CANS: Collaborative Assessment and Action Planning through Teaming (previously Module A) (Virtual Training)

Course Overview

This one-day training provides instruction and practice in the use of the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS), a multi-purpose consensus-based communication tool which is central to quality assessment and teaming work with families. Participants will learn how to incorporate the tool in practice, including with child and family teams, and in case/treatment planning.

Who should attend?

This module does not provide CANS certification preparation. This training is recommended for child welfare social workers, mental health plan clinicians, juvenile probation staff, Child and Family Team facilitators, and supervisors who will be using the CANS but do not need to be certified in the tool. This module can also serve as a good refresher course for those who are already CANS certified. For CANS certification training and/or more explicit instruction on completing the tool, please enroll in The CANS: Overview and Preparation for Certification training.

What will I learn in this training?

After attending this training, participants will be able to:

• Define the CANS
• Identify how the CANS process is used to identify and highlight the strengths and needs of children and/or youth and their families or caregivers.
• Describe how the CANS process informs the evolving planning process and service delivery.
• Describe how the CANS are collaboratively shared and discussed in Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings
• Demonstrate the ability to explain the purpose of the CANS to the child, youth, parent/caregiver, Child and Family Team (CFT) and community partners
• Describe and demonstrate how the CFT can collaboratively use the CANS information in a CFT meeting to increase engagement and collaborative planning.
• Understand the value of facilitating decision-sharing and honoring child and/or youth and family voice and choice within the CANS conversation and CFT process.
• Uphold the value of seeking information about the child and/or youth and family’s culture and ethnicity and making sure this information is integrated in the CANS process and embedded in the CFT meetings and action plan development.
• Understand how CANS, authentic engagement and teaming can lead to healing of trauma, effective service outcomes, and increased fulfillment in the work for professionals.