The state’s Title IV-E Stipend Program provides stipends to university students at Alabama higher education institutions to help educate prospective child welfare workers and provide continuing educational opportunities for existing child welfare workers.
Title IV-E stipends are specifically designated for students planning to pursue or continue a career in public child welfare with the Alabama Department of Human Resources.
An 18-month work obligation with the Alabama Department of Human Resources is a requirement of the Title IV-E Stipend Program.
Students must meet the following criteria in order to be considered for a Title IV-E stipend:
Any student enrolled in an accredited social work program in the state of Alabama may apply for the Title IV-E stipend through The University of Alabama School of Social Work Title IV-E Stipend Program.
Title IV-E Stipend Application (pdf) Title IV-E Stipend Program Fact Sheet (pdf)
The student must review the Stipend Fact Sheet, complete the Title IV-E Stipend Application and email the application to TitleIV-E@ua.edu. The Title IV-E Stipend Application consists of four parts: (1) Student Information, (2) Outline, (3) Essay, (4) Resume and Transcript. Each part contains specific instructions that if not followed will result in the application being rejected. The outline and essay must be completed using general APA format. All required attachments must be converted from their original format to PDF prior to submission in order to preserve the intended formatting.
Title IV-E Stipend Application due dates are as follows:
Students on concurrent/extended placements should apply based on semester of graduation. Example: August field start date / May graduation – application due October 1st
All essays will be reviewed and scored by members of the Title IV-E Stipend Committee. Once that process is complete, the applicant will receive notification via email whether their score qualified them to advance to the next stage.
Applicant must participate in a video conference interview conducted via Zoom with 3-4 members of the Title IV-E Stipend Committee. Stipend applicants are selected using a rubric scoring tool based on the following criteria: application, outline, resume, essay, and interview.
If selected, the proposed recipient will receive an award letter stipulating the proposed award and a Title IV-E acceptance form in which the applicant must accept or decline the award.
1. Must successfully complete field placement based on the requirements of the individual social work program.
2. Must complete a minimum of one IV-E Learning Activity each week during field placement*.
3. Must agree to work with a professional development coach approximately two hours per month during field placement* and 18-month work obligation.
4. Must submit DHR job application and Willingness Questionnaire to TitleIV-E@ua.edu for compliance review during the first month of the semester of graduation. The recipient must indicate non-binding preferences for three regions they would be willing to accept employment. Date of availability for interviews indicated on DHR job application must be the same date the application is completed, not graduation date. After compliance review, the recipient must apply for employment with DHR via the process outlined on the State Personnel Department website at https://personnel.alabama.gov/.
5. Upon receipt, must submit a copy of DHR registration confirmation to TitleIV-E@ua.edu.
6. Upon graduation, the recipient must agree to accept child welfare program employment with DHR, if offered, by any county within their selected regions for at least 18 months in an entry level Social Worker position specific to the degree (BSW or MSW). If employed by DHR, the recipient must agree to take a position specific to programmatic functions of the Family and Children’s Services Division.
7. Must agree to provide the University of Alabama Title IV-E Stipend Program Coordinator with a permanent address, telephone number, and email address at the time of graduation and will notify the School and DHR Field Administration of any changes for the purposes of program evaluation.
8. Must agree to provide a copy of their transcript to DHR or the University of Alabama Title IV-E Stipend Program Coordinator at any time upon request
Stipend recipients will be assigned a professional development coach with extensive experience in the field of public child welfare and knowledge of DHR policies and procedures. The coach will provide approximately 2 hours per month of professional development on a variety of topics based on the needs of the stipend recipient during field placement* and work obligation period. Coaching sessions count towards total field placement hours, but cannot exceed 2 hours per month. Meetings can be held face-to-face, over the phone, or via video conference (Zoom, Face Time, etc.). The coaching support role will include the following:
The Stipend Recipient Hub is a website specifically designed to provide IV-E stipend recipients with a comprehensive source of material. Once selected, stipend recipients will receive a password granting them access to view the materials located within the hub. Those materials are as follows:
The Department agrees to consider the recipient for employment within 45 days after graduation unless precluded by merit system requirements, legislative budget cuts, position freezes, or other circumstances beyond DHR’s control.
Stipend payments will be distributed to the recipient in three separate installments upon the successful completion of the requirements listed below:
Payment: 1st
Amount: $1,000
Requirements:
Payment: 2nd
Amount: $2,000
Requirements:
Payment: 3rd
Amount: $4,000
Requirements:
For more information regarding the Title IV-E Stipend Program contact
Melody Denton, Title IV-E Stipend Program Coordinator at mjdenton@ua.edu or 205-348-0207.
Note: *Students in concurrent/extended placements will have a coach and complete learning activities during the second half of their field placement.
The University of Alabama School of Social Work is committed to making its web resources accessible to all users, and welcomes comments or suggestions on access improvements. If you are unable to access the contents of these documents, please contact (205) 348-7027 or ssw@ua.edu.
