Title IV-E Child Welfare Education Program Fact Sheet

The Title IV-E Child Welfare Education Program (IV-E Program) is an educational program that is part of the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) plan to develop an educated and stable workforce committed to its mission, vision, values, and goals. It is one of several educational enrichment activities that are designed to ensure that members of the DFCS workforce are prepared to deliver services professionally to the families of Georgia.

Who sponsors the IV-E Program?

In 1980, the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Reform Act of 1980 (Public Law 96-272) was passed. This Act created Title IV-E training which allows for state child welfare agencies to use federal funds that universities may use for training and educating child welfare workers. The Act encouraged state/university partnerships to educate and elevate the professional skills of case workers and those interested in working in public child welfare.

The Title IV-E Program in Georgia is a partnership between DFCS and the participating Georgia Schools of Social Work. The participating schools are Albany State University, Augusta University, Fort Valley State University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, Savannah State University, and the University of Georgia. The partnership is guided by the regulations and requirements of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF). Funding for the Title IV-E Program is based on a funding model prescribed by ACF that consists of Federal funds and funds matched by the individual schools of social work.

If an individual is selected for the Title IV-E Program, the Program pays for tuition, fees, and provides a stipend to cover books and mileage, for persons currently employed by DFCS in Social Services or those who wish to have a career at DFCS in Social Services.

What are the requirements for participating in the IV-E Program?

The individual may be a current DFCS employee or someone who wishes to have a career in Social Services at DFCS. The individual must first be accepted into a participating Georgia School of Social Work. After being accepted into a social work program, the individual then applies online for the Title IV-E Program. The individual is required to participate in the Title IV-E Selection Process. If selected, the individual then becomes part of the Title IV-E Program at their respective school. For additional requirements and Program governance, please review the Student Agreement that may be found on the IV-E web site under the Documents tab.

Which schools offer BSW and/or MSW degrees?

Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degrees are offered at: Albany State University, Augusta University, Fort Valley State University, Georgia State University, Savannah State University, and the University of Georgia.

Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees are offered at: Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, Savannah State University, and the University of Georgia.

Information on Georgia’s Title IV-E Child Welfare Education Program (IV-E Program):
  • The IV-E Program is aimed at developing and retaining an educated, professional, stable, and committed workforce for the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS).
  • There are seven participating public universities and colleges in Georgia: Albany State University, Augusta University, Fort Valley State University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, Savannah State University, and the University of Georgia. There are links to these schools at the bottom of the IV-E Program web site home page. Dalton State College and Valdosta State University are not currently participating in the program but may return in the future. The private universities, Clark Atlanta University and Thomas University, are not part of the program at this time. They may possibly be incorporated into the program in the future.
  • You must first be accepted into the social work program of a participating Georgia school of social work. For those of you interested in obtaining your Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, you must first be accepted into the social work program (usually your junior or senior year) before you may apply for the IV-E stipend. You will have to find funding on your own for your first two to three years of school. For those interested in the Master of Social Work (MSW) degree, check with the school you wish to attend to find out whether they require applicants to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT) as part of the admission process.
  • Once accepted in the social work program at a participating school, you then apply for the IV-E Program by following the prompts on the IV-E website home page.
  • The IV-E stipend is a competitive stipend. That means you must go through a selection process. We typically have more applicants than schools have IV-E slots. For example: if a school has 10 slots, we may have 20 people go through the selection process. We will pick 10 out of those 20 people to fill the slots for that school. NOTE: If you are accepted into a school of social work, but not chosen for the IV-E Program, then you will have to find funding on your own.
  • If you are a DFCS employee, you will have to bring a completed Staff Enrichment and Educational Development (S.E.E.D.) Program application to the selection process at the school of social work. This document may be found on the IV-E Program web site under the Documents tab. A completed S.E.E.D. application lets us know that you have discussed going to school with your supervisor and they are willing to adjust your workload to accommodate your school schedule. It also lets us know that you have approval from your county director and regional or section director. If you fail to bring a completed S.E.E.D application to the selection process, you will not be allowed to go through the IV-E Selection Process.
  • There is a work obligation if you are chosen for the IV-E stipend. For every academic year you receive IV-E funding (usually 9 months), you are required to work a calendar year (12 months) at the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services in a social services position. The count for this time starts after you obtain your degree. This is how you ‘payback’ the Program.
  • If you are not currently a DFCS employee in a social services position, then review the following information:
  • Failure to complete your work obligation will result in the State using all means available to recoup the funds spent on your education. For those of you who obtain an MSW, a report may be made to the licensing board about your failure to complete your work obligation, which could present challenges for you if you want to get licensed.
  • New DFCS Employees Please Note: As a new DFCS employee you may of course apply to the IV-E Program. However, trying to master a new skill set for a new job, while attending school is very challenging, so every effort is made not to set an employee up for failure and frustration, but to be supportive. Your supervisor, county director and regional director take this into consideration when they decide whether to give their approval via the Staff Enrichment and Educational Development (S.E.E.D.) application for staff to participate in a work-study program. As a new worker, you may be asked to wait until you have mastered the skill set for your position and have had an annual evaluation before you take on the additional role of student.