Child Care Aware® of Missouri has been instrumental in working to help communities and organizations implement the Strengthening Families™ Framework (SFF), an effort whole-heartedly supported by the Children’s Trust Fund. With the help of Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grant funding, Child Care Aware® of Missouri has been able to support three related SFF projects, all connected to the Protective Factors and reaching families before they become at risk for child abuse and neglect.  Research shows that when families possess one or more of the five protective factors, their likelihood of abusing or neglecting their children diminishes.  The five Protective Factors are:

1. Parental Resilience;
2. Social Connections;
3. Concrete Support in Times of Need;
4. Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development; and
5. Social and Emotional Competence of Children.

The first project included in this effort was the Small Steps, Big Footprints Mailing, which included several specific, easy-to-implement strategies from the Strengthening Families™ Initiative Self-Assessment for each Protective Factor. This information was sent to child care programs across Missouri to provide a quick reference list of ideas on how to reinforce each Protective Factor when working with families.  We spoke with Beth Ann Lang, Chief of Quality Improvement & T.E.A.C.H. MISSOURI Scholarship, with Child Care Aware® of Missouri.  She told us why utilizing the Strengthening Families™ Framework is so important.

AUDIO: Beth Ann Lang on the benefits of the Strengthening Families Framework

The second project was the creation of a college curriculum based on the Strengthening Families™ Framework called Teaching Students to Empower Families. The curriculum was successfully piloted by over 60% of all Missouri-based, community colleges with early childhood degree programs. Now available to all two-year community colleges, it  is expected to be expanded to four-year colleges and other community based programs. The project created a curriculum based on short, specific lessons followed by activities and extended service learning opportunities. Lang says a major focus of the project was making it useful for students and user friendly for instructors.

AUDIO: Beth Ann Lang on the curriculum

The third element was the delivery of the Zero to Three® Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect (PCAN) Training Curriuculum followed by on-site Technical Assistance.  The curriculum includes SFFProtective Factors and addresses ways that child care providers can support the families whose children attend their program/center.  Through the CTF/Child Care Aware® of Missouri partnership, Child Care Aware® of Missouri delivered 48 3-hour sessions of the PCAN training followed by 296 hours of one-on-one site visits to assist 107 child care staff in directly applying what they learned.

Contained within all of these projects is the mission to enhance a child care provider’s resources by helping them understand what they’re doing well and how they can better support the children in their lives.

AUDIO: Beth Ann Lang on building on the positive

In addition to building projects that support the SFF, Lang says it’s important to have the support of organizations that are willing to promote the information that comes from the Framework.  Without such support a wonderful tool is in danger of being neglected itself.

AUDIO: Beth Ann Lang on the role CTF plays

NOTE: The Protective Factors now include a sixth factor, Nurturing & Attachment, which is utilized in some applications of the framework.

AUDIO: How the framework formed

Randolph and Saline Counties’ Focus on Fatherhood Program administered through the Randolph County Caring Community partnership provides support and mentoring to dads.  The program is designed to increase the involvement of fathers in child nurturing and to enhance a father’s parenting skills so they can help their children grow into healthy responsible adults.  The prevention program, supported in part with funds from a Children’s Trust Fund grant, is based on the National Center for Fathering curriculum:  Connecting With Your Kids and Quenching the Father Thirst.  These programs target fathers who have had limited experience in interacting with their children for a variety of reasons including poverty, unemployment, legal issues or substance abuse.  The program strives to give these fathers an understanding of their role and responsibility of a father, help them break through barriers that prevent them from succeeding, and enhance and increase access to services such as child support, legal issues, medical and mental health services.  Additionally, fathers may be recruited to take part in a “Dadvisory Group” in which participants plan and evaluate the program, and facilitate training seminars using the two curriculums. We spoke with Brian Williams, Director of the Randolph County Caring Community Partnership, and Tim Fugate, ATR III/MMFC Director about the program and the community support that it receives.

AUDIO: Talking about community partners that enhance the program’s efforts.

AUDIO: Community involvement in the program

AUDIO: Brian Williams & Tim Fugate talk about the role CTF has played in their prevention efforts.

Listen to the Podcast on the Mid-Missouri Fatherhood Coalition

Moms are so important and Mother’s Day in May pays tribute to all moms everywhere.  At the Dexter Community Regional Healthcare Foundation (DCRHF) located in Dexter, MO (Stoddard County), mothers are celebrated every day of every month through their Mother-to-Mother program funded in part by the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF).

