Family Service Agency Research Articles

Social Support During Reentry: Family, Mentor, Religious, Parole Officer, and Social Service Roles

Existing research on social support and reentry primarily focuses on a single dimension of support, such as family or community support. Informed by the social support perspective, this study assessed how combined support from family, mentors, religious groups, parole officers, and social service agencies influences reentry outcomes. Given that the social support one receives during reentry is time-variant rather than static, longitudinal multilevel modeling was employed to examine how temporal changes in social support were associated with temporal changes in recidivism and drug misuse among people on parole. Results indicated that simultaneous support from family, parole officers, and social service agencies exerted protective effects on reentry outcomes. However, community-based mentoring programs had no significant effect on recidivism, and religious and social service support increased substance misuse. Policy implications derived from this research are discussed to address the intersection of various sources of social support.

Serving kinship families During COVID: Pivotal moments

Kinship caregivers, who are relatives or non-family members providing care to children when biological parents are unable to do so, comprise over 2.5 million adults in the United States. The vast majority are grandparent caregivers. The 7.8 million children in their care make up approximately 10.5 percent of all children in the United States under the age of 18 (Generations United, 2017: State of Grandfamilies). Navigating daily life is often challenging. Kinship caregivers routinely face difficulties in multiple aspects of their lives, including finances, physical health, mental health, education, employment, parenting, and family relationships. The COVID pandemic heightened existing challenges and stimulated new issues for many kinship providers and the children in their care. This poster will highlight actions taken by one Family Service agency, annually serving approximately 225 kinship families, to meet the unprecedented needs of family members and kinship program staff during COVID. A timeline of decision-related rationales, specific actions taken and results related to these actions will be presented. Data summarizing results for kinship families (n =32) related to COVID-impacted programmatic responses and changes, including level of involvement with group services, recidivism, perceived isolation, and efficacy related to their caregiving roles will be presented. Results summarizing the impact of the agency's COVID-related responses on kinship staff (n = 6) will also be presented, including data on staff members' level of stress, perceived support, perceptions of programmatic effectiveness, and prioritized importance of changes will also be shared.

Feasibility of training service providers on the AMBIANCE-Brief measure for use in community settings.

The Atypical Maternal Behavior Instrument for Assessment and Classification-Brief (AMBIANCE-Brief) was developed to provide a clinically useful and psychometrically sound assessment of disrupted parenting behavior for community practitioners. With prior evidence of this tool's reliability and validity in laboratory settings, this study aimed to determine whether providers from family service agencies could become reliable in the use of the level of disrupted communication following a brief training. Providers (N=46) from three agency sites participated in a 2-day AMBIANCE-Brief training and, at the end of the training, coded eight videotaped mother-child interactions. Novice participant coding was compared to expert consensus ratings using intraclass correlations. On average, participants' interrater agreement was good (ICCmean =.84, SD= 0.10), with 89% meeting the reliability standards of ICC≥.70. In response to queries, 100% of participants indicated that they would recommend the AMBIANCE-Brief training to their colleagues, 85% reported that the AMBIANCE-Brief measure would be useful or very useful for their clinical practice, and 56% of participant clinicians believed that parents would find the measure acceptable or very acceptable for integration into intervention or support planning. Altogether, these findings speak to the feasibility of using the AMBIANCE-Brief in community settings. Future studies are needed in diverse clinical and community contexts to evaluate whether use of this assessment tool can inform more targeted interventions tailored to the specific needs of families.

Home visiting: A lifeline for families during the COVID-19 pandemic

Home visiting: A lifeline for families during the COVID-19 pandemic

Community Coalition Kick-Off Events: Lessons Learned on the Launchpad

Research has found that collaboration is important for family service agencies, and community coalition building is a common form of collaboration. Guided by Community Coalition Action Theory, this article analyzes a community coalition convening around health and housing in a resource-challenged, large Midwestern metropolitan area. Implications for practice are discussed, describing initial lessons learned from the coalition kick-off event for community coalition convening. Using theory to anticipate coalition challenges and barriers, looking beyond simple meeting agenda objectives to identify specific coalition tactics, and asking hard questions about coalition capacity at kick-off are ways to strengthen health and housing interventions within family-based services.

