the community technical assistance center of new york yvette kelly, lmhc anne kuppinger

The Community TechnicalAssistance Center of New York

MYTHS & MINDSET: A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING FAMILY ENGAGEMENTYvette Kelly, LMHC

Anne Kuppinger


The Desire to Be of ServiceProfessional helpers are generally:

Motivated by the knowledge and satisfaction of helping others in need.

Really enjoys working with people.

Takes a genuine interest in getting to know and understand others.

Leverages their personal strengths to support, encourage, and empower others.


The Desire to Be of ServiceWhen we are actively engaged in trying to be of help,

we may become bogged down in the immediate details and become less aware of ourselves and

whether we are doing our best.

It can be beneficial to occasionally take some time to remind ourselves of what we are doing and to assess

whether we are doing it well


The Desire to Be of Service

If we are to be effective helpers, we must never lose sight of our need to promote positive and sustained

client engagement.


Essential Skills, Values, & Attitudes of the Helping Professional

Capacity for Empathy Capacity for Insight Level of self-awareness in interactions with others Ability to engage in personal and professional

growth Openness and receptivity for feedback Genuine interest in understanding the perception of

others and forging honest, engaging, and supportive relationships with others

Ability to set aside judgement and remain open to possibilities


What is Engagement?Engagement is about supporting, motivating, and empowering families to recognize their own needs,

strengths, and resources and to take an active role in changing their life.

Engagement is essential in the provider-family relationship from the moment a family is considered for services until they terminate or are discharged.

“Engagement can never be taken for granted and must always be worked for”


The Importance of Engagement

Engagement

Promotes positive

changes in how

children are served

Increased focus on family’s role in

recovery

Results in greater cultural

sensitivity

Enhances service delivery

Brings Family voice to system design


When there is a match between the family’s preferences for service and service that they actually receive, families have longer involvement in service (Bannon & Mckay, 2005).

Involvement of families in their child’s treatment is related to successful outcomes (Hoagwood, 2005).

Why is Engagement so Critical?


Why is Engagement so Critical?

Ex-pectancy

15%

Relationship30%

Model15%

Client/Ex-tratherapeutic

40%

Expectancy RelationshipModel Client/Extratherapeutic

• Engagement interventions implemented during first contact with youth and families boosts service use. (McKay et al., 2004).

• Outcome research has indicated that the nature of the relationship between a counselor and client is significantly more influential that the actual intervention techniques that are used.


What can you take from this?

The ability of the provider to

engage and build a positive

relationship with a family is a key component of

improved outcomes.


Family and Youth Peer Advocates Engagement is on everyone’s job description, but partnering with a Family Peer Advocate and Youth Peer Advocate is important to your efforts to engage families and youth! Here’s how:

• Stigma is powerful – and it keeps people from seeking help. Youth and Family Peer Advocates connect through their shared lived- experience. Families and youth find that this reduces their feelings of stigma, blame and isolation.

• Youth and Family Peer Advocates help young people and families have a voice and step up to play a central role in planning their own care.


• Trust plays a big role in engagement. When a program hires or partners with family and youth peer support providers, it sends a powerful message about the program’s values and beliefs.

• Family and Youth Peer Advocates are a real asset when it comes to developing natural supports, crafting practical strategies and identifying community resources that complement clinical support and help youth and families thrive.

• Family Advocates focus on the parent(s) or caregivers’ needs – in terms of information, skills, camaraderie, and empowerment – to support them to be able to care for their child.

• Hope. Family and Youth Peer Advocates are, themselves, examples that things can and do get better!


Elements of Engagement

“Family engagement” is not a simple construct, but rather is made up of key elements that work together to ensure ongoing involvement of families and youth

as partners.

Health and wellness is best achieved when youth and families are invested and involved.


