County Spotlights | Archives
County Spotlight: Shasta County’s Parent Leadership Advisory Group | April 2018
Shasta County’s Child Abuse Prevention Coordinating Council (SCAPCC) has developed a very unique Parent Leadership Group known as the Parent Leadership Advisory Group (PLAG). Parents interested in getting involved in the community can attend the monthly group meeting or the Annual Parent Café. Through PLAG the Parent Cafes have evolved to be facilitated by Parent Leaders. These Parent Leaders volunteers participate in facilitation trainings so they can host a table at the yearly Parent Café. They also speak at different events to share their story and describe how PLAG has helped them through their journey.
PLAG participants want to help the community in any way they can. They created the PLAG phone line, Parent Reunification Celebration, the PLAG handbook and the Court Orientation for parents who may have or have had their children removed. In addition, the Parent Leaders submitted feedback for the PLAG Logic Model.
The PLAG phone line is for parents to call that may need resources or just want to vent. Court Orientation has one voluntary Parent Leader share their story and explain next steps with parents who may or have had children removed from their care. Participants have shared that it is helpful hearing someone’s story and knowing they got their kids back. It has made them feel more prepared and hopeful that removal of your kids doesn’t have to be forever.
The Parent Leaders involved in PLAG each have a unique story and love their community. Their work and ideas have benefitted the group in so many ways and many parents continue to maintain involvement in the program for years, stating that the support system is a significant factor in their involvement in the program.
For more information about the program contact Crystal Johnson at: cjohnson@shastacapcc.org
Grantee Spotlight: Family Hui’s Bloom this Spring with Aloha | April 2018
Family Hui has created a positive parenting texting campaign for Child Abuse Prevention Month 2018. The purpose of the campaign is to provide parents with educational and encouraging messages throughout the month of April. Some messages are simply quotes and others offer quotes with links to such topics as mindfulness, postpartum depression as well as materials and toolkits from First 5 and Yolo County Children’s Alliance. Parents will receive a positive message each day for 29 days and will be asked to evaluate the texting campaign on the 30th day.
The project is in Spanish and English. The sign-up phone number is the same for both (617-826-9932) but the texting word for English speakers is ALOHA and for Spanish speakers the texting word is ALOHA2U. How does it work? Text either ALOHA (for English) or ALOHA2U (for Spanish) to 617-826-9932. A message will appear letting you know you have been registered. Please note: Regular texting rates and fees apply.
Please contact Family Hui Director, Lucy Roberts, for more information: lroberts@lead4tomorrow.org.
County Spotlight: Santa Clara Four-Path DR Model | January 2018
Santa Clara Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) utilizes a unique four-path model of Different Response to promote and foster family stability in its community. Like the traditional Differential Response model, Santa Clara County offers Path 1 (Prevention Services), Path 2 (Diversion Services), and Path 3 (Court Involvement) services, as well as Path 4 (Aftercare Services). Families can choose to engage in Path 4 Aftercare Services after successful plan completion and reunification.
Much like families receiving Path 1 Prevention Services, families receive Path 4 Aftercare Services from one of three Differential Response providers. These providers are community-based organizations which specialize in serving a particular geographic region or ethnic group, and demonstrate knowledge of their community’s needs and available resources. In providing Aftercare Services, Santa Clara DCFS, in conjunction with First 5, hopes to prevent re-entry into foster care while also increasing family stability and utilization of community support systems.
Path 1 and Path 2 service provision in Santa Clara County also demonstrate the positive impact that strong agency collaboration can play in engaging at-risk families and preventing abuse. Consistent cross training and communication between DCFS and Differential Response providers means that at-risk families receive services before safety issues escalate to the level of an open child welfare case or removal of the child(ren). Once an at-risk family is assessed and referred to their local provider, DCFS does not stay involved, allowing the family to work solely with the community-based organization. This process is designed to reduce trauma and stigmatization associated with involvement in the child welfare system while still ensuring that the family is connected with appropriate resources.
Santa Clara County continues to seek ways to create organizational change which will better engage families, increase aftercare services, and ensure that families receive supportive services as soon as needs arise.
Grantee Spotlight: Coastal Tri-Counties Child Abuse Prevention Coalition | September 2017
These three organizations have been making an effort to raise awareness about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in their local communities. Each has hosted multiple free screenings of the film “RESILIENCE:The Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope.”RESILIENCE chronicles the birth of a new movement among pediatricians, therapists, educators and communities, who are using cutting-edge brain science to help parents and children disrupt the cycle of violence, addiction and disease. Each screening was followed by an expert panel discussion or a facilitated community dialogue.
The cross-sector panels and discussions that followed each screening contributed greatly to the success of each event. Panelists and facilitators were able to highlight key messages from the film and relate them to the local communities where the film was shown.This became an opportunity for the communities to discuss their goals in order to become safer and meet the needs of the children and families that live there.
Families and community members also turned out at each location and Spanish translation was provided for the Santa Barbara screening.Two additional screenings took place as a result of CAPC outreach and promotion of the film.Both of these screenings reached audiences with a particular interest in children ages 0-5. The first was for the Annual Child Development Conference hosted by the Child Care Planning Council and the second was the Santa Barbara Unified School District Cradle to K Summit.In Ventura the screening drew so much interest that they would like to start planning more in the future!Between the multiple screenings held within these three counties, about 1,200 people viewed the film!
