Two commentaries from the report, Military and Veteran Families and Children: Policies and Programs for Health Maintenance and Positive Development, deepen the discussion about how best to support military and veteran children and families. In the first commentary, Michelle Sherman, who has spent many years working in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) system, describes innovative efforts of VHA programs to partner with community organizations to better support children and families. She also calls for VHAs to expand their focus to support veterans and their families. (Author abstract…
This report presents the results of a study that identified areas of Oregon in which greater investments in effective prevention services may be particularly beneficial. For the study, Portland State University’s Center for the Improvement of Child and Family Services (PSU) conducted a county-level assessment of rates of child abuse and neglect, risk factors for maltreatment, and level of implementation of 12 maltreatment prevention programs that had been highlighted in CTFO’s 2013 report “Preserving Childhood: Oregon’s Leading Efforts to Prevent Child Abuse and Strengthen Families”.…
This report discusses the challenges faced by low-income families and highlights the two-generation approach that aims to create opportunities for families by simultaneously equipping parents and kids with the tools they need to thrive while removing the obstacles in their way. The three components of the two-generation strategy are explained and include: provide parents with multiple pathways to get family-supporting jobs and achieve financial stability; ensure access to high-quality early childhood education and enriching elementary school experiences; and equip parents to better support…
This fact sheet explains close to 2.7 million children have a parent in prison or jail, describes the increased risked faced by children of incarcerated parents, and highlights efforts by Reentry Council agencies to ensure children of incarcerated parents are not negatively impacted. Accomplishments of Reentry Council agencies are listed and include the development of materials for children about having an incarcerated parent and tips for caregivers on talking to children about incarceration, the establishment of an online consolidation of the federal resources available to support children…
Report, Other
This report considers the role of family participation in government entities such as boards, advisory committees, and task forces that make policy and implementation decisions regarding services for California's 1.4 million children and youth with special health care needs (CSHCN). Information was gathered through interviews with parents, advocates, and administrators, a review of literature regarding family participation, and preliminary research regarding family participation on more than 60 California State- and county-level government policy entities that have role sin programs that…
Report, Other
During 2013, the Ohio Intimate Partner Violence Collaborative (OIPVC) enabled local child protective services (CPS) agencies in 13 Ohio counties to participate in the Safe and Together training program. The training aims to improve the ability of CPS agencies to work effectively with families that are experiencing domestic violence through skill building and values clarification. The training sought to provide participants with information and practice skills such as screening, assessment, documentation, interviewing, partnering and engaging. Intensive training was provided to CPS staff;…
Other
Individuals require many skills to be college and career ready, including academic knowledge, technical expertise, and a set of general, cross-cutting abilities called employability skills.Employability skills are general skills that are necessary for success in the labor market at all employment levels and in all sectors. These skills have a number of names--soft skills, workforce readiness skills, career readiness skills--but they all speak to the same set of core skills that employers want.The Employability Skills Framework is a one-stop resource for information and tools to inform the…
This paper provides background information on the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), explains the basic requirements of ICWA, provides an overview of tribal child welfare and court systems, discusses disproportionality and its relationship to trends in ICWA compliance, highlights promising practices in State policy and practice that support ICWA, and underscores the necessity of working with tribal advocates on State child welfare policy change. Key ICWA requirements are summarized, as well as recommended practices that address State law, intergovernmental agreements, tribal-state forums,…
