There are three ways to achieve certification as a Child and Youth Care Practitioner:

1. Have a high school diploma or equivalent and successfully complete the CYCP Certificate Program or another approved training program; or
   
   
2. Have a high school diploma or equivalent, sponsorship from a certified program administrator and at least two(2) years experience in the human services field; or
   
3. Have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.

The Workforce Development Committee strongly urges all MARFY agencies to incorporate the Child and Youth Care Practitioner (CYCP) Certificate Program  into their hiring and retention practices in three ways:

1. Offering new hires who have completed certification prior to October 1, 2013 a higher pay rate than those new hires with equivalent qualifications, but no certification.
   
   
2. Offering promotional opportunities to current staff when they complete the certification program.
   
   
3. Offering 100% tuition reimbursement for CYCP Certificate Program  courses.

CHILD AND YOUTH CARE PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATE PROGRAM COURSES

Promoting CYCP Certificate Program courses will benefit MARFY agencies in several ways:

1. CYCP Certificate Program courses may be applied toward the annual 40 hour training requirement;
   
   
2. Completion of CYCP Certificate Program  provides a path toward an AA or BS/BA degree;
   
   
3. Providing the means to obtain certification will enhance recruiting efforts for participating agencies.  Additionally, providing tuition assistance may enhance retention, and make recruitment efforts more attractive to potential employees.

Finally, training options can be flexible:

• Staff may individually enroll at various Community Colleges of Baltimore County for the entire certification program or for individual courses; or
  
  
• On-site courses for the entire certification program may be scheduled for a contingent of staff from that site and MARFY agencies in the region, or
  
• Single on-site courses may be provided according to specific training needs of a cadre of staff.

We believe that offering employees the opportunity to become certified professionals will reduce turnover, promote a more stable workforce, enhance professionalism, and, most importantly, provide the best possible care for our kids.

Please click on the course titles below to view the course descriptions.

Course Code	Course Title	Section #	Location	Day	Time
HUMS 106	Intro to the Field of Child and Youth Care	93586	CCBC- Catonsville	TR	935
HUMS 106	Intro to the Field of Child and Youth Care	94907	WWW
HUMS 106	Intro to the Field of Child and Youth Care	93968	Hunt Valley	T	1110
HUMS 140	Life Skills Development	93975	CCBC- Catonsville	TR	1235
HUMS 140	Life Skills Development	93886	WWW
HUMS 160	Life Stages in Child and Youth Care	93985	WWW
HUMS 160	Life Stages in Child and Youth Care	94908	CCBC- Catonsville	TR	8AM
HUMS 162	Legal and Ethical Issues in Child and Youth Care	94481	WWW
HUMS 163	Interviewing and Counseling for Child/Youth Care	93590	CCBC- Catonsville	W	1220
HUMS 260	Behavior Mgt and Crisis Intervention in Youth Care	94482	WWW
HUMS 274	Internship	90612	WWW

 

Course Overviews:

HUMS 106 – 3 Credits
Introduction to the Field of Child and Youth Care

Introduces principles and skills necessary to work with children and youth at risk; will focus on those proficiencies needed to work with individuals in out-of-home care. (return)

HUMS 140 – 3 Credits
Life Skills Development

Investigates skills needed to work with youth on a daily basis in out-of-home care. Course work explores the development and implementation of leisure time activities, goal setting, daily living skills, job search skills, and money management. (return)

HUMS 160 – 3 Credits
Life Stages in Child and Youth Care

Studies a child's development from age 3 through 21, with an emphasis on the affecting developmental and behavioral factors associated with at-risk children. This course investigates the Child and Youth Care Practitioner roles and the methods of adult/child interactions that contribute to the health, growth and development of the child/youth in out-of-home care.

Prerequisites: (ENGL 052 or ESOL 052) AND (RDNG 052 or ESOL 054) (return)

HUMS 161 – 3 Credits
Standards of Health and Safety in Child and Youth Care

Standards of Health and Safety in Child and Youth Care Services introduces and explores the issues in creating and maintaining a healthy, safe environment for children and adolescents.

Prerequisites: ENGL 052 or ESOL 052 and RDNG 052 or ESOL 054 (return)

HUMS 162 – 3 Credits
Legal and Ethical Issues in Child and Youth Care

Legal and Ethical Issues in Child and Youth Care examines the legal and ethical issues inherent in the Child and Youth Care Practitioner (CYCP) field. The course focuses on the child welfare system, child safety/custody laws, confidentiality, and the required documentation and reporting processes. Further, ethical decision-making skills are developed.

Prerequisites: ENGL 052 or ESOL 052 and RDNG 052 or ESOL 054 (return)

HUMS 163 – 3 Credits
Interviewing and Communication Techniques for Children and Youth

Interviewing and Communication Techniques for Children and Youth introduces the principles and skills necessary for the effective use of therapeutic communication with children and youth. Students explore the relationship between interviewer and minor client. Study focuses on the investigation of the various stages in the counseling process as well as the approaches of the major therapists in counseling psychology in relation to children in need.

Prerequisites: ENGL 052 or ESOL 052 and RDNG 052 or ESOL 054 (return)

HUMS 260 – 3 Credits
Behavior Management and Crisis Intervention in Youth

Behavior Management and Crisis Intervention in Youth examines concepts associated with children and youth in crises. Approaches to help those experiencing crisis are introduced and practiced. The concepts and skills are examined in the context of different categories of crises, behavior management, different age groups experiencing crises, with a special emphasis on children in out-of-home care.

Prerequisites: ENGL 052 or ESOL 052 and RDNG 052 or ESOL 054 (return)

HUMS 274 – 4 Credits
Internship: Human Services

Human Services Internship is the capstone course for study in the Human Services Program. This internship offers the opportunity to gain field experience through a supervised work experience with an appropriate agency. Minimum 96 hours required on-site time.

Prerequisites or Co-requisites: HUMS 220 or HUMS 260 and permission of the coordinator (return)