A Commentary Against Aboriginal to non-Aboriginal Adoption

This article focuses on the author’s experience and observations respecting the appropriateness of adopting Aboriginal children into non-Aboriginal settings, and its impact on children, youth and parents receiving services from an Aboriginal child and family services agency in Toronto.

Same Country; Same Lands; 78 Countries Away

As the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (2003) noted, Aboriginal children face more discrimination and increased risk factors than other Canadian children. Their lived experiences are shaped by the policies of assimilation and colonization that aimed to eliminate Aboriginal cultures through repression of fundamental freedoms, denial of ownership and the operation of residential schools (RCAP, 1996; Milloy, 1999). First Nations child and family service agencies have expressed concern about the lack of resources available to support families in redressing the significant impacts of colonization. The voluntary sector provides a myriad of important social supports to Canadians off reserve and this research project sought to determine how accessible voluntary sector resources were for First Nations children, youth and families resident on reserve in British Columbia. Results of a provincial survey of First Nations child and family service agencies and child, youth and family voluntary sector organizations indicate very limited access to voluntary sector services. Possible rationales for this social exclusion are examined and recommendations for improvement are discussed.

Appyling Maslow's Hierarchy Theory

This paper evolved from the outcome of a feedback meeting held between the principle researchers of Cycle II of the Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and a number of representatives of the First Nations Child and Family Service Agencies (FNCFS Agencies) which participated in Cycle II of the CIS (CIS-2003) and numerous Research Assistants tasked with collecting information from the FNCFS Agencies. The authors present a profile of the historical and contemporary experience of Aboriginal children and families who come into contact with the child welfare system and include a discussion on some of the findings from two analyses that have been conducted on the data from the 1998 Canadian Incident Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect (CIS-1998). An overview of the challenges as well as the positive aspects of the study from the perspectives of the FNCFS Agencies and the Research Assistances is included along with an examination as to why research may not figure prominently among the service priorities of FNCFS Agencies. The strengths of challenges of participating in CIS-2003 provide rich insight into the perspectives of the Research Assistants and FNCFS Agencies who participated in this national study. The paper concludes with recommendations by the FNCFS Agencies and the Research Assistants on how to improve the data collection process with FNCFS Agencies for future Cycles of the Canadian Incident Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect.

Meenoostahtan Minisiwin: First Nations Family Justice "Pathways to Peace"

Community justice initiatives are now common in Canada, both for young offenders and in adult criminal cases; there are only a few examples of alternative methods for dealing with justice issues in the area of mandated child welfare services. The initiative outlined in this paper represents one of the most comprehensive family justice initiatives in First Nations Child and Family Services in Canada. Meenoostahtan Minisiwin: First Nations Family Justice offers a new way of addressing conflict in child and family matters, outside of the regular Child and Family Services (CFS) and court systems. It incorporates the traditional peacemaking role that has existed for centuries in Northern Manitoba Cree communities, alongside contemporary family mediation. The program brings together family, extended family, community members, Elders, social workers and community service providers in the resolution of child protection concerns through the use of properly trained Okweskimowewak (family mediators). The Okweskimowewak’s role involves assisting participants to articulate their personal ‘truth’ (dabwe) and to hear and respect the dabwe of others; to create a safe and nurturing context by addressing inherent power imbalances; to explore the root causes of family conflict in order to address the long term best interests of children; and to facilitate innovative and collaborative planning outcomes for families. The program was developed by the Awasis Agency of Northern Manitoba, a mandated First Nations Child and Family Services agency, although it receives its services mandate from the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) Exectuive. It is jointly funded by the Aboriginal Justice Strategy of Justice Canada and the Manitoba Department of Family Services and Housing. Overall direction for the program is provided by the First Nations Family Justice Committee, a sub-committee of the MKO Exectuive Director of Awasis Agency, and representative chiefs of the MKO region. The program currently employs a Program Coordinator, two full time regional Okweskimowewak, two full time community-based Okweskimowewak and an administrative assistant. Since its inception in 1999, the program has received referrals involving more than seven hundred families, including well over 1900 children and 1500 volunteer participants. Services have been provided in seventeen First Nation communities in Northern Manitoba as well as in Thompson, Winnipeg, The Pas, and Gillam. The Meenoostahtan Minisiwin program responds to all aspects of mandated child welfare, as well as other situations where the best interests of children are in jeopardy. These have included mediating care placement arrangements; child-parent conflicts; family-agency or family-agency-system conflicts; assisting in the development of service plans in neglect and abuse cases; advocating on behalf of families attempting to access services; family violence; larger community-wide conflicts; and working to address systemic problems which impact the lives of First Nations children and families. We believe that by establishing processes which focus on restoring balance and harmony within families and communities, we are working towards an overall increase in the health and wellness of community members. And you who would understand justice,
 How shall you, unless you
 Look upon all deeds In the fullness of light?
 Only then shall you know that the erect
 And the fallen are but one
 man standing in
 The twilight between the
 Night of his pigmy-self
 And the day of his god-self.
 K. Gibran

