Montana Child Welfare Training Partnership - Graduate Students

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$15,000 stipend for MSW students: Graduate students selected for the Montana Child Welfare Training Partnership receive $15,000 over two years. After graduation the students agree to work for the Montana Child & Family Services Division (CFSD) for two years, starting within six months of graduation. CFSD and the Center work with students to help find an appropriate placement.

$15,000 stipend per year for CFSD employees: CFSD employees can receive a total of $30,000 for two years in the University of Montana MSW program. These CFSD employees must be accepted into the program and have the approval of their regional administrator.

Additional training: The program also offers additional training opportunities for the selected students. Through the partnership with CFSD, students build additional competencies for practice in public child welfare settings. Students work directly with professionals in foster care programs, adoption assistance, and group home care, and students build skills for working with professionals in medical, educational, and judicial fields.

Graduate Student Eligibility

  • Finished with their first year in the MSW program
  • In good academic standing with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in the School of Social Work
  • Able to commit to employment with CFSD after graduation. Six months of employment are required for each semester of the stipend.

Students selected for the program take classes to build a substantial body of knowledge in public child welfare. Students must receive a grade of B or better in each of the required classes:

  • Social Work & Psychopathology (SW 552)
  • Couples & Families Counseling (SW 595)
  • Three credits in approved electives

Coursework in human behavior, policy, social work methods, and family systems prepares students for the required practicum in child welfare with the Montana Child & Family Services Division (CFSD). All participants are required to complete a two-semester practicum at CFSD.

Selected students must remain in good standing within their academic major to continue in the program, or they will be expected to repay the amount of financial support they received.

The Montana Child Welfare Training Partnership is based on employment with the Montana Child & Family Services Division (CFSD).

  • Participants must accept a job with CFSD within six months of graduation. The Center and CFSD will work with students to find an appropriate placement in Montana.
  • The work agreement is generally two years – six months of employment for each semester of stipend.

CFSD jobs are located all over the state. The Center and CFSD want to help students find a placement that is a good fit. For questions about job placements, contact Kerrie Ghenie at the University of Montana Center for Children, Families & Workforce Development, kerrie.ghenie@mso.umt.edu.

To apply, contact Kerrie Ghenie at the University of Montana Center for Children, Families & Workforce Development, kerrie.ghenie@mso.umt.edu. She will send you the application forms and any other information you need.

Applicants will need to submit the following paperwork:

  • Application form
  • College transcripts
  • Three-page essay
  • Three reference forms and letters

Application materials will include more detailed information on all application requirements. 

Additional requirements include:

  • An interview with professionals from the UM School of Social Work and the Montana Child & Family Services Division (CFSD).
  • Verbal and written commitment to employment with CFSD after graduation.
  • CFSD employees must provide a letter from their regional administrator approving their application to the Montana Child Welfare Training Partnership.

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