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Materials & Resources

Pennsylvania’s CIP, in collaboration with many committed professionals throughout the state, has created the following training materials and resources, which may be downloaded, printed and used free of charge. To obtain hard copies of some resources, please contact your local county Children & Youth Office. County agencies may obtain such by submitting the order form to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, Office of Children & Families in the Courts, 601 Commonwealth Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17120.

Weblinks

Caseworker Retention State Roundtable Workgroup Webpage

Tools/Documents

Videos

Weblinks

Dependent Children of Incarcerated Parents State Roundtable Workgroup

Tools/Documents

Videos

An Educational Video for Judges: Dependent Children of Incarcerated Parents This video includes Judges, Attorneys, Youth and a Therapist and is designed to educate judges and legal professionals on the issues faced by dependent children who have an incarcerated parent and to demonstrate that although unique challenges exist for this population of foster care youth, with individualized case planning, strong advocacy, and judicial oversight, many of these challenges and barriers can be overcome. 

Weblinks

Tools/Documents

Videos

  • Current Trends in Substance Use Prevention, Intervention and Treatment Dr. Martz,  Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs discusses the heroin and opioid crisis; its impact on families and the stigma associated with addiction. He further answers critically important questions such as: When is it safe enough for children of addicted parents to visit or return home? What is good treatment and follow up? What is the role relationships play in supporting recovery and monitoring safety for children? Following his remarks, representatives from various counties share information on effective programs to address parental substance abuse and allow children to remain at home safely. Click here for a panel presentation.
  • Effective Strategies for Working with Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders  Pamela Petersen Baston, MPA, CAP, CAPP, President, Solutions of Substance, Inc. provides a compelling overview of the evolving understanding of substance use disorders and the associated underlying values that can influence our effectiveness working with substance-involved families. This information is presented in the context of the life of a “typical” child welfare parent with substance use and/or co-occurring mental health disorders and examines the many other challenges they face. Viewers will be able to examine whether Pennsylvania’s child welfare, behavioral health, and court systems are aligned to maximize success with these high-need families and whether new approaches should be explored
  • “From Here to Eternity”: Special issues in Alcohol and Drug Treatment This presentation explores essential issues in working successfully with children and families who are impacted by substance abuse, addiction, and co-occurring substance and mental health disorders. Mr. Walton begins with an overview summarizing the etiology of addiction and the key steps individuals must take to enter recovery, as well as avoid or recover from relapse. In addition, the connections between emotional problems in youth, illicit substance abuse, and the prescribing of psychotropic medications are being explored. Mr. Walton highlights ten “red flags” regarding the use of psychotropic medications. Finally, interventions for youth experiencing trauma, grief, and loss is being suggested. Terrance D. Walton, MSW, CSAC, Faculty National Drug Court Institute

Weblinks

Educational Success and Truancy Prevention State Roundtable Workgroup

Tools/Documents

Videos

Weblinks

Tools/Documents

Family Finding & Family Group Decision Making Brochure

Videos

How has the Permanency Practice Initiative improved the system? A Judge, County Commissioner and a Children & Youth Administrator share information about Pennsylvania’s Permanency Practice Initiative

Weblinks

Kinship Care State Roundtable Taskforce

Tools/Documents

Videos

Kinship Care: A Supreme Court Justice, Parent Attorney, Hearing Officer and a Guardian ad Litem speak to the importance of Kinship Care

Weblinks

Legal Representation State Roundtable Workgroup

Tools/Documents

Videos

Legal Representation: The Cornerstone Model Cornerstone Advocacy is an approach to working with families separated by foster care to speed the safe reunification of the family with focus on four areas: 1. Conferencing opportunities and strategies that empower parents and sustain parental engagement in services 2.  Service planning that builds on family strengths, avoids duplication and that realistically addresses the family issues that first placed children at risk 3. Placement arrangements that support a child’s connection to family and community, including school, day care and other activities 4. Visiting arrangements that enable parents and children to spend frequent time together in ways that most closely mimic family life. In response to the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) and Fostering Connections, Cornerstone improves Child Welfare and Permanency outcomes by establishing a paradigm whereby practitioners more accurately and expeditiously assess which families can remain together or reunify safely, while at the same time, supporting a child’s connections to family. The coordination of services for a family and educational stability for children in care are of critical importance.

Weblinks

Psychotropic Medication State Roundtable Workgroup

Tools/Documents

Videos

Psychotropic Medication for Dependent Children Dr. Schuster presents an overview of the use of psychotropic medications in dependent children. He includes a review of the frequency of medication use, a discussion of the quality concerns and challenges with these medications, and next steps toward improving the quality of care that includes these medications. He also presents the results of a multiple stakeholder roundtable focused on this issue. James Schuster, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization

