June 2005 – Resource Update
IN THIS ISSUE – CLICK TO GO DIRECTLY TO SECTION
WCPCAN News Conferences & Trainings Policy, Advocacy & Legislative Information Cultural Connections Sustainability & Resource Opportunities Priority Topic: Birth to Three Priority Topic: Fatherhood Priority Topic: Health and Mental Health Priority Topic: Parent Education Priority Topic: Evaluation Special Topic Area: Teen Pregnancy/Teen Parenting General Prevention Announcements
WCPCAN News
2005 New Funded Programs Just Announced WCPCAN is pleased to announce funding awards totaling more than $570,000 to 17 child abuse prevention programs across the state. Programs selected for funding have identified and developed comprehensive and innovative child abuse and neglect prevention strategies that will work to strengthen family bonds, provide an understanding of early childhood development and assist parents with developing positive discipline skills. The awards, which are made possible by combined federal and state-funded grants, are matched by funds from local sources. The full list of funded programs will be available on our website at www.wcpcan.wa.gov. Goodbye to Council Members Sadly, WCPCAN is losing many members of our beloved Council at the end of this month. Charles Shelan, Sue Manfred, Darlene Peters and Council Chair Kyle Yasuda will all be leaving our Council at the end of their terms. Each has contributed greatly to our work to prevent child abuse and neglect in their professional work and their time on the WCPCAN council. We will miss them all for their commitment to the issues and passion for keeping children safe and families strong. Thank you all for your work and dedication over the years. Congratulations to WCPCAN Executive Director Joan Sharp WCPCAN‘s Executive Director Joan Sharp, originally appointed to the position by Governor Gary Locke in 2002 was reappointed by Governor Christine Gregoire recently. Joan reports that Governor Gregoire expressed great interest in advancing child abuse and neglect prevention in Washington in the reappointment interview. Performance expectations established as part of the reappointment include securing additional public and private funds for prevention and successfully embedding effective child abuse and neglect policies, programs and practices in the state‘s child care/early learning, child welfare, health/mental health/substance abuse systems. Gregoire pledged her administration‘s support for these efforts. Congratulations, Joan!
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Conferences and Trainings Conferences
Reality Nonprofit Management st nd June 1 and 2 , Marriott Sea-Tac Airport Hotel, Sea-Tac, Washington The Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development Community Services Division is hosting nd their 2 Annual Stakeholders Conference. This year‘s conference is going to be a fun, educational, highenergy conference with nationally recognized speakers. This is intended for CEOs and Executive Directors, Second in Commands and Board Chairs and Members. Some of the ―Reality‖ highlights include: The Apprentice: a pre-conference workshop for new directors and exec ―wanna-bes‖ to learn where to find answers and improve skills; Survivor: a workshop to tap into new revenue sources and create alliances that will help you thrive; Extreme Make-Over: learn how to take advantage of new opportunities and avoid fiscal disasters in a changing world of state and federal funding priorities and more. The cost is $95 per person if th you register by May 10 . For more information, contact Marijo Olson at (360) 725-2910 or email marijoo@cted.wa.gov or go to: www.cted.wa.gov/portal/alias_CTED/lang_en/tablD_720/DesktopDefault.aspx. Go to ―Quick Links‖, click on ―Divisions‖, click on ―Community Services‖, click on ―Tools and Resources‖ and then click on ―2005 Stakeholder Conference‖. Realities, Risks, Rewards: Sharing in the Care of Our Children and Families th nd June 20 – 22 , Pasadena, California This is he Western Region Training Conference from the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA). The conference promises to provide attendees with a greater understanding of how the direct and indirect work they do with children and families addresses the issues of safety, permanency, and well-being. Exchanging information about how public and private agencies are meeting the ever-changing needs of children and families, along with meeting the more rigorous standards of funding sources, will undoubtedly prove relevant to the day-to-day practice of human service workers. For more information on the conference and to view workshops, go to: www.cwla.org/conferences. Portland Family Strengths Conference rd th June 23 – 25 , Portland, Oregon The 2005 Building on Family Strengths Conference has the theme of ―Assets and evidence: Positive approaches toward reducing disparities and transforming the children‘s mental health system.‖ Richard Lerner from Tufts University will be the keynote speaker and will discuss ―How to promote positive youth development through enhancing the developmental assets of communities‖. As always there will be great information, opportunities to connect with others and a great city to visit. For more information or to register, go to: www.rtc.pdx.edu/pgConference.shtml. National Institute of Justice Annual Research and Evaluation Conference th th July 18 – 20 , 2005 Washington, DC This year‘s conference focus is Evidence-Based Policies and Practices. Learn what works, what doesn‘t and what the latest research shows as promising. Hear what criminal justice practitioners around the country are doing to make their systems more effective with evidence-based programs. Talk to policymakers about how your research can make their work more productive. For more information or to register, go to: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij. Risky Beginnings: The Need for a System-Wide Focus on Infant Mental Health th th August 5 and 6 , Seattle, Washington th The 11 Biennial NCAST-AVENUW Institute with the Center on Infant Mental Health is hosting this
