Increasing Disability Competence in Child Protection Professionals

Elizabeth Lightfoot, Ph.D.Traci L. LaLiberte, MSW

School of Social WorkUniversity of Minnesota

Curriculum ModuleCenter for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare

Funded in part by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station and Title IV-E

Citation: Lightfoot, E. & LaLiberte, T. (2004). Increasing disability competence in child protection professionals: A Curriculum Module. Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, School of Social Work, University of Minnesota website: http://ssw.che.umn.edu/cascw.html

Introduction

– Discuss prevalence of people with disabilities in the child welfare system

– Present initial findings of Minnesota survey of approaches to ‘cases’ involving people with disabilities

– Proposes disability competent child protection services

Prevalence of People with Disabilities in Child Protection System

No Federal Reporting Requirements

Uneven State Reporting Requirements

No Standard Definition of “Disability”

Prevalence of Children with Disabilities who are ‘abused’ or ‘neglected’

Incidence of abuse & neglect of children with disabilities is 1.7 to 1.9 times that of children w/o disabilities – National Center on Child Abuse & Neglect (Crosse

et al., 1993)

Survey of ‘maltreated children’ found 64% of maltreated children had a disability– Comprehensive Survey at an Omaha

Hospital(Sullivan, 1997)

Prevalence of Abuse or Neglect by Parents with Disabilities

We Know Even Less!– More adults with disabilities having children

– Suggestions that 40-60% of parents with a developmental disability have their children removed at some point

• Booth & Booth, 1998

Current Study: Research Question What policies, plans and/or procedures

do county child protection agencies follow to address the needs of children and family members with disabilities?

Current Study: Site

Minnesota County Child Protection Agencies– 87 Total Counties– 84 CPS Administrative

Counties

State Supervised/ County Administered

Current Study: Site

Minnesota Counties

Largest: Hennepin, 1,130,880

Smallest: Traverse, 3,965

40 counties: Under 20,000

8 counties: Over 100,000

Current Study: Site

Four Groupings of Counties– Large City; Metropolitan

Counties– Metropolitan Counties– Out-State Metropolitan

Counties– Rural Counties

Current Study: Methodology Telephone Survey

– Telephone Survey with CPS administrators or their agents during Winter 2002-2003

– 75 of 84 counties participated• 89% Response Rate

– Brief, semi-structured interview

– 12 minutes to 50 minutes

Current Study: Methodology (Cont.)

Telephone Survey Topics– Policies and procedures for working with

clients with disabilities– Best practices– Barriers to providing services and needs

for improvement

Written Policies for People with Disabilities?

Only 5 counties (6.7%) report having written policy related to child protection procedures for cases involving people with disabilities

30 counties (40%) report having county accommodation policies

40 counties (53.3%) report having no knowledge of county or CPS disability policies

Types of Case Management Processes Dual Case Assignment Specialty CPS Workers CPS Workers

w/Disability Experience Self Select Cases Team-Information

Consultation Team-Active

Consultation Team/Consult with

Outside Consultants Screen/Team All Cases Regularly Scheduled

Teaming Opportunities All Generalist Workers

Training MN Core CPS Training Research Disabilities

(Internet) Assess for Safety

Incorporating Disability Components

Check Other Counties for History

Screen for the Presence of a Disability

Make a New Referral to County Disability Worker

Case Management Approaches

2

9

5

39

1

2

3

13

1

7

2

26

0 10 20 30 40 50

Self SelectCases

CPS Workerw/ Experience

SpecialtyWorker

Dual Assign

RuralNon-RuralTotal

Case Management Approaches

1

9

10

31

12

53

0

3

1

6

3

15

1

6

9

25

9

38

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Generalist Workers

Regularly Scheduled Teams

Screen ALL Cases

Outside Consultation

Team/Active

Team/Info

RuralNon-RuralTotal

Case Management Approaches

15

6

2

9

11

23

4

2

1

3

2

8

11

4

1

6

9

15

0 5 10 15 20 25

Refer to Disability worker

Screen for Disability

Check History

Assess for Safety w/ Disability

MN Core Training

Training

RuralNon-RuralTotal

Barriers - Overall

Lack of providers 38.7%

Rural county 32.0%

Lack of funding/resources 30.7%

Driving Distance 21.3%

Transportation 21.0%

Lack of specialized providers/services

20.0%

Systems Conflicts 20.0%

Barriers - OverallLack of disability knowledge by professionals related to and including CPS

