Training System Development

What is a Comprehensive Training System?

At IHS, we understand that achieving best practices begins with a well-trained staff. Our Comprehensive, Competency-Based In-Service Training (CCBIT) model equips every member of an organization with the knowledge and skills needed to drive meaningful practice change. By ensuring that the "right people" receive the "right training" at the "right time," CCBIT helps organizations stay aligned with their goals and deliver the highest quality of service.

Our proven approach includes thorough competency development, training needs assessments, tailored curriculum development, and robust trainer preparation. Take a look at the key elements of CCBIT in the visual below and consider how this model could help your organization in achieving its objectives.

Evaluating Your Agency’s Training System

At IHS, we know that effective training is the backbone of best practices in any organization. But is your current system truly serving your needs? Take a moment to reflect:

  • Are your training programs equipping staff to address today’s challenges effectively?

  • Does your agency provide the “right training” to the “right people” at the “right time,” ensuring they have the tools to succeed?

  • Do your training efforts result in measurable improvements in practice and outcomes?

  • Could a more tailored, competency-based system enhance your team’s performance?

If these questions highlight areas for improvement, we can help you think through your current approach and explore solutions.

Our Experience

With nearly 50 years of experience, the Institute for Human Services (IHS) has developed a deep understanding of the complexities involved in creating effective training systems. While serving as the state administrator for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program, we refined the CCBIT model, delivering hundreds of trainings and tens of thousands of sessions for child welfare professionals, foster and adoptive parents, and administrators across Ohio.

Our expertise has also reached beyond state lines, collaborating with 35 states, Canadian provinces, and organizations globally to build customized workforce development systems. Drawing from this history, we can help you navigate the challenges of designing a training system that ensures staff are equipped with the skills they need to succeed in their roles. We recognize the complexity of this task and are here to explore tailored solutions that address your unique needs.

Learn about our team.

Our Expertise

We bring extensive expertise in designing and implementing effective learning systems tailored to meet the unique needs of organizations.

“IHS is a nationally and internationally recognized leader in all facets of professional development and has a proven record of moving the child welfare field forward through its work. With decades of experience, and using a competency-based model of their own design, IHS has produced and implemented needs assessment strategies, training technologies, empirically supported curricula, and transfer of learning strategies to enable professionals to effectively protect vulnerable children and to strengthen and support their families.  Many other organizations have looked to IHS for guidance and leadership in building their own professional development programs.”
— Dale Curry, PhD, Professor Emeritus Kent State University

  • We are experts in identifying the highest priority training needs within a service system through our Individual Training Needs Assessment (ITNA) process. This ensures that individuals receive the right training, at the right level, and at the right time.

  • We develop competency-based curricula using diverse methodologies such as classroom instruction, learning labs, guided practice, coaching, and tools for just-in-time learning.

  • We provide one-on-one feedback and support through coaching, helping learners develop proficiency in newly acquired knowledge and skills—a critical step in achieving long-term success.

  • Our team specializes in identifying child welfare content experts and equipping them with the skills needed to train others effectively through a comprehensive trainer development program.

  • We deliver competency-based training to managers, supervisors, caseworkers, caregivers, and adoptive parents in child welfare and protection, covering foundational topics and advanced specialized areas.

  • We implement strategies to ensure that knowledge and skills acquired during training are effectively applied in day-to-day work, driving measurable improvements.

  • Our expertise includes integrating evaluation at every stage of the training process, ensuring continuous quality improvement and measuring the outcomes of training systems.

Are you ready to start a conversation?

Start the journey with one of our team members to explore how we can support your organization to achieve effectiveness and sustainability.