Aboriginal Family Services Agencies in High Poverty Urban Neighborhoods: Challenges Experienced by Local Staff

The purpose of the study was to describe the challenges of working in the community from the perspective of staff hired locally by culturally-based Aboriginal organizations in high-poverty urban neighborhoods. Locally staffed and culturally based Aboriginal family service agencies operating communities with high levels of poverty have emerged in large cities. Efforts of these agencies are consistent with community economic development practice aiming to improve local quality of life and skill development and promote economic capacity. There has been little research to date exploring the challenges faced by staff working in these organizations. Participants were residents of the local geographic community and staff of one of three Aboriginal family services agencies in a large Canadian city. They were asked “What are the challenges of working in your own community?” and their responses were analyzed using concept mapping methodology. Twelve concepts emerged from the analysis including: lack of privacy, being personally affected outside of work, keeping healthy boundaries, and knowing how to help. In addition participants described the high local need and meeting the range of needs given limited funding and influence of government on operations. As well, participants identified dealing with broader structural issues, such as substance abuse and gang problems. The results indicate that staff in Aboriginal family services agencies in high poverty communities experience living in the same community as service recipients, management of personal relationships with them, diversity of need within their service area, as well as potential for traumatic experiences as particularly challenging. Staff preparation, training and support for these issues are important for funders and administrators to attend to.

CULTURAL MOTIVATION TO VOLUNTEER AMONG OLDER JEWISH ADULTS: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

The physical, mental, and social benefits for older adults who volunteer are well-documented. Absent from this area of research however, is an understanding of volunteer motivation and experiences among culturally diverse older adults. This study addresses this research gap by exploring the volunteer pathways, motivations, and experiences of Jewish older adults in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Jewish community is notable for possessing high levels of social capital, indicated by close community ties and the large number of faith and culturally based organizations, including community centres, day schools, seniors’ centres, and family service agencies, which provide many opportunities for older adults to volunteer. Despite this, they remain an understudied population. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with twenty-one older adult volunteers (age 55+), and two paid volunteer staff in the Jewish community. Theoretical concepts including social capital, generativity, and the life course perspective on aging were used to guide interview questions. Data analysis revealed three themes related to cultural motivation to volunteer: 1.) A desire to support the current and future generations of the Jewish community, 2.) To satisfy the “Jewish ethic” of giving back, and 3.) Experiences of discrimination (anti-Semitism) over the life course. Participants frequently volunteered for organizations that supported the infrastructure of the Jewish community. Findings indicate how cultural experiences and values may influence the decision to volunteer and the types of volunteer roles taken on by older adults. Further, they suggest the ways in which cultural and religious generativity may be expressed through volunteerism, a previously unexplored concept.

