PTC was established in 2009 to provide supervised parenting time and child exchanges in a safe, neutral environment for families requiring third-party supervision. PTC serves over 200 families per year in southern Indiana through court-ordered and voluntary services. Staff have advanced degrees and receive extensive training. PTC aims to strengthen parent-child relationships and teaches positive parenting skills through supportive supervision of visits. Services are culturally competent and evaluation shows participation improves parents' attitudes toward parenting.
Jason Wernick has over 10 years of experience working in human services and criminal justice fields. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Services/Psychology and has worked in various roles such as social worker, probation officer, program coordinator, and substance abuse counselor. He has extensive training and certifications in areas such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and working with culturally diverse populations.
Cindy Cooley has over 15 years of experience working in criminal justice and juvenile probation. She has held roles such as Deputy Chief of a juvenile probation department, overseeing probation officers and staff. As a Juvenile Probation Officer, she supervised at-risk and adjudicated youth, making referrals to treatment and providing resources. Cooley has a bachelor's degree in psychology and is trained in areas such as forensic interviewing and trauma-informed care. She seeks a new position where she can continue helping youth through her experience in case management, program development, and collaborating with courts and social services.
The Fresno County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provides services to criminally involved youth, including placement in group homes or foster care. It aims to support rehabilitation and community protection. Services include academic programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and transitional programs to support reintegration into the community. The department emphasizes equal treatment of minorities and disadvantaged youth.
Delia Sumter is a highly experienced senior social worker investigator with over 10 years of experience supervising staff and investigating cases of child abuse, neglect, and family crises. She has strong skills in staff training, crisis intervention, mental health issues, and ensuring legal and safety protocols are followed. Her background includes experience assessing safety, conducting interviews, and determining if removal of children is necessary.
The document provides information from a forensic interview report regarding a case involving a 10-year-old girl named Alberta Quintero Molina. It includes details of the qualifications of the forensic interviewer, Tylaer Davis, the roles and responsibilities in the interview, ethics policies, fees, and the results of a psychological assessment and trauma scales checklist administered to Alberta. The interview was conducted as part of an investigation by Child Protective Services regarding Alberta's care and custody within Calumet Catholic Charities of Michigan.
Amada Vallerie is a bilingual social and human services case manager with over 15 years of experience. She has extensive training in areas such as Asperger's syndrome, crisis counseling, cultural competency, and working with survivors of traumatic stress. In previous roles, she provided case management services and facilitated access to resources for over 60 families as a Head Start family worker. She also has experience as a care coordinator, behaviorist, case manager, and mental health counselor working with multiethnic populations. Vallerie holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on marketing.
The code of ethics for Family Health & Support Network outlines guidelines for foster parents to ensure they provide ethical care and maintain appropriate boundaries. Foster parents must not discriminate, exploit vulnerable parties, or engage in sexual or inappropriate relationships. They must also respect client confidentiality, only disclosing information to authorized parties. Foster parents should seek help for personal issues to avoid harming clients and must practice within their competence.
The document discusses the mission and services of the Fresno County Probation Juvenile Services Division. It aims to protect the community, support victims, and provide court services through collaborative programs including prevention, supervision, and incarceration if needed. Deputy probation officers supervise minors on probation, prepare reports for court, and work with out-of-home placements. They monitor minors, ensure compliance with probation terms, and refer minors to appropriate agencies and programs to help rehabilitate them.
Jason Wernick has over 10 years of experience working in human services and criminal justice fields. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Services/Psychology and has worked in various roles such as social worker, probation officer, program coordinator, and substance abuse counselor. He has extensive training and certifications in areas such as motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed care, and working with culturally diverse populations.
Cindy Cooley has over 15 years of experience working in criminal justice and juvenile probation. She has held roles such as Deputy Chief of a juvenile probation department, overseeing probation officers and staff. As a Juvenile Probation Officer, she supervised at-risk and adjudicated youth, making referrals to treatment and providing resources. Cooley has a bachelor's degree in psychology and is trained in areas such as forensic interviewing and trauma-informed care. She seeks a new position where she can continue helping youth through her experience in case management, program development, and collaborating with courts and social services.
The Fresno County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provides services to criminally involved youth, including placement in group homes or foster care. It aims to support rehabilitation and community protection. Services include academic programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and transitional programs to support reintegration into the community. The department emphasizes equal treatment of minorities and disadvantaged youth.
