Working to create a Safe and Healthier Community takes all of us!

1. Working to create a Safe and Healthier Community takes all of us! Strengthening Families and Communities Joanne Mooney Child Safety and Permanency Fall, 2011

2. Minnesota Department of Human Services Guidelines for Responding to Child Maltreatment and Domestic Violence • Evidence of the co- occurrence of adult domestic violence and child maltreatment • Best practice in the intervention and treatment of child maltreatment should address the co- occurrence of domestic violence

3. Minnesota Department of Human Services Father Inclusion • Minnesota Child and Family Services Reviews (MNCFSR) is a CW federal effort to actively involve fathers in the lives of their children. • Past CFSR’s have determined that MN father engagement outcomes and performance needed improvement. MN federal allotment tied to improvements • State past through dollars to counties are tied to improving performance

4. Minnesota Department of Human Services • Engagement • Assessment • Case Planning and implementation • Monitoring and evaluation • Case Closing

5. Family and Community Well-being • Violence and child abuse and neglect can be prevented • Strengthening Families and Communities through inclusivity and promoting protective factors

6. How do you hope this community looks after 10 -20 years of your efforts to strengthen families and communities?

7. Minnesota Children’s Trust Fund Mission The Children’s Trust Fund works in partnership to serve as a catalyst to prevent child abuse and neglect by strengthening all Minnesota families and communities.

8. Minnesota Trust Fund Practice We carry out this mission with many partners, supporting a spectrum of initiatives based on current research and best practice

9. Progress in family violence intervention • Since 1970’s great progress made in family intervention • Immediate safety services • Criminal justice system has made strides towards addressing family violence

10. World Report on Violence and Health • Self-directed violence refers to violence where the perpetrator and the victim are the same person. It is subdivided into self-abuse and suicide. • Interpersonal violence refers to violence between individuals. The category is subdivided into family and intimate partner violence, and community violence. The former includes child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and elder abuse. Community violence is broken down into violence by acquaintances and violence by strangers. It convers youth violence, assault by strangers, violence related to property and violence in workplaces and other institutions. • Collective Violence refers to violence committed by larger groups of people and can be subdivided into social political and economic.

11. Adverse Childhood Experience StudyBridging the gap between childhood trauma and negative consequences later in life . Average age of study participant – 57 years old reporting on conditions prior to age 18. Threshold score – 4. • Recurrent physical abuse • Recurrent emotional abuse • Contact sexual abuse • An alcohol and/or drug abuser in the household • An incarcerated household member • Someone in the home who is chronically depressed, mentally ill, institutionalized, or suicidal • Domestic Violence • One or both biological parents absent • Emotional or physical neglect

12. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) • Alcoholism and alcohol abuse • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) • Depression • Fetal death • Health-related quality of life • Illicit drug use • Ischemic heart disease (IHD) • Liver disease • Risk for intimate partner violence • Multiple sexual partners • Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) • Smoking • Suicide attempts • Unintended pregnancies • Early initiation of smoking • Early initiation of sexual activity • Adolescent pregnancy

13. Adverse Childhood Experiences

14. Domestic/Partner Violence – Risk Factors • Being violent or aggressive in the past • Seeing or being a victim of violence as a child • Using drugs or alcohol, especially drinking heavily • Not having a job or other life events that cause stress

15. Domestic/Partner Violence Risk Factors Continued • Major Depression / Posttraumatic Stress Disorder • Experiencing economic or financial difficulties • Lack of primary support • Occupational challenges • Difficulties with social environment • Housing • Moderate or serious impairment in social, occupational or school functioning

16. Brain Development“boy’s crisis” • Mind of Boys – Gurian Institute "boy's crisis" • Boys receive up to 70% of the Ds and Fs given all students, • they create 90% classroom discipline problems, • 80% all high school dropouts are boys, • millions of American boys are on Ritalin and other mind-bending control drugs, • only 45% college students are boys, • and three out of four learning disabled students are boys!

17. Engaging Men Group Activity Father/Male Agency Assessment See handout

18. Ramsey CountyFamily Transformation Model Building, Nurturing and Sustaining Non-Violent, Healthy Families Today

19. Family Transformation Model Framework • The Family Transformation Model (FTM) incorporates additional learning and perspectives about individual and social factors that precipitate family violence • Opens possibility for new prevention and intervention strategies to break intergenerational cycle of violence

20. Family Transformation ModelFramework Recognition that family violence can arise from a variety of factors that include: poverty racism pervasive violent messages typified by media that has normalized violent attitudes and behaviors • Childhood, adolescent and family history of violence • unhealthy gender roles • sexism

21. Family Transformation Model Framework The “new normal” • The FTM engages individuals, communities and systems. • The FTM model provides opportunities to develop and live in peaceful and healthy relationships

22. Family Transformation Model FrameworkThe “new normal” despite challenges there are essential elements of “core health” within people, and families these are: • Growth • Independence & Connection • Joy & Love • Compassion & Empathy • Courage • Insight & Wisdom • Potential • Self-Respect & Self-Responsibility

