Erwin McEwen, Director The Future of IL DCFS: Supporting & Strengthening Families Erwin McEwen, Director IDCFS Director, Erwin McEwen Strengthening Families Illinois Leadership Team

Erwin McEwen, Director

Leading Change Establish a sense of urgency Establish a sense of urgency Form a powerful guiding coalition Form a powerful guiding coalition Create a vision Create a vision Communicate the vision Communicate the vision Empower others to act on the vision Empower others to act on the vision Plan for and create short-term wins Plan for and create short-term wins Consolidate improvements Consolidate improvements Institutionalize new approaches Institutionalize new approaches Kotter, Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail Harvard Business Review on The Tests of a Leader (2007)

Erwin McEwen, Director Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) 2009

Erwin McEwen, Director Violence Trauma Home Community Short-term Impacts Children 0-5 Brain development Youth 6-18 Behavior School performance Families Decrease in Protective Factors Outcomes Individuals Physical and mental health problems Homelessness Incarceration Poverty Society Community safety Health and well- being Productivity

Erwin McEwen, Director System Integration in Illinois Strengthening Families Illinois established in 2006 with the overarching framework to build: Strengthening Families Illinois established in 2006 with the overarching framework to build: 1. Parental Resilience 2. Social Connections 3. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development 4. Concrete Support in Times of Need 5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children 6. Healthy Parent-Child Relationships Trauma Informed Practice Program infused throughout rules, assessments, services plans and case work practice Trauma Informed Practice Program infused throughout rules, assessments, services plans and case work practice

Erwin McEwen, Director Child Welfare Innovation in Illinois: A Coordinated Effort to Address Trauma

Erwin McEwen, Director Building Protective Factors Supports Quality Practice and Helps Children Heal

Mentors are most effective in helping to change thinking if they give specific, concrete advice on how to change, not merely lectures about straightening up. It helps when those mentors have walked down the same road. ~ James Garbarino, Ph.D.

Erwin McEwen, Director If Parents … Permit violence in the home Use illegal drugs or abuse alcohol with their children Sleep with people who are not their spouse within the home Do not fight the good fight against poverty Do not model and provide moral instruction and spiritual guidance Have children with someone they have known for less than a year Protective Factors Decrease Juvenile detention / jail Gangs / on the street The child welfare system Kids End Up In:

Erwin McEwen, Director Foundation of Strengthening Families Choices & Actions of Adult Family Members (Parents) Well-Being of Children & Youth Health & Safety of Community SFI: Initiative /activities Partners Collaborative efforts

Erwin McEwen, Director IL DCFS FY Continue training and workforce developmentContinue training and workforce development Differential ResponseDifferential Response Collaborate with Schools (beginning with CPS)Collaborate with Schools (beginning with CPS) Develop Family Advocacy CentersDevelop Family Advocacy Centers Early Learning and Family Strengthening (ELFS) internal work groupEarly Learning and Family Strengthening (ELFS) internal work group Expand Strengthening FamiliesExpand Strengthening Families

Erwin McEwen, Director Differential Response Differential Response Alternative pathway to investigation -- family assessmentAlternative pathway to investigation -- family assessment Targeting low-risk familiesTargeting low-risk families Evidence-based practices embeddedEvidence-based practices embedded home visitinghome visiting recovery coachrecovery coach protective factorsprotective factors

Erwin McEwen, Director In Illinois, very few families receive services following an investigation, even if maltreatment is substantiated Children with IndicatedMaltreatmentIllinois20.2%Nationally62% UnsubstantiatedMaltreatmentIllinois6.4%Nationally31.2%

Erwin McEwen, Director Preliminary 2009 CFSR Findings and Trends Outcomes/Items – % Substantially Achieved Trend Safety 1: Children protected from abuse/neglect Item 2: Repeat maltreatment 91%93%86%82%DownDown Permanency 2: Continuity of family relationships Item 14: Preserving connections Item 16: Relationship of child in care with parents 76%92%77%55%73%39%DownDownDown Well-Being 1: Families have enhanced capacity Item 18: Family involvement in case plan Item 20: Caseworker visits with parents 52%57%55%45%47%44%DownDownDown

Erwin McEwen, Director Legislation Supporting Differential Response Enacted Illinois enacted the Differential Response Program Act (Public Act ) into law on August 25, 2009Illinois enacted the Differential Response Program Act (Public Act ) into law on August 25, 2009 The Act gives the Department the authority to proceed with a 5 year demonstration project effective January 1, 2010The Act gives the Department the authority to proceed with a 5 year demonstration project effective January 1, 2010 National Quality Improvement Center GranteeNational Quality Improvement Center Grantee

Erwin McEwen, Director IL DCFS Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families

Erwin McEwen, Director Families Meeting Criteria for Differential Response

Erwin McEwen, Director 50 Cases Per Square Mile

Erwin McEwen, Director DCFS Collaboration with Schools and Education Short term – ameliorate the effects of community violence on children and families to: Short term – ameliorate the effects of community violence on children and families to: Improve school performance Improve school performance Decrease rates of school misconduct Decrease rates of school misconduct Decrease child welfare system involvement Decrease child welfare system involvement Long term - build safer communities and healthy families Long term - build safer communities and healthy families

Erwin McEwen, Director Community / Youth Violence and Child Welfare Cases Per Mile

Erwin McEwen, Director DCFS Offers Schools: Statewide Provider DatabaseStatewide Provider Database Parent Cafes–elementary and high schoolsParent Cafes–elementary and high schools Psychological First AidPsychological First Aid