Delia Sumter is a highly experienced senior social worker investigator with over 10 years of experience supervising staff and investigating cases of child abuse, neglect, and family crises. She has strong skills in staff training, crisis intervention, mental health issues, and ensuring legal and safety protocols are followed. Her background includes experience assessing safety, conducting interviews, and determining if removal of children is necessary.
The document provides information from a forensic interview report regarding a case involving a 10-year-old girl named Alberta Quintero Molina. It includes details of the qualifications of the forensic interviewer, Tylaer Davis, the roles and responsibilities in the interview, ethics policies, fees, and the results of a psychological assessment and trauma scales checklist administered to Alberta. The interview was conducted as part of an investigation by Child Protective Services regarding Alberta's care and custody within Calumet Catholic Charities of Michigan.
Amada Vallerie is a bilingual social and human services case manager with over 15 years of experience. She has extensive training in areas such as Asperger's syndrome, crisis counseling, cultural competency, and working with survivors of traumatic stress. In previous roles, she provided case management services and facilitated access to resources for over 60 families as a Head Start family worker. She also has experience as a care coordinator, behaviorist, case manager, and mental health counselor working with multiethnic populations. Vallerie holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with a focus on marketing.
The code of ethics for Family Health & Support Network outlines guidelines for foster parents to ensure they provide ethical care and maintain appropriate boundaries. Foster parents must not discriminate, exploit vulnerable parties, or engage in sexual or inappropriate relationships. They must also respect client confidentiality, only disclosing information to authorized parties. Foster parents should seek help for personal issues to avoid harming clients and must practice within their competence.
The document discusses the mission and services of the Fresno County Probation Juvenile Services Division. It aims to protect the community, support victims, and provide court services through collaborative programs including prevention, supervision, and incarceration if needed. Deputy probation officers supervise minors on probation, prepare reports for court, and work with out-of-home placements. They monitor minors, ensure compliance with probation terms, and refer minors to appropriate agencies and programs to help rehabilitate them.
Arrow Adoption Training for Kinship FamiliesArrowMarketing
This document provides information on various topics related to foster care and adoption. It discusses separation, grief, loss, the roles of Child Protective Services and Arrow case managers. It also covers special needs adoption, transracial and cross-cultural adoption, ways to prevent disruption or dissolution, and community resources. Regarding transracial adoption, it suggests finding mentors and role models for the child's culture, making new connections in diverse communities, acknowledging racism, embracing new traditions, and keeping open conversations about race.
The document provides information about the Fresno County Probation Department Juvenile Division, including its mission to protect the community, support victims, and deliver services to courts through collaboration. It describes programs like the Day Reporting Center that provide alternatives to incarceration, as well as educational and substance abuse programs available to juvenile offenders in custody.
The Fresno County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provides services to criminally involved youth, including placement in group homes or foster care. It aims to support rehabilitation and community protection. Services include academic programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and transitional programs to support reintegration into the community. The department prioritizes equal treatment and works to address the needs of at-risk groups.
The Fresno County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provides services to criminally involved youth, including placement in group homes or foster care. It aims to support rehabilitation and community protection. Services include academic programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and supervision in both institutional and community-based settings such as a Day Reporting Center. The document outlines various programs and services provided to youth.
Jeanette Mason has over 10 years of experience working in early childhood development and human services. She has held positions such as Family Advocate Associate at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center and Early Childhood Developer at the Mayor's Office of Human Services. Her responsibilities have included managing large groups of children, communicating with parents and staff, completing child assessments, and coordinating a career readiness program. She has a bachelor's degree in applied psychology and is currently pursuing further education.
Anika Grothe is seeking a position that allows her to utilize her organizational, communication, and people skills. She has over 20 years of experience in various roles in human services fields including victim advocacy, case management, counseling, and caregiving. Her background includes education in human services, early childhood education, psychology, and social work. She is proficient in Microsoft Office applications and QuickBooks.
Hosted by Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota on October 30, 2012.
The Mentoring Best Practices Research Project, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), is being conducted in collaboration with Global Youth Justice and the National Partnership for Juvenile Services.
Jill Larson is a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience providing therapeutic services, case management, and clinical supervision. She currently serves as the Clinical Supervisor for the Nurturing Families Network of L+M Hospital in Connecticut, where she supervises family support providers, conducts assessments and intakes, manages a budget, and fosters community collaborations. Previously, she has held social work roles in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Minnesota providing services such as therapy, case management, teaching parenting classes, and crisis evaluation. She holds a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of St. Thomas and University of St. Catherine's.