conference. Nationally renowned speakers from a variety of fields will be presenting. Three reasons you must not miss this opportunity are: you will learn effective clinical approaches to improve parent-child relationships; you will understand the effect of preventive and early intervention with families impacted by early trauma; and you will learn how to implement collaborative approaches for prevention and intervention with families and young children involved in the juvenile justice system. For more information, or to register, th go to: www.ncast.org. The early bird registration fee is only available until June 15 ! SAVE THE DATE: The Bridge from School to Afterschool and Back th th October 24 – 25 , Vancouver, Washington A two-day conference bringing together policy makers, afterschool program and school administrators, educators and other leaders engaged in defining the role of afterschool programs in children‘s lifelong success. Topics to be discussed include: bridges out of poverty; linking arts to academic success; success stories of rural programs; youth panel on service learning; and getting your school board on board. Registration is now open. For more information and to register, go to: www.schoolsoutwashington.org. SAVE THE DATE: Prevent Child Abuse America National Conference st th Save the dates of May 21 – 24 , 2006 for the 2006 PCA America Conference. It will be held at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, California. Room Reservations are already being accepted at the PCA America rate of $129 per night. The conference will include nationally renowned keynote speakers in the field of prevention and family support, workshops on a range of practical topics and networking opportunities, plus time for relaxation and rejuvenation. For more information, go to: www.preventchildabuse.org.
Trainings and Workshops
“Bringing Baby Home” Workshop for New Parents th th June 4 and 11 , 9 am – 4 pm, Family Services Offices, Bellevue, Washington Learn lifelong parenting and relationship skills through ―Bringing Baby Home‖ a workshop for pregnant couples and parents of infants and toddlers based on the research of Drs. John and Julie Gottman. The workshop will be held on two Saturdays and is designed to help parents stay connected with each other, interact with the new baby, deal with conflict in a positive way and create a caring, nurturing home. The fee is $150 and registration is required. To register, call: (425) 450-0332. Circle of Security Early Intervention Program for Parents and Children Seminars th June 10 , 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Reed College, Portland, Oregon th June 17 , 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington The Circle of Security Project is an internationally acclaimed intervention protocol designed to promote secure attachment in high-risk populations. This one-day, video-based seminar will utilize the acclaimed Circle of Security approach to bring answers to the following questions: Just how important is a child‘s quality of attachment with primary caregivers? What are the essential characteristics of a parent/child relationship that will promote emotional well-being and mental health across the lifespan? What are the danger signs and implications of an unhealthy attachment? Once established, can unhealthy attachment patterns be altered? The objectives of this seminar will be to offer a comprehensive and user-friendly overview of attachment theory and its clinical implications. The cost if you register online is $140. To register or for more information, go to: www.circleofsecurity.com/workshops.html. Grantmakers-Grantseekers SuperConference 2005 th th June 13 – August 17 , Online and at Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA The SuperConference, presented by the Tu Luong Foundation, includes two months of online workshops th th June 13 through August 12 including fundraising, media, technology, marketing, ―Meet the th Grantmakers‖, and grant evaluation. It also includes face-to-face workshops at SPU on August 17 including: grants, media, and ―Reality Grantmaking‖. The cost is $350 per person. To register, go to: www.tlfoundation.org. Introduction to Family Support th th June 27 – August 19 , Online Distance Class, Washington Edmonds Community College Family Support Studies Program is offering this online class. Students study principles and practices of family support with emphasis on creating partnerships with families; exploring and applying the concepts of empowerment to their personal life experiences and their work environments;
and demonstrating their knowledge and skills in Family Support. The class structure uses a variety of methods and resources to support learning in the competencies this course explores. Emphasis is put on a student‘s personal meaning and definition of the concepts explored and the process of self-reflection and self-assessment. Field study is involved. For more information, or to register, go to: http://fss.edcc.edu or email fled@edcc.edu or call (425) 640-1665. Multicultural Parenting th th July 20 – September 28 , 6 pm – 8 pm, Seattle, Washington This 11- week class is FREE and childcare and a light dinner are provided. It is offered at the Catholic Community Services Randolph Carter Family and Learning Center. It also meets the court mandate for parenting. The goals of the class are to: learn how to provide love and structure in the lives of children; understand how to stop ―misbehavior‖; and learn about what happens to your children at different ages. For more information or to register, contact the Access Center at (206) 328-5774.
