RELEASE: June 22, 2005

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272 Human Services staff part of first Career Ladders graduation class

TRENTON— The Department of Human Services (DHS) and the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development (NJCCCWED) congratulated today the first Career Ladders graduating class of 272 DHS staff as they expand their role in New Jersey's child welfare reform efforts.

Begun last fall, the Career Ladders program is a partnership between DHS and NJCCCWED to provide the department's clerical and support staff with more career opportunities within New Jersey 's child welfare system. As part of the graduation ceremony, graduates received a Certificate of Competency in Child Protective Services and are now eligible to receive 12 credits towards a social services certificate and degree program.

“This dedicated group of staff brings years of experience we could never teach in a classroom,” said DHS Commissioner James M. Davy. “With Career Ladders, we can build upon their wealth of knowledge as we strive to improve the lives of New Jersey 's children and families.”

Under the Career Ladders program, staff members are required to complete a five course program. Courses include: Communication; Cultural Competence; Assessment and Documentation; Child Development and Identifying Abuse and Neglect; and Family Centered Child Protective Services. To encourage participation, many courses are offered on site at local Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) offices by trained faculty from local community colleges.

“This is a unique opportunity for staff to move up the ranks during this exciting time in our child welfare system,” said Commissioner Davy. “None of this would be possible without the support of New Jersey 's community colleges.”

A team of human services and community college staff developed the certificate program. National research was conducted with curriculum from the national Institute for Human Resources (IHS) modified to meet New Jersey 's needs. Cited by the New Jersey Child Welfare Panel on numerous occasions, IHS has developed the curriculum for social workers in over 20 states.

DHS is funding the Career Ladders Program at an annual cost of $500,000 and offering it free of charge to eligible staff. Over 350 staff are participating in the first year. For those desiring to continue their education after completing the certificate program, tuition reimbursement is offered to eligible staff pursuing an associate, bachelor or master's degree.

The New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development, a central one-stop contact, develops and delivers education and training programs to New Jersey businesses, agencies and organizations. New Jersey 's community colleges formed the Consortium in spring 2004 in response to community colleges being designated as the primary provider of workforce training in the Garden State .

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