Essential Foundation in Collaborative Problem Solving® | JUN2025| CE / PDP

Essential Foundation in Collaborative Problem Solving®

This level 1 course covers all aspects of the Collaborative Problem Solving approach. In this 12-hour live, interactive training, including lectures, role-play, video examples, case studies, and breakout groups, participants learn how to identify what’s really causing unmet expectations and challenging behavior and how to address those causes using a relational, replicable, and evidence-based process. Upon completing this course, graduates are eligible to take the Advanced Concepts course.

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Learning Objectives

After completing this course, learners will be able to:

• Describe why a new approach is needed for working with individuals with challenging behaviors.
• Explain that a person's behavior is influenced by their thinking skills rather than their motivation to behave well.
• Identify how implicit bias may impact judgment about a person's behavior.
• Differentiate between problems to be solved and challenging behaviors when doing a CPS Assessment.
• Identify how responses to situations are consistent with Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C.
• Use Collaborative Problem Solving to build skills and address problems, not just challenging behaviors.
• Solve problems collaboratively with others.

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This course is conducted in 3 sessions, online, over Zoom

• Day 1 , June 16: 11:00 am - 4:15 pm ET / 8:00 am - 1:15 pm PT
• Day 2, June 17: 11:00 am - 4:15 pm ET / 8:00 am - 1:15 pm PT
• Day 3, June 18: 11:00 am - 4:15 pm ET / 8:00 am - 1:15 pm PT

See the detailed agenda below for more information.

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Tuition & Registration

• Individuals: $595/person
• Groups of 5 or more from the same organization: $535/person
  
  

Additional Details:

• Payment Methods: Credit/debit card is preferred for registration payment. Please email us at ThinkKidsInfo@Partners.org if you need to pay by check/invoice.
• Financial Assistance: If you require financial assistance, please apply for assistance by completing this form. Funds are limited, and the application does not guarantee an award. The application is due a minimum of two weeks before the training begins.
• Registration Deadline: Registration closes two business days before the start of the course or if we have reached our maximum capacity and the registration is no longer live on the website.

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Policies & Requirements

• Cancelation and Refund Policy >>
• Grievances and Accommodations Policy >>
• Confidentiality of Participant Information Policy >>
• Attendance and Earning CE/PDP Policy >>
• System Requirements: Users must join the training on their own devices, have access to a strong internet signal, use a web camera and microphone, and have downloaded Zoom to their devices. Review the Zoom system requirements on their website >>
• Prerequisite: Prior exposure to Collaborative Problem Solving, including taking an Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving course, is strongly recommended, but not required.

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CE/PDP Credits and Attendance

Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital is an Accredited Provider of Continuing Education Units (CE) and Professional Development Points (PDP)

To earn CE, PDP, or Certificates of Attendance, attendees must attend each session in full, complete a course evaluation, and complete an attestation of attendance. Partial credits will not be given in cases of missed hours or incomplete evaluations or attestations. Certificates of completion will be emailed within 10 business days to attendees who meet these requirements. If you do not receive your certificate or if you have any questions, please contact us at ThinkKidsInfo@Partners.org.

Learn more about our CE/PDP policy >>

• Social Workers: Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital, provider #1960 is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/28/2024 - 8/28/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 12 General continuing education credits.
• Educators: We are approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for 12 PDPs, our provider number is S201500058.
• Licensed Mental Health Counselors: This program has been approved by MaMHCA/MCEAP for 12 CEs.
• Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Other: A certificate of attendance will be provided for 12 units which can be submitted to the corresponding professional organization for consideration.
  
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Who Should Attend?

This beginner-level course is designed for social workers, educators, residential program staff, mental health clinicians. Please contact ThinkKidsInfo@partners.org if you are unsure if this course is for you.

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Meet Your Instructors

Review the course instructor’s bios on our website:

Heather Johnson, LISW, is the Director of Training Services for Think:Kids. She contributes to the program’s strategy and leadership, oversees the quality of our training services, and leads our training team. Before her current role, Heather supported organizations and schools in learning and implementing Collaborative Problem Solving as a Think:Kids Trainer and Consultant. Heather has been practicing Collaborative Problem Solving professionally since 2009, becoming Certified in 2013.

Prior to her positions with Think:Kids, Heather began her career in Early Intervention, providing support and education to families parenting young children with special needs. After earning her Master’s in Social Work, Heather was a Behavior Specialist in the McMinnville, Oregon, public school district. In this role, Heather provided support and intervention to students with social, emotional, and behavior-related disabilities. She also delivered professional development to school staff to support their understanding of the needs of this population and trauma-informed practices in schools.

In addition to her work with Think:Kids, Heather maintains an outpatient private practice incorporating animal-assisted therapy (equine therapy) for children, teens, and their families.

Heather earned her BS in Human Development from Wheelock College with a concentration in Early Childhood Special Education. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of New Hampshire. She is Licensed in Social Work in the state of Oregon.

Anel Sandoval is a Certified Trainer and Consultant for Think:Kids and a seasoned educational leader with a background in teaching and administration, bringing over 20 years of experience in the field. Her diverse experience includes one year as an ELL teacher, eight years teaching second grade, and one year as a kindergarten teacher, followed by 12 years as an Elementary Principal. In addition to her work with Think:Kids, she currently serves as an elementary school administrator at a dual-language school in Marshalltown, Iowa.

Since 2018, Anel has integrated the Collaborative Problem Solving approach within her PreK-4th grade building and supports district-wide implementation. Her commitment to CPS extends to working with parents and fostering a unified approach to problem-solving throughout the school community. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Anel is dedicated to connecting with school staff, parents, and community members to enhance collaborative efforts and drive positive outcomes.

Anel holds a BA in Elementary Education and an MA in Educational Leadership from the University of Northern Iowa.

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Contact Us

Please contact us at ThinkKidsInfo@MGH.Harvard.edu or +1-617-643-6030 with any questions or concerns. One Bowdoin Square, Boston, MA 02114. www.ThinkKids.org

Note: The content of this course was last updated in March 2024.