Policy, Advocacy, and Legislative Information
Federal Budget Passed with Substantial Cuts; Appropriations Process Begins In late April, the Senate and House passed a budget that included a cut of $23 billion in discretionary programs in FY 2006 (and a cut of $212 billion over the next 5 years), as well as an additional $37 billion in cuts to mandatory spending or entitlement programs, such as Medicaid, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and the Earned Income Tax Credit. The cut of $23 billion will be taken out of programs such as Head Start, child care, after-school, Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention as well as other programs whose funds are appropriated yearly. While deciding to make cuts in programs that serve low-income families, the Senate and the House also decided upon additional tax cuts for wealthy individuals and corporations. The tax cuts for corporations and wealthy individuals are on a fast-track and are likely to be passed in the budget reconciliation bills later this year. The budget reconciliation bills will also enact the cuts in the mandatory (entitlement) programs. For more information about the conference budget, go to: www.cbpp.org/4-28-05bud.htm. So You Want to Be a Voice for Babies? The Better Baby Care Network has a new tip sheet now available that offers strategies for advocates to use to be a more effective voice for babies and toddlers. This tip sheet was developed with Voices for America‘s Children, A Better Baby Care partner, in collaboration with ZERO TO THREE. To download the tip sheet, go to: www.voices.org/bbc/tipsheet_1 Legislation Introduced to Help Parents Balance Work and Family Last month, Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) introduced the Family and Workplace Balancing Act of 2005 (H.R. 1589) with 40 cosponsors. The goal of the legislation is to improve the lives of working families by providing family and medical need assistance, child care assistance, in-school and afterschool assistance, family care assistance, and encouraging the establishment of family-friendly workplaces. Specifically, it includes: paid leave for new parents; leave for parents to attend children's school activities; child care construction and renovation incentive grants; business child care incentive grants; funds for child care provider development and retention grants, scholarships and health benefits coverage. For the full text of this bill, go to: http://thomas.loc.gov/ and enter bill 1589. The Stake of Vulnerable Populations in Social Security nd In their May 2 edition, Connect For Kids (CFK) provided a field report on new research from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) that indicates Social Security lifts approximately 1 million children above the poverty line. Arloc Sherman, who is conducting the research for CBPP found that Social Security reduced the child poverty gap (the total amount by which the incomes of all children who are poor fall below the poverty line) by 21 percent in 2002. That was more than the reduction achieved by EITC (20 percent), Food Stamps (15 percent), and TANF (9 percent). (Poverty status in the analysis was determined by comparing the family‘s disposable income with the official federal poverty line—$18,810 for a family of four in 2003). To read Sherman‘s full analysis, go to: http://www.cbpp.org/5-2-05socsec.htm. Expecting Better: A State-By-State Analysis of Parental Leave Policies Parental care for very young children has been linked to improved brain development, social development and overall well-being. But most American parents are left out in the cold when it comes to paid family leave. Low-income families are often without any sort of paid leave at all, maternal or otherwise. A new
study by the National Partnership for Women and Families finds that no state gives all new parents both guaranteed job protection and benefits. California, Hawaii, the District of Columbia, and Oregon offer some support to families; nineteen states received failing grades for not providing a single benefit or program to help support families before and after the birth of a child. To read the full report, go to: www.nationalpartnership.org/portals/p3/library/PaidLeave/ParentalLeaveReportMay05.pdf.
Cultural Connections
Know What to Do for Life Campaign The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Mike Leavitt, recently launched the ―Know What to Do for Life‖ public awareness campaign about the risk factors associated with infant mortality in the African American community. African American infants are nearly two and a half times more likely to die before their first birthday than white infants. Preterm delivery is the leading cause of death and developmental disability for African American infants. The campaign will include radio and print public service announcements that will encourage audiences to learn more about SIDS and the risk factors for low birth weight and premature delivery. Another key component of the campaign is a toolkit for community organizations that will be available this summer. HHS has a toll-free line and website set up for people interested in campaign information, materials and partnership opportunities. For more information, call: 800-444-6472 or go to: www.healthgap.omhrc.gov. Child Abuse and Culture Cultural competency and multicultural approaches in child welfare are the focus of a new book, ―Child Abuse and Culture: Working with Diverse Families‖, by L.A. Fontes. This book is designed to help child welfare workers develop a multicultural approach to helping their client families by confronting their own prejudices, overcoming language and culture barriers, respecting families‘ values while ensuring children‘s safety and creating an agency environment that is welcoming to all. Each chapter concludes with a set of questions for reflection and discussion. The book is published by Guilford Press and is available on the publisher‘s website at: www.guilford.com. “Para Nuestros Ninos” National Taskforce on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics The National Task Force on Early Childhood Education for Hispanics was established in May 2004 for the purpose of identifying major educational challenges facing Hispanic children throughout the United States from birth through the primary grades and making recommendations for actions. Their website contains information about taskforce initiatives, supporters and partners, and news and research in the early childhood education field. For more information, go to: www.ecehispanic.org. Bringing Up Children Bilingually Corey Heller wrote this article for ParentMap‘s April 2005 edition. It discusses some unforeseen difficulties that may be experienced when raising children bilingually, and some issues that are important to think about when planning to raise a child speaking two or more languages. It also includes some helpful books and websites regarding bilingual families. For more information and to read this article, go to: www.parentmap.com/april_05/0405_4.htm. Seeking Permanent Homes for Native American Children This article, written by Susan Baxter Quash-Mah and Deb Johnson-Shelton, was published in ―the Connection‖ spring 2005 edition. It discusses a more culturally sensitive approach to helping find permanent homes for Native American children in foster care or adoptive placements, and recognizes that these children may develop severe emotional and identity issues when placed in non-Indian homes. The article discusses some of the challenges with finding good placements for Native American children and the importance of ensuring they remain connected to their communities and culture. It also contains some web resources that may be of use. For more information, go to: www.casanet.org/download/ncasa_publications/connection_spring05.pdf.
