Training funds for practitioners to become certified in an evidence-based program (EBP) proven to prevent out-of-home placement for children. In Virginia, these include:

• Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT)

• Family Check-Up (FCU)

• Functional Family Therapy (FFT)

• Homebuilders

• Multisystemic Therapy (MST)

• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

• High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) – Coming soon!

All expenses required to implement an EBP will be covered by the Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) for at least one year. EBP expenses typically range from $2,500-$25,000 per clinician in the first year alone. Training awards include implementation requirements set by EBP purveyors, which can include:

• Workshop trainings

• Consultation sessions (supervision provided by an EBP expert)

• Manuals, measures, program protocols

• Technical equipment such as video cameras, iPads, bug-in-the-ear Bluetooth devices (when deemed necessary)

• Program licensing fees

***Training awards fall into two categories: Full or Supplemental. A full application is required for initial start up of any EBP listed above. Providers who wish to strengthen a pre-existing program can apply for a supplemental award at a separate portal.

Any representative of a mental or behavioral health provider (see definition below) in Virginia. Particularly, Community Service Boards (CSBs), and providers connected to their local CSB or Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT), are strongly encouraged to apply.

Providers are not required to be contracted with their local Department of Social Services (LDSS) or Children Services Act (CSA) coordinator at time of application. However, a letter of support written by an LDSS director or their designee, from at least one of the localities that falls within the provider’s service area, is required to apply.

*** CEP-Va defines “Providers” as Companies or agencies that deliver mental / behavioral health services, does not individual “direct service providers” or therapists (for the purposes of this RFA)

Evidence-based programs (EBPs) are thoroughly tested interventions proven to be more effective and produce better results over time than services that are typically available in a community. They are repeatedly tested, improved upon, and retested to ensure they can reliably help families meet their goals.

The EBPs eligible for funding assistance in Virginia through Title IV-E target specific problems shown to lead to foster care entry, such as youth or caregiver substance abuse, truancy, depression, and anxiety. All available EBPs are trauma-informed and appropriate for treating symptoms related to traumatic stress.

It is important to choose an EBP that fits your community needs and agency culture. Visit the “Resources” page of this website to learn more about each available EBP.

If you require additional assistance in selecting the best EBP for your agency and community, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Step 1.

Providers must first answer the questions in the survey linked here. Relevant information about your agency, service coverage, and preferred EBP will be collected.

Step 2.

After completing Step 1, submit the following items by emailing them as attachments to ebplab@vcu.edu:

• Demonstration of Need (4 pages maximum) that covers the following:

  • How the EBP fills a service gap in the locality's immediate and/or surrounding behavioral health services array (Tip: Use local data.)

  • How the applicant is prepared to sustain delivery of and access to the EBP after training ends, including referral processes

  • How the provider plans to measure clinical improvement related to receipt of EBP services

• Letter of Support from at least one LDSS representative (director or designee) within the applicant’s service coverage area. A template can be found here.

  • Optional: A second Letter of Support from another child-serving governmental agency within the applicant’s service coverage area.

• Trainee Matrix that contains names of practitioners and administrative staff (if applicable) who have agreed to receive training to become certified in the EBP associated with their employer’s application. An excel template can be found here. This list does not obligate any provider, practitioner, or staff and may be changed after submission.

There is NO deadline for submitting an application for a Title IV-E Prevention Services Training Award. As of January 2024, applications continue to be accepted on a rolling basis for any of the EBPs in Virginia’s Prevention Plan.

A review panel assesses all applications on a monthly cycle, and a series of meetings are held to assess readiness for implementation. The Center also partners with each EBP model purveyor to ensure that training procedures are acceptable to each site and trainee, as well as state and local stakeholders across multiple agencies.

If you have not heard from the Center within 30 days of submitting an application, please reach out to EBPlab@vcu.edu or saler@vcu.edu (Dr. Rafaella Sale, Associate Director).

CEP-Va works with awarded providers as a support system throughout EBP implementation using a multiphase training model. To learn more about this model, and expectations of awarded providers throughout each phase, click here.

Different EBP purveyors (see definition below) have different training processes and expectations. Visit our “Resources” page to access more detailed information regarding each EBP’s model and training process, and contact us with any additional questions.

***CEP-Va defines “Purveyors” as program developers, trainers, or vetted spokespeople who represent an evidence-based program and have a clear stake in how the program is delivered