Weblinks

Transitional Youth State Roundtable Workgroup 

Tools/Documents

Videos

  • 2015 Pennsylvania Children's Roundtable Summit
  • Act 91 Extension of Care 
  • Act 91 Resumption of Jurisdiction
  • Defining “Normal” – Exploring Typical Adolsecent Behavior using Evidence-based Theories and Real Life Experience The concept of “normal” is often misunderstood by caregivers and adults involved in out of home care. Utilizing evidenced-based theories and a panel of teen peer educators, this presentation addresses stereotypes of “normal” adolescent behavior to enhance participants’ perception of typical adolescence. Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, RNC, MA, EdD, Director Academy for Adolescent Health, Inc.
  • Enhancing Normalcy for Pennsylvania Foster Youth This video includes a Supreme Court Justice, Court of Common Pleas Judge, Guardian ad Litem, a Hearing Officer and several Youth. It provides an overview of the issue of normalcy in foster care, its importance to foster youth and what judges and hearing masters can do to meet judicial requirements ensuring foster youth are being provided opportunities for age and developmentally appropriate activities and experiences
  • Normalcy in Foster Care: 2015 Children’s Roundtable Summit: This video contains a panel presentaton provided to the 2015 State Roundtable Children’s Summit. The presentation is moderated by a Common Pleas Judge and include former foster youth, an Independent Living Co-ordinator, a county solicitor and a foster care representative!
  • Seeking Normalcy: A Youth’s Perspective This video provides two skits that illustrate the complexity foster children face in some placements. The video was created by the Selinsgrove Area High School Tolerance Troupe.
  • The Teen Species Why do teenagers do some of the seemingly thoughtless things that they do? While there are undoubtedly more than a few reasons, this talk focuses on the notion that it might be due to the fact that they are actually thinking too much, and feeling too little. While a great deal of attention has been paid to adolescent’s abilities (or lack there of ) to reason about the future, one area that has been overlooked is their ability to somatically feel potential outcomes of a decision. Evidence from both behavioral and functional imaging studies are being presented to suggest that while adolescents are able to cognitively understand potentially poor decisions, it is actually the lack of feeling potential consequences that underlies the lapses in judgment; lapses that so often leave adults scratching their heads in confusion and asking “what were you thinking?” when perhaps the more revealing question would be “what were you feeling?” Abigail A. Baird, Ph.D. Vassar College
  • Transitional Youth: The connection between well-being and normalizing the foster care experience This video contains a 2015 State Roundtable Children’s Summit panel presentation. The presentation is moderated by a Common Pleas Judge and includes former foster youth and Independent Living Co-ordinator, a county solicitor and a foster care representative

Weblinks

Trauma State Roundtable Workgroup

Tools/Documents

Videos

  • Children in Foster Care Coping with Loss & Trauma This presentation focuses on the effects grief and loss can have on children. When ignored and untreated these losses often become visible through a myriad of behaviors. The use of family visits that build on family strengths can be one of the most effective responses to the trauma of maltreatment and losses experienced after being removed from home. Dr. Beyer discusses these issues and the use of visit coaching; an innovative method for designing quality visits that lead to safe reunification and shorter out of home placement time. Marty Beyer, Ph.D., Psychologist, Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Consultant
  • Comfort Dogs in Court Approximately one-third of Pennsylvania’s 60 judicial districts report that they either use comfort dogs in dependency court or are implementing a program to use them. The impact can be dramatic on the children they serve, according to judges and other judiciary personnel interviewed for this educational video on comfort dogs. This video includes Judges, dog trainer and a handler.
  • Creating a Trauma Informed and Responsive Court
  • Kinship Care A Supreme Court Justice, Parent Attorney, Hearing Officer and a Guardian ad Litem speak to the importance of Kinship Care
  • Psychotropic Medication for Dependent Children Dr. James Schuster, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Offi cer, Community Care Behavioral Health Organization presents an overview of the use of psychotropic medications in dependent children. He includes a review of the frequency of medication use, a discussion of the quality concerns and challenges with these medications, and next steps toward improving the quality of care that includes these medications. He also presents the results of a multiple stakeholder roundtable focused on this issue.
  • Trauma, Toxic Stress and Protective Factors: Influences on Decisions for Children and Families in Child Welfare Systems This session from the 2015 Children’s Roundtable Summit explores a framework for understanding the impact of trauma and toxic stress on children and families in child welfare systems. It includes a combination of research findings and best practice recommendations that promote child well-being. The workshop is designed to engage participants in a series of activities and discussions that will increase their awareness of the interplay of attachment disruption, trauma, toxic stress, and protective factors in the lives of children who come to the attention of the courts. Ann Adalist-Estrin, M.S., Director, National Resource Center on Children and Families, of the Incarcerated at the Family and Corrections Network, Rutgers University
  • Trauma: Explore the body’s physical and emotional response to trauma and learn strategies to reduce trauma for children, families, and the professionals serving them. Janine M. D’Anniballe, Ph.D., Director of Access, Emergency, and Community Services, Mental Health Partners
  • Where there is Breath there is Hope  Ms.Tonier “Neen” Cain, Director of Advocacy Services, National Association of State Mental Health Directors takes the audience on a journey to places and subjects that most find too difficult or uncomfortable to fathom. But it is Tonier “Neen” Cain’s joyous spirit and astonishing inner-strength that leaps directly into audience’s hearts, inspiring renewed hope and compassion for those still living on the fringes. For two decades, Neen hustled on the streets of Annapolis, Maryland, desperately feeding an insatiable crack addiction and racking up 83 arrests along the way. Rapes and beatings were a routine part of life; home was underneath a bridge or inside the locked cage of a prison. In 2004, pregnant and incarcerated for violation of parole, she was provided the opportunity to go to a community trauma, mental health and addictions program. Feeling safe for the first time in her life, Neen confronted the haunting childhood memories that she tried to numb with drugs: filth and chronic hunger, sexual assaults by neighborhood men, routine physical and mental abuse dished out by her mother. Realizing for the first time that she had been a victim, she began to heal and reclaim power over her life, embarking on a remarkable “upward spiral,” that has no limit. Today, she’s the founder and CEO of Healing Neen Inc., she works for the National Center for Trauma-Informed Care, dedicating her life to being a voice for those still lost and still silent. Traveling the world to give speeches and work one-on-one with women in prisons and hospitals, Neen continues to transform her own life while helping others to embrace her motto “where there’s breath, there’s hope.”