REDUCING DISPARITIES: A Practice Approach

1. 5th ANNUAL WOODBURY COUNTY DMC CONFERENCE Briar Cliff University, IowaJune 15, 2007 REDUCING DISPARITIES: A Practice Approach “The charging decision represents one of the most critical stages of the criminal/juvenile justice system, with considerable potential for reducing or expanding racial disparity.” Presented by Constance Burgess, ConsultantC. Burgess Consulting & AssociatesTel. 408-921-8869 Email: cburgess@ix.netcom.com

3. “Families represent the building blocks of society.”

4. The Real Issue • Families’ problems come in layers. • Only after the outside layers are peeled off do we get down to the core problem, if there is one. • Sometimes families are not aware of what is underneath.

5. Trapped In Our Silos Culturally, Legislatively, Politically Child Welfare Education Juvenile Justice Mental Health Alcohol and Drug Developmental Disabilities Public Health

6. Categorical Programming, A Seemingly Never Ending Story Depending on which door you enter determines what services you get. Too often, the services provided, aren’t adequate or accessible. You feel like you’re jumping through hoops to get in and to get out.

7. Formation of Personal Values • Formal Schooling • Societal pressures: rewards and punishments • Family and childhood messages • Religious education • Peer groups • Tradition and culture

8. Children In The “System” Live In A Community And Gain… • The total way of life of a people. • The social legacy the individual acquires from his group. • A way of thinking, feeling, and believing. • A "storehouse” of pooled learning. • A set of techniques for adjusting both to the external environment and to other people. • Their cultural identity is shaped.

9. What Does Cultural Identity Have To Do With Anything? • Cultural identity is sometimes seen in terms of belonging through: • fixed characteristics (skin color, ancestry) • sometimes through voluntary participation in cultural practices (religion, music). • It has everything to do with the shaping of one’s character

10. Putting Strengths in Context Concerns Strengths Goals Actions Good Ideas Needs

11. Functional Strengths What has the child and family done? How have they dealt with challenges in the past? What are their survival skills? Who have they turned to? What was happening in the environment? What is the hidden potential for the future? Interests, motivation, preferences, natural talents Hidden strengths discovered through reframing Create a strengths inventory for each team member Descriptive, contextual, functional strengths Add to it at each family meeting

12. Benefits of Functional Strength Discovery • Engages child, family and other support providers • Provides energy and direction • Enhances individual voice • Moves service focus from “What we have” to “what you need” • Helps to ground conversations in more universally understandable terms • Provides a framework for developing creative and well-targeted responses

13. Social/Fun Emotional Healing Family Life A Place to Live School/work Cultural Expression Spiritual Life Safety Legal Medical/Health Finances Relationships Other Choosing Points of Focus

14. Moving from Good Ideas to Effective Actions • Coordinate with others when you need to • Check with the child and family to see if the good ideas will work for them • Compare good ideas with family’s experiences in the past • Agree on points of measurement up front

15. Most Common Mistakes Found in Strength-Based Plans • Throwing money at the problem • Over reliance on an existing categorical service • Neglecting crisis planning early in the process • Power struggles with children, parents or systems • Failing to meet parent’s needs along with the child’s needs • Emphasis on consumer compliance rather than consumer support • Building a system based team rather than a family based team

16. Will the Proposed Actions? • Build on strengths of child, family and team? • Increase safety of child, family and community? • Multiply positive relationships? • Enhance child and family capabilities? • Reduce child and family vulnerabilities? • Increase family autonomy? • Address accountability and other requirements? • Lead to child and family goals? • Reflect family voice and choice • Involve formal and informal community partners

17. A Comparison of Treatment Typesin order of effectiveness Source: OJJDP “Juvenile Justice Bulletin” April 2000

18. Chronological age Related services Number of environments Personnel Social Relationships History Student/Family priorities Culture Probability of skill acquisition Functionality Preparation for future Individual Considerations

19. While We Try Different Approaches…Families Are Coping with Change • Children and their families can suffer significant negative impact when transitions and/or discharges are not successful. • changing providers and/or agencies • returning home • changing levels of care • changing placements or moving to their permanent placement • transitioning to self-sufficiency or being transferred to another service system.

20. These changes can cause some significant gaps in one’s understanding…

22. Ensuring Better Outcomes • Key strategies for accomplishing this goal is: • keep children and their families involved whenever possible; • provide the children with services and supports in their own community; • respond to their needs with staff who understand their culture and programs that are culturally relevant to children and their families; and • treat their mental health and substance use needs in a timely manner with professionals trained in the most effective prevention/treatment approaches.

23. Please join me in welcoming…Julia CharlesShe overcame her circumstances with the help and support of many like you.