Essential Foundation in Collaborative Problem Solving® | MAR2025 | CE / PDP

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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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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• Day 1, March 17: 9:00 am - 2:15 pm ET / 6:00 am - 11:15 am PT
• Day 2 , March 18: 9:00 am - 2:15 pm ET / 6:00 am - 11:15 am PT
• Day 3, March 19: 9:00 am - 2:15 pm ET / 6:00 am - 11:15 am PT

See the detailed agenda below for more information.

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

• Payment Methods: Credit/debit card is preferred for registration payment. Please email us at [email protected] 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.

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• 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.
• 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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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 [email protected].

• 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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This beginner-level course is designed for social workers, educators, residential program staff, mental health clinicians. Please contact [email protected] if you are unsure if this course is for you.

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Review the course instructor’s bios on our website:

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.

, is a Certified Trainer and Consultant for Think:Kids. She provides training in Collaborative Problem Solving and site-specific consultations in English and French. Natasha completed her Master’s in Social Work fellowship at Think:Kids in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is committed to implementing the Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) approach in Canada and the United States, and, to date, she has trained and provided implementation support to numerous sites, including police and fire departments, children’s aid societies, parent organizations, mental health agencies, and educational institutions. These coaching and training efforts aim to provide compassionate care and ultimately improve outcomes for children and youth with complex needs and their families.

Natasha has worked in child and adolescent services since 1991 in various settings in the public and private sectors. She has reviewed child and youth mental health systems internationally using the SOCPR and presented on the topic at numerous conferences with a specific focus on bridging the gap between System Care concepts by utilizing CPS to actualize those concepts at the level of practice. More recently, she has combined her knowledge of CPS with the world of sports.

Natasha received her BA and MSW from Carleton University in Ottawa.

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Please contact us at [email protected] 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.

Host or Publisher Think:Kids at MGH: Collaborative Problem Solving®