News | June 3, 2019

JBA Presents at National Human Services Training Evaluation Symposium

On May 21, James DeSantis presented an update on the Cross-Center Evaluation of the Child Welfare Capacity Building Centers at the annual National Human Services Training Evaluation Symposium (NHSTES) in Baltimore, MD, with Brian Deakins, Children’s Bureau; Christy Leicht, ICF; and Anita Barbee, University of Louisville.

The presentation was the result of JBA’s work to conduct a cross-center evaluation of the Children’s Bureau Capacity Building Centers. The speakers reviewed federally sponsored technical assistance (TA) to support child welfare agencies, courts, and tribes in improving their organizations and systems; the evaluation design and methods for assessing service delivery and outcomes related to training/TA services; evaluation challenges encountered; and approaches for assessing the cumulative impact of multiple trainings and the relationship between dosage of service and changes in knowledge and skills.

The 3-day NHSTES was cosponsored by the University of Maryland School of Social Work, the California Social Work Education Center, and the National Staff Development and Training Association of the American Public Human Services Association.