18.7%

Too few people with disabilities 16.0%

Making Accommodations 13.3%

The time these cases take 10.7%

Legislation/ASFA placement timeframes

10.7%

Lack of specialization by CPS 9.3%

Barriers, Non-RuralLack of resources/funding 40%

Systems conflicts 30%

Lack of disability knowledge by CPS and other professionals

25%

Legislation/ASFA placement timeframes 20%

Time these cases take 20%

Lack of training 15%

Waiting lists for providers 15%

Lack of providers 15%

Barriers, Rural IssuesLack of Providers 47.3%

Rural County 41.8%

Lack of Resources/Funding 27.3%

Driving Distance 25.5%

Lack of Specialized providers/services 25.5%

Too few people with disabilities 20.0%

Transportation 25.5%

Systems Conflicts 16.4%

Lack of disability knowledge by CPS and other professionals

16.4%

Lack of specialization by CPS 12.7%

CPS Best Practices-OverallAccessing and coordinating services 40.0%

Individualizing and tailoring services 32.0%

Creativity and Innovation 25.3%

Collaborate well (Dual Workers) 25.3%

Good relationship with client and families 17.3%

Small agency so we know each other well 14.7%

Well-developed services 10.7%

Community Involvement 9.3%

Good assessments 8.0%

Respecting people with disabilities 8.0%

CPS Best Practices, Non-Rural

Accessing and coordinating services 45%

Collaborate well (Dual Workers) 35%

Creativity and Innovation 20%

Community Involvement 15%

Holistic approach 15%

Good relationship with client and families

15%

Well developed services 15%

CPS Best Practices, RuralIndividualizing and tailoring services 40.0%

Accessing and coordinating services 38.2%

Creativity and Innovation 27.3%

Collaborate well (Dual Workers) 21.8%

Small agency so we know each other well 18.2%

Good relationship with client and families 18.2%

Assessments 9.1%

Respecting people with disabilities 9.1%

Well developed services 9.1%

Strengths-based approach 9.1%

Communication with providers and professionals

9.1%

Case Examples: A Rural County: Northwoods Case Approach

– Team Information Consult (informally)– Internet Research

Barriers– Lack of Providers– Lack of Funding– Transportation– Too Few Child Psychiatrists/Psychologists

Strengths– Small Agency So We Know Each Other Well– Individualize and tailor services

Case Examples: An Out-State Metropolitan County: Pleasant Lake Case Approach

– Dual Case Assignment (for DD and MH)– Active Consultation– Team Outside

Barriers– Lack of Providers– Lack of Disability Knowledge – Lack of Funding

Strengths– Collaborate well (Dual Workers)– Respect People with Disabilities– Creativity and Innovation

Case Examples: A Metropolitan County: Humphrey Case Approach

– Specialty Workers– Screen for the Presence of a Disability or Current Worker

Barriers– Lack of Funding– Waiting Lists– High Staff Turnover

Strengths– Caseload Size– Accessing Resources– Understanding Disabilities

Cases that Result in Most Difficulties for CPS Workers People that fall through the cracks

– People that just barely don’t qualify for DD Services

– People with Hidden Disabilities– People with Low Incidence Disabilities

Implications for SW Education All SW graduates should be disability competent

Social work students need skills in collaboration and inter-disciplinary teaming

Social work students need information on navigating complex systems

Continuing education on disabilities for social workers and other professionals involved in child protection must be developed