San Francisco | June 2017
The Bay Area is working with several local partners to engage the San Francisco community around the issue of child abuse prevention. The Prevention Center created a report to shed light on the financial burden of child abuse and neglect. This report helps to tell the story about how child abuse and neglect not only hurts children and families, but can have a serious impact on the community as a whole. It’s on us to join together to protect kids and cut the financial cost of child abuse and neglect to our communities. This became a very significant focus in their CAP Month messaging.
Some of the activities hosted in the Bay Area during Child Abuse Prevention Month included the presentation of proclamation for Child Abuse Prevention Month at meeting of Commission of San Francisco Human Services Agency, a rally held at City Hall with speakers and high school students performing spoken word on child maltreatment, a block party for children, families and supportive organizations to promote healthy families, and last but not least, the presentation of a public service announcement and slideshow displayed on the scoreboard of the Giants game!
We love the creativity and enthusiasm that was displayed this year during Child Abuse Prevention Month and we hope that these activities can serve as inspiration for how we can promote this important cause next year and all year round!
Grantee Spotlight | April 2017
The Central California Coalition of Child Abuse Prevention Councils conducted three successful Poverty Trainings entitled “See Poverty…Be the Difference” with Dr. Donna Beegle. These call to action events were held in Fresno, San Joaquin and Kern counties. The event hosted by Kern on April 13 was part of Child Abuse Prevention Month and was attended by nearly 400 participants including community members, businesses, policy makers, educators, law enforcement, faith based community members, family resource center providers, social service providers, health care representatives and many more.
“Dr. Beegle did an outstanding job helping participants learn about the realities of poverty, what it is like to grow up in poverty, and then how to effectively connect with and engage families who live in poverty. It’s super exciting to see such an enthusiastic interest in making a difference to improve the condition of our children and families.”
- Jayme Stuart, Kern County Network for Children
Los Angeles County: Antelope Valley | March 2017
Los Angeles County, particularly Antelope Valley, is making efforts to raise awareness this yearwith an innovative project for Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) Month. Los Angeles is motivating children to shed light on child abuse prevention through the mediums of writing and art performances.The children’s efforts will be featured in the community as an advertisement or performance.
Los Angeles is putting on two competitions, both aimed at bringing awareness and education to the subject of child abuse prevention within the community.The winners of the competitions will have their work featured in an advertisement within the community and their art performance will be featured at an award ceremony along with certificates of recognition and prizes.Wondering what these competitions entail?
Well, the first contest calls for Antelope Valley children, grades 1 through 12, to develop a logo and/or slogan to prevent child abuse and make Antelope Valley a child abuse free zone for the Yes2Kids advertising campaign.The campaign urges children to think about how they can portray safe homes and happy families in their logos and slogans.The goal is to raise awareness around child abuse prevention by having children involved and their communities by extension.
The second contest calls for Antelope Valley students, grades six through college seniors, to create five minute skits and/or monologues that will “strengthen families and educate on Child Abuse Prevention” and the winners will be featured in the Yes2Kids kickoff event or award celebration.
Not only is Los Angeles County putting on this event but they are partnering with First 5 Los Angeles, WordAV, Tarzana Treatment Centers, Antelope Valley Partners for Health and Child Care Resource Center.Los Angeles County is demonstrating that through community in unity big strides can be made in child abuse prevention.
The Office of Child Abuse Prevention would like to applaud the efforts of Los Angeles County as you work to end child abuse in your community.
Trinity County: Office of Education | December 2016
Children are the Future
All aboard! There’s a train in California picking up steam and that’s Trinity County. Trinity is utilizing an early childhood education program that focuses on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math. The program, known as “STEAM,” is growing in popularity in pre-K curricula across the county.
The STEAM initiative focuses on school readiness for Pre-K aged children. This education collaborative is a valuable resource in Trinity County and brings together students, parents, school staff and community members to encourage and instill life-long learning. The members of this community understand that knowledge is power and the county is putting in place initiatives like STEAM to foster the necessary supports for college and career readiness. A strong start during early childhood can ultimately result in better outcomes for children and the community at large, including a reduction in poverty and increased employment.
STEAM travels to schools and a variety of local sites to collaborate with county partners in order to provide interactive and engaging STEAM projects, facilitate a STEAM Expo, and assist with hosting Family STEAM Night. Some of the interactive STEAM activities include: 3D Design and Printing, Coding and Robotic Programing to name a few.
Parents of the program are responding with positive evaluations! Here’s what they’re saying: “Amazing head start for the preschoolers,” “we are sad to be saying goodbye to great teachers,” and “This has been a wonderful program for my child. He enjoyed coming to school every day.”
The Trinity County Office of Education is utilizing Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) funds in partnership with the Trinity County Child Welfare Agency to fund the STEAM program.
Trinity County is fully investing in their community and its children, and in that regard, STEAM in Trinity County is bound for greatness by fostering education in young children and lighting the lifelong fire of learning in their hearts.
Fresno County: Fresno Fights Poverty | September 2016
The Fresno Bridge Academy, through Reading and Beyond, is at the forefront of a statewide movement for finding innovative ways to help families overcome poverty. Their program has shown great success, and is a cost-effective solution. This 18-month employment training program offers support services for families that include computer literacy classes, resume writing assistance, parenting classes and tutoring for children.