Lauren Sword is seeking a position as a nursing home administrator and provides an overview of her relevant experience and credentials. She has 11 years of experience in gerontology and social work and is a licensed nursing home administrator. Most recently, she served as the executive director of Ridgeway Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility, where she oversaw daily operations and led a staff of 138. She has a passion for serving the aging community and is driven to take on new challenges.
This document provides a summary of Nia Daniels' qualifications and experience. It includes her contact information, education history with a Masters in Organizational Leadership and Bachelors in Criminal Justice, and work experience coordinating care and providing training, staff development, and program management over the past 14 years in healthcare, church, and education settings. The cover letter expresses interest in a Training Specialist position and highlights 14 years of leadership experience, strong communication and time management skills, and relevant education qualifications that make her a strong candidate.
The document discusses the connection between building protective factors in communities and appropriate responses to child abuse and neglect. It summarizes that research shows building knowledge of parenting/child development, parental resilience, social connections, concrete supports, and children's social-emotional competence can help protect families and reduce abuse. The document provides information on each protective factor and recommends strategies for service providers to support families in building these factors.
This document contains a resume for Kim D. Younger. It lists her education as a Bachelor of Science degree and extensive employment experience in healthcare and social services roles. Her experience includes supervising employees, implementing procedures, screening volunteers, monitoring projects, presenting and registering patients, counseling clients, developing treatment plans, collecting medical samples, and performing clerical duties using various computer systems. She has over 15 years of combined experience in roles such as a mental health counselor, residential counselor, research assistant, emergency room technician, and community corrections counselor.
This summary provides an overview of Brenda Côté's curriculum vitae:
Brenda Côté has over 25 years of experience in social work and management in both Canada and the UK. She currently works as the Joint Team Manager for the Northern Learning Disabilities Team in Norfolk, managing a team of 55 professionals. Previously, she held several managerial roles in adult social care and children's services in Norfolk. Brenda has extensive experience in areas such as safeguarding, quality assurance, budget management, and staff supervision and development. She has a Master's degree in Social Work and is a registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council.
Raising the Bar: Child Welfare’s Shift Towards Well-Beingmdanielsfirstfocus
The document discusses promoting social and emotional well-being for children and families through an integrated approach. It presents a developmental framework for well-being that identifies four domains: cognitive functioning, physical health and development, behavioral/emotional functioning, and social functioning. It also discusses using screening, assessment, evidence-based interventions, case planning, and progress monitoring to achieve outcomes of safety, permanency and well-being. Key strategies discussed include addressing trauma, building workforce capacity, and collaborating across agencies and systems.
Kaleidoscope provides various foster care programs for youth, including therapeutic foster care, specialized programs for adolescents and medically complex youth, and transitional living services for youth up to age 21. They take a strengths-based approach and focus on building relationships to provide case management, therapy, life skills training, and other services to support youth and their foster families. The organization also coordinates systems of care and transitional living programs to stabilize placements and support youth beyond age 18 with independent living, education, employment assistance and other services.
Jessica Bisiak is a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience providing therapy and clinical services to children, adolescents, and families. She has worked in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health clinics, and schools. Her experience includes individual, family, and group therapy using evidence-based models like CBT and DBT. She has also held supervisory roles developing treatment plans and overseeing staff.
The document is a submission from Life Without Barriers (LWB) in response to a consultation paper from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Out-of-Home Care. LWB supports nationally consistent standards and regulation for out-of-home care. They agree more needs to be done to address child-to-child abuse and develop treatment programs. LWB is working to improve their data collection systems to better monitor abuse incidents and outcomes for children in care.
This document summarizes the qualifications and experience of Rajan Kattambally for the position of Child and Youth Worker. It outlines his over 5 years of experience providing counseling and facilitating groups for clients dealing with mental health issues, addictions, and disabilities. It also details his educational background, including a Master's Degree in Social Work, and provides examples of his previous roles working with organizations supporting at-risk youth and families.