Sustainability and Resource Opportunities
Finding Funding for Injury and Violence Prevention The Children‘s Safety Network National Injury and Violence Prevention Resource Center has made
available a series of fact sheets dealing with finding funding. Topics include: 50 ways to fund your program; an overview of federal funders and suggestions for accessing block grant dollars; maximizing state public health resources; finding corporate sponsors; approaching foundations; accessing unique resources in your state; and other resources. To download these fact sheets, go to: www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/FUNDING.pdf. National Leadership Program The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is looking for committed and diverse early childhood professionals working in many settings to participate in their intensive one-year leadership opportunity called the 2006 Supporting Teachers, Strengthening Families National Leadership Program. The program is a component of NAEYC‘s efforts to engage early childhood professionals in preventing child abuse and neglect and promoting children‘s healthy social and emotional development. th Applications are due September 15 , 2005. For more information, go to: www.naeyc.org/ece/supporting.asp. Online Fundraising Courses from Groundspring.org Groundspring.org‘s Internet Academy offers a series of online fundraising courses titled ―Building the eNonprofit.‖ The series covers the following topics: What is online fundraising?; Creating an effective website; organizational capacity and online fundraising; driving traffic to your site; online donation processing; email communications program; introduction to data integration; and creating a successful internet strategy and online campaign. Each session is offered monthly and is 90 to 120 minutes long. A single session costs $49 to $59, or $314 for a series covering all eight topics. For more information on courses and registration, go to: www.groundspring.org/training/online_training.cfm. New Knowledge Path Released to Help Service Providers and Families Locate Community-Based Services ―Knowledge Path: Locating Community Based Services to Support Children and Families‖ is an electronic guide for service providers and families to help them find resources within their communities to address child and family needs. The knowledge path was produced by the Maternal Child Health Library, in collaboration with the National Technical Assistance Center for Children‘s Mental Health at Georgetown University. It contains information on websites and electronic publications; toll-free telephone lines; and databases. Topics include education and special needs, mental health and well-being, family support, parent education, child care and early education, health and wellness, and financial support. The knowledge path is available at: www.mchlibrary.info/KnowledgePaths/kp_community.html. Grants to Tribes, Tribal Organizations and Migrant Programs for Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Programs The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families is offering financial support to selected tribes, tribal organizations and migrant programs for child abuse prevention programs. The funds must support more effective and comprehensive child abuse prevention activities and family support services. Some examples of programs that may be funded include, but are not limited to: voluntary home visiting; respite care; parenting education; mutual support; family resource centers; marriage education; and other family support services. It is anticipated that three grants of $143,000 will be th awarded this year. Applications are due July 5 . For more information, go to: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-8897.htm. Ralph and Eileen Swett Foundation Grant The Ralph and Eileen Swett Foundation provide grants to programs that make a difference in the lives of individuals. The foundation is relatively new and has not limited itself to specific areas of need and expects to evolve its policies and interests with time. Programs are invited to visit the website to find out more about the Foundation and to submit an application request form to be reviewed by a Swett Foundation board member. For more information, or to complete this application request, go to: www.swettfoundation.org/. Proactive Funding Strategies for Home Visitation: A Resource for Counties This report is from the National Association of Counties and Healthy Families America. At the core of home visitation is prevention - keeping families safe, healthy, self-sufficient and connected to support resources. This serves not only families directly, but broader communities as well, reducing costs associated with health care, social services, criminal justice, and special education. However, given today‘s competing demands for financial resources, numerous challenges face those who wish to fund home visitation services. This resource aims to provide home visitation advocates with strategies to attain long-term
funding for programs. Information about how to make a financial argument for home visitation, costs associated with home visitation, sources of funding currently utilized by home visitation programs, and help locating federal funding is provided. To view the full report, go to: www.naco.org/Content/ContentGroups/Programs_and_Projects/Early_Childhood/Home-Visitation.pdf.
