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Continuing education in genetics for Adoption workers in Wisconsin.
1Department of Medical Genetics and School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin.
Journal of Genetic Counseling
|November 19, 2013
Summary
Continuing education in genetics improved adoption workers' ability to collect medical-genetic histories. This training enhanced data quality compared to untrained workers and parents.
Area of Science:
- Medical Genetics
- Public Health Policy
- Social Work Education
Background:
- Wisconsin legislation in 1982 and 1984 mandated medical-genetic history collection during parental rights termination.
- Adoption agencies required trained personnel to gather comprehensive genetic information.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the effectiveness of a continuing education program in genetics for adoption workers.
- To improve the quality of medical-genetic histories collected in adoption cases.
Main Methods:
- A genetics continuing education program was delivered via 14 workshops across five Wisconsin locations.
- 164 adoption workers received introductory or advanced training.
- Post-training data collection and participant/supervisor evaluations were used.
Main Results:
- The training program received high ratings from participants and supervisors.
- Trained workers completed medical-genetic history forms more effectively than untrained workers.
- Forms completed by birth fathers in step-parent adoptions provided limited genetic information.
Conclusions:
- Genetics education significantly benefits adoption workers in collecting medical-genetic histories.
- Further strategies may be needed to improve birth father genetic data acquisition.
- The program successfully addressed legislative mandates for genetic information in adoptions.
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