The document provides a summary of Graziella Reis Sanga's qualifications and experience. She has over 10 years of experience working in mental health and as a licensed behavioral specialist consultant in Pennsylvania. Her experience includes providing individual, family, and group counseling, advocacy, education, and crisis counseling for a wide range of clients in various settings such as schools, agencies, and shelters. She is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
The Duluth Model is a coordinated community response to domestic violence that includes police, courts, and community agencies. It focuses on holding batterers accountable through court-ordered psychoeducational groups. The groups, led by trained facilitators, last 28 weeks and cover themes related to power and control. The goals are to educate men about abusive behaviors and build skills like communication, problem solving, and managing stress/tension. Assessment includes observations during sessions and surveys. While research on outcomes is mixed, some studies found lower recidivism rates for men completing the program.
Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) is a 12-session substance abuse treatment program for married, engaged, or cohabitating couples experiencing substance abuse issues. BCT was developed in 1976 and focuses on supporting recovery, enhancing the relationship, improving communication skills, and maintaining sobriety. Research shows BCT is effective for couples with one or dual substance-using partners, including women partners. BCT yields better outcomes than individual therapy alone and has shown effectiveness with same-sex couples.
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Arrow Adoption Training for Kinship FamiliesArrowMarketing
This document provides information on various topics related to foster care and adoption. It discusses separation, grief, loss, the roles of Child Protective Services and Arrow case managers. It also covers special needs adoption, transracial and cross-cultural adoption, ways to prevent disruption or dissolution, and community resources. Regarding transracial adoption, it suggests finding mentors and role models for the child's culture, making new connections in diverse communities, acknowledging racism, embracing new traditions, and keeping open conversations about race.
The document provides information about the Fresno County Probation Department Juvenile Division, including its mission to protect the community, support victims, and deliver services to courts through collaboration. It describes programs like the Day Reporting Center that provide alternatives to incarceration, as well as educational and substance abuse programs available to juvenile offenders in custody.
The Fresno County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provides services to criminally involved youth, including placement in group homes or foster care. It aims to support rehabilitation and community protection. Services include academic programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and transitional programs to support reintegration into the community. The department prioritizes equal treatment and works to address the needs of at-risk groups.
The Fresno County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provides services to criminally involved youth, including placement in group homes or foster care. It aims to support rehabilitation and community protection. Services include academic programs, substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, and supervision in both institutional and community-based settings such as a Day Reporting Center. The document outlines various programs and services provided to youth.
Jeanette Mason has over 10 years of experience working in early childhood development and human services. She has held positions such as Family Advocate Associate at the Baltimore Child Abuse Center and Early Childhood Developer at the Mayor's Office of Human Services. Her responsibilities have included managing large groups of children, communicating with parents and staff, completing child assessments, and coordinating a career readiness program. She has a bachelor's degree in applied psychology and is currently pursuing further education.
Anika Grothe is seeking a position that allows her to utilize her organizational, communication, and people skills. She has over 20 years of experience in various roles in human services fields including victim advocacy, case management, counseling, and caregiving. Her background includes education in human services, early childhood education, psychology, and social work. She is proficient in Microsoft Office applications and QuickBooks.
Hosted by Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota on October 30, 2012.
The Mentoring Best Practices Research Project, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), is being conducted in collaboration with Global Youth Justice and the National Partnership for Juvenile Services.
Jill Larson is a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience providing therapeutic services, case management, and clinical supervision. She currently serves as the Clinical Supervisor for the Nurturing Families Network of L+M Hospital in Connecticut, where she supervises family support providers, conducts assessments and intakes, manages a budget, and fosters community collaborations. Previously, she has held social work roles in Maryland, Massachusetts, and Minnesota providing services such as therapy, case management, teaching parenting classes, and crisis evaluation. She holds a Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of St. Thomas and University of St. Catherine's.
Lauren Sword is seeking a position as a nursing home administrator and provides an overview of her relevant experience and credentials. She has 11 years of experience in gerontology and social work and is a licensed nursing home administrator. Most recently, she served as the executive director of Ridgeway Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility, where she oversaw daily operations and led a staff of 138. She has a passion for serving the aging community and is driven to take on new challenges.
This document provides a summary of Nia Daniels' qualifications and experience. It includes her contact information, education history with a Masters in Organizational Leadership and Bachelors in Criminal Justice, and work experience coordinating care and providing training, staff development, and program management over the past 14 years in healthcare, church, and education settings. The cover letter expresses interest in a Training Specialist position and highlights 14 years of leadership experience, strong communication and time management skills, and relevant education qualifications that make her a strong candidate.
