THE CLFC NATIONAL TRAINING SYSTEM

COPES currently offers two separate CLFC certifications:

CLFC Implementation Trainer Certification: Anyone receiving our standard 5-day CLFC Implementation Training course (or any Customized CLFC Implementation Training provided by COPES Inc. or Resilient Futures Network) will receive CLFC Implementation Trainer Certification. Each person earning this certification will receive a printed certificate acknowledging such status. Further, COPES and the Resilient Futures Network, will maintain a National Registry of Certified CLFC Implementation Trainers on file for reference purposes. This certification enables one to train both parent and youth participants in the CLFC program. The usual cost for this training is $750.00 per person. This training alone does not enable one to train others to implement the CLFC program with either parents or youth. This is not a "training of trainers" certification. For those who wish to train others to implement CLFC, Master Trainer Certification as described below is necessary.

CLFC Master Trainer Certification: Large prevention providers like school systems, state-wide organizations, and coalitions often require large numbers of employees to be trained in the implementation of any curriculum. Recognizing this need, we have created a CLFC Master Trainer Certification. Certified CLFC Master Trainers are qualified to train other professionals or volunteers within their own organization to implement the CLFC program. In order to qualify for training to become a CLFC Master Trainer, the following steps are necessary: 1) Become a Certified CLFC Implementation Trainer as described above; 2) Conduct at least one successful implementation of CLFC with positive results (using our evaluation process if possible); 3) Apply and be accepted for the Master Trainers course; OR arrange with COPES to successfully participate as a co-trainer with the CLFC developers. Successful completion of the course (or successful co-training) leads to CLFC Master Trainer Certification. Certified CLFC Master Trainers may also be eligible to receive paid contracts, plus travel and per diem expenses from RFN and/or COPES Inc. to train others outside of their own agencies. All certified Master Trainers are expected to coordinate all CLFC training through the COPES office so that their participants can receive certification and be placed on our national registry of Certified CLFC Implementers.

More about CLFC Implementation Training
The standard 5-day CLFC Implementation Training is offered periodically at our COPES National Office in Louisville Kentucky, and in various regional locations around the nation at a cost of $750.00 per person. Groups of five or more may also inquire about scheduling private or customized training sessions. Our experience has shown that many agencies (especially those training five or more staff or volunteers) prefer to have training at their own site. This often saves travel- related costs and reduces the overall training budget.

Customized Training and/or On-Site Technical Assistance: Customized site-based training and/or technical assistance for groups can vary in length and focus according to needs and resources. Technical assistance with CLFC evaluation is also available. Trainer fees for COPES certified trainers/consultants may vary from as little as $400.00 a day (plus travel and per diem) for an associate trainer/consultant, up to a maximum of up to $1500.00 per day (plus travel and per diem) for the program developer. The custom training option often proves less expensive than the standard $750.00 per participant cost when an organization is training more than five CLFC facilitator/trainers. Further, this training can be specifically tailored for your organization's special needs, and be provided at your home location.

Note: Agencies which have selected Creating Lasting Family Connections for implementation in their communities are also encouraged to collaborate with other agencies in their area which have also selected CLFC for implementation. Sharing the cost of a coordinated training can lead to tremendous savings. COPES will assist you by providing information regarding others in your local or regional area also interested in our training. This process also provides the opportunity to network and share information about CLFC and other prevention efforts in your area.

Customized CLFC Training Franchises are Available for Large System Providers

COPES also co-creates and maintains customized CLFC Certification Training Systems for large providers like state, city or county-wide prevention providers. Entities that are large enough to support their own training departments can negotiate arrangements in order to provide CLFC Certification Training for members of their own prevention delivery system. This can dramatically decrease costs and increase flexibility while maintaining integrity and quality control along with inclusion of their members in our CLFC National Registry of Certified Implementers. We have designed and incorporated a few independently operated CLFC training systems for large providers around the nation that are working quite well. Even though these systems are somewhat independently operated, they enjoy the benefits of our national certification registry because they hold their trainers to CLFC standards of quality control through contractual agreements.
The following is an outline of an independently operated training system that we co-created with one statewide prevention system. First, we conducted the 5-day CLFC Implementation Training for a group including the state prevention leadership, 2 representatives from the state's training and technical assistance unit and several individuals representing 15 or so local and regional organizations. Immediately following the training, the recently trained and certified graduates implemented the CLFC program in several local communities. All individuals with future responsibilities for being trainers of trainer's (known in our system as Certified CLFC Master Trainers) were required to implement some of the CLFC modules for youth and families in local communities.
These newly certified trainers gained valuable face to face experience with youth and families before being asked to become Certified CLFC Master Trainers who would be expected to train others to implement the CLFC program. This implementation experience prepared them greatly in their desire to train others to actually implement the CLFC program later on in year one and in year 2. [NOTE: In our training systems, we require all those who wish to attain CLFC Master Trainer status to actually implement components of our CLFC program with real parents and youth so that they continue to gain hand's on experience while they are expected to train others to implement our curriculum.] After gaining CLFC Implementation experience, we asked those expected to become Certified CLFC Master Trainers to join us in our CLFC Master Trainer class. This class prepares them to train and certify others to become CLFC Implementers. There may also be opportunities made available for these new Master Trainers to co-conduct CLFC Implementation Trainings with Ted or Teresa Strader (the Curriculum Developer and National Training Director of CLFC Training). This often allows these new CLFC Master Trainers to refine their skills and gain total confidence in their role as Master Trainers. In addition, COPES has created a new CLFC video training series to support the efforts of new CLFC Master Trainers and Implementation Trainers. These videos are due to be available in late spring or early summer of 2005. COPES also has ongoing telephone and e-mail support services available for Certified CLFC Implementation Trainers and Master Trainers

As outlined above, we have found it helpful for CLFC Master Trainers (those expected to train other trainers) to be expected to get real life implementation experience first. This gives them knowledge and practical experience. It also really impacts the respect factor with their future trainees. It is typical for trainees to ask trainers about their own personal experience with our CLFC curriculum out in the field. If you agree that some implementation experience is helpful and valuable, then we can design a customized CLFC Trainer Certification delivery platform for your system.

The secret of success is balancing YOUR system's needs with our desire to maintain high implementation standards through appropriate quality control measures. Our major concern is to ensure that the local person providing CLFC training to youth and families has adequate preparation and ongoing support to make a positive difference. If you want to adopt our CLFC curriculum and co-create a CLFC Certification Training Franchise for your state, school system or coalition, then please call us at COPES (502) 583-6820. Once we co-create a custom CLFC Certification process with your system, your CLFC Master Trainers can certify all members of your organization or network that receive training. COPES will maintain a list of your trained staff on our national registry and will provide your trained staff with CLFC Implementation Trainer certificates. [Note: No franchises will be empowered to operate or provide CLFC Training or Certification to individuals outside of their own closed system thereby creating any conflict of interest with the COPES CLFC National Training System and National Registry.]

CLFC Links: