65C-45.002. Parent Preparation Pre-service and Inservice Training for all Levels of Licensure

(1) Parent preparation pre-service and in-service training shall meet the requirements of Section 409.175(14), F.S.

(2) Applicants who have previously completed a Department-approved pre-service training curriculum in the past five years, and who can provide proof of completion, shall not be required to complete pre-service training except portions of the training curriculum that have been updated since their previous completion. Applicants who completed pre-service training in another state shall be exempt from pre-service training if the curriculum meets the content requirements established in Section 409.175(14), F.S., for pre-service training offered in Florida. Supervising agencies shall submit a copy of the curriculum to the Department for review and approval if the previously completed training is not an approved curriculum in Florida. The Department shall approve training curriculum that meets the content requirements specified in Section 409.175(14), F.S.

(3) Pre-service training shall include the following:

(a) The reasonable and prudent parenting standards, pursuant to Sections 39.4091 and 409.145, F.S., and the balance of normalcy for children in care and their safety;

(b) Legal rights, roles, responsibilities, and expectations of foster parents;

(c) The social and emotional development of children and youth;

(d) Agency policies, services, laws, and regulations;

(e) Development of life skills for teens in care;

(f) The caregiver’s role in supporting and promoting the educational progress of the child;

(g) Trauma-informed care, including recognizing the signs, symptoms, and triggers of trauma;

(h) The Multiethnic Placement Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act; and

(i) For individuals being licensed as a level II-V, training must also include the administration of psychotropic medication, including the use of psychotropic medications to treat children, the proper dosage of medication, the importance of monitoring for possible side effects, and the timely reporting of side effects and adverse reactions. Training on psychotropic medications shall also include an overview of Section 39.407, F.S., and rule Chapter 65C-35, F.A.C., which govern the administration of psychotropic medication.

(4) Each applicant shall complete orientation prior to, but no later than, the first preservice training class.

(5) The Department will approve Enhanced Level II foster home trainings that include at minimum the following components:

(a) Attachment-based intervention;

(b) Trauma-informed intervention;

(c) Promotion of healing relationships;

(d) Development of safety;

(e) Teaching of self-management and coping skills;

(f) Social connections and support systems;

(g) Behavior management; and

(h) Parental resilience relationship development.

(6) Applicants seeking approval as an Enhanced Level II Foster Home, as defined in 65C-30.001, F.A.C., must complete a Department-approved Enhanced Level II foster home training.

(7) In-service training must be completed annually prior to re-licensure. The types of in-service training shall be based upon the needs of the family and any previous or current children in the home.

(8) Each parent preparation pre-service training class shall be led by a child protection professional certified pursuant to Section 402.40, F.S., who has a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree from an accredited college or university, and who has successfully met any curriculum-specific requirements to train the Department-approved parent preparation pre-service training curriculum. An online training approved by the Department may also be provided. The Department shall review all parent preparation pre-service training curriculum to ensure that it meets the content requirements specified in Section 409.175(14), F.S. If the required hours and content requirements are met, the Department shall approve the curriculum. Each parent preparation pre-service training class shall follow the recommendations of the curriculum designer regarding the number and type of facilitators involved in the training process. If the child-placing agency is the designer of the curriculum, the number and types of facilitators to be involved in the training process must be clearly defined.

(9) The community-based care lead agency is authorized to approve the completion of pre-service training. If individualized training is done, the certified child welfare professional is responsible for complying with the requirements set forth for parent preparation pre-service training in Section 409.175, F.S., and the requirements set forth in this rule.

(10) Anyone who wishes to become a licensed out-of-home caregiver shall attend parent preparation pre-service training, as defined in subsections (1) and (2) of this rule, offered by any licensed child-placing agency. Agencies shall work cooperatively with each other and prospective licensed out-of-home caregivers to ensure the ongoing availability of such training.

(11) When prospective out-of-home caregivers successfully complete the parent preparation pre-service training but do not continue the licensing process or commence but fail to complete the parent preparation pre-service training, the supervising agency staff shall document the reason the process was discontinued in Florida Safe Families Network (FSFN).

(12) The completed parent preparation pre-service training is valid for five (5) years from the date of verified curriculum completion.

(13) The community-based care lead agency will utilize culturally and linguistically appropriate competency and awareness when recruiting out-of-home caregivers. The agency will provide prospective out-of-home caregivers with cultural competency training to address a variety of cultural backgrounds, values, customs, and beliefs.

(14) Preservice training curriculum(s) must be reviewed every seven years by the Department.

Rulemaking Authority 409.175(5) FS. Law Implemented 409.175(5), (14) FS. History–New 4-26-20, Amended 12-25-22.