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A Program funded through a five-year cooperative agreement with Department of Health and Human Services,

Administration for Children and Families, Children’s Bureau in partnership with:Spaulding for Children

The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Engaging Families Prior to Permanence: Reinforcing Connection through a Continuum of Service Approach

Rowena Fong, Ed.D., MSW

The University of Texas at Austin

Selena Childs, MSW

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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INTRODUCTION

National Quality Improvement Center for Adoption and Guardianship Support and Preservation (QIC-AG)

Goals

Target Populations

Video

Steps in designing the interventions

QIC-AG Permanency Continuum Framework

Family engagement along the continuum

Two site examples:

Texas

Catawba County, North Carolina

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OVERVIEW OF PRESENTATION

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ADOPTION AND GUARDIANSHIP

PUBLIC (CHILD WELFARE), PRIVATE DOMESTIC OR INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION –AND– KINSHIP CARE

Target Population 1: Children with challenging mental health, emotional or behavioral issues who are awaiting an adoptive or guardianship placement as well as children in an identified adoptive or guardianship home but the placement has not resulted in finalization for a significant period of time.

Target Population 2: Children and families who have already finalized the adoption or guardianship. This group includes children who have obtained permanency through private guardianship and domestic private or international adoptions.

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TARGET POPULATIONS

Implement evidence-based practices or develop and test promising practices that can be replicated or adapted by other child welfare systems across the country

Achieve long-term, stable permanency in adoptive and guardianship homes for the target populations

QIC-AG GOALS

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QIC-AG VIDEO

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STEP 1: SITE POPULATION SELECTION

Source: Development, Implementation, and Assessment Toolkit developed for the Children’s Bureau by JBS, International.

INTERVAL SITE INTERVENTION SELECTED

Focused Services Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska Family Group Decision Making

Focused Services Texas Pathways to Permanence 2

Universal Vermont Universal Outreach Survey

Selective Illinois Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET)

Selective New Jersey Tuning In To Teens (TINT)

Indicated Catawba County- North Carolina Reach for Success

Indicated Wisconsin Adoption and Guardianship Enhanced Support (AGES)

Intensive Tennessee The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) 9

STEP 2: INTERVENTION SELECTION

The implementation plan is the document that describes the following:

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STEP 3: IMPLEMENTATION

Problem Theory of Change Target Population Comparison Group Logic Model Case Flow/Enrollment Data Collection Philosophy, Values, Principles Communication Strategies

Core Components Available Materials Fidelity Adaptation Implementation Supports Work Plan Teaming Structure and Charters

Stakeholder Advisory Team

Site Implementation Managers

Professional Consortium Members

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STEP 4: ENGAGEMENT

Target Population 1

Increased permanency outcomes

Decreased time to permanence

Decreased time in care

Target Population 2

Increased post-permanency stability

Improved child and family well-being

Improved behavioral health for children and youth

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STEP 5: EVALUATIONSITE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES

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QIC-AG PERMANENCY CONTINUUM FRAMEWORK

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Texas and the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

Finding permanent homes for children with challenging emotional, behavioral, or mental health issues can be difficult.

In some cases, the children’s issues can hinder movement toward permanence even after prospective adoptive parents or guardians have been identified.

Focused services are designed to not only meet the emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs of children whose needs are hindering permanence but also to enhance each family’s capacity to meet the needs of their child and become permanent resources.

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FAMILY ENGAGEMENTFOCUSED INTERVAL

Vermont

Post-permanence universal prevention includes the child welfare system’s ongoing outreach efforts and engagement strategies that are designed to:

keep families connected with available supports

improve the family’s awareness of the services and supports available for current and future needs

educate families about issues before problems arise

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FAMILY ENGAGEMENTUNIVERSAL INTERVAL

Illinois and New Jersey

The Selective Interval includes prevention interventions that focus on outreach to families with risk factors for post -permanency discontinuity.

Previous research in Illinois found the risk of permanency discontinuity for children in adoptive and guardianship homes was most likely to occur when children enter their teen years (i .e. , average 13 years old)

Selective interventions use proactive outreach to engage families in programs or training before a specific need is indicated

Prevention efforts focus on enhancing protective factors by increasing specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills. When warranted, selective interventions can include proactively linking families to supports or services.

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FAMILY ENGAGEMENTSELECTIVE INTERVAL

Catawba County, NC and Wisconsin

Famil ies in this interval reach out for help because of the emergence or esca lat ion of chal lenging issues or behaviors .

These emerging issues might be tr iggered by a change in family dynamics resul t ing f rom the chi ld’s age or developmental s tage such as enter ing the teen years , a change in family funct ioning, or a parent ’s diminished commitment to permanence.

Supports provided to famil ies in this interval are des igned to reduce family s tress , s tabi l ize the placement , and increase the family’s ski l ls in managing chal lenging behaviors . Indicated services focus on early detect ion of factors l inked with a high potent ial for disruption.

These indicator factors are ident i f ied and addressed by: using targeted screening and assessment

implementing resource coordinat ion to meet mult iple , complex needs

providing t imely and ef fect ive responses to ca l ls for assistance

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FAMILY ENGAGEMENTINDICATED INTERVAL

Tennessee

This interval targets chi ldren and famil ies who are experiencing a cr is is .

Famil ies in cr is is need high intensi ty services and supports to reestabl ish the family’s equi l ibrium.

Support ing the family can be accomplished by providing services that s tabil ize the immediate cr is is and, u l t imately, a l ign parent ing capaci ty with the chi ld’s needs.

Services should s tabi l ize the family by addressing discrepancies between the parent ing capaci ty and the chi ld’s needs , and by ident i fying the supports avai lable f rom the chi ld welfare system and other family supports .

In addit ion, services should s tabi l ize the family by increasing a family’s protect ive factors such as access to concrete supports and services , improving knowledge of parent ing and chi ld development , and assist ing famil ies with increasing their social connect ions .

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FAMILY ENGAGEMENTINTENSIVE INTERVAL

Population:

Children in Permanent Managing Conservatorship (PMC) of Texas in Region 7, whose:

Biological parents (both) have had their parental rights terminated and do not have a finalization hearing scheduled within 60 days, or

Biological parents have not had their parental rights terminated or only partial termination of parental rights (either parent) has occurred, and have been in care for two or more years.

Intervention: Pathways to Permanence 2: Parenting Children Who Have Experienced Trauma and Loss

Comparison: Services as usual

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TEXAS: FOCUSED SERVICES

Outcomes (short term):

Improved family relationships

Increased caregiver resiliency

Decreased caregiver strain

Increased caregiver knowledge around child trauma, grief and loss

Improved ability for caregivers to respond to challenging behaviors

Increased caregiver commitment

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TEXAS: FOCUSED SERVICES

Population: Children in Catawba County whose parents are receiving an adoption subsidy who are subsequently identified as high-need

Intervention: Reach for Success

Comparison: Services as usual

Outcomes (short term):

Increase engagement in Success Coach Program

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CATAWBA COUNTY, NC:INDICATED PREVENTION

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THANK YOU!

Funded through the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau, Grant #90CO1122 -01-00. The contents of this presentation do not necessari ly ref lect the views or policies of the funders, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This information is in the public domain. Please credit Spaulding for Children.

Additional Information about the QIC-AG can be found at: www.qic-ag.org

Contact Us:

Dr. Rowena Fong, rfong@austin.utexas.edu

Selena Childs, sbchilds@email.unc.edu