Erwin McEwen, Director Family Advocacy Centers Bloomington: Family Community Resource CenterBloomington: Family Community Resource Center Champaign: Family Advocacy in Champaign CountyChampaign: Family Advocacy in Champaign County Chicago:Chicago: Back of the Yards – Casa Tepeyac / Boys Town of Chicago, Inc.Back of the Yards – Casa Tepeyac / Boys Town of Chicago, Inc. West side – Healthy Families Chicago / Westside Family Advocacy CenterWest side – Healthy Families Chicago / Westside Family Advocacy Center Humboldt Park, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square, + others – Family Growing Intentionally: A Family Advocacy Program / Christian Fellowship FlockHumboldt Park, Ukrainian Village, Logan Square, + others – Family Growing Intentionally: A Family Advocacy Program / Christian Fellowship Flock Lower west side - Mujeres Latinas en Accion / Parent Support ProgramLower west side - Mujeres Latinas en Accion / Parent Support Program Englewood – A Knock At MidnightEnglewood – A Knock At Midnight East St. Louis: Family Advocacy HouseEast St. Louis: Family Advocacy House Peoria: Lifeline Family ServicesPeoria: Lifeline Family Services Springfield: Primed For LifeSpringfield: Primed For Life

Erwin McEwen, Director Parent Cafe Evaluation Results General / Overview 99% of attendees found participating in the café helpful99% of attendees found participating in the café helpful 98% would recommend cafes to friends & family members98% would recommend cafes to friends & family members 97% would attend a future café97% would attend a future café 74% fulfilled commitment from previous café take away card74% fulfilled commitment from previous café take away card

Erwin McEwen, Director Parent Cafe Evaluation Results (cont) Selective Questions Per Café: Taking Care Of Yourself – Cafe 1:Taking Care Of Yourself – Cafe 1: 98% plan to take better care of themselves98% plan to take better care of themselves 93% plan to try a different way/learned a new way to handle stress or challenges93% plan to try a different way/learned a new way to handle stress or challenges Being a Strong Parent – Café 2:Being a Strong Parent – Café 2: 87% plan to change something about their parenting87% plan to change something about their parenting 88% plan to change how they listen to their children88% plan to change how they listen to their children 86% plan to change how they talk to their children86% plan to change how they talk to their children Building Healthy Relationships With Your Children – Café 3Building Healthy Relationships With Your Children – Café 3 91% plan to spend more time with their children91% plan to spend more time with their children 100% plan to make sure they understand their child(rens) feelings100% plan to make sure they understand their child(rens) feelings

Erwin McEwen, Director Parent Cafe Evaluation Results (cont.) Comments From Parents It opened my eyes to different situations that Im in. Im not alone.It opened my eyes to different situations that Im in. Im not alone. This café today has kept me from going to jailThis café today has kept me from going to jail I love being able to express myself in a comfortable setting. I dont feel judged or pressured.I love being able to express myself in a comfortable setting. I dont feel judged or pressured. Its very helpful to me to come out and hear everyone elses experiences on their parenting and to learn new ideas about my parenting and how I teach my kids.Its very helpful to me to come out and hear everyone elses experiences on their parenting and to learn new ideas about my parenting and how I teach my kids. Im growing as a person.Im growing as a person.

Erwin McEwen, Director Strengthening Families Illinois Launch 6 New SFI Early Childhood Learning NetworksLaunch 6 New SFI Early Childhood Learning Networks Expand team of parents leaders regionally to serve Chicago Public Schools and Differential Response with cafes and leadership training – adapt resources for Foster Parents, Birth Parents, teens (through the pregnant and parenting teens program) and the Youth Advisory BoardExpand team of parents leaders regionally to serve Chicago Public Schools and Differential Response with cafes and leadership training – adapt resources for Foster Parents, Birth Parents, teens (through the pregnant and parenting teens program) and the Youth Advisory Board Develop new questions and train parents to develop questions to sustain cafes in communitiesDevelop new questions and train parents to develop questions to sustain cafes in communities Collaborate to develop home visiting / parent training in Differential ResponseCollaborate to develop home visiting / parent training in Differential Response Identify parent leaders to serve on Differential Response Advisory CouncilIdentify parent leaders to serve on Differential Response Advisory Council Continue working with internal DCFS workgroup and Clinical and Service Intervention staff to embed Strengthening Families and early childhood collaboration practiceContinue working with internal DCFS workgroup and Clinical and Service Intervention staff to embed Strengthening Families and early childhood collaboration practice

Erwin McEwen, Director Identified Challenges for Illinois Overcoming stakeholders fears about the safety of children using Differential Response Overcoming stakeholders fears about the safety of children using Differential Response Dealing with entrenched organizational culture which does not prioritize engaging families Dealing with entrenched organizational culture which does not prioritize engaging families Shifting the paradigm from compliance with case plan tasks to the needs of families and empowers the families with how to meet those needs Shifting the paradigm from compliance with case plan tasks to the needs of families and empowers the families with how to meet those needs Budgetary crisis of 2009 had an impact on the morale of the human service system as a whole Budgetary crisis of 2009 had an impact on the morale of the human service system as a whole

Erwin McEwen, Director Long Term Vision Child welfare – continuously define and refine child welfare so that it becomes more closely aligned to child well-being (Dont always achieve child well-being using best child welfare tools.) Child welfare – continuously define and refine child welfare so that it becomes more closely aligned to child well-being (Dont always achieve child well-being using best child welfare tools.) Broad-based community impact around: Broad-based community impact around: school performance school performance school misconduct school misconduct youth violence youth violence community violence community violence family well-being family well-being Requires all of us! Requires all of us!

Erwin McEwen, Director Even if you are on the right track, youll get run over if you just sit there ~ Will Rogers, Jr. Even if you are on the right track, youll get run over if you just sit there ~ Will Rogers, Jr.