The document discusses the connection between building protective factors in communities and appropriate responses to child abuse and neglect. It summarizes that research shows building knowledge of parenting/child development, parental resilience, social connections, concrete supports, and children's social-emotional competence can help protect families and reduce abuse. The document provides information on each protective factor and recommends strategies for service providers to support families in building these factors.
This document contains a resume for Kim D. Younger. It lists her education as a Bachelor of Science degree and extensive employment experience in healthcare and social services roles. Her experience includes supervising employees, implementing procedures, screening volunteers, monitoring projects, presenting and registering patients, counseling clients, developing treatment plans, collecting medical samples, and performing clerical duties using various computer systems. She has over 15 years of combined experience in roles such as a mental health counselor, residential counselor, research assistant, emergency room technician, and community corrections counselor.
This summary provides an overview of Brenda Côté's curriculum vitae:
Brenda Côté has over 25 years of experience in social work and management in both Canada and the UK. She currently works as the Joint Team Manager for the Northern Learning Disabilities Team in Norfolk, managing a team of 55 professionals. Previously, she held several managerial roles in adult social care and children's services in Norfolk. Brenda has extensive experience in areas such as safeguarding, quality assurance, budget management, and staff supervision and development. She has a Master's degree in Social Work and is a registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council.
Raising the Bar: Child Welfare’s Shift Towards Well-Beingmdanielsfirstfocus
The document discusses promoting social and emotional well-being for children and families through an integrated approach. It presents a developmental framework for well-being that identifies four domains: cognitive functioning, physical health and development, behavioral/emotional functioning, and social functioning. It also discusses using screening, assessment, evidence-based interventions, case planning, and progress monitoring to achieve outcomes of safety, permanency and well-being. Key strategies discussed include addressing trauma, building workforce capacity, and collaborating across agencies and systems.
Kaleidoscope provides various foster care programs for youth, including therapeutic foster care, specialized programs for adolescents and medically complex youth, and transitional living services for youth up to age 21. They take a strengths-based approach and focus on building relationships to provide case management, therapy, life skills training, and other services to support youth and their foster families. The organization also coordinates systems of care and transitional living programs to stabilize placements and support youth beyond age 18 with independent living, education, employment assistance and other services.
Jessica Bisiak is a licensed clinical social worker with over 10 years of experience providing therapy and clinical services to children, adolescents, and families. She has worked in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health clinics, and schools. Her experience includes individual, family, and group therapy using evidence-based models like CBT and DBT. She has also held supervisory roles developing treatment plans and overseeing staff.
The document is a submission from Life Without Barriers (LWB) in response to a consultation paper from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Out-of-Home Care. LWB supports nationally consistent standards and regulation for out-of-home care. They agree more needs to be done to address child-to-child abuse and develop treatment programs. LWB is working to improve their data collection systems to better monitor abuse incidents and outcomes for children in care.
This document summarizes the qualifications and experience of Rajan Kattambally for the position of Child and Youth Worker. It outlines his over 5 years of experience providing counseling and facilitating groups for clients dealing with mental health issues, addictions, and disabilities. It also details his educational background, including a Master's Degree in Social Work, and provides examples of his previous roles working with organizations supporting at-risk youth and families.
The document provides a summary of Graziella Reis Sanga's qualifications and experience. She has over 10 years of experience working in mental health and as a licensed behavioral specialist consultant in Pennsylvania. Her experience includes providing individual, family, and group counseling, advocacy, education, and crisis counseling for a wide range of clients in various settings such as schools, agencies, and shelters. She is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Similar to Description of Agency Field Seminar Paper (20)
The Duluth Model is a coordinated community response to domestic violence that includes police, courts, and community agencies. It focuses on holding batterers accountable through court-ordered psychoeducational groups. The groups, led by trained facilitators, last 28 weeks and cover themes related to power and control. The goals are to educate men about abusive behaviors and build skills like communication, problem solving, and managing stress/tension. Assessment includes observations during sessions and surveys. While research on outcomes is mixed, some studies found lower recidivism rates for men completing the program.
Behavioral couples therapy (BCT) is a 12-session substance abuse treatment program for married, engaged, or cohabitating couples experiencing substance abuse issues. BCT was developed in 1976 and focuses on supporting recovery, enhancing the relationship, improving communication skills, and maintaining sobriety. Research shows BCT is effective for couples with one or dual substance-using partners, including women partners. BCT yields better outcomes than individual therapy alone and has shown effectiveness with same-sex couples.