Priority Topic: Birth to Three
EC-PEN is now the Mind in the Making Communications Network The Early Childhood Public Engagement Network (EC-PEN) is comprised of 150 national organizations and more than 2000 state and community coalitions and share research-based information about the science of early childhood development, community mobilization, and a wide variety of other topics and news on young children. The former EC-PEN will now be known as the Mind in the Making Communications Network after the new national communications initiative on learning call ―Mind in the Making‖. The research compiled under the ―Mind in the Making‖ campaign will be presented to the public through: a multi-part television series on the science of early learning launching in the fall; Research-based tips for families and caregivers of young children that will be shared with ―Born Learning‖, ―Parents Action for Children‖ and other initiatives; Videos for families; Learning modules for teachers of infants – preschoolers; and much more. For more information on this new campaign, go to: http://mindinthemaking.org/. Early Learning Left Out This report by Voices for America‘s Children examines public investment in the District of Columbia and nine states of state, federal and school system funding for education and development. The study found that for every public dollar invested in a school-age child‘s education and development within states studied, 52 cents is invested in a college-aged youth, but only 21 cents is invested in a pre-school child, and 9 cents in an infant or toddler. The full report is available at: www.voices.org/ece/ello2. Maternal and Infant Health Web Site The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention‘s Division of Reproductive Health is proud to announce that they have released a newly updated web site. It contains program information and the latest resources and research on maternal and infant health. To view the new site, go to: www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/MaternalInfantHealth/index.htm. Delaying Kindergarten: Effects on Test Scores and Child Care Costs This report, from the RAND Corporation, published this year asks the question: Is it beneficial to delay the age at which children begin kindergarten? New research finds that kids who enter at age 6 instead of age 5 — especially kids from disadvantaged families — do significantly better on standardized tests and learn more from schooling. But delaying entry also leads to substantial additional childcare costs — especially for poor families. These findings argue that policymakers may need to view entrance age policies as a package — one that considers both cognitive and noncognitive consequences. To read the report, go to: www.rand.org/publications/RB/RB9082/. FREE Book about Effective Early Childhood Programs Dr. Susan H. Landry recently released a book entitled ―Effective Early Childhood Programs: Turning Knowledge into Action‖. The book is intended for teachers, parents, and other early childhood interested individuals. There are 10 chapters focusing on the foundation of early childhood education, elements of preschool education, the learning environment, and much more. The book provides a detailed manual of guidance for best practices for early childhood education and development, derived from evidence generated from scientific investigations. This book is provided free of charge as a public service. It is available in PDF format and is 57 pages. To view the full publication, go to: www.tecec.org/pages.php/Resources.html.
Priority Topic: Fatherhood
The Fathers Network From practical information on advocating for a child with special needs, to links to news, issue areas and events, the Fathers Network helps dads stay connected and provides up-to-date information and resources for fathers, family members, and care providers. Here you will find current news, press releases, and timely
articles. Also check out the Events Calendar for upcoming conferences and seminars, all designed to enhance your knowledge about the joys and challenges of children with special needs. Many resources are also available in Spanish. To view the web site, go to: www.fathersnetwork.org/page.php. Strategies for Engaging Fathers The National Family Preservation Network (NFPN) recently released the Advanced Fatherhood Training Curriculum (AFTC) package. Developed in response to feedback from practitioners asking how to engage fathers who are reluctant to get involved with their children, the AFTC is intended for individuals who have already completed NFPN‘s fatherhood training curriculum. The training package is recommended for use with small groups. Key topics include: Differences in fathers‘ and mothers‘ parenting styles; strategies for overcoming obstacles to father involvement; case examples identifying specific skills to use to engage fathers; and a section for administrators on promoting father-friendly practice. For more information or to order, go to: www.nfpn.org/fatherhood/adv_training_package.php. Speaker on Father’s Issues Available Hogan Hilling, the author of ―The Man Who Would be Dad‖ is available to give presentations on the following issues: ―What Dads Want Moms to Know‖; ―Proud Dads Motivational Seminar‖; and ―Accentuating the Positive: Looking and Living Beyond Your Child‘s Disability‖. For more information about this speaker or his fees and availability, contact: hilling1@cox.net or call (714) 665-9476. Building and Strengthening Father-Daughter Relationships These tips are from the Connect For Kids newsletter for May 9, 2005. In addition to academic success, strong father-daughter bonds positively influence a daughter‘s self-esteem and sense of ambition, according to research cited in this Parent Teacher‘s Association (PTA) brief: www.pta.org/parentinvolvement. An organization that offers more information about raising happy healthy girls specifically for dads is the Dads and Daughters organization. For more information, go to: www.dadsanddaughters.org.
