Capacity for Family Partnership, Youth Partnership, Cultural and Linguistic Competence and Cross System Partnership Track 1 – Early Developmental Stages Vickie Miene Vickie Miene NE Iowa Lisa Conlan Lisa Conlan Parent Support Network of Rhode Island Carrie Johnson Seven Generations Child and Family Services Ashley Keenan Parent Support Network of Rhode Island

Capacity for Family Partnership, Youth Partnership, Cultural and Linguistic Competence, Cross- System Partnership Lessons Learned from Iowa Vickie Miene

Lesson #1 Be Patient: Rome was not built in a day – neither is a System of Care Time consuming processes Time consuming processes Finding youth and family partners who are interested in being part of a change initiative. Finding youth and family partners who are interested in being part of a change initiative. Building relationships with individuals, agencies, communities and statewide partners Building relationships with individuals, agencies, communities and statewide partners Gathering Community Stakeholders to build common ground Gathering Community Stakeholders to build common ground Creating a broad vision and spreading the vision to all levels of stakeholders Creating a broad vision and spreading the vision to all levels of stakeholders Hiring those who strongly identify with SOC values and principles, and who have the resourcefulness to grow a grassroots initiative Hiring those who strongly identify with SOC values and principles, and who have the resourcefulness to grow a grassroots initiative

Lesson #2 – Hire a Key Family Contact and Youth Coordinator First These are the people that can best help you get off to a good start. These are the people that can best help you get off to a good start. They know how to find youth and parents who will be interested in helping system development They know how to find youth and parents who will be interested in helping system development They know how to partner with schools They know how to partner with schools They know what families and youth NEED for supports. They know what families and youth NEED for supports.

5 Examples of Family Members and Youth Shifts in Roles and Expectations Lazear, K. & Conlon, L. (2004). “Primer Hands On” for Family Organizations. Human Service Collaborative: Washington, D.C. Recipient of information re: child’s service plan Passive partner in service planning process Service planning team leader Service planning team leader Unheard voice in program evaluation Participant in program evaluation Partner (or independent) in developing and conducting program evaluations Recipient of services Partner in planning and developing services Service providers Uninvited key stakeholders in training initiatives Anger, adversity & resistance Participants in training initiatives Self-advocacy Partners and independent trainers Advocacy & peer support

Lesson #4: Youth Coordinator and Key Family Contact are Key Members of Administrative Team Youth Coordinators across the nation have voiced that they do not always feel like an equal on their team of SOC leaders Youth Coordinators across the nation have voiced that they do not always feel like an equal on their team of SOC leaders As a PD or PI it is your responsibility to mentor and assist the youth coordinator in developing a successful youth component. As a PD or PI it is your responsibility to mentor and assist the youth coordinator in developing a successful youth component. Introduce your Youth Coordinator and Key Family Contact to key stakeholders at all levels. Introduce your Youth Coordinator and Key Family Contact to key stakeholders at all levels. Allow them flexibility to try new things. (book club) Allow them flexibility to try new things. (book club) Support them when something goes well and when they don’t. Support them when something goes well and when they don’t. Mentor Youth, teach them what they need to know to be successful Mentor Youth, teach them what they need to know to be successful Youth Coordinators of today ARE the SOC Project Directors and Principal Investigators of tomorrow!! Youth Coordinators of today ARE the SOC Project Directors and Principal Investigators of tomorrow!!

Cultural Competency Strategies – what to focus on…. Small percent of ethnicity in NE Iowa Small percent of ethnicity in NE Iowa Urban vs Rural Urban vs Rural Poverty - rate in some counties 13% Poverty - rate in some counties 13% Key Family Contact is trainer for “Bridges out of Poverty” Key Family Contact is trainer for “Bridges out of Poverty” All SOC staff trained in “Bridges out of Poverty” All SOC staff trained in “Bridges out of Poverty” Diversity training Diversity training Postville Iowa, Immigration Raid, May 2008 Postville Iowa, Immigration Raid, May 2008 Each clinic has a CC manual that includes information on the various groups that live in their catchment area Each clinic has a CC manual that includes information on the various groups that live in their catchment area Contracted with a Language Line Contracted with a Language Line Use the TA Partnership Use the TA Partnership Each month in our Employee Newsletter there is a cultural piece. Each month in our Employee Newsletter there is a cultural piece.

Lesson 5: Pay Attention to what is happening in your own backyard! Cultural Opportunities may not be that far removed. Cultural Opportunities may not be that far removed. Iowa County Fairs – A lesson in Agri Culture! Iowa County Fairs – A lesson in Agri Culture!

Cross System Partnership Lessons learned – providers are willing to be flexible and provide individualized and creative family driven service – but they have to be able to pay their staff for their time. Lessons learned – providers are willing to be flexible and provide individualized and creative family driven service – but they have to be able to pay their staff for their time. Decent rates Decent rates Flexibility and control Flexibility and control Timely reimbursements Timely reimbursements Back up support for difficult administrative and clinical challenges Back up support for difficult administrative and clinical challenges Access to training and staff development Access to training and staff development Less paperwork Less paperwork

United American Indian Involvement, Inc Seven Generations Child and Family Services Los Angeles Carrie L. Johnson Youth and Family Partnership

Youth and Family Partnerships Having youth and family involvement in our mission statement, agency principles, values, goals, and cultural competency plan Having youth and family involvement in our mission statement, agency principles, values, goals, and cultural competency plan Recruitment of youth and family members-flyers, parent committees Recruitment of youth and family members-flyers, parent committees Ask youth and families how they want to be involved Ask youth and families how they want to be involved Youth and families on Advisory board, as staff, as important decision makers in every phase of project. Youth and families on Advisory board, as staff, as important decision makers in every phase of project.

Youth and Family Partnerships Expand other partnerships, assist in sustaining collaborative efforts Expand other partnerships, assist in sustaining collaborative efforts Involved in evaluation and assist in using evaluation results for policy makers and other important key stakeholders Involved in evaluation and assist in using evaluation results for policy makers and other important key stakeholders Assist in circulating and explaining the data to youth and families Assist in circulating and explaining the data to youth and families Increase funding for program Increase funding for program

Youth and Family Partnerships Ensure that the messages you want to be delivered to your target audiences are understood Ensure that the messages you want to be delivered to your target audiences are understood Helps sell your program principles to other youth and family members in order to enhance involvement and collaboration Helps sell your program principles to other youth and family members in order to enhance involvement and collaboration Lets families know that services are being provided and how they can access these services Lets families know that services are being provided and how they can access these services

Lessons Learned Lack of Youth and Family Involvement Mistrust, suspicious of their involvement Mistrust, suspicious of their involvement They have nothing to offer and nothing will be done They have nothing to offer and nothing will be done Cannot get agreement when to meet Cannot get agreement when to meet People do not show up People do not show up Stigma towards Mental Health Stigma towards Mental Health