Training and Technical Assistance

Training and technical assistance (TA) on public benefits, housing programs, and economic resources are essential components to the work of the Economic Resource Navigators (ERN). 

There are two TA providers working with ACS on the CFES initiative: Bronx Legal Services (part of Legal Services NYC) and the Benefits Plus Learning Center (BPLC). The TAs are here to equip the providers with the essential tools to assess the needs of the families and young people they serve, identify barriers to accessing supports, and ensure that the youth and families they serve have stability.

The TAs provide ongoing training, case consultation and support to individual providers; foster a collaborative learning community, bridge frontline providers and the initiative leaders, and support the goals of the initiative.  

The training and professional development structure  is comprehensive, iterative, and flexible.  It is designed to ensure that providers who are newer to the field have a baseline level of knowledge, and that more experienced providers continue to expand their knowledge.

Through training, case support and technical assistance, the TAs equip the ACS-contracted providers to:

  • Screen for benefits eligibility and support and complete application processes through successfully securing the benefit/resources.

  • Work with families and youth to overcome challenges to securing economic security through a commitment to advocacy with public agencies.

  • Support timely recertification throughout the case.

  • Support families and young people with gathering and submitting documentation, preparing and completing eligibility interviews, and an understanding of how to use online benefits tools and systems.

  • Provide benefits maintenance assistance and advocacy.

  • Provide referrals for other services and supports, both within and outside the ACS system.

  • Understand and determine the initial and ongoing evolving needs of youth and families served.

TA-led efforts are designed to be interactive and responsive to providers’ needs. ACS has delineated requirements for providers to participate in trainings, case consultations and other learning opportunities. They are encouraged to ask case questions, share their knowledge, contribute to the sharing of systemic issues to bring about change, and support the initiative’s efforts to build a strong network of providers serving ACS-involved youth and families in NYC. 

Trainings

Trainings on public benefits, housing programs, child care, ACS supports, and other resources for youth and families. Trainings will also include relevant topics such as integrating ECRS into child welfare and youth justice practice, eligibility determination for ECRS, completing and managing successful applications through securing benefits and resources, recertification, and advocating for families and young people with city agencies. Training sessions will continue to be offered on a recurring basis based on specific needs that providers are currently seeing in the field. Training will be offered virtually and there may be a few that are in-person. Most trainings will be recorded and available to ACS-contracted providers in the initiative on the GoTo Channel (https://www.gotostage.com/channel/cfec-acs), along with supporting materials. BPLC courses are approved for continuing education for licensed social workers (LCSW,  LMSW) licensed mental health counselors (LMHC) and OASAS accredited (CASAC)

If you are interested in requesting credit, please reach out to BPLC for more information prior to attending the course. 

Publications and Resource Materials

  • All participating providers have access to the BPLC Benefits Plus Online manual (https://bplc.cssny.org/pbm), with information on over 80 public benefits and housing programs.  Online, there are also Benefit Tools (https://bplc.cssny.org/benefit_tools)with additional resources. All participating providers have access to the full catalog of trainings available through Legal Services NYC’s training program called the Justice Learning Center (https://www.learningcenter.legalservicesnyc.org/). Register for an account with your nonprofit email address. If you run into issues, please reach out to learningcenter@lsnyc.org. 

  • The GoTo Channel has links to previous CFES trainings and corresponding materials. 

Ongoing Case Support

  • Weekly Office Hours for Case Consultations and Benefits Updates: The TA providers hold hour-long weekly office hours  to support Navigators with questions and case review to address benefits questions and case challenges. Periodic mini-trainings will be offered during this time. In addition, once a month, the training will last 90-minutes to allow for longer-format benefit/resource sharing. A weekly recap email is shared with participating providers. Office hours allows providers to bring up issues that they see when working with youth and families, allowing ACS and the TAs to discuss systemic problems and work towards a solution. 

    • Disclaimer: Your technical assistance provider may be a mandated reporter who is required to report instances of child abuse or neglect that the provider believes have reasonable cause. As social service professionals we are committed to helping children, youth, and families thrive. These consultations provide a space to learn from one another, share resources, and strengthen the support we provide to families and young people. Because sensitive information may be discussed, we ask all participants to respect confidentiality, safeguard family and young person privacy, and follow their agency's policies and legal obligations regarding information sharing and mandated reporting.

  • Consultation: Participating staff are invited to email the TAs for benefits questions and case support. Agencies will be informed which TA provider they will connect with Bronx Legal Services at Bronx-NYCBenefits@lsnyc.org and BPLC at BPLC@cssny.org.

  • Chat: Each TA has selected a platform for ongoing communication which allows the TAs to post announcements about meetings and benefit updates. The chat also allows participating providers to post questions to the group (no specific family or young person information) for input. 

Scope of Technical Assistance Providers

The TAs are committed to providing expert technical assistance across a wide array of benefits, housing, and child care needs. TAs will not provide help or assistance on the following broad issues:

  • Safety planning and safety assessments

  • Child abuse neglect, maltreatment, or abuse

  • Family, domestic, or intimate partner violence, except as related to benefits eligibility

Please consult your own internal agency policies on these issues, as well as considering reaching out to ACS for additional support or assistance.

Disclaimer: Your technical assistance provider may be a mandated reporter who is required to report instances of child abuse or neglect that the provider believes have reasonable cause.