Reducing Disproportionality in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems

1. Reducing Disproportionality in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems DMC Resource Center National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice, University of Iowa School of Social Work Resource Center Staff Patricia Parker, CSW; Brad Richardson, PhD; Diane Finnerty, MS

2. The National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice • Established in 1977 as a national consulting division of the University of Iowa School of Social Work • Research, Evaluation, Technical Assistance, Training & Organizational Development • NRC specializes in research-supported, strength-based culturally competent family centered practice; “Dr. Outcomes” • Family Development Specialist Certification Program

3. National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice About NRCFCP | Training | Research/Evaluation | Tech.Assistance | Pubs Fam.Dev.Spec.Cert | Cult.Comp.| DMC Resource Center | Latino Institute| Website: www.uiowa.edu/~nrcfcp “Ask Dr. Outcomes”

4. DMC Resource Center • Education & Information • Technical Assistance • Research and Evaluation • Annual Conference • Minority Youth and Families Initiative (MYFI)

5. Examples of OtherMultisystem Initiatives • Education: Des Moines Public Schools Focus Group • Child Welfare: Recruitment & Retention Initiative/Iowa Dept of Human Services • Law Enforcement: Iowa State Patrol Community Focus Groups • Community Collaborations: Urban Institute

6. Reducing Disproportionality in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems: A Practice Perspective Patricia Parker, Senior Training Associate National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice University of Iowa School of Social Work 100 Oakdale Campus, W206 Oakdale Hall Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Phone: 319/335-4965 Email: pa_parker@msn.com

7. Strategies for Preventing Crime Committed by Children • Family-Based Preventive Interventions • School-Based Preventive Interventions • Community-Based Preventive Interventions

8. A Review of the ResearchEdward P. Mulvey, Michael W. Arthur & N. Dickon Reppucci, The Prevention Researcher 4 (2) “Primary and secondary prevention of delinquency rest on the principle of identifying individuals and environments at risk for delinquent activity before the behavior has occurred and then either removing risk factors or strengthening resistance to the risk factors.”

9. Family Assessment Tools • Family Strengths (Strength Assessment) • Culture-based Assessments • The need for change as the family defines it • How the family defines the role and work of “helpers” (Solution-focused Interviews) • The family in its social context (Eco-Map) • Current family interaction or organization (Geno-gram)

10. Elements of a Strength-based Service Approach • Non-deficit and Asset Building • Identifying and Assessing Strengths • Identifying and Assessing Culture and its Effect on Family Functioning

11. Non-deficit Asset Building

12. Rueben Hill’s Family Stress Assessment B (Resources) X CRISIS! A (stressor) C (Perception of the event)

14. H.I. McCubbin’s Protective Factors and Recovery Factors

15. Family problem-solving communication Equality Spirituality Flexibility Truthfulness Hope Family hardiness Family time and routine Social support Health Source: I. H. McCubbin, et al, 1997 Families Under Stress: What Makes Them Strong? General Resiliency Factors

16. Factors that affect a family’s ability to function at an optimal level… • Risk Factors • Those life elements the put the safety, permanence or well-being of a child and their family in danger. • Protective Factors • life events, experiences, or individuals that can reduce, moderate or eliminate the effect of exposure to risk factors. • Recovery Factors • Those supportive elements that work in concert with protective factors to restore or enable families to function at their optimal level

17. Examples of Risk, Protective, Recovery Factors • Risk Factors: poverty, crime, violence, addictions, domestic violence, disrupted families. • Protective Factors: employment, education, reunified family, spirituality, AA, NA. • Recovery Factors: family counseling, supportive services, financial assistance, skills training

18. Identifying and Assessing Strengths

19. What Are Strengths? • Assets • Abilities • Attributes • Assistance • Acquire Help • Approaches to Resolving Difficulties

20. Areas of Strength and Resources • Protective Factors • Clever, smart, resourceful, assertive, likable, humorous • Wise, experience, insightful and possessing proven problem solving skills • Special abilities, hobbies, credentials or training • Parenting and home-making skills • Community or church involvement and resources • History of asking for and using help and assistance • Values and religion

21. Strength-Based Beliefs • Families have the ability to overcome life’s adversities, with support. • Families that can hope can also grow and change. • All families have strengths that can be identified, enhanced and valued. • Interventions must build on the assessment of strength and resources as well as needs of the family.

