Advanced Certifications (AdCerts)
The MyALIGN program offers child welfare professionals in Florida free Advanced Certification (AdCert) opportunities, developed by subject matter experts with input from DCF leadership. Each AdCert course meaningfully connects to pre-service training and facilitates a cohesive and progressive path of professional development. AdCert courses are conducted online in cohorts with a combination of self-paced content and facilitated sessions.
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Benefits to Professionals
One leading benefit of the AdCerts is the element of coaching, which has positive benefits for supervisors who participate and can assist in mitigating the vicarious trauma that can occur for case managers, CPIs, and respective supervisors working with families in Florida’s child welfare system.
AdCerts from MyALIGN aim to improve workers’ preparation and self-efficacy to handle the complexity of their caseloads by encouraging them to build expertise and specialize, ideally resulting in both improved worker job satisfaction and advanced and diverse competencies within the workforce.
Note: MyALIGN Advanced Certification courses are advanced professional certifications issued by the Florida Institute for Child Welfare at Florida State University.
Earning a certificate in an Advanced Certification course does not replace the mandatory child welfare credential issued by the Florida Certification Board as required by statute 402.40. As a reminder, Section 402.40, F.S. requires that “each person providing child welfare services in this state earns and maintains a professional certification from a professional credentialing entity that is approved by the Department of Children and Families.” The Florida Certification Board is the professional credentialing entity approved by the Department to certify child welfare service providers.