Mother-to-Mother is an incentive based mentoring program that pairs young mothers with experienced mothers.  Services support at-risk pregnant and parenting families through home visitation, parent education and training, peer and social support, and community resources.  The program is for young women, no older than 21 1/2, who have or are pregnant with their first child. We spoke with Yvonne Hall, DCRHF Interim Executive Director about the program and how it works to give young mothers the skills they need to be good parents and responsible community members.

AUDIO: Yvonne Hall talks about the mentoring and incentives that young mothers receive.

Hall says there are many agencies that assist in making the Mother-to-Mother program a success.

AUDIO: Yvonne Hall talking about the community resources that enhance the program

The Mother-to-Mother program works to enhance the lives of young women for the long term. Part of that mission is placing a focus on education.

AUDIO: Yvonne Hall talking about how the Mother-to-Mother program assists in Education

Hall says funding assistance is a key to being able to offer all of the services available with Mother-to-Mother.

AUDIO: Yvonne Hall explains why CTF funds are so important to the program.

Children’s Trust Fund provides a grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri for the organization’s Amachi program.  Amachi serves at-risk children of current and former prisoners, who research suggests are at higher risk of entering the corrections system themselves.  The program utilizes a training manual to provide quarterly training sessions that address the importance of healthy parenting and  implementing protective factors known to reduce child abuse and neglect.  Kristen Slaghter, Senior Vice President of Accountability and Kate Dopuch, Senior Vice President of Quality Assurance spoke with us about the impact the program has on families in the region they serve, and why they focus on these children.

AUDIO: Kristen Slaughter talks about what sparked interest in the Amachi program.

Slaughter and Dopuch point out that the funding Big Brothers Big Sisters receives from CTF is used to focus on prevention of child abuse and neglect.

AUDIO: Kristen Slaughter and Kate Dopuch talk about how they use CTF funding.

The Amachi program often deals with sensitive subject matter.  By using the resources of area agencies with expertise in the care of children of prisoners Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri is better able to address the specific needs of each child and their family.

AUDIO: Kate Dopuch talks about some of the key partners involved with the program.

This month we’re featuring CTF prevention partner Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri, Columbia, for their efforts in providing training to parents of at-risk children to be the primary role model in their child’s life.  Additionally, children are matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister who will be a secondary support to the child. Together the child and their mentor can go out in the community and participate in activities that offer new experiences, expand existing interests or just simply spend quality time together. The Big Brothers Big Sisters program has been operating nationally for more than 100 years, and for 44 years in Columbia.  Many of the children involved in the program come from single parent homes, are children of parents who are incarcerated, or are being raised by grandparents.  We spoke with Sara Echternach, Community Based Coordinator and Georgalu Swoboda, Executive Director about the program.

AUDIO: Echternach talks about the recruiting process for finding kids for the program.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Missouri works from the Search Institute’s Asset Building program.  Grant money from the Children’s Trust Fund helps the program provide education to parents in the home as well as build relationships in the schools.

AUDIO: Swoboda and Echternach talk about the added benefit CTF gives their program in homes and schools.

Swoboda says there are many ways the program has been proven successful. She says national research shows that children involved in the program statistically have lower drug use, do better academically, have an easier time socially, and are less likely to become pregnant than their peers who are at risk and not involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Additional research shows program alumni are more likely to have college degrees, make more money, have stronger relationships, and become more involved in their community as volunteers or leaders.

AUDIO: Echternach and Swoboda discuss long-term involvement in the program.

Money raised from the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund’s specialty license plate goes to many organizations that work to prevent child abuse and neglect and aid families in adjusting to parenthood and the challenges that can come with it. One such organization is the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Family Resource Center.  The center is host to a massive collection of books, pamphlets, videos, and other resources that help educate families and community members about a child’s physical and emotional health. CTF provides funding for the center’s Resource Librarian who assists parents and caregivers in understanding their child’s diagnosis in order to provide proper care. (AUDIO: Joanne Buttice talks about the importance of funding from CTF.) Studies indicate that informed parents who know what to expect in their child’s development are better prepared to handle associated stress and less likely to become frustrated, thereby reducing the risk of abuse and neglect. We spoke with some of the professionals who provide education through the Family Resource Center.

Joanne Buttice, Director of Guest Services at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, says the Family Resource Center is staffed with pediatric nurses and medical librarians who are trained in medical research and know how to access resources through accredited medical research databases. She says this information is sometimes requested far and wide.

