Founded in 1961 by the Oregon Legislature to serve the state’s social work education needs, Portland State University’s School of Social Work (SSW) doesn't just meet Oregon’s needs by graduating future social workers and human services practitioners. We also continue to advance workforce development in the state at a nationally-recognized standard.
Through the below programs, we prepare and match the skills of human services professionals with Oregon's needs. These programs train Oregonians for much-needed career pathways, while also contributing to the economic growth of our state. Both prospective students and prospective employers will find opportunities here.
These programs train practitioners in areas like general behavioral health, trauma informed care, integrated health, and culturally responsive practice. In partnership with organizations like the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Oregon Department of Early Learning & Care, our trainings focus on subjects across the lifespan, including early childhood, youth, older adults, families, and communities. Additionally, they concentrate on training those from and those working with rural and historically underserved communities (e.g. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, low-income, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ+).
PSU also promotes workforce development programming in the areas of computer and electronics, software and media, athletic and outdoor, metals and machinery, clean technology, and health science and technology.
Achieve My Plan (AMP)
Summary: A national, evidence-based workforce development certification program focused on developing youth and young adult engagement skills for practitioners working with this population. Utilizes a training, coaching, and practice observation model.
Summary: The Behavioral Health Integration Project (BHIP) is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded workforce development project. The goal of BHIP is workforce development in behavioral health integration with a focus on training those from and those working with rural and historically underserved communities (e.g. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, low-income, immigrants and refugees, LGBTQ+). BHIP trains students in a philosophy of care that deepens understanding of the complex interactions of organic, external, and individual factors that impact health and well-being.
BHIP grads are employed in healthcare, community mental health, government health departments, and schools.
Summary: The Child Welfare Partnership was founded in 1993 and is one of the longest-standing Title IV E University / Agency Partnerships in the country. The Training Program provides entering child welfare professionals with a foundation in Oregon’s Child Welfare practice that focuses on critical values, skills, and practices necessary for effective and equitable casework. Training is provided against the backdrop of ODHS’ Core Values of Integrity, Stewardship, Responsibility, Respect, Professionalism, Service Equity and Innovation, and the organizational mission of equitable and strength‐based services that keep children safe and with their families. Portland State University presents training focusing on engagement, race equity, inclusion, collaboration, and trauma-informed practice.
Coordinated State Workforce Evaluation of Oregon’s Maternal, Infant, & Early Childhood
Summary: Collaboratively design and implement a statewide study of Oregon’s early childhood home visiting workforce to identify facilitators and challenges for worker wellbeing and retention. Work with the OHA Maternal and Child Health office to implement enhanced professional development supports for home-visiting professionals.
This project supports data-driven decision-making about improving and strengthening the workforce. It is overseen by CCF’s Director of Early Childhood and Family Support Research (Dr. Beth Green).
Summary: The Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Education Program (CRCWEP) is a mission driven partnership between the PSU School of Social Work and the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) that assists public and tribal child welfare workers and students aspiring to a career in child welfare to obtain a Bachelors or Master of Social Work by providing tuition assistance and programmatic support. The program's mission is to help diversify the workforce through a culturally responsive lens and to improve outcomes for children and families involved with Oregon state or tribal CW systems through the provision of a social work education.
The graduates from our program often go to work for ODHS Child Welfare or tribal Child Welfare. There are also nine Title IV-E Oregon tribes that our students can do their payback with: Klamath, Umatilla, Warm Springs, Grand Ronde and Siletz. Currently, these are the tribes that our graduates can do their payback in. Title IV eligibility can change at any time.
Early Childhood Mental Health - Workforce Development
Summary: Workforce development supporting local early childhood mental health providers in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington County. Includes a specialized project-funded field placement coordinator, direct collaboration, training, professional development, and workforce support to increase and diversify early childhood mental health access and capacity. Workforce development focuses on recruitment, retention, and workforce skill building.
Early Childhood Mental Health - Workforce Development
Summary: Stipends focused on supporting students seeking early childhood mental health careers. Stipends will compensate selected students for BSW and MSW field placements to support the growth of the early childhood mental health workforce.