23. Risk and Protective factors must be addressed Risk Factors • Poverty and economic disparity • Discrimination and oppression • Negative family dynamics • Firearms • Media violence • Alcohol and other drugs • Incarceration and re-entry • Experiencing and/or witnessing violence • Community deterioration • Illiteracy and academic failure • Truancy • Mental illness • Traditional gender socialization Protective Factors • Economic capital • Meaningful opportunities for participation • Positive attachment and relationships • Good physical and mental health • Built environment • Social capital • High quality services and institutions • Emotional and cognitive competence • Artistic and creative opportunities • Ethnic, racial, and intergroup relations • Media and marketing

24. Preventing violence requires an integrated strategy for action

25. Spectrum of Prevention

26. Spectrum of Prevention

27. Ramsey County’s Lessons Learned One: Don’t start by finding money Two: Avoid the excuse “We don’t have the right people around the table” Three: Don’t seek “The thing” to do; identify something YOU CAN do, and will commit to building and institutionalizing Four: Proceed with authority – YOU CAN AND MUST DO IT!

28. Spectrum of Prevention Worksheet Activity

29. Minnesota’s Wisdom from Reform Efforts Relationships cause change Leaders impact change Flexibility is the key Adaptability Self-organizing systems Emergent activities Relying on professional, familial, community and cultural wisdom

30. Alignment with National Agenda Conceptual framework Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children’s needs. Children’s educational, physical and mental health needs are met. Children have opportunities for healthy social and emotional development.

31. Alignment with Best Practice Focus on protective factors Parental resilience Social connections Knowledge of parenting and child development Concrete support in times of need Children’s social and emotional competence Incorporating Embracing culture

32. Families Matter Families: • get and manage basic needs and services • create the environment for development • serve as both buffer and bridge between children and the outside world • sustain and transmit values and traditions that give identity to children

33. Building the Protective Factors that keep families strong C E N T E R F O R T H E S T U D Y O F S O C I A L P O L I C Y

34. Strengthening Families began as a search for a new approach to child abuse prevention that: Is systematic Is national Reaches large numbers of children Has impact long before abuse or neglect occurs Promotes optimal development for all children

35. State and National Strategies Methods • Shifts in: • Policy • Resources • Cross-Systems Relationships • Support Structures • To support program implementation Facilitate friendships and mutual support Strengthen Parenting Respond to Family Crises Link Families to Services and Opportunities Value and Support Parents Facilitate Children’s Social and Emotional Development Observe and respond to early warning signs of abuse or neglect Protective Factors parental resilience Healthy families and communities and optimal development of all children social connections knowledge of parenting and child development • “Levers for Change” • Parent Partnerships • Family-Strengthening Child Welfare Practice • Infrastructure Changes • Early Childhood Systems Integration • Professional Development concrete supports in times of need social and emotional competence of children

36. Strengthening Families and Communities

37. Strengthening Families has inspired an approach to family support services that is: Universally available, not targeted by risk Focused on development and growth, not only on identified problems Delivered through new, powerful partners not typically identified as CAN prevention or family support agents

38. organizational partners and funders Midwest Learning Center for Family Support National Registry Alliance Parents as Teachers Parent Services Project Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Casey Family Programs, Annie E. Casey, A. L. Mailman, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

39. work at the federal level Office of Child Abuse and Neglect (Children’s Bureau) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Child Care Bureau Maternal and Child Health Bureau Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Violence Prevention

40. small but significant changes in early childhood practice can produce huge results in preventing child abuse and neglect for the youngest children

41. Just the facts… What does research tell us about what is RIGHT with families? What kinds of characteristics are there that promote children’s healthy development—and are linked directly to a reduction in child abuse and neglect reports?

42. the “new normal” Child abuse and neglect prevention  building healthy families Early childhood programs extend their mission to support families and protect children as a way to provide optimal developmental conditions for children Child Welfare and other systems that serve vulnerable families focus on development as a key part of assuring the well-being of kids

43. Parent Resilience Be strong and Flexible Social ConnectionsParents need Friends Knowledge of parenting and child development Being a parent is part learned and part natural Concrete support in times of need We all need help sometimes Children’s Social and Emotional CompetenceParents need to help their children Communicate Embracing Culture Protective Factors

44. parental resilience Be Strong and Flexible

45. parental resilience – Be Strong and Flexible Psychological health; parents feel supported and able to solve problems; can develop trusting relationships with others and reach out for help Parents who did not have positive childhood experiences or who are in troubling circumstances need extra support and trusting relationships

46. social connections Parents need Friends

47. social connections – Parents need Friends Relationships with extended family, friends, co-workers, other parents with children similar ages Community norms are developed through social connections Mutual assistance networks: child care, emotional support, concrete help

48. knowledge of parenting and child development Being a GREAT parent is part natural and part learned

49. knowledge of parenting and child development Being a GREAT parent is part natural and part learned Basic information about how children develop Basic techniques of developmentally appropriate discipline Alternatives to parenting behaviors experienced as a child Help with challenging behaviors

50. concrete supports in times of need We ALL need help sometimes