Fowler's stages of faith development include 6 stages through which individuals progress from childhood through adulthood. Stage 1 involves intuitive and magical thinking in young children. Stage 2 involves concrete thinking in school-aged children who see the world in logical terms. Stage 3 involves establishing identity and conforming to social norms in adolescence through early adulthood. Stage 4 involves establishing individual identity through critically evaluating beliefs. Stage 5 involves embracing paradoxes and multiple perspectives. Stage 6, reached by few, involves a life focused on serving others. Spiritual assessment involves respecting client autonomy, cultural competence, understanding spiritual salience, and facilitating theological reflection to enhance understanding.
The document summarizes the issue of residential and commercial vacancy in Indiana. It notes that tens of thousands of structures in the state are vacant or abandoned, often being uninhabitable. Sources of vacancy include foreclosure, high costs of sheriff sales, and "zombie properties" where the owner leaves but the bank does not take ownership. The lengthy prior process for transferring ownership of abandoned properties contributed to blight. A new law, SB 415, aims to shorten timelines to limit vacancy but has limitations and does not address root causes or provide funding for demolition. Vacancy has negative social and economic impacts on communities.
This study analyzed the impact of Indiana's voter photo ID law on voter turnout. It found that voter turnout decreased between 2002 (before the law) and 2014 (after the law) at both the registered voter and voting age population levels. A multivariate regression analysis also indicated that the voter ID law requirement in 2014 had a statistically significant negative relationship with turnout compared to 2002, while factors like higher unemployment, percentages of younger/older voters, and rental housing were also associated with lower turnout. However, the author notes that more research is needed to fully understand the variables affecting turnout.
The humanistic perspective emphasizes individual freedom, meaning, dignity, and competence. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was developed from these principles to help patients manage stress, pain, and illness. MBSR is an 8-week program teaching mindfulness meditation skills to increase awareness of mind-body connections and reduce suffering. Research shows MBSR lowers stress levels and improves mental health outcomes by cultivating non-judgmental present-moment awareness.
Middle adulthood, typically ages 35-60, involves developmental themes of life review, identity changes, and adapting to physical and social changes as children leave home and careers are established. This life stage presents both strengths like relationships and wisdom but also hazards like health issues, career dissatisfaction, and family challenges as roles adjust. Theories view this period as focused on generativity through work and community versus potential risks of stagnation.
1. Agency Overview: Parenting Time Center, Inc.
Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley
July 9, 2016
MissionStatement: to support every child's right to have a safe and nurturing place in which to
have a relationship with that child's parent; to increase access to supervised visitation and
exchange services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and
child abuse; and to provide communities with education and support that promotes opportunities
for children to have safe, conflict-free access to both parents through a continuum of child access
services.
History of Agency
Parenting Time Center (PTC) was established in 2009 to meet the needs of parents and
children who require third-party supervision for parenting time and safe exchanges of children
between parents. PTC serves both voluntary and Court-ordered clients in southwestern Indiana
with on-site supervised parenting time and exchanges in a safe and neutral environment. PTC
staff members do not take sides or discuss the underlying issues related to referral with clients
and treat each client with respect, while maintaining confidentiality.
PTC operates primarily through collaborative relationships with the area court systems,
probation departments, and the Department of Child Services (DCS). Most clients are ordered to
supervised parenting time/exchange or to take PTC’s Cooperative Parenting Class through the
courts in southwestern Indiana with most clients coming from Vanderburgh, Posey, Warrick and
Gibson County. Referrals come from Domestic Relations, Juvenile Paternity, and Child in Need
of Services cases. PTC also receives referrals for voluntary clients through relationships with
other agencies in the community which include Evansville Police, Vanderburgh County Sheriff,
4-C of Southwestern Indiana, Deaconess and St. Mary’s hospitals, Evansville Vanderburgh
School Corporation, YWCA, United Caring Shelter, Albion Fellows Bacon Center, the local
Veterans hospital, and local mental health and counseling providers. PTC attends health fairs and
many community events to ensure the public has an awareness of services. PTC also maintains
knowledge of services offered in the community to refer clients where appropriate.
PTC operates seven days a week from 8 am to 8 pm with the exception of major holidays.
PTC has two full-time employees aside from the Executive Director- the Office Manager and
Intake Coordinator. Visitation/exchange supervisors and facilitators are part-time employees, and
there are typically two to six on duty when the agency is open. Only the Office Manager has less
than a Master’s Degree but holds a Bachelor’s Degree in a Human Services field. The Intake
Coordinator has a Master’s Degree in Counseling. The Executive Director and all
visitation/exchange facilitators and supervisors have an MSW degree, and some also are LCSWs.
