Training and Career Development
The Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA) empowers its workforce by promoting learning and developing leadership skills at every level. PSA offers a variety of training and professional development opportunities to all employees, including on-the-job training, supervisory and management development training, online courses, new employee training and traditional classroom training.
PSA’s Training and Career Development Center enables employees to succeed by actively assessing their learning needs and bringing competitive, state-of-the art training into the Agency on an on-going basis. Learning opportunities include job-specific classes such as officer safety, self-defense, how and when to conduct warrant and record checks, and use of WALES/NCIC management information systems; as well as classes that provide general learning such as time management, project management, how to make effective presentations, and conflict resolution, among others.
In addition to training sessions held throughout the year, PSA holds its Annual Training and Professional Development Conference, which offers one-two days of training to all agency staff through a variety of workshops on a wide range of topics for professional and personal development.
PSA also offers ongoing internal and external training and development programs (listed below) that promote the professional enhancement of staff at all levels of the Agency. Every full-time employee at the GS-5 level and above may apply for any of the programs offered for which they meet the eligibility requirements.
Mentoring Program
Mentoring is a proven organizational and career development tool that fosters employee retention and the spread of institutional knowledge, and is especially beneficial to younger employees in the workforce. Agency leaders serve as seasoned mentors; and many protégés return to the program as mentors. To date, one third of the workforce has participated either as a mentor or protégé.
Substance Abuse Treatment Training Program
The Substance Abuse Treatment Training Program (SATTP) ensures that employees involved in providing treatment and referral services to defendants stay on the cutting edge of substance abuse treatment theory and practice. The program also fulfills classroom hours certification requirements that treatment specialists are required to acquire and maintain.
Tuition Reimbursement Program
PSA understands the benefits of an educated and skilled workforce and offers tuition reimbursement to support employees’ desires to enhance job-related knowledge and skills and further their academic background.
Leadership Development Programs
PSA has an internal Leadership Potential Program and also sponsors employee participation in a variety of external formal developmental programs.