AUDIO: Joanne Buttice talks about just how far the Family Resource Center’s outreach goes.

The Family Resource Center is publicized through the hospital’s orientation station, internal video monitors, orientation packets, through staff, and through a volunteer ambassador program. The volunteers make sure families know about the resources within the first 24 to 48 hours after admission. Many times parents are getting the information for the first time.

AUDIO: Joanne Buttice talks about helping prepare parents for new situations.

Resources provided through the Family Resource Center are intended for use in continual care of families, even after discharge.

AUDIO: Joanne Buttice talks about extending care past the hospital stay.

Margie Batek, Lead Social Worker, works in the emergency department.  She says often, during an ER visit, it’s a good time to approach parents with information offered in the resource center.

AUDIO: Margie Batek talks about using Family Resource Center information in the ER.

Batek says that sometimes just speaking to a parent or caregiver isn’t enough.

AUDIO: Margie Batek talks about the credibility of print materials.

This month we’re highlighting a group of Children’s Trust Fund prevention partners from Joplin, Missouri. These three agencies have spent the past six months, since a devastating tornado destroyed a third of their city, working together to provide assistance to families in need. Each agency features a variety of services, but together their work is even more powerful in addressing the spectrum of needs in the community.

We begin with Children’s Haven of Southwest Missouri.  Children’s Haven provides a temporary home to children ages birth through 17 years whose families are experiencing a crisis. Services are provided 24 hours a day/seven days a week and are available, free of charge, to any family in Southwest Missouri.  Going beyond short term care, Children’s Haven works to provide parents with information and resources they need to help them resolve their crisis for the long term.  We spoke with Stephanie Theis, Executive Director of Children’s Haven, about their efforts to provide temporary crisis care to children and youth in a secure setting.

AUDIO: Stephanie Theis talks about some of the situations that may lead to Children’s Haven.

The tornado that struck Joplin on May 22, 2011 had a major impact on Children’s Haven. Theis told us about some of the challenges that have arisen.

AUDIO: Stephanie Theis talks about the aftermath of the tornado.

Theis says the Children’s Trust Fund is an excellent partner because of the mutual understanding about crisis situations and the needs that must be met.

AUDIO: Stephanie Theis talks about Children’s Haven’s partnership with CTF.

The next agency we are highlighting is The Alliance of Southwest Missouri. This agency utilizes the federally funded Community Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) grant to assist families in Jasper and Newton Counties.  Under a program called Project Care, each family enrolled is thoroughly evaluated to determine their needs.  Then resources are provided to help them meet those needs. Alliance workers help families make contact with and implement services that can help them lead a healthier and more fulfilled life.

We spoke with The Alliance’s CBCAP Coordinator Nancy Corley.  She says sometimes individuals may become overwhelmed with the responsibilities of caring for a family. That’s when the Alliance steps in.

AUDIO: Nancy Corley talks about providing support in an overwhelming situation.

Some of the service resources that may be provided to families include medical home services, mentoring, Parent Aide services, home visits, and cribs, mattresses and bedding through the Safe Crib program.  Corley says these needs became that much greater when the tornado hit.  She says that’s when area agencies worked as one.

AUDIO: Nancy Corley talks about the team effort that was made after the May 22, 2011 tornado.

Corley talks about the invaluable support CTF responded with after the tornado.

AUDIO: Nancy Corley talks about CTF’s partnership.

The Children’s Miracle Network, out of Freeman Health Systems Hospital in Joplin, is the third partner we’re featuring.  Through funding from CTF’s prevent child abuse license plate, the Children’s Miracle Network is able to provide a certified safe crib to families with financial need, in an effort to reduce the number of unsafe sleeping arrangements and crib related injuries.  Karla Hurrel is a case processor with Children’s Miracle Network.  She says the program is in place for those in need, despite their economic status.

AUDIO: Karla Hurrel on providing for needs

In addition to providing cribs, the agency responds to home safety inspections that are conducted at the time of crib delivery, then working to address other potential safety issues within a household. Children’s Miracle Network works in conjunction with Parents As Teachers to implement the project in Jasper, Newton, Barry, Lawrence, and McDonald Counties.

AUDIO: Karla Hurrel talks about the importance of overall safety.

Hurrel says the safe cribs program exists because of  funding from the Children’s Trust Fund. And that working together played a role in the agency’s response to the tornado.

AUDIO: Karla Hurrel talks about CTF’s partnership.