Priority Topic: Health and Mental Health
Substance Abuse Treatment Programs: Serving Pregnant and Parenting Women A Replication Manual Substance abuse is a significant contributor to child neglect and abuse. Children whose parents abuse alcohol and other drugs are almost three times likelier to be abused and more than four times likelier to be neglected than children of parents who are not substance abusers. Florida has responded to these challenges by funding demonstration programs specifically designed for substance abusing women and their children. Safe Port of Monroe County and Drug Free Families of Pinellas County are two of these programs. They focus on equipping substance abusing women and their children with the necessary skills to overcome their substance abuse and become healthy and self-sufficient family units. This manual provides information and resources to replicate these two programs. For more information about this manual, go to: www.ounce.org/pdf/ADMReplication.pdf. Public Costs of Better Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents This is a new Data Trend from the University of South Florida. This analysis compared costs of mental health services in a system-of-care (SOC) community with traditional services in a matched community. Unlike other fiscal studies of systems-of-care costs, the authors factored mental health care expenditures incurred by other sectors of care (i.e., juvenile justice, child welfare, and special education) into their analysis. Although mental health services provided by SOC sites continue to be more expensive than traditional services, results of this study revealed that the difference in cost between SOC and traditional services may not be as great as previously thought. To read the full report, go to: http://datatrends.fmhi.usf.edu/summary_110.pdf. U.S. Spending on Mental Health: 1991 – 2001 The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a report that reviews the United States‘ spending on mental health services and substance abuse treatment from 1991 to 2001. The report addresses the following key questions: How much was spent in the United States in 2001 to provide mental health services and substance abuse treatment (MHSA) and its component parts— mental health (MH) and substance abuse (SA)? How are the expenditures for each component distributed
by payer and provider type? How has spending changed from 1991 to 2001? How do MHSA expenditures compare with those for all U.S. health care? To view the full report, go to: www.samhsa.gov/spendingestimates/toc.aspx. Surgeon General’s Tips for Mothers and Mothers-To-Be and Tips on Toddlers U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H has declared this the ―Year of the Healthy Child‖ and has become releasing a series of ―Healthy Dozen Tips‖ covering a range of issues. The two sets of tips that have been released so far are: ―Tips for Mothers and Mothers-To-Be‖ and ―Tips: Toddlers‖. To view these tip sheets, go to: http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/healthychild/. Quality of Preventive Health Care for Young Children: Strategies for Improvement This new Commonwealth Fund study says only about half of parents of young children surveyed report ever discussing their child‘s development with a pediatrician. While most parents are counseled on traditional topics like immunization and nutrition, up to one-third do not discuss with their child‘s physician such important developmental and behavioral topics as discipline and toilet training. The report provides a close look at early childhood developmental services, including assessment, education, intervention and coordination of care. It also outlines a series of recommendations to improve early childhood care, including national standards for preventive care, enhanced reimbursement for developmental services, improvements in provider training, and education to help raise parents‘ expectations. The report is available at: www.cmwf.org/publications/publications_show.htm?doc_id=275484.
Priority Topic: Parent Education
Decision Digest: A Closer Look at Key Issues New Parents Face This article was printed in the Spring/Summer 2005 edition of BabyMap, a publication of ParentMap, and was written by Natasha Petroff. The author points out that new parenthood is like no other time – it is exhilarating, intriguing, life affirming and often stressful. She goes on to give some facts regarding four important health issues: breastfeeding; cesarean section; circumcision and vaccination with an extensive list of resources so that parents can do additional research on each topic. To read the full article, go to: www.parentmap.com/bm_ss2005/ss05_4.htm. Stress Management: A Self-Care Handbook Stress is a natural part of life, but it can be overwhelming if it isn‘t handled in a healthy, productive way. That is why Channing-Bete is offering ―Stress Management: A Self-Care Handbook‖ - item number (EM92346)K. This hands on workbook combines clear, concise information with interactive exercises to help readers understand what stress is, its symptoms and its causes. It examines ways to reduce stress, and provides valuable tips on time management, lifestyle changes, relaxation techniques, diet and exercise. For a closer look or to order online, go to: http://go.channingbete.com/wa/promotion?p=1&code=G3009. Bringing Parent Education into Preschools Dr. Kerby Alvy and the staff of The Center for the Improvement of Child Caring has recently written a book entitled ―Brining Parenting Education into the Early Childhood Care and Education System‖. This pioneering book, which can be downloaded, free-of-charge from the Center, details the importance of having parenting education available, the logistical and programmatic challenges that are involved in bringing parenting education into the system, and how all of these matters were successfully addressed in a three-year project where over 20,000 parents were trained and educated. One of the first paragraphs states: ―This system could be utilized as a nationwide vehicle through which the majority of American parents can be assisted in being more effective in raising their children.‖ To download the book for free, go to: www.ciccparenting.org/pdf/Bringing_Parenting_Education_Book2003.pdf. To purchase a bound copy of the book for $24.95, go to: www.ciccparenting.org/catalogitem.asp?ci=333&cid=&c=76. New Parent-Child Activity Group The Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS) is starting a new parent-child activity group at the RAYS Family Center. The activity group is an opportunity for parents of children ages 0 – 3 years to trade stories, ask for advice, and receive support from each other while their children are exploring new social opportunities. The group‘s facilitator provides exciting, age-appropriate toys, art projects and snacks for the children and conversation topics, new information and resources for the parents. The class is offered from
10 am – 12 pm every Thursday at the RAYS Family Center, 1025 3 Ave. in Renton. Help Parents Understand Their Rights under the No Child Left Behind Act Help parents understand their rights under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act to make informed decisions for their children. Build investment and parent involvement by explaining the ways in which school accountability, teacher requirements, testing requirements, accessibility, school safety, and school choice can result in better school testing and create a better learning environment. For more information and NCLB resources, go to: www.channing-bete.com/education/title1-nochildleftbehind.html?src=em. I Am Your Child Video Series and Educational Booklets Hosted by popular celebrities and featuring well-known child development experts, the I Am Your Child video series provides practical advice to parents and caregivers on key early childhood and school readiness issues including: prenatal care; fatherhood; bonding and attachment; children with special needs; discipline and more. The DVDs and videos are produced by ParentsAction for Children and are available in English and Spanish and are only $14.95 each. Educational Booklets on these and other topics are available for $1 each. For more information or to order, go to: www.parentsaction.org/store. The Effective Black Parenting Program Raising African American children is an extremely difficult task. While all children progress through similar developmental stages, African American children and their parents face special problems emanating from our country‘s history of racism and discrimination. The Effective Black Parenting Program teaches parenting strategies that are unique to parents of African American children. It also teaches all of the parenting skills form the Confident Parenting Program, but from an African American frame of reference. For more information about this program, go to: www.ciccparenting.org/TrioNationalModel.aspx#2.