Elements of Engagement

The Force Society for Kids Mental Health 2009


Partnering with Families in Services

Why Do Families Leave?Families may come and go for different reasons. Numerous barriers to involvement exist for both providers and families. Some barriers are created by limited resources (concrete), while others originate from the beliefs, perceptions and attitudes (perceptual) of families and providers. (Liontos, 1992)



Why Do Families Leave? Concrete BarriersDistance from service providers Family’s work schedule Cost of transportation Lack of access to transportation Cost of child care and/or child care arrangements Time Cost of service (co-pays)Restrictive policies



Sometimes despite our best intentions as helping professionals, staff attitudes and misconceptions about the youth and families we serve can be a barrier to creating a “family engagement culture” where families feel “welcomed, respected, supported and heard.

Engagement can also be hindered by organizational polices and procedures, as well as the lack of appropriate training and supervision.



Why Do Families Leave? Perceptual BarriersNegative experiences with past providers

Stigma

Lack of consideration for cultural values

Lack of open communication

Misaligned – they are not working on what is important to me


ENGAGING FAMILIES IS NOT AN EASY TASK

KEEPING FAMILIES ACTIVELY ENGAGED CAN BE EVEN MORE

CHALLENGING


Where do the Challenges Lie?

What Providers have told us:

Time constraints – productivity demands

Agency protocol and paperwork

Not used to working in this way(“It’s always been done this way”)

Assumptions about the family

Perspectives of the family that may be skewed or negative

Lack of appropriate skill set

Lack of training

Organizational culture


Where do the Challenges Lie?

What Supervisors have told us:

Time constraints – administrative demands

Agency policies(“It’s always been done this way”)

Following the “shiny object”

Assumptions about the staff (knowledge, skill, competence)

Perspectives of the family that may be skewed or negative

Lack of appropriate skill set

Lack of needed training

Organizational culture

SOMETIMES WE ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF OUR BIASES.


A Case StudyWhile working in a school, a counselor was called into a conference with a teacher and one of her students to discuss a matter that was of concern. The teacher explained to the counselor that the student reported to her that last night he and his uncle got into a physical altercation leading to some noticeable but minor bruising on the student. The student confirmed the story. He also confirmed that his mother was aware of the incident. Both the teacher and counselor consulted to determine next steps and decided that they should……..


A Case StudyA. Notify Child Protective Services immediately.

B. Speak with the parent and inform her of your role as a mandated reporter and your responsibility to notify the appropriate authorities.

C. Send the youth to the nurse to document the injuries and then notify Child Protective Services.

D. Ensure that the youth has so serious injuries and send him back to class with no further follow-up.


A Case StudyD. Ensure that the youth has so serious injuries and

send him back to class with no further follow-up.

……………. his uncle was only 9.


Addressing Perceptual

Myths


Perceptual Myths

“The Apple doesn’t fall far from the Tree”

Some families have long generational histories of service provider involvement. The perception that given this history, it is unlikely that the family will be successful in making any changes.


Shift in MindsetIt means a lot for people to have someone to believe in them, so much that they can learn to believe in themselves. It means focusing less on the weaknesses or inadequacies of the family and supporting their strengths.

We don’t always know the stories of the people we work with, their history and current situation. We need to treat youth and families with great care as we don’t know how hard it was for them to walk through the door.


Perceptual Myths“Parent does not have the right ‘priorities’ when it comes to their children”

Sometimes we make judgements about families based on our value system without considering alternative perceptions.


Shift in Mindset

It is important to have an unconditional positive regard for families – they have an inherent value and worth as human beings regardless of life choices or challenges.

Parents may face enormous daily challenges, for example living well below the poverty line while trying to raise their children. It is important not to judge the choices made by parents, but help them in identifying more functional choices for their families.


Perceptual Myths

Head in the sand

“The family lacks insight into their current situation and therefore has little to offer”

When we think that families do not have anything to offer, we are less inclined to truly listen and understand their perspective.


Shift in MindsetExperts who tell parents what is best, without listening to parents and learning from them, tend to alienate parents.

Start where the parents are. They are the experts on their own life experiences and what they need from services, and providers need to be respectful of this.


“The Excuse Factor”The Family is always making excuses as to why they are

not following the plan”

Consider any areas of need that have not been addressed

or any misunderstandings between you and the family

Perceptual Myths


Shift in Mindset Incongruent beliefs of families and providers may reduce treatment compliance and success.

Beliefs about the causes of problems not only influence willingness to seek service, but also the outcomes of the services that are obtained.