Human Services Workforce Development/Higher Education Partnership
Summary: An implementation framework model to guide effective recruitment, education and training, and utilization of Credit for Prior Learning to target adult learners and support effective community partnership in developing a Human Services degree. The framework can be utilized to target priority populations, including Communities of Color, Women, low-income communities, Rural and frontier communities, Veterans, Persons with disabilities, Incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, Members of Oregon’s nine federally recognized Indian tribes, Individuals who experience age discrimination in employment; and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Development of a competency-focused simulation center that can be utilized by higher education, community organizations, and other funders to both teach and assess workforce competencies in simulated settings. Includes collaboration with the Oregon Alliance of Children’s Programs, the local trade organization of child-serving intervention programs.
Idaho Wraparound
Summary: Provide statewide training and technical assistance for Idaho Wraparound practitioners and support the development and growth of the Idaho Wraparound Center of Excellence. This workforce development includes training, coaching, consultation, and system capacity building. Workforce expansion and ensuring a trained and qualified workforce is the primary focus.
Jackson Street Youth Shelter Workforce Development
Summary: Jackson Street Youth Services provides critical assistance and support to some of Oregon’s most vulnerable youth. The agency’s mission to promote safety, stability, and well-being for youth is best accomplished through the day-to-day efforts of a qualified and well-prepared workforce. Jackson Street Youth Services is actively seeking resources that will enable them to strengthen their workforce through the development and delivery of a high-quality and comprehensive training initiative. This would include developing and delivering an Annual Training Program that meets youth-serving employees' unique professional development needs and provides training evaluation and transfer of learning supports. In Development, ~ Sponsor has requested a two-year contract renewal beginning in January 2024 that includes the addition of simulated skill development opportunities and supervisory training focused on the transfer of learning, coaching, and performance management—anticipated funding: $150,000.
Latino Network Family Engagement Workforce Development – In development
Summary: Provide workforce development support for Family Engagement Specialists at the Latino Network. Includes training and organizational coordination.
Oregon Center for Excellence in Aging and Behavioral Health
Summary: The Center faculty include those from three PSU colleges: College of Urban and Public Affairs, School of Social Work, and the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, and three OHSU colleges: Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing. The Center, composed of multidisciplinary academic and clinical professionals, will use proven community-based and collective action practices to promote advocacy, leadership, innovative policy and programs, health equity, translational research, and best practices to better meet the behavioral health needs of older adults living in Oregon. The purpose of the Center is to expand the number of health and social service professionals trained to provide culturally specific behavioral health services for older adults, and to promote research, health policy, and programs that improve access to and quality of behavioral health services provided by diverse organizations throughout Oregon.
Oregon Wraparound Training and Technical Assistance
Summary: Provide statewide training and technical assistance for every Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) and CCOs in Oregon on the fidelity care coordination model Wraparound. We provide the OAR-required training, coaching, consultation, fidelity data reporting, and support with data-informed decision-making.
POIC Workforce Development – In development
Summary: Shared project with PSU's Office of Global Diversity & Inclusion to develop progressive workforce development pathways for employees of Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center (POIC) providing direct services. This includes training, workshops, certification development, and student success support. Focused on increasing the professional certification of BIPOC workforce.
Portland Children’s Levy Training Administration - In development
Summary: Administer and coordinate all workforce development training for 550 Portland Children’s Levy-funded positions across multiple program areas, including foster care, mentoring, food access, and poverty reduction.
Preschool Development Grant Program Performance Evaluation and Needs Assessment
Summary: A multi-year statewide strengths and needs assessment and evaluation supporting the Oregon Department of Early Learning & Care’s strategic initiatives to expand and improve quality services for children ages 0-5, including recruitment, retention, and professional development support for the early learning workforce.
This project supports data-driven decision-making about improving and strengthening the workforce. It is overseen by CCF’s Director of Early Childhood and Family Support Research (Dr. Beth Green).
System of Care Capacity Building
Summary: Workforce capacity building through coaching of local Oregon Health Plan CCO in Douglas County. Increase System of Care capacity and functioning to respond to and address cross-system needs of youth and families in Douglas County. This includes skill development of staff, strategy, and implementation support.
Summary: Trauma Informed Oregon is a statewide collaborative aimed at preventing and ameliorating the impact of adverse experiences on children, adults, and families. Trauma Informed Oregon works in partnership with providers, individuals with lived experience, and families to promote and sustain trauma informed policies and practices across physical, mental, and behavioral health systems and to disseminate promising strategies to support wellness and resilience.