FINDING “HOPE” USING STRENGTH BASED STRATEGIES

John Mayo MA, LMHCSuccess 4 Kids and Families

Tampa, Florida

Mission

Success 4 Kids and Families embraces system of care values and principles to provide children and their families with a comprehensive array of services. This value system means that a strength-based, culturally competent and family driven approach is used when working with children and their families.

Success 4 Kids and Families (S4KF) 2

3

Systems of Care Are:

1. Family Driven and youth guided, with the strengths and needs of the child and family determining the types and mix of services and supports provided.

2. Community based, with the locus of services as well as system management resting within a supportive, adaptive infrastructure, processes, and relationships at the community level.

3. Culturally and linguistically competent, with agencies, programs, and services that reflect the cultural, racial, ethnic and linguistic differences of the populations they serve to facilitate access to and utilization of appropriate services and supports and to eliminate disparities in care.

4

System of Care Practice Review (SOCPR)

The SOCPR was designed to provide a tool for assessing whether systems of care values and principles are implemented at the level of practice where children and their families have direct contact with service providers. It also provides a measure of how well the overall service delivery system is meeting the needs of children with serious and complex emotional/behavioral issues and their families.

Theory of change logic models. (2009). Retrieved from http://logicmodel.fmhi.usf.edu/SOCPR.html

5

SOCPR

Anecdotal issues benefits of training and supervision:

SOCPR challenges staff to evaluate their practice in relation to SOC values

from training to direct work in the field

supervision based on values

quality improvement at the agency, program, and individual level

Exposes families and youth to SOC values

Allows for a different type of reflection as to their satisfaction with services

6

SOCPR

SummaryS4KF has implemented the SOCPR as a Quality assurance tool for six years

Benefits are seen in supervision, funding, improvements in training, and staff competence

SOCPR will continue to be a centerpiece of Quality assurance

7

SOCPR

Quotes from interviews are valuable

Be prepared to have feedback for improvement no SOCPR has ever been perfect

Present data and results using SOC values; strengths, needs, recommendation for proactive change

8

S4KF SOCPR Score Comparisons between FY2010-2011 and FY2011-2012

2010 - 2011 2011 - 2012 Change Mean (SD) Mean (SD)

Overall Score 5.82 (0.34) 6.00 (0.36) .18 Domain I: Child-Centered Family-Focused 5.93 (0.49) 6.01 (0.36) .08 Domain II: Community-Based 6.27 (0.39) 6.37 (0.48) .10 Domain III: Culturally Competent 5.41 (0.51) 5.78 (0.22) .37 Domain IV: Impact 5.68 (0.67) 6.08 (0.25) .40

9

S4KF SOCPR Mean Scores FY2008-2009 through FY2011-2012

 

FY2008-2009 FY2009-2010 FY2010-2011 FY2011-2012

Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD Mean SD

Overall Domain Scores: All Cases 5.61 0.79 5.68 0.82 5.82 0.34 6.00 0.36

Domain 1: Child-Centered, Family- Focused 5.96 0.72 5.98 0.88 5.93 0.49 6.01 0.36

Domain 2: Community-Based 5.71 1.23 6.26 0.61 6.27 0.39 6.37 0.48

Domain 3: Culturally Competent 5.04 1.07 5.07 1.26 5.41 0.51 5.79 0.22

Domain 4: Impact 5.72 0.64 5.43 1.27 5.68 0.67 6.08 0.25

10

PRIOR RESEARCH original seven strength categories

11

Observation of 118 family team meetings

SOCPR data of 65 family teams assessing fidelity to SOC values

Field notes(Davis, Mayo, Sikand, Kobres and Dollard, 2007)

Current research ten strength strategies

12

Ten family team meetings observed and transcribed

Examined transcripts for strengths disclosure.

Identified new categories

Conducted line-by-line coding of strengths disclosure

Conducted a “peer debriefing” finalizing the types of strengths strategies.

13

14

Strength-Based Process15

“The Wraparound Process begins with respect for a family’s strengths, culture and choices.”

Strengths, culture, family talents and preferences are the resources that family’s rely upon to meet their needs in their daily lives and within crisis situations as well.

Callejas and Mayo (2008) Raices/Promotoras Model

Strength Based Assessment

• “People practicing a strengths-based philosophy don’t ignore problems; they assess the needs behind problems and focus on strengths as pathways to solutions.”