If the views of the provider and the family do not align around the problems, causes, and treatment approach it will increase the likelihood that the family not find value in the service and prematurely drop out.


Perceptual Myths

“Planning for failure”

There is no way that this family is going to succeed and I’ll

prove it.

Sometimes as providers we lose sight of the bigger picture which is to empower, strengthen, and instill hope that overcoming adversity is possible.


Shift in Mindset Placing families in a position in which they are unlikely to be successful not only speaks to family- counselor misalignment, but also speaks to a deficit focused orientation vs a strengths based orientation.

If the family identified difficulty in meeting a particular goal, assist them in identifying and considering smaller steps towards meeting their goals. Also consider whether or not the plan reflects the desires and goals of the family and whether or not the plan is realistic for the situation and person.


What Families WantTo be kept fully informed

To be treated with respect

To be involved in all stages of the process


What Families WantTransparency

Genuine and even-handed

Direct, yet sensitive

Time with someone who: listens, gives feedback, information, reassurance and

advice, and is reliable


What Families WantServices which are practical, tailored to particular needs and accessible.

An approach which reinforces rather than undermines their parenting capacity.


Making the Shift

10 Keys to Shifting

your Mindset


Making the ShiftEngage in Self Awareness

Strive to be a highly self aware individual. This self awareness is a prerequisite to being able to consciously set aside our own preferences and reactions in favor or understanding and trying to take on the perspective of our families.


Making the ShiftAcknowledge & Understand the Impact of Life Experiences

Throughout your life, you have been exposed to a wide variety of circumstances and events in your family, educational, peer, romantic and socioeconomic surroundings. All of these things have contributed to the person you are today.

It is important for you have insight about how those life experiences have shaped the individual you are today and how these experiences will continue to exert influence throughout your life.


Making the ShiftSelf Monitor

Pay attention to the way people react to you and the extent to which you alter your behavior to elicit certain reactions from others. A helping professional needs a high degree of awareness of how your words and behaviors are being received.


Making the ShiftBe the inspiration of hope

It is important for a person to believe that there is some hope of getting or doing better. It is the providers job, in part, to help the family discover or develop some glimmer of hope that things that are not going well in their lives can be transformed.


Making the Shift

Be strength focused

Identify sources of strengths (internal & external) that support change, not on their limitations.

An absolute belief that every person has potential and capabilities to overcome challenges.

Be mindful that the language we use can shape reality.


Making the Shift

Appreciate and value the family’s expertise and allow them the opportunity to tell their story.

Take the time to get to know your families by engaging in genuine conversation with them

Get to know who they are and who they would like to become


Making the Shift

Find Common Ground

Set the foundation for a collaborative working relationship

Negotiate around expectations and goals

Clarify roles and responsibilities with the focus on ‘shared’ goals


Making the ShiftBe empathetic, honest and straight forward, while communicating with the family.

Refrain from being indirect when speaking with families

Respectfully share concerns

Be honest with families even when it is hard

Convey a genuine interest in helping them succeed


Making the ShiftBe persistent, creative, and think beyond traditional services

Encourage and motivate your families

Be willing to go outside the box to meet the unique needs of families

Challenge system inconsistencies

Don’t let failure overtake you

Be positively persistent


Making the Shift

Remain solution-based

View problems as challenges that can be overcome

Stay goal focused

Remember that relapse is part of the change process, not in conflict with it (plan accordingly)


The Cost of Caring

It is well known that the qualities that make helping professionals effective with families (empathy, compassion, and caring) may also contribute to an individuals’ being emotionally exhausted resulting in compassion fatigue.

The most insidious aspect of compassion fatigue is that it attacks the very core of what brought us into this work: our empathy and compassion for others and renders us ineffective in our work with others.

Professionals need to practice good self care to be at less risk for the negative effects of helping.


Questions


Contact Us!

Yvette Kelly

[email protected]

Anne Kuppinger

[email protected]

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the community technical assistance center of new york yvette kelly, lmhc anne kuppinger

Documents

engagement interventions

sustained client engagement

helping relationship

involvement of families

providerfamily relationship

service use

empowering families

helping professionalcapacity