Training and Professional Development

Connected Parents Connected Kids: Introduction to CUES

Connected Parents Connected Kids: Introduction to CUES is a Futures Without Violence training addressing intimate partner violence in home visitation and family support programs. This training will focus on an introduction to CUES, which stands for confidentiality, universal education, empowerment, and support. CUES is an evidence-based and trauma-informed intervention for family home visiting staff. This training is intended for new home visitors and home visitors who have not previously attended a CUES or Connected Parents Connected Kids training.

• Tuesday, Feb. 11, 8:30 – 11 a.m. via Microsoft Teams
• Thursday, June 26, 8:30 – 11 a.m. via Microsoft Teams
• A third training will be held in 2025, stay tuned for details 

Note: If the event is full and registration has closed, please email
health.homevisiting@state.mn.us to be added to the waitlist.

Introduction to Using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires

This training is intended for family home visitors who want an introduction to understanding the use and purpose of these developmental and social emotional screening tools. Participants will also learn how to accurately choose, score, and interpret the questionnaires correctly. A live webinar offering a combined training on the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 will be offered quarterly. Registration is required and all participants must have access to the ASQ-3 & ASQ:SE-2 starter kits from Brookes Publishing either individually or through their employing agency. Register via the link below. Minnesota participants only.

• Tuesday, March 18, 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. via Microsoft Teams
• Thursday, May 22, 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. via Microsoft Teams
• Two additional trainings will be held in 2025, stay tuned for details 

Note: If the event is full and registration has closed, please email health.homevisiting@state.mn.us to be added to the waitlist. 

PICCOLO

PICCOLO, which stands for Parenting Interactions with Children: Checklist of Observations Linked to Outcomes, is a reliable, valid observational measure of developmental parenting and is the parent-child interaction (PCI) tool required for use in MECSH, as of 2025. MDH requires all home visitors in MECSH to attend an in-person PICCOLO training opportunity in 2025.

During the training, participants who work with parents of children ages 1 to 3 will learn about PICCOLO, its conceptual basis, how it was developed, and its reliability and validity. Short video clips of parent-child interactions will provide examples of PICCOLO behaviors and be used for discussions of how to use the measure effectively to increase developmental parenting. This training is intended for home visitors at any home visiting agency who utilize PICCOLO as their PCI assessment tool and have only ever been trained on the tool via the DVD training or are new to utilizing the tool. To register for one of the available 2025 PICCOLO in-person training dates below, please fill out PICCOLO Training Registration.

• Jan. 22 – Sherburne County Government Center, Elk River, MN – registration full!
• April 9 – Washington County Government Center, Cottage Grove – registration full!
• June 11 – Olmsted County 2118 Building, Rochester, MN – registration full!
• August 5 - Pine County Government Center, Sandstone, MN
• Sept. 17 – Otter Tail County Government Service Center, Fergus Falls, MN
• Dec. 10 – Dakota County Northern Service Center, West Saint Paul, MN  – registration full!

Please note:

• Dates will gray out within the registration survey once the number of seats allocated to that specific date are filled.
• Individuals must submit their registration using their agency email address. Personal email addresses will not be accepted.
• If you need to change or cancel your registration, please reach out to Health.MECSH@state.mn.us as soon as you are aware of the needed change. 

• Improving the Culturally Appropriate Delivery of Depression Screenings (Video)
• CQI Showcase 2021
• Introduction to Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health for Home Visitors:
  • Session 1 (Video)
  • Session 2 (Video)
  • Session 3 (Video)
  • Session 4 (Video)
• Continuous Quality Improvement 101 Webinar:
  • CQI 101 Webinar (Video)
  • CQI 101 PowerPoint Summary (PDF)
  • Continuous Quality Improvement Resources (PDF)
• Healthy Sexual Development Birth through Teen for Home Visitors
• Incorporating Lead and Radon Safety Screening into a Home Visit
• Perinatal Mental Health Risk Factors, Signs, Symptoms and Impacts
• Perinatal Mood Disorders Interventions for Home Visitors
• Perinatal Mood Disorders Screening, Assessment, Referral and Follow up for Home Visitors
• Signs and Indicators of Abuse and Neglect in Young Children for Home Visitors - disclaimer: contains graphic photos that may trigger strong emotional reactions.