40 FS. Law Implemented 402.40 FS. History–New 10-14-10, Amended 12-24-15, 5-28-18.