The University Partnership Program (UPP) is a unique collaboration among the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, twelve of Ohio’s schools of social work, PCSAO, Ohio’s public children services agencies (PCSAs), and the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program, (Ohio’s University Consortium for Child & Adult Services—OUCCAS).
For More Information
Linda Helm, MSW, PhD, LISW-S
Asst State Director of UPP for OUCCAS
helml@ohio.edu
(937) 901-1189
The purpose of UPP is to bolster Ohio’s professional child protection workforce by increasing the number of well-trained graduates with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work who enter the child welfare field. Studies show that those graduating from a program such as UPP stay longer and are more satisfied than those who did not complete such a program prior to employment. For an overview of recent accomplishments, see the UPP Annual Report.
UPP students take special courses on child protection casework, complete a field placement at a PCSA, and upon graduation receive a financial incentive after accepting a casework position in an Ohio PCSA. Those who complete the program may not have to take the required core training (102 hours) that all other new caseworkers must complete within their first year of employment (NCWWI, 2022).
- Fact Sheet: Ohio Child Welfare University Partnership Program
- UPP Requirements
- UPP Participating Universities:
- The University of Akron https://uakron.edu/socialwork/child-welfare-program/
- Bowling Green State University https://www.bgsu.edu/health-and-human-services/programs/department-of-human-services/social-work.html
- University of Cincinnati
- Central State University https://www.centralstate.edu/academics-colleges-and-schools/college-humanities-arts-social-sciences
- Cleveland State University https://health.csuohio.edu/social-work/university-partnership-program-in-child-welfare
- Miami University https://www.miamioh.edu/ehs/academics/departments/fsw/admission/upp/index.html
- Ohio University https://www.ohio.edu/chsp/social-work/scholarships
- The Ohio State University https://csw.osu.edu/field-education/university-partnership-title-iv-e-child-welfare-training/
- University of Rio Grande https://www.rio.edu/academics/find-your-program/social-work
- University of Toledo https://www.utoledo.edu/hhs/socialwork/
- Wright State University https://health-education-human-services.wright.edu/social-work-and-human-services
- Youngstown State University https://ysu.edu/academics/bitonte-college-health-and-human-services
The following resources were developed by PCSAO’s Human Resources/Safety Committee to assist UPP graduates in comparing work requirements and benefits among multiple agencies. Experience shows that one agency may offers more in salary but offer less in its total package due to differing contributions to fringe benefits and different requirements and reimbursement for circumstances such as “being on call.” Students can use “Agency Benefits Comparison Issues” to see what they should consider prior to completing the “Evaluating Offers Worksheet.”
- ODJFS policy clarification on Confidentiality and SACWIS access for UPP Interns placed at PCSAs (December 7, 2012)
- Key Field Experience Activities for UPPInterns: A Guideline (Updated August 2018)
- Sample UPP Field Instructor Information from Franklin County Children Services