22. Strength-Based Practitioners' Role (Don Locke, 1986) • Focus on Strengths Rather than Weaknesses • Build Authentic Relationships with Children and Families • Respect Children's and Families' Rights to Self-determination • Believe That Change is Inevitable • Believe That All People and All Communities Have Resources • Commit to Cultural Competence • Embrace Empowerment as a Process and a Goal • Team with Children, Families, and Other Professionals in the Reclaiming Process

23. Identifying and Assessing Culture and Its Effect on Family Functioning

24. Cultural Competence A set of congruent behaviors, attitudes and policies that come together in a system, agency, or professional and enable that system, agency or professional to work effectively in cross-cultural situations. (Cross, 1988)

25. Defining Culturally Competence Practice Culture: The integrated pattern of human behavior that includes thought, speech, action, the customary beliefs, social forms and material traits of a racial, religious or social group. Competence: The state of being; the ability or capacity to function effectively. Culturally Competent Practice • The state of being capable of functioning effectively in the context of cultural differences; • Having multi cultural counseling skills • Meeting the culturally unique needs of clients.

26. Cultural Competent Practice Beliefs • Families are diverse and have the right to be respected for their special ethnic, cultural, religious and other traditions • Practice and services are delivered in a manner that strengthens the family’s identity • Child-rearing patterns are influenced by cultural norms and mores • Every culture has positive attributes as well as challenges

27. Reducing Disproportionality in the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems:The Community Perspective Brad Richardson, Ph.D. DMC Coordinator, Research Scientist & Adjunct Professor University of Iowa School of Social Work National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice DMC Resource Center Ph. 319-335-4924 or 515.431.3922 brad-richardson@uiowa.edu National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

28. SAG Creates DMC Committeeand DMC Resource Center National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

29. Service Delivery Innovations • Strength-based practice • Outcome evaluation (data driven approaches) • Family partnerships and cultural competence • Measuring Strengths in Community Collaboration • Full continuum of flexible community-based services National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

30. Jumping the Gap • Research and books • Training • Meetings • Pilot projects • Test protocols • Families getting what they need, when they need it • Flexible access to community resources • Systems Change • Fear • Defensiveness • Hidden assumptions • Formal structures • Tyranny of habit National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice Adapted from John Franz, Sr. Juvenile Justice Advisor, Nat’l Resource Network

31. National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice [1] Population data from Iowa’s KIDS COUNT, Annie E. Casey Foundation. [2] Detention data from Iowa DHR, CJJP.

32. DMC in Iowa National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

33. DMC in Iowa National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

34. National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

35. National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

36. DMC & MYFI Intensive TA Sites National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

37. Social Network Analysis(Scott County) Items for Analysis of Community Collaboration to Reduce DMC: 1) Work with; 2) Attend joint trainings; 3) Share programs; 4) Participate in cultural competence/diversity trainings; 5) Share information related to DMC; 6) Work with on DMC reduction strategies National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

38. Sociogram of Collaboration to Reduce DMC

39. Initial (Baseline) Assessment of Collaboration to Reduce DMC

40. Follow-up Assessment of Collaboration to Reduce DMC

41. Social Network Statistical Analysis National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

42. THINGS TO CONSIDER…Providing Effective DMC Technical Assistance:A Strength-Based Community Practice Approach National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

43. Focus on Detention • Detention Reform • Focus on Reducing Racial Disparities • Employ Risk Assessment Instrument • Create Placement Alternatives • Gain Judicial Support • Enlist a Community Champion • Gain Community Engagement and Involvement • Use Outcome Indicators National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

44. All levels must pay attention to program capacity National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice

45. Ending at the Beginning:Social Perspectives Diane Finnerty, M.S. Director of Training, National Resource Center for Family Centered Practice University of Iowa School of Social Work Email: diane-finnerty@uiowa.edu

46. Considerations • Clarify Motivation:Individual, Collective

47. Motivation…orwho should care? Concept from Cornel West, 2000

48. Considerations • Clarify Motivation:Individual, Collective • Acknowledge Historic Context: Individual, Institutional, Structural Dynamics & Interventions • Cultural Competence: Pragmatic (A-K-S); Integrated Within Organizational Development; Strengths-based Assessment; Stakeholder Involvement (Focus Groups)