(Davis, Mayo, Sikand, Kobres and Dollard, 2007)

16

Facilitating a Child’s Mental Heath and Well-Being

17

“The most natural way to facilitate a child’s mental health and well-being is to identify the strengths and resources of a child, family, school and community so that these strengths and resources can be coordinated to support the child’s metal health and well-being.”

How to Identify and Coordinate Strengths and Resources

18

Ask - Who are the people and what are the things that make it possible for you or your child:To experience satisfaction and

happinessTo learnTo accomplish tasksTo be connected to other people

19

Definition of Strength20

“A gift, talent or special quality that enhances a child and a child’s impact on his or her family, friendships, school and community.”

21

Definition of a Resource22

“Something that can be used for support or help.”

Eleven Key Types of Strengths23

Trait Strengths - Skills, or things in which the child or family (or

team members) excel in (past or present)

Behavior Strengths - Specific behavioral examples of strengths

(past) example: install a bathtub, do well on an assignment

Resiliency Strengths - The ability to survive in the face of chronic

stressful situations, having a sense of humor, strong spiritual or religious faith

(Davis, Mayo, Piecora, and Wimberley, 2013)

Strengths Continued…24

Possibility Strengths - Goals or dreams set in the future toward which the

family and team are working

Resource Strengths - Financial, time, and knowledge resources available

to help the family and team

Borrowed Strengths - Strengths taken from an exemplary other person or

by the strengths of the intervention or treatment itself

(Davis, Mayo, Piecora and Wimberley, 2013)

Strengths Continued…25

Past Strengths - Strengths in the family’s past (ex: history of

overcoming disability, homelessness and crises)

Hidden Strengths - Strengths that are manifested, on the

surface, through undesirable behaviors or the strengths you are not aware of

(Davis, Mayo, Piecora and Wimberley, 2013)

Strengths Continued…26

Environmental Strengths - Positive things in the environment (ex:

family has a home with a mother and father at home)

Feeling, Attitude or Value Strengths - Attitudes or beliefs that are helpful for a

family or team member to have (ex: desire to keep family intact is a value strength)

(Davis, Mayo, Piecora and Wimberley, 2013)

Strengths Continued…27

Interest Strengths - Things a child or family is interested in

doing that would move them in a positive direction (ex: interest in crafts)

(Davis, Mayo, Piecora and Wimberley, 2013)

Eleven Types of Strengths28

• Trait• Behavior• Resiliency• Possibility• Resource• Borrowed

• Past• Hidden• Environmental• Feeling, Attitude or Value• Interest

29

Strengths Exercise - Identify your own Strengths Picture Exercise

30

Individual Strengths31

Might include:OptimismCuriosityCreativityCompassionEnergyDiligenceAthletic TalentOthers

Individual Resources32

Might include:A video collectionA pet snakeA part-time jobOthers

33

Family Resources34

Might include:An apartment that meets all safety

codesA carA large extended family who can

babysitOthers

School Strengths35

Might include:Teachers who spend time getting to

know each childA philosophy of actively involving

parents in teaching their childrenOthers

36

School Resources37

Might include:A well stocked librarySafe, well lit, clean school groundsBilingual education classesA school counselor who helps anxious

children learn relaxation strategiesOthers

Community Strengths38

Might include:Neighborhood prideLots of natural, outdoor play spaceA warm climate

Community Resource39

Might include:A free public libraryA strong transportation systemA nearby community mental health

centerOthers

What is the Family Support Plan?40

Participant, or family, centered; created and written in partnership with the Wrap Facilitator

A planning process/road map for interaction with the participant and family

A guide of services provided by the Wrap Facilitator and Team

A document that shows how identified concerns, priorities and resources are being addressed

What makes the Family Support Plan Essential ?

41

• Increases families’ use of strengths, supports and referrals to decrease risk factors and improve outcomes for their health and well-being

• Aids in problem-solving skills, increasing the chance of success

• Models the importance of planning which is characteristic of a healthy family

What makes the Family Support Plan Essential ?

42

Provides a record of success, which is a characteristic of a healthy family

Teaches families to set goals and achieve them

Guides the Wrap Facilitator and Team in working on areas that the family is willing to work on

A Successful Family Support Plan Focuses On:

43

Enabling and empowering families

Helping families acquire a sense of control

Strengthening families and their natural supports

Helping families acquire competencies

Giving hope to the family and to the team

Family Team

A team chosen by the family to create a Family Support Plan. The family may invite informal supports such as friends, relatives or religious leaders. They also choose which formal supports they want at the meeting. Formal supports include the case manager, school personnel, mental health professionals, mentors etc…

44

45