Formative Evaluation to Build an Online Parenting Skills and Youth Drug Prevention Program: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundFamily-based drug prevention programs that use group-based formats with trained facilitators, such as the Strengthening Families Program (SFP), are effective in preventing underage drinking and youth drug use. However, these programs are resource-intensive and have high costs and logistical demands. Tailoring them for Web-based delivery is more cost-effective and makes it easier to scale these programs for widespread dissemination. This requires the active involvement of all key stakeholders to determine content and delivery format.ObjectiveThe aim was to obtain consumer, agency stakeholder, and expert input into the design of a Web-based parenting skills training and youth drug prevention program.MethodsWe conducted 10 focus groups with 85 adults (range 4-10, average 8 per group), 20 stakeholder interviews with family services agency staff, and discussed critical design considerations with 10 prevention scientists and e-learning experts to determine the optimal program content and technology features for SFP Online. Focus group participants also answered survey questions on perceived barriers to use, desired navigational features, preferred course format, desired content, preferred reward structures, course length, interactive components, computer efficacy, and technology use. Descriptive statistics were used to examine consumer characteristics; linear regression was used to examine relations between SFP exposure and four continuous outcome measures, including desired program content, interactive technology, and concerns that may inhibit future use of SFP Online. Logistic regression was used as a binary measure of whether consumers desired fun games in the SFP Online program.ResultsThree broad thematic categories emerged from the qualitative interviews enumerating the importance of (1) lesson content, (2) logistics for program delivery, and (3) multimedia interactivity. Among the many significant relations, parents who viewed more SFP lessons reported more reasons to use an online program (beta=1.48, P=.03) and also wanted more interactivity (6 lessons: beta=3.72, P=.01; >6 lessons: beta=2.39, P=.01), parents with less interest in a mixed delivery format (class and online) reported fewer reasons to use the online program (beta=−3.93, P=.01), comfort using computers was negatively associated with concerns about the program (beta=−1.83, P=.01), having mobile phone access was related to fewer concerns about online programs (beta=−1.63, P=.02), willingness to view an online program using a mobile phone was positively associated with wanting more online components (beta=1.95, P=.02), and parents who wanted fun games wanted more interactivity (beta=2.28, P=.01).ConclusionsFormative evaluation based on user-centered approaches can provide rich information that fuels development of an online program. The user-centered strategies in this study lay the foundation for improving SFP Online and provide a means to accommodate user interests and ensure the product serves as an effective prevention tool that is attractive to consumers, engaging, and can overcome some of the barriers to recruitment and retention that have previously affected program outcomes in family-based prevention.

Construction of a Diversified Integrated Platform Based on Home Care Services

Facing the increasingly serious problem of an aging population and pension mode, the government put forward the main forms of family endowment in the process of practice how to work more effectively and efficiently, this paper proposed a multivariate comprehensive platform, uniting old man, society, family and government and service agencies, etc., to make the parties meet the needs of the old man to occupy the endowment service in a timely manner.

Convergent and Concurrent Validity of the Lithuanian Version of the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 Teacher Rating Scale

Abstract Given the increasing international calls for more strength-based assessment, there is a need for European schools, mental health programs and family service agencies to identify psychometrically sound instruments in their native languages. The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent and concurrent validity for [?] the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale-2 Teacher Rating Scale (BERS-2; Epstein, 2004) as translated into Lithuanian by comparing it with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ; Goodman, 1997) and the Emotional and Behavioral Screener (EBS; Cullinan & Epstein, 2013). The results showed moderate to large correlations across all of the instruments, which would suggest that the Lithuanian version of the BERS-2 Teacher Rating Scale may be an appropriate strength-based assessment for use in Lithuania.

Tactics for successful organizational change in a youth and family services agency

There is a vast body of literature on organizational change, but much of it includes only case studies or surveys with a limited number of variables. Organizational change tactics, key aspects of planned change, are not often studied. One purpose of this study was to add to this literature by assessing the use of a questionnaire regarding the use of organizational change tactics as seen by staff who had experienced an organizational change initiative. This study is particularly notable in that it uses perceptions of staff in assessing the success of the change intervention. A second purpose was to learn about specific tactics which were associated with the success of change processes in a youth and family service agency. Findings showed that eighteen of the tactics were observed and seen as helpful in goal accomplishment. These findings can help change leaders choose appropriate change tactics. This method, including a survey of all levels of staff regarding generic change tactics, an interview with an executive, and a focus group, shows promise for further study.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of single-session walk-in counselling

Background: An increasing number of family service agencies and community-based mental health service providers are implementing a single-session walk-in counselling (SSWIC) as an alternative to traditional counselling. However, few economic evaluations have been undertaken.Aims: To conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of two models of service delivery, SSWIC compared to being waitlisted for traditional counselling.Methods: A quasi-experimental design was employed. Data were collected from two community-based Family Service Agencies, one using SSWIC and one using traditional counselling. Participants were assessed at baseline and four weeks after the baseline. Cost-effectiveness was estimated from the societal and payer’s perspective.Results: The societal and payer’s costs for SSWIC were higher than for those waiting for traditional counselling, and health outcomes were better. SSWIC is not cost-effective compared to being on the waitlist for traditional counselling (or, for a few patients, having received counselling, but after a wait of several weeks).Conclusions: SSWIC has the potential to reduce the pressure on the mental health care system by reducing emergency visits and wait lists for ongoing mental health services and eliminating costly-no shows at counselling appointments. Long-term studies involving multiple walk-in counselling services and comparison services are needed to support the findings of this study.