Through CTF’s prevent child abuse license plate, more families can become aware of the services offered through the Children’s Miracle Network and other agencies. Those who have already been helped are some of the biggest advocates for the program.

AUDIO: Karla Hurrel shares a personal success story.

The Rose Brooks Center (RBC) is a domestic violence shelter in Kansas City.  A child abuse and neglect prevention grant from the Children’s Trust Fund (CTF) helps to support RBC’s Family Enrichment Program.  This program helps mothers gain the knowledge and skills they need to raise healthy children and prevent child abuse in high risk situations.  CTF funds are used to support parenting classes in which the Active Parenting curriculum is used.  RBC has  implemented classes for both English and Spanish speaking moms. Family Services Coordinator Kim Fletcher says the program offers a lot to help stabilize families, including crisis intervention, life skills development, and other supportive and therapeutic services.

AUDIO: Kim Fletcher talks about the Family Enrichment Program.

Fletcher says the innovative services Rose Brooks Center offers can help a family suffering from trauma end the cycle of violence and abuse, and make a new start. 

AUDIO: Kim Fletcher tells the story of a family helped by RBC.

Rose Brooks Center uses a proven curriculum to provide parenting skills to those who may be struggling. Fletcher says they’re able to do this through their partnership with CTF.

AUDIO: Kim Fletcher talks about the importance of CTF’s grant funding.

The Rose Brooks Center offers a 24 hour a day crisis hotline number for anyone who needs assistance. The number is 1-800-HOTLINE. Fletcher says anyone is welcome to call whether they’re in crisis or just need to talk or need a referral for a program that they can turn to in their own area, if they’re outside of Kansas City. The hotline operates in more than 100 languages.

St. Joseph Youth Alliance offers a variety of programs aimed at helping strengthen the community’s families in northwest Missouri. For the past eight years, the St. Joseph Youth Alliance has been offering a program called Circle of Parents©. The program provides a friendly, supportive environment for caregivers to meet and talk about the challenges they face and offer support and resources. That could mean conversations about how to deal with separation anxiety, to where to find assistance with child care. The St. Joseph Youth Alliance offers Circle of Parents© groups for low-income families, families that have used the local crisis care center, grandparents raising grandchildren, and minority communities, including a Hispanic group.  Anyone in a parenting role is welcome to join for free.

The program offers leadership development through planning and leading the meetings. Youth Alliance Community Networker, Fran Brothers, says the Circle of Parents is good for caregivers who might be isolated because they may not have family or friends to turn to. She says it gives them a sense of belonging.

AUDIO: Fran Brothers talks about the goal of Circle of Parents©.

Circle of Parents is a national evidenced-based model.  The meetings begin with a family meal, then kids go play and parents discuss and learn about parenting. CTF funds help to support the cost of meals, transportation and childcare for the meetings, which Brothers says has a major impact on the success of the program.

AUDIO: Fran Brothers talks about the importance of grant funding.

Brothers says a new class for parents who have bipolar disorder recently launched with the Youth Alliance.  She says it’s a great way for parents to talks about the unique parenting challenges they deal with in a non-threatening environment.

In addition to the Circle of Parents Program, St. Joseph Youth Alliance , with the support of the community Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention, is a new CTF Prevent Child Abuse License Plate Marketing Partner.  Funds raised through the license plate program in Andrew and Buchanan counties will supply new cribs and mattresses that meet current quality safety requirements to families most at risk of co-sleeping.

For more information about these and other programs offered, visit the Youth Alliance website or call (816) 232-0050.

The Lafayette County Health Department recently completed it’s fifth year of  grant funding from the Missouri Children’s Trust Fund. In that time CTF provided $80,949. In an effort to help young families, the department developed the Building Tools for Young Parents program. The program is focused on improving the health status and healthy outcomes of at-risk infants, children and adolescents.

The program works toward the following goals:

• Strengthening  child and family protective factors
• Reducing the risk of abuse and neglect by promoting parental resilience
• Increasing social connections
• Increasing knowledge of parenting and child development
• Providing concrete support in times of need
• Promoting social and emotional competence of children
• Providing safe cribs and infant massage training to young parents.

Lafayette County has seen positive rankings in the Kids Count Data Project the last few years with this year being no exception. Program Spokesperson Donna Oetting says she hopes the Building Tools program had a part in improving the Kids Count numbers. She says it’s been a team effort.

AUDIO: Donna Oetting talks about how funding helps gain partners for the program.