The Child Welfare Academy provides training and technical assistance to the State of Alaska, Office of Children's Services. CWA also contracts with other organizations, as requested, to provide a variety of training and facilitation needs in the area of child welfare.

History

The Family & Youth Services Training Academy (FYSTA) began in 1998 through the initiative of Alaska's Governor Tony Knowles and Department of Health and Social Services Commissioner Karen Perdue. Wanting to create a training center for child protection workers in Alaska, a partnership between the University of Alaska Anchorage, School of Social Work and the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services was established. The Academy receives its funding through a combination of state, university, and matching Federal Title IV-E funds earmarked to improve child welfare services through training.

In 2011, Family and Youth Services Training Academy (FYSTA) became the Child Welfare Academy (CWA). The new name represented the agency's commitment to new innovations including training, curriculum and expanded partnerships.