Coordinated by the University of Oklahoma School of Social Work, the Child Welfare Professional Enhancement Program is also available to other accredited undergraduate social work programs, including OU, Norman, Northeastern State University at Tahlequah, East Central University at Ada, Oral Roberts University at Tulsa, and Southwestern Oklahoma State University at Weatherford. These BSW programs and the OU Graduate Program at both the Norman and Tulsa sites work jointly to provide an exciting opportunity for social work majors who desire a career in public child welfare. Each school awards stipends or pays tuition costs, certain fees and required textbooks up to the total amount of the stipend to a certain number of students each year.
CWPEP is available to Native American tribal employees if the tribe has a Tribal-State Agreement with OKDHS. Tribal employees are required to work in the tribe's Indian Child Welfare program upon graduation.
Students accepted into the CW Professional Enhancement Program are required to take child welfare-related classes, to attend the OKDHS CORE Training Program and to have field placements in OKDHS Child Welfare county offices. Upon completion of the Bachelors or Masters degree, Social Workers enter OKDHS employment as Child Welfare Specialists.
| Child Welfare Traineeships at the University of Oklahoma |
| Awards given |
Up to 20 per year in the BSW program (juniors and seniors); up to 25 students in the MSW program, either full-time or part-time;and, awards to current OKDHS/Child Welfare employees approved to attend graduate school. |
| Funding base |
Title IV-E of the Social Security Act. |
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| Eligibility |
Must be graduate or undergraduate social work students, junior level or above. Must demonstrate, through an application and a written essay, a career interest in the field of child welfare and the willingness to be contractually obligated to work for the OKDHS, Child Welfare, for a specified period of time upon completion of degree program. All applicants are required to have a criminal background check and a driving records check to be considered for the program. Applicants must be citizens of the United States or legal permanent residents of the U.S. |
Contact information |
Martha Scales, MSW, LSW, The University of Oklahoma School of Social Work, Rhyne Hall Annex, Norman, OK 73019-1060. Telephone: (405) 325-2907 or (918) 660-3351 |
- Students accepted into the program receive monthly stipends or payment is made for tuition, certain fees and required textbooks.
Students sign legally binding contracts that require an employment obligation to OKDHS/CW of one calendar year for each academic year of financial assistance or to repay the money expended.
- Child Welfare employees approved for educational leave by OKDHS may apply to the CWPEP.
OKDHS offers Child Welfare career opportunities throughout the state of Oklahoma. OKDHS works actively to assist BSW and MSW graduates in finding employment.
Current Child Welfare employees of OKDHS who wish to pursue a MSW degree may contact:
Rebecca Bogard, MSW
Programs Manager II
Children & Family Services Division
617 West Rock Creek Rd.
Norman, OK 73069
Telephone: (405) 573-6893
Email: rebecca.bogard@okdhs.org
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