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Priority Topic Area: Evaluation
Finding Our Way: A Participatory Evaluation Method for Family Resource Programs This 200-page manual guides family resource programs through a participatory evaluation method using a six-step process. It includes extensive background information, quotations from program practitioners, a glossary, examples, sample tools, and a comprehensive annotated bibliography. Produced by the Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs and offered by Family Support America. The manual costs $26. To order, go to: http://secure.mycart.net/catalogs/catalog.asp?prodid=3569924&showprevnext=1. Evaluation Data Coordination Project (EDCP) Many of the studies supported by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) collect data on the same constructs, such as family income, family structure, employment-related activities, or child outcomes. Because the studies are developed independently, they do not necessarily use the same measures for these common constructs. Using common measures, however, could increase the government‘s return on the investment in these studies, for example, by facilitating secondary analysis across projects. EDCP was an effort to begin the process of developing common measurement questions and reporting formats for selected ACF evaluation projects. Through discussions with project staff from nine ongoing ACF-supported studies, the project developed options documents with information about a range of measures available for selected constructs. These reports are available at: www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/opre/other_resrch/eval_data/index.html. The Family Support Program Outcome Survey: A Tool for Measuring Outcomes Shared by Programs Offering Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention and Family Support Programs The need for program evaluation for both small and large Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) programs is apparent from the FRIENDS NRC work in assisting programs with their evaluation efforts. Busy program administrators need tools that are easy to apply and that provide data about participant outcomes. Findings that provide validated detail on populations served, service characteristics and service benefits are necessary for programs to demonstrate their effectiveness and to increase the likelihood of continued Federal, State, and local support. Good program data and an ‗outcomes orientation‘ will also help programs identify their own strengths and challenges and to make appropriate program improvements. Outcome measurement and evaluation are increasingly important to human service programs today because of increased demands for program accountability. This guidebook, developed by
the FRIENDS National Resource Center, is an evaluation tool that programs may be interested in using. To view, go to: www.friendsnrc.org/downloads/FSP%20Survey%20Guidebook.pdf. Family Involvement in Evaluation: Evaluator Perspectives th This article, presented at the 16 annual Research Conference Proceedings and written by Jivanjee, Schutte, et al, discusses the preliminary findings of an ongoing study being conducted by the Research and Training Center on Family Support and Children‘s Mental Health. This study focuses on the evaluators who work with family members whose children have serious emotional disorders. The purpose is to gain understanding of the challenges facing traditional professional evaluators and family evaluators working together, and to identify the most effective strategies that promote collaborative relationships on evaluation teams. The findings will inform future training for both evaluators and family evaluators in a number of potential evaluation situations, not just children‘s mental health. To read the full article, go to: www.fmhi.usf.edu/institute/pubs/pdf/cfs/rtc/16thproceedings/16thChapter02.pdf.
Special Topic Area: Teen Pregnancy/Teen Parenting
Great Beginnings with Your Baby: A Guide for Teen Parents This book is a wonderful, supportive introduction to parenting that includes encouragement to stay in school and tips on how to meet the special challenges of teen parenting. The Great Beginning series gives all new and soon-to-be-new parents the A to Z‘s of infant care. The booklet is available in Spanish and English and is easy to read with helpful information has compelling photographs with parents and babies and offers friendly advice that helps readers bond with their babies and experience the rewards of parenting. This whole series is offered by Channing-Bete. For more information, or to order, go to: http://go.channing-bete.com/wa/promotion?p=4&code=B002C. Decline in Teen Birth Rate over Past Decade Improved Child Well-Being, Avoided Increase in Child Poverty, Report Says The decline in the teen birth rate over the past 10 years has improved the overall well-being of children and helped avoid an increase in child poverty, according to a report released on Wednesday by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, the Washington Times reports. The report, titled ―What If?‖ examined state data to predict what would have happened to seven indicators if the number of teen births had not declined between 1991 and 2002 and almost 1.2 million more births had occurred. The report shows that overall child poverty would have increased 8.3%. New Research Related to Teens and Pregnancy The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy has released three new articles on research related to teens and pregnancy. One focuses on the younger siblings of teen parents and asks the question of whether they are at increased risk; one deals with the question of teen pregnancy among older teens and the third looks at new research about children born to teen mothers. The first two are new ―Science Says‖ Research Briefs from the campaign that briefly discuss these issues. The third is from the research entitled ―Playing Catch-Up: How Children Born to Teen Mothers Fare‖ by Terry-Humen, et al. from Child Trends. To read the Science Says briefs or the full Playing Catch-Up article, go to: www.teenpregnancy.org/works.
