Training and Technical Assistance for Providers

Training Requirements

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), Bureau of Children’s Coordinated Health Policy and Supports (BCCHPS), requires the use of the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (DECA) at intake and treatment planning, based on the results of the MichiCANS screener, for infants, toddlers, and children ages one month up to age six who have (1) a Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) or (2) SED and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD).

Clinical staff (Bachelor’s and Master’s level) are required to be trained in the following:

  • DECA for Infants, 1 month* up to 18 months
  • DECA for Toddlers (DECA-T), 18 up to 36 months
  • DECA Clinical (DECA-C), 2 years up to age six

* DECA for Infants begins at birth and can be administered after one month of observation.

To qualify for this free training, you must be a clinician or IECMH consultant employed by or contracted through a Michigan county community mental health authority.

Several options for accessing these training courses exist including live, virtual events and on-demand recorded sessions. Live virtual training on the assessment tools is recommended as it allows for direct interaction between the trainer and participants. Participants can ask questions, seek clarifications, and engage in discussions, fostering a more dynamic and interactive learning environment.

Live Training

Click Register for Training below to register for live virtual training. Please note, once on the registration page, filter training by the fiscal year for which you are searching.

Trainers get rosters for participants via the registration site, and 1 week prior to training, confirm registration and any pertinent resources. Within 24 hours of training completion, trainers send a post-evaluation link that is completed via SurveyMonkey. Following the receipt of post-evaluations, trainers send certificates of completion to participants. Certificates include training content alignment with Michigan’s Association for Infant Mental Health endorsement competencies.

Register for Training

Recorded Training

In addition to live virtual training options, clinical staff and their supervisors can meet training requirements by watching a recorded version of the required training.

After training completion, participants needing a certificate of completion for training should contact us to communicate the completion of the training. Within 24 hours of receipt of the completion date, trainers send a post-evaluation link that is completed via SurveyMonkey. Following the receipt of post-evaluations, trainers send certificates of completion to participants. Certificates include training content alignment with Michigan’s Association for Infant Mental Health endorsement competencies.

To access recordings, log into the e-DECA system and the recording links are on the landing page. Contact Us to get signed up for the e-DECA system.

e-DECA Access

Once trained in the assessment tools, clinicians and their supervisors can access and use the electronic DECA web-based application, allowing for DECA ratings to be entered online; the system completes all scoring, generates reports, provides strategies for both school and home settings, and stores data in a secure database. If you need a username and password for electronic e-DECA system access or have questions or TA needs for this system, please contact us.

Login to e-DECA

mom snuggling with baby

For more information about the Michigan ECA assessments, please contact us.