NFHTA Course Listings

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NFHTA COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Fair Housing Law and Ethics: a one-day course designed to provide investigators with a framework for conducting impartial, fair, and ethical investigations.

Critical Thinking and Investigations: a 2-day course that introduces participants to a structured approach to investigating fair housing complaints. This structured approach helps participants to conduct fair, impartial, and thorough investigations; obtain the facts and circumstances that either prove or disprove an allegation of discrimination; and adequately document the facts and circumstances of the case.

Clear Writing Through Critical Thinking: a 2-day course that will assist participants in improving their critical reasoning skills and linking those thinking skills together with clear writing concepts to documents such as Determinations and Final Investigative Reports that result from a fair housing investigation.

WEEK 2

The Psychological Impact of Racial Discrimination: a 1-day exploration of the psychological turmoil and hurt which arises as a result of racial discrimination with emphasis on the black male. The interactive workshop will also discuss the cumulative impact of racial discrimination on particular individuals, their families, and their communities.

Reasonable Accommodations and Modifications: a 1-day lecture and discussion on the reasonable accommodation and reasonable modification provisions of the Fair Housing Act and substantially equivalent fair housing laws. These are highly valuable tools at the fair housing professional’s disposal when assisting people with disabilities, including mental disabilities. This session will provide an introduction to the legal framework of reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications. The session will also review the nuts and bolts of documenting, requesting and negotiating a reasonable accommodation/modification and what to do if an accommodation/modification request is denied.

Discovery Techniques and Evidence: a 3-day course that focuses participants on the discovery phase of a fair housing investigation. Participants learn the federal rules for evidence, including relevance, rules of hearsay, and elements of proof. They discuss witness competency, credibility of witnesses and documents, and how to authenticate evidence. Through in-depth case studies, participants develop skills in the investigation of a fair housing case. They explore sources and types of evidence, how to obtain that evidence, and the sequence of discovery in an investigation. They draft an investigative plan, a request for documents, and a subpoena. Finally, they learn how to plan and execute an on-site investigation.

WEEK 3

Theories of Proof and Data Analysis: a two-day course that will provide an overview theories of proof and data analysis in the investigative process and provide actual hands on application through interactive modules utilizing in-depth case studies and analysis designed to stimulate and enhance critical thinking.

Negotiation Skills and Interviewing Techniques: a three-day course that will assist participants in developing skills in negotiation and interviewing persons in the complaint process. This interactive course will provide participants with basic tools and techniques to enhance the investigative process.

WEEK 4

WEEK 5