Handle with Care 

The CDC-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) suggests that exposure to trauma can pose negative lifetime consequences. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018 that childhood trauma such as abuse and neglect can increase risk factors such as substance abuse, mental health issues and disease. Kentucky State University recognizes the importance of creating sustainable communities. One such way is partnering with community organization to teach resilience and address risk factors associated with abuse and neglect. Kentucky State University recognizes the importance and wider impact that community collaborations and partnerships can make. Therefore they encourage and support the work that significantly impacts the surrounding communities. One such partnership that they support is by allowing Area Agent III, Carla Jordan to collaborate as the Chair for the Southern Bluegrass Citizen Review Panel. There are a total of 348 CRPs in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Citizen Review Panels were developed in response to a requirement set forth in the 1996 reauthorization for the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA), section 106 (c). The CRPs are directed to evaluate state child welfare agencies and make recommendations for improvement in child protective services. In doing so, they are to assess how well the state is coordinating adoption and foster care programs and how child fatalities are reviewed.

Children’s Bureau, 2018 guidance directs CRPs to evaluate the extent to which the state is fulling its child protection responsibilities in accordance with its CAPTA state plan by: (1) examining the policies, procedures and practices of state and local child protection agencies; and (2) reviewing specific cases, where appropriate. A panel may examine other factors that it considers important to ensuring the protection of children. Citizen Review Panels must provide for public outreach and comment as noted above. Panels must prepare an annual report that summarizes its activities and makes recommendations to improve the CPS system at the state and local levels, and submit it to both the state and the public (Section 106(c)(6) of CAPTA).

The Southern Bluegrass CRP focused on two areas this year: educating the community about services and resources that aid in the decrease of child abuse and neglect, and promoting DCBS in healthy manner to increase employee morale and retention. The panel accomplished their goals by first presenting a free training about Narcan, which was open to the community. Participants received a free voice led Narcan Kit. They also conducted a community forum on substance misuse. The panel contributed to worker morale and retention by providing educational activities on self-care and worker recognition during “Conversation on Collaboration.” This year the conversation was titled "A Conversation on Collaboration in Child Welfare Substance Abuse: The Impact on our Community." After a presentation by a certified alcohol/drug counselor on engaging teens and families in treatment, the conversation continued by sharing information about the implementation of Handle with Care (HWC) throughout Fayette County Public Schools.

According to West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice. 2018 HWC promotes safe and supportive schools, through school-community partnerships, to help traumatized children heal and thrive by providing additional support in the school setting. The primary premise of HWC is to ensure that if a child is present during a law enforcement call that the child’s school be notified before the next day. Law enforcement will send a notification to that child’s school that simply states the child’s name and HANDLE WITH CARE. The child is then monitored for any changes in behavior or performance, and if warranted, the appointed school personnel will ensure that child has an opportunity to access additional services to meet his/her needs. All Fayette County school personnel have had trauma-sensitive training so that children are handled with care and hopefully are not further traumatized. The pilot program was initially going to be at one Fayette County Public School. However, after thorough review the Superintendent of Fayette County Schools strongly believed in the program and wanted implemented in all Fayette County Public Schools. The program was implemented the last week of April and by the end of the school year three (3) children had been provided services. The program was in place the last five (5) weeks of the school year. The panel anticipates greater results and participation in the coming school year. This project has led to the implementation in other surrounding counties, including Elizabethtown, KY.

 

References:

Jones, B (2018). CAPTA TIP Sheet 101. Retrieved from http://www.cantasd.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CRP_TipSheet1.pdf.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2018). Adverse Childhood Experiences. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/index.html 

West Virginia Center for Children’s Justice. (2018). Handle with Care Overview. Retrieved from http://www.handlewithcarewv.org/handle-with-care.php