Parental responses to youths' reports of teen dating violence: Recommendations from parents and youth

Parental responses to teen dating violence (TDV) can influence children's behaviors. This qualitative study presents findings from focus groups analyzing parental responses to TDV. Thirty-one parents and 55 teens, recruited from local family service agencies located in southwestern part of the country, participated in separate focus groups that presented dating violence scenarios. Focus group results indicated that parents and teens both urge communication that included parents asking questions, educating the teen, sharing their personal experiences, and giving teens advice. Parental and teens' comments also focused on the importance of protecting teens, providing support for teens, refraining from overreacting and offering counseling services. Parents, more than teens, stressed the importance of educating teens; teens, more than parents, stressed the importance of parents supporting and providing comfort to teens while refraining from overreacting and yelling. Implications for programming with parents and future research are included.

The Role of Research in the Family Service Agency: Reflections Some 30 Years Later

“The role of research in the Family Service Agency” is a topic that encompasses a variety of seemingly paradoxical, if not contraindicative, issues: social science research versus social work research, the researcher versus the practitioner, practice versus policy, academic research versus agency-based research, the generation of knowledge versus the application of research findings, and empirical research versus theoretical research. The issues exist in part because of the historical influences that shaped the development of the social sciences and the profession of social work and in part because of the differences in the size, structure, function, and resources of an agency. They are also due to differences in the nature, purpose, methodology, and design of research as well as to differences in the affinity of administrators and practitioners for the findings of research activities. (Caputo, 1985, p. 205)

Daño a niños y sus familias por el consumo de alcohol: resultados de una encuesta poblacional

IntroductionAlcohol is widely used among young families, and leisure time is frequently family time. Heavy alcohol consumption can adversely affect children. The objective of this work is to measure the harm to others in Chile. Subjects and methodThis descriptive and probabilistic study forms part of a collaborative research funded by Thai Health and WHO. The survey was adapted by co-researchers and applied to a nationally representative sample of 1500 Chileans over 18years of age. ResultsA total of 408 respondents (27.2%) lived with children at home. Of this total, 10.5% felt that the use of alcohol by any member of the family had adversely affected a child. The most common adverse effects were verbal violence (29.7%), domestic violence (23.1%), unsupervised homes (18.7%), lack of money to provide basic needs of the child (14.3%), and physical violence (7.7%). Furthermore, in 6.6% of the cases child or family services agencies became involved. In almost half of the cases (46.3%), the drinker was the father, mother or step-parents. This was followed by other relatives (24.4%) and brothers (4.9%), or guardian of the child (2.4%). ConclusionThese data support the clinical observation that alcohol is common in Chilean homes. Its consumption not only damages the physical and mental health of the drinker but also those around him. Verbal violence and witnessing serious physical violence are frequent issues, as well as economic problems that end up with the inability to provide the child with its basic needs.

Doulas’ Perceptions on Single Mothers’ Risk and Protective Factors, and Aspirations Relative to Child - Birth

This study the author aims to explore the perceptions of doulas on single mothers’ risk and protective factors, and aspirations relative to child - birth in the postpartum care. The current study was conducted by semi - structured questions, case file reviews, field notes, and twelve home visits via utilizing Grounded Theory. These mothers receive social services through a family services agency in Pittsburg h, PA. There were three doulas and three single mothers in the sample group. Findings displayed four themes: (a ) doula program is helpful for single mothers relative to child - birth, ( b ) social exclusion is a risk factor in single mothers lives relative to leading to single motherhood; (c ) support system is a protective factor in single mothers ’ lives relative to child - birth; and (d ) pursuing education and applying for jobs are the aspirations of single mothers relative to child - birth.