WASHINGTON, D.C. - Casey Family Programs will launch two new tools at the Child Welfare League of America's (CWLA) national conference Feb. 27-Mar.1, 2006, at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. Casey Family Programs - the largest national foundation focused on foster care - is committed to improving the lives of children and families in the foster care system. In doing so, Casey Family Programs will introduce two new resources available to child welfare agencies at no charge:
Casey Foster Family Assessments - Casey Family Programs, in collaboration with the University of Tennessee, developed Casey Foster Family Assessments to help workers and foster family applicants identify their strengths and areas for needed development and support. The process for licensing foster families can be challenging, complex, and at times, difficult. It involves critical decisions regarding approval to care for children as well as a need to provide excellent training for foster applicants. The ultimate goal of the Casey Foster Family Assessments is to promote the quality of care for foster children. Casey Foster Family Assessments currently include the Casey Foster Applicant Inventory (CFAI) and the Casey Home Assessment Protocol (CHAP).
Knowing Who You Are - "Knowing Who You Are.Helping Youth in Care Develop Their Racial & Ethnic Identity" is a suite of tools that includes a video, online course and in-person training to help social workers develop awareness, knowledge and skills around the importance of working with youth on this key aspect of identity. Child welfare professionals are powerful potential resources and role models for youth in care as they go through the process of developing a healthy sense of racial and ethnic identity. The components of this resource help child welfare professionals promote pride in a young person's racial and ethnic identity, develop multicultural competency in staff and youth, and prepare youth to address racism and discrimination.
Both tools will be highlighted at CWLA and are available online free of charge.
Other presentations offered by Casey Family Programs at the national conference include:
- Developing a Cost-Effective Approach to Improving Mental Health Services for Youth in Foster Care -
Casey Family Programs experts along with collaborators from Columbia and Harvard Universities will give this presentation. - Reducing Disproportionality in Child Welfare through Collaboration and Community Engagement -
A case study offered by Casey Family Programs and Texas Disproportionality Center and Department of Family and Protective Services - Using Publicity, Public Relations, and Marketing Programs to Generate Awareness and Involvement for Child Welfare -
A case study of the 2005 National Foster Care Month campaign presented by Casey Family Programs and True Insight Marketing.
The Idaho Child Welfare Partnership also includes involvement from a network of sub-contracted universities and colleges, including Northwest Nazarene University, College of Southern Idaho, Idaho State University, Lewis & Clark State College and North Idaho College
An administrative board will govern the Partnership. It is comprised of the Family and Community Services Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and Planning, Evaluation and Training Manager for the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare; the Director of Boise Operations for Casey Family Programs; the Dean of the School of Social Work for Boise State University; the Dean of the School of Social Work for Eastern Washington University; and an elected designee from the sub-contracted universities and colleges.
About Idaho Department of Health & Welfare - This Department is the State of Idaho's public health and human services agency. Its mission is to promote the health and safety of all Idahoans. Within the Department, the Division of Family and Community Services administers statewide child welfare services. These services include protection and social services to children, youth and their families who are involved in the child welfare system. Services include early identification and child development intervention, family preservation, investigation and court services, foster care, and children's mental health treatment, permanency planning and transition services. For more information, go to www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/
About Boise State University - Boise State University is an Idaho public non-profit educational institution. The School of Social Work prepares students for beginning and advanced professional social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. The School of Social Work is committed to human rights, social and economic justice, egalitarianism, and respect for diversity addressing the needs of populations at risk from a strengths perspective. Through its Child Welfare Center, Boise State supports and administers the Child Welfare Worker Academy and the statewide Child Welfare Scholars Program, both of which are designed to improve child welfare practice in Idaho. For more information, go to www.boisestate.edu/socwork/cwc/
About Eastern Washington University - Eastern Washington University's School of Social Work is committed to the ongoing development of social work education, which instills a core commitment to building a society based on social and economic justice and enhancing opportunities for human well-being. EWU is a public non-profit educational institution. Through its Idaho Child Welfare Resource Training Center, EWU supports and administers Idaho's statewide Resource Family training and administers a network of sub-contracts with other participating Idaho universities and community colleges, all of which are designed to promote and continually improve the quality of child welfare services in Idaho. For more information, go to www.icwrtc.org/