General Prevention
From Dads to Grandparents to Parents in Recovery: States’ Experiences in Supporting Diverse Populations This resource profiles the experiences of efforts in nine states to provide mutual self-help parent support groups to fathers, grandparents raising grandchildren, incarcerated parents, parents raising children with special needs, parents in recovery and rural parents. The document describes the contextual factors these groups face, and provides information on the different strategies states used to best meet the needs of families. A range of references through which to access additional information is also provided. To access the full article, go to: www.circleofparents.org/downloads/CircleofParents_Recovery.pdf. Injury Prevention Policy Fact Sheet Focuses on Child Maltreatment Child Maltreatment, Abuse and Neglect presents information for policymakers on child maltreatment in the United States, including the economic costs of child maltreatment and opportunities for prevention. The fact
sheet, one in a series on injury prevention policy produced by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, is based on information form the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Administration on Children and Families, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. The fact sheet defines child maltreatment and presents data on child deaths resulting from injuries sustained as a result of neglect and shaken baby syndrome. Information on who is at risk, long-term results of maltreatment and current funding and research initiatives are also included. To view this fact sheet, go to: www.astho.org/pubs/Childmaltreatmentfactsheet4-05.pdf. Surgeon General Richard Carmona Holds Workshop on Child Maltreatment Prevention The Surgeon General of the United State, Dr. Richard Carmona, recently hosted a two-day workshop on child maltreatment prevention. The workshop brought together practitioners, researchers and policymakers from a variety of disciplines to explore how to better define and achieve the public health approach to preventing child maltreatment. Discussants highlighted family, community and social strategies to prevention child maltreatment and analyzed the barriers and challenges faced by this field. An audio archive of the workshop is available at http://videocast.nih.gov. Additional information about the workshop is available at: www.surgeongeneral.gov/healthychild/workshop.html. Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) Hospital Based Parent Education Program Research SBS occurs when an adult violently shakes an infant, usually during a moment of rage or extreme frustration. A significant number of young children suffer from SBS each year. Many of these children die from their injuries. This study, by Dias, Smith, DeGuehery, Li, and Shaffer, entitled ―Preventing Abusive Head Trauma among Infants and Young Children: A Hospital-Based, Parent Education Program‖ was published in the April 2005 edition of ―Pediatrics‖. The study assessed the effectiveness of this type of parent ed. in reducing the incidence of SBS in upstate New York. The intervention, which was implemented by maternity-ward nurses, included giving materials to new parents on SBS, showing them a short video and asking them to sign a statement saying they understood the information. Results indicated a significant decrease in abusive head injuries among infants whose parents received the intervention, indicating that a short-term parent education program is an effective SBS prevention strategy. To read the full article, go to: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/115/4/e470.
Announcements
Child Care Resources Celebrates 15 Years! A Fun Afternoon for All Friends of CCR! th Sunday June 12 , from 1:30 to 3:30 at the Seattle Center, Child Care Resources will hold their 15 year celebratory event. There is no charge to attend this event and arts and crafts, games, kid-friendly snacks, books and toys, storytelling and a few special treats for grown-ups will all be provided. To register to attend, please visit: www.childcare.org. An Informal Evening with Gunilla Dahlberg th Monday, July 25 , from 5 pm – 9 pm, you are invited to attend an informal evening with one of the world leaders in early childhood education. Gunilla Dahlberg of Sweden is a professor at the Stockholm Institute of Education. Her topic of discussion will be: Ethics and Politics in Early Childhood Education. The event will be held at North Seattle Community College. For more information or to register, contact Bob Ford at (206) 529-6029 or email Tom Drummond at tdrummon@sccd.ctc.edu. WCPCAN Wants to Hear From YOU Do you have an announcement, training or new report that you would like to see in the Resource Update? WCPCAN is happy to publicize upcoming events, trainings or items that fit under our priority topic areas. In addition, we manage an online calendar, and if there are date specific events you would like us to share with our funded programs and others who visit our website, send all relevant information to: Kristen Rogers rogerkr@dshs.wa.gov or call her at (206) 587-5146.
Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Children's Trust Fund of Washington 318 1st Ave. S. Suite 310 Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 464-6151 wcpcan@dshs.wa.gov