Presenter: Joanne WardCo-Presenter: Deborah Miller

Families On The Move Of New York City, Inc.

Creating a Welcoming Experience for

FamiliesFamilies in Children’s Residential Care

Introduction: How can I help families help their

children? Goal: To include families in all aspects of

care

for their child in a culturally competent, non-

stigmatizing way, recognizing and valuing their

strengths in order to produce the bests

possible outcomes for their child and family.

Overview: Overcoming Barriers to

Family Inclusion

• A barrier is anything that doesn’t include family

• Attitudes and beliefs• Cultural Insensitivity• Lack of Resources• Lack of Communication

Why The Mental Health System can feel unwelcoming

to families

• Difficulty getting services• Mixed messages from different agencies• Not listened to by agency staff• Threats of loss of custody of their children• Being blamed for their children’s

difficulties• Problems due to a lack of services

Portland University Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children’s Mental Health

Challenges faced by familiesWhat makes families feel

welcome?

• Guilt free, shame free environment• Caring attitude• Concern for successful outcomes

displayed and modeled• Respect, for family values and beliefs

Is Our House Welcoming

• Appearance/Atmosphere• Acknowledge needs of youth/families/self• Greeting, body language• Youth/Family voice accepted• Youth/Family Inclusion

Recognizing Family Strengths

• Ask family/youth • Open discussion with family/child• Active listening• Acknowledge family strengths

Building on FamilyStrengths duringResidential Care

Welcoming Families to the Program:

Visits and Program Participation

Family Involvement is:• A Set Of Beliefs And An Approach• A Type Of Grassroots, Community-Based

Program• A Shift in Human Services Delivery• A Movement For Social Change

Family Participation vs. Program Constraints

* The Research in Residential Treatment consistently show that the processes and outcomes of care improve in correlation with the degree of family involvement.

Helping to Strengthen Families and Family Bonds

Strong connections with caring family members reassure and stabilize youth, not increased restrictiveness as some may be

led to believe as needing “more structure.”

Advocating with the family in the multi-system array

How can we teach our family members to “effectively” advocate for themselves?

As Providers you are also advocates. As Advocates you

have the power to influence for change and the betterment of youth and family members.

Including “new” family members in the process

Ways to include family members in the process:

• Interview/Intake/admission• Treatment planning• In Home/Stay• Discharge planning

Empowering Families in Service Planning and Review

A belief in the vision and preferences of youth and family members, should guide

decisions, treatment, service planning and review.

 

Building a trusting dialogue between program and family

A trusting dialogue includes:• Honesty/respect• Commitment and passion• Youth centered/family focused• Flexible services• Dependable/reliable services• Choice

Creating a multi-system partnership that empowers families

Youth and Families must be accepted as “equal” partners with a purpose not provider/client with a prescription. Creating a multi-system partnership begins with providers willingness to accept such a

concept. 

 

 

The Advocates Role in Service Planning

The advocate’s role is to assist people to become self-directed individuals. They are to provide support, assist

with coordinating services and resources.

Supporting Families in Home Visits

Working with Families Toward a Successful Discharge

Discharge Planning

A “Discharge Plan” is a development of resources, support and treatment needs for the youth and his/her family prior to leaving the hospital, or residential treatment facility. The discharge plan also describes how the resources, support and treatment needs identified will be obtained and utilized to maintain and advance the youth’s well being in the least restrictive environment.

Family Empowerment leads to family readiness

Provide information and resources:* Housing* SSI eligibility* Mental Health services* Supports

Family Participation strengthens youth readiness

Discharge planning for Youth at a minimum should

include: A statement of the youth’s needs for:• Supervision, Medication, Aftercare services

etc.• Provide assistance with reentry to appropriate

school• Housing Options

Families must be informed and endorse the multi-system plan

Youth/family accountability and responsibility measures should be addressed throughout treatment utilizing positive, consistent strategies and incentives.

 

Planning for Discharge with Families During Service Planning and Review

 Acknowledge the challenges to

families:• Stigma in communities (fear of rejection)• Lack of family, community supports• Fear of relapse• Unrealistic expectations• Housing• Finances

Partnering with the family to create and

re-evaluate the plan

A partnership is a “collaborative” team who work together to achieve a common goal.

How can we help youth and family members achieve this common goal?

Providing needed family supports early on

Family/Youth support considerations:• Access to supports• Transportation• Culturally/linguistically competent• Availability of supports

Supporting Families Post-Discharge

Provide ongoing program supports and inclusion:

• Mentoring• Group facilitators• Participants at conferences/meetings• Paid staff• Family advocates

Learning from Family Feedback 

Benefits:• Staff/Family Accountability• Identifies needs and wants of

staff/youth/family/community • Improve policy development and practice• Access to funds• Improve/Add Services

Responding to youth and family feedback encourages cooperation, establishes trust and builds relationships needed to facilitate consistency and support progress for youth/family/staff

Responding to and incorporatefamily feedback

Research has clearly shown that there are benefits for youth and family members

when there is involvement

Synergy The sum is greater than its parts!

• Contact information:

Families On The Move of New York City, Inc.

358 St. Marks Place, Suite 203, Staten Island, NY 10301

Telephone: 347. 682.4870 / Fax 718.447.6539

Executive Director: Euphemia S. Adams, FDC, MSW

Training Coordinator: Jacqueline Sykes