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Policy&PracticeFebruary 2016 28
NSDTA continued from page 19
and other barriers to make training
accessible to a much wider audience;
reflective practice to help create
learning organizations; performance
support systems to provide just-in-time
knowledge and skills; and organiza-
tional improvement interventions to
address culture and climate issues that
impact the workforce and its ability to
achieve outcomes. These new modali-
ties require new skills and knowledge
on the part of
training and
development staff.
Over the years,
NSDTA has
developed a body
of knowledge
to support the
field of human
service training
and development
and increase the
professionalism of
those who work in it. In 1993, the asso-
ciation published guidelines to provide
information about the essential com-
ponents for effective training and
development programs. This document
played a central role in setting stan-
dards for the field and was used by
several agencies (including Colorado,
Pennsylvania, and Maine) to design
their own training system.
In 2013, NSDTA updated the
document to provide a blueprint
for supporting a modernized and
outcome-focused human service work-
force and included:
„ „ Core values or characteristics that
cut across all components of a
training program (strategic align-
ment, leadership commitment
and communication, stakeholder
involvement, accountability and rec-
ognition, ethical practice);
„ „ Major components of the training
and development process (planning,
design and development, imple-
mentation, research and evaluation,
operations);
„ „ Relationship of components to
training and development roles; and
„ „ Criteria for effectiveness, organized
according to the components.
NSDTA has also developed guidelines
for staffing a training and development
program. These include a series of com-
petency models that define 10 roles and
functions. For example, competencies
for the workforce planner role include
the ability to predict future staffing
needs (using environmental scanning
and supply, demand, and gap analysis)
and ways to enhance performance of
human service programs by recruiting
and retaining
qualified staff.
These 10 major
roles with their
related compe-
tency models and
outputs provide
the basis for devel-
oping staffing
patterns, hiring,
and selection;
competency-based
certification; and
performance management within the
training and development program
and a model for using competency-
based approaches for the workforce as
a whole.
Many human service training and
development professionals have
come to their positions from human
service program areas and lack profes-
sional education in the performance
improvement field. To assist them,
NSDTA has developed a code of ethics
and examples of specific issues and
dilemmas that they may encounter in
their new role.
Recognizing the important role of
evaluation, NSDTA also sponsored
an evaluation handbook intended to
demystify the process of planning and
conducting a training evaluation and
to provide practical information for
training managers, agency administra-
tors, and others who need to evaluate
training programs. In addition, the
annual National Human Service
Training Evaluation Symposium
provides a forum for evaluators to
get input from their peers and share
findings and results in the publication
of proceedings that contribute to the
body of knowledge.
NSDTA provides a variety of mecha-
nisms to disseminate knowledge
about the field. Since 1993, it has
organized an annual national confer-
ence attended by 300–600 human
service professionals with an interest
in training, staff development, and
organizational effectiveness. Training
and Development in Human Services,
the NSDTA journal, is published bi-
annually and structured in a way that
encourages conceptual articles that
contribute to the advancement of the
field, practical information about
training activities, as well as informa-
tion concerning instrumentation and
methodology. For example, a special
issue on organizational develop-
ment provided information and case
studies on the impact of organiza-
tional effectiveness tools and methods
on improving agency performance.
More information on NSDTA and its
resources is available on the NSDTA
web site ).
Health and human services
throughout the nation are rapidly
moving toward data analysis by
defining what outcomes they want to
achieve and evaluative measurement
of the effectiveness of their organiza-
tions. NSDTA has been contributing
to that effort for many years through
their research and evidence-based
publications and efforts to influence
the value of workforce development
in organizational effectiveness. Our
highest-level leaders in the health and
human services need to examine and
understand that the investment they
make in their employees’ learning
will be returned by a more skilled,
engaged, and effective workforce,
positively impacting the organiza-
tions where they work. This, in turn,
increases retention and reduces
turnover. Learning and development
solutions need to be aligned to the
specific business protocols, processes,
and goals of each organization.
If we value our staff, we need to value
those who train and develop them and
support these individuals in their own
professional development. NSDTA is a
key resource in this endeavor.
The mission of the NSDTA is to build
professional and organizational capacity
in human services through a national
network of members who share ideas and
resources on organizational development,
staff development, and training.