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Technical Assistance

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) provides technical assistance (TA) on substance abuse issues in the child welfare population. TA is available to national, state, tribal, and local agencies and individuals. A key feature of NCSACW's efforts is assistance in developing the cross-system partnerships and practice changes that are needed to address the issues of substance use disorders among families in the child welfare system.

All requests for On-site and In-Depth TA are coordinated with CSAT and ACF offices. Approved TA is provided at no charge. A limited amount of on-site TA is provided at no charge based on availability and application process.

NCSACW staff and consultants are available to:

• Connect you with materials and other resources, including: publications, journal articles, research and statistics
• Answer your questions and refer you to other experts in the fields
• Present at conferences, training, and seminars
• Consultation on bridging collaboration among substance abuse treatment, child welfare agencies, and the court systems
• Facilitate clinical and policy workgroups of substance abuse, child welfare staff and judicial officers
• Assist States in preparing for their Child and Family Service Reviews (CFSRs) and developing their Program Improvement Plans (PIPs)

NCSACW Supported Site Locations

• RPG Sites
• CAM Sites
• IDTA Sites
• OJJDP Sites

Collaboration in Action

Child welfare, substance abuse treatment and court professionals in States, Tribes, Counties and communities across the country are coming together on behalf of families. They are:

• Developing Memoranda of Understanding and shared values statements to guide their collaboration
• Putting screening and assessment protocols in place to enhance parent engagement and retention in services
• Identifying the special needs of children affected by substance abuse
• Creating data systems and information sharing protocols that can support cross-system case management
• Finding creative ways to fund comprehensive family centered services.

National Resource Centers of the Children's Bureau, ACYF

The National Resource Centers (NRCs) are funded by the Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide training and technical assistance. Each NRC focuses in a different area to help build the capacity of State, local, Tribal and other publicly administered or supported child welfare agencies to achieve safety, permanency, and well-being for children and families.

• National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center
• National Child Welfare Resource Center for Adoption
• National Child Welfare Resource Center for Organizational Improvement
• National Child Welfare Resource Center for Youth Development
• National Child Welfare Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues
• National Resource Center for Child Protective Services
• National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology
• National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention
• National Resource Center for In-Home Services
• National Resource Center for Permanency and Family Connections
• National Resource Center for Recruitment and Retention of Foster and Adoptive Parents at AdoptUsKids
• National Resource Center for Tribes
• National Technical Assistance Center for Children's Mental Health

To find out more about the Training and Technical Assistance Network click here.