PTC has 3 visitation rooms and staggers visit start times. PTC currently facilitates and
supervises approximately 40 visits and exchanges each week. PTC served more than 200
families and facilitated more than a 1400 visits and exchanges in 2015. Many visitation/exchange
supervisors and facilitators work part-time or on an on-call basis. PTC works closely with the
University of Southern Indiana and typically has up to three MSW graduate students working as
interns. PTC trains and cultivates relationships with MSW students to add to its staff post-
graduation as needed. Visitation supervisors and facilitators must have at least an MSW degree.
2. Service Demographics
The most common situations addressed with supervised visitation and exchange are
parents and children with a history or current circumstance of domestic violence, child neglect
and abuse, substance abuse, homelessness, mental illness, inexperienced parenting, post-adoption
needs, and estranged or high-conflict parents. PTC has a policy on cultural competence that is
based on the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). Current
clients of PTC include African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, those of Asian and Middle
Eastern or Indian descent and interracial couples. Ninety-five percent of PTC clients have a low
socio-economic status. PTC clients have diverse sociocultural values and lifestyle choices.
Interpretation, translation and Sign Language Services are provided when necessary.
Practice Model
PTC is a member of the Supervised Visitation Network (SVN) and has policies and
procedures that comply with the best practice standards of SVN, Indiana law, the United States
Department of Justice, Office of Violence Against Women, and the NASW Code of Ethics.
PTC is certified by SVN to provide supportive supervised visitation, which allows the visitation
supervisor to be actively involved in promoting behavioral change in parent/child relationships.
Visitation supervisors are trained in the basic stages of child development; effects of separation
and divorce on children and families; grief and loss associated with parental separation and
removal from the home; cultural sensitivity and diversity; family violence, including domestic
violence and the effects of domestic violence on children; child abuse and neglect, including
child sexual abuse; substance abuse; provisions of service to parents and children with mental
health and developmental issues or other physical or emotional impairment; parent
introduction/re-introduction; parenting skills; assertiveness training and conflict resolution; how
and when to intervene during visits or exchanges to maintain the safety of all participants;
behaviors that facilitate positive attachment, separation and reconnection; trauma informed care;
intervention to promote change; observation of parent/child interactions; and preparation of
factual observation notes and reports. Periodic reviews of files with staff members, regular
training and staff meetings are used to maintain proper procedures and quality in providing
services to clients. Visitation supervisors and facilitators also receive specialized training at the
agencies where they work full-time.
Visitation supervisors strengthen families by teaching, demonstrating and role modeling
appropriate parenting skills to improve the parent-child relationship. Supervisors instruct parents
in child care skills; teach positive affirmations; provide instruction about child development
stages (current and future); teach age-appropriate discipline and positive parent-child interaction
through conversation and play; and provide opportunities for snack and meal preparation with
children. The agency operates from the strengths perspective and uses cognitive behavioral and
social learning theories and strategies to change parent and child behavior.
Visitation occurs at PTC in a private room equipped with a video camera, and with age-
appropriate toys and games. Each visit has a supervisor who monitors the visits, takes
observation notes, and intervenes as necessary to redirect or emphasize appropriate behavior.
There is also a visitation facilitator assigned to the visit who manages the drop off and pick up of
children and who observes the visit from a video monitor. All visits are recorded and may be
reviewed at a later date. There are also cameras monitoring the entrances to the facility and the
parking lot, as well as procedures in place to ensure doors are locked at all times. Visiting
3. parents are not intermingled and are kept separate from the party dropping off and picking up the
child.
All visiting parties and those transporting children are observed for the potential of being
under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Visits are canceled or terminated when a visitation
supervisor determines a visiting party is intoxicated or poses a threat to the physical or emotional
well-being of the child or staff members. When appropriate, the visitation supervisor will attempt
to redirect or prompt the visiting party to stop the behavior before ending a visit. Both the
visitation supervisor and facilitator are required to wear panic buttons, which sound a monitored
alarm if triggered. PTC keeps detailed notes of all visits and exchanges. The notes are
observation and do not include opinion. The notes do reflect when an intervention occurs and a
visiting party is assisted or directed for a parenting issue. The notes are provided to clients after
each visit/exchange. PTC periodically certifies notes for court hearings and responds to
subpoenas for notes. Occasionally, PTC staff members are called to testify related to
visits/exchanges overseen.
