Lawrence County commissioners on Sept. 30 approved a resolution to accept a virtual-reality, photography-based training program for children and youth caseworkers at no cost to the county. The program is offered through the University of Utah Office of Sponsored Projects and sponsored in Pennsylvania by the Office of Children, Youth, and Families.

John Bauer, a Children and Youth Services staff member, told the board the tool lets caseworkers practice assessing risk and protective factors in virtual home environments so they can sharpen engagement, teaming, planning and documentation skills without bringing actors into a hotel for occasional simulations. “This program is a virtual reality photography based learning program, and so it would allow us to bring core practice to our case workers as as often as as we would deem appropriate right from their office,” Bauer said.

Bauer said the software costs the county nothing and that the County has consulted with the University of Pittsburgh Child Welfare Resource Center (CWRC) for technical guidance. He told commissioners that Erie County has used the software and provided positive feedback on its impact for caseworkers.

Commissioners asked whether other counties use the service; Bauer said other Pennsylvania counties do but did not provide a listing. The board voted to approve Resolution 314 by roll call; Commissioners Sonata, Kennedy and Vogler voted yes.

The program will be run by Children and Youth Services in coordination with Commonwealth-sponsored support; no county funds were committed at the meeting. Staff described the approval as accepting the software and initiating local training planning, not a procurement that requires county expenditures.

The board took the vote during its regular meeting after a short presentation by staff and a question-and-answer exchange about cost and prior users.

Implementation details such as a start date, the number of licenses or how frequently staff will use the simulations were not specified at the meeting.