How CPE's Workforce Unit is helping train Kentucky's social workers: A Q&A with Jan Goldman

January 14, 2026

Jan Goldman currently serves as executive director of the Kentucky Community Learning Network(KCLN), part of CPE’s Education and Workforce Development Unit. CPE, in collaboration with the Kentucky Department for Community-Based Services (DCBS), created KCLN to advance efforts to build a more stable, skilled, and committed human services workforce. Through a statewide partnership with select postsecondary institutions, this initiative helps recruit and prepare students for public service careers that directly support Kentucky’s children, families, and communities. In addition, it provides introductory and ongoing training for all DCBS employees to enhance the delivery of critical services to Kentucky families. 

We sat down with Jan to learn more about KCLN and DCBS. 

How did the need for the KCLN arise? 

DCBS hiring numbers change monthly and can vary anywhere between 12-45 new staff each month.  All of these folks require onboarding and programmatic training. Additionally, the KCLN provides ongoing and refresher training to all 5200+ current DCBS employees in the Family Support and Protection & Permanency areas.  With these employees located in all of Kentucky’s 120 counties, utilizing a regionally based training model with our university partners allows us to make these learning opportunities more accessible, more impactful, and more engaging. We also provide any new legislative or policy required trainings. 

How is KCLN structured? 

The DCBS has asked CPE to be the managing partner to develop, implement, and oversee this new training program. Our university partners include Brescia University, Morehead State University, and Northern Kentucky University, who have each hired 12 trainers and 3 regional learning specialists who assist with the administrative tasks and registration of DCBS employees into their required trainings in each of their assigned regions. 

What milestones have you accomplished? 

Our goal was to provide continuous training to bridge the gap between the beginning of this project and when all of our university partners were fully staffed with their trainers. We’ve been able to do this, providing more than 400 trainings since we began in June! 

Our next goal was to begin in-person trainings in 2026. With much effort and dedication from our KCLN team, we were also able to begin in-person trainings for Family Support workers in October, 3 months ahead of schedule. In 2025, we also trained more than 1,100 employees on changes to Medicaid requirements. 

What impact is KCLN having in the Commonwealth, so far?

Since this is a brand-new training model, we have high hopes for its positive impact on employee numbers and engagement, which will, in turn, result in better services to Kentucky’s most at-risk populations. With the career pathways that we’re building for DCBS employees to align with postsecondary credentials, we’re hoping to help reduce employee turnover, improve employee engagement, and raise persistence numbers for our university partners with the adult learners in these positions working towards their next degrees. 

At the end of the day, we’re talking about real people, our Kentucky neighbors most in need of assistance. When DCBS employees have the knowledge and resources they need to do their jobs well, they are able to better serve families more effectively. With the new and improved training we are providing that meet these needs, DCBS employees feel more empowered and are more confident in their daily work. 

What vision/goals do you have for this program/agency in the upcoming year? 

In addition to our return to in-person trainings in 2026, we are working hard to bring more experiential learning and innovative strategies into the training program. We are building partnerships with subject-matter experts such as child abuse pediatricians to provide hands-on training for medical indicators to help staff recognize the signs of abuse when doing home visits. We are planning to work with local attorneys to provide realistic training on court proceedings, and we’re also working towards aligning postsecondary credentials with lived experiences through credit for prior learning initiatives. 

For more information on the KCLN and DCBS, visit https://cpe.ky.gov/ourwork/kycommlearning.html.