Program Integrity and Evaluation
PTC administers the Parent-Child Relationship Inventory (PCRI) to the visiting parent
when services begin and end. Staff members are trained to score the instrument and results are
logged to monitor the parent’s attitude toward parenting and toward their children. The PCRI has
seven substantive measures: parental support scale, satisfaction with parenting scale,
involvement scale, communication scale, limit setting scale, autonomy scale, role orientation
scale, and two measures for validity: social desirability indicator and inconsistency indicator.
The goals of PTC is to increase scores over the time a parent has supervised visitation or
exchanges, which indicates an increase in positive parenting characteristics. PTC has begun a
review of completed PCRI instruments to determine an optimum length of supervised parenting
time/exchange for the greatest impact on positive parenting characteristics. PTC is also in the
process of developing its own validated instrument to measure the impact of services on
children, parental conflict, child support compliance and the need for other services.
PTC also uses a general survey at the beginning and end of services which gauges the
level of satisfaction clients have with the agency, as well as their initial concerns in using
services and whether those concerns were alleviated. The survey also asks for suggestions about
how services could be improved. PTC is a not for profit agency with a multidisciplinary Board of
Directors with authority to establish policies and procedures. The Board periodically reviews
policies and procedures based on client feedback and changes in best practices through SVN or
Office of Violence Against Women.
PTC’s primary outcome adheres to it mission statement and is to keep a child emotionally
and physically safe while spending time with a parent. The secondary outcome which also
adheres to the mission statement is to improve the parent-child relationship through improved
skills and attitudes. To measure the secondary outcome, PTC looks for positive changes in the
parent-child interactions during visits and for increased or new parenting skills demonstrated by
the parent. Visitation supervisors encourage and reinforce appropriate parenting and discourage
behaviors that are not appropriate. Visitation supervisors build rapport with parents and children
and come to be seen as someone who can be trusted for guidance, who does not judge a parent
for weaknesses, and who is there to help improve the parent-child relationship. Follow up phone
calls are made to parents after they leave the program to see if they are continuing to have
positive visits with their children.
4. Funding of Agency and Adequacy of Services
PTC is primarily funded through local fundraising efforts. The agency does receive a
federal grant through the Office of Violence Against Women which is administered by the City
of Evansville. Parents receiving services are a significant source of funding, most pay one-third
of the cost of their services. The agency is always looking for grants opportunities to be able to
expand to meet the community needs. There is a waiting list for supervised parenting time and a
significant number of parents state they cannot pay the $30 Intake and $25 per hour of visitation
and are not put on the waiting list.
According to the Indiana Youth Institute, Indiana has the 5th highest rate of documented
cases of child abuse and neglect in the United States. The rate for Indiana is 16 per 1000, and
half of victims are under the age of 5. Ten percent of children in Indiana live with a parent who
suffers from a mental illness. Thirteen percent live with a parent who has a substance abuse
issue. Indiana had the highest level of methamphetamine usage in the country in 2014 with
southwestern Indiana leading the state with arrests and the number of methamphetamine labs.
The percent of children in poverty in Indiana in 2014 was more than 21 percent, with Posey
County at 14 percent, Vanderburgh County at 25 percent, Warrick County at 11 percent, and
Gibson County at 17 percent. Mental health, poverty and substance abuse issues are often a
factor in child abuse and neglect cases. 2015 broke records in Indiana with the number of Child
in Need of Services cases opened in the court system based on reports of child abuse and neglect.
Within southwestern Indiana, 50% of parents involved with Child in Need of Services cases
today were involved in similar cases when they were children. In the first 3 months of 2016, 122
children were put in foster care in the counties of Posey, Vanderburgh, Gibson and Warrick. This
does not include children who were placed with relatives. PTC is wholly unable to address the
need for services related to child abuse and neglect and domestic violence with its current
funding and staffing levels. It is the only supervised parenting time and safe exchange center in
southwest Indiana.
My Role at PTC
I have been working on grant applications, bids for contracts with DCS, the creation of a
measurement tool to help PTC demonstrate its effectiveness in reducing child abuse and neglect
and strengthening parent-child relationships, as well I am conducting intake assessments, and
supervising and facilitating parenting time and safe exchanges.