The Importance of Acknowledging Minority Mental Health
Minority Mental Health Month is recognized to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness in the United States. According to McLean…
How to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect
It is completely possible to prevent child abuse and neglect! Child abuse and neglect are dire problems that have longterm impacts on the health, opportunity and well-being of children. All…
National Baby Safety Month: Recommendations for Kinship Caregivers on Baby Safety Kelly Starver, Ph.D. Nursing
The month of September recognizes baby safety and kinship care as national designations. For many kinship caregivers, having a baby in the house or caring for a baby may be a completely new experience. …
8 Helpful Mental Health Resources for African American Communities
Historically, the experience of African Americans in the United States has been characterized by trauma and violence more often than their white peers. This experience plays a major part in…
Perfectly Imperfect: How Imprecise Definitions of Child Neglect and Poverty Reinforce Anti-Black Racism in the Child Welfare System
Sharon L. McDaniel, Sherri Simmons-Horton, Ervin Dyer, Yven Destin, Kathleen L. Gima, Anthony R. Sosso, Jr., Jay Kadash, Med, MA, James T. Freeman, James A. Stratford, Constance Iannetta, Katherine Buckley…
From Hurting to Healing: The power of centering lived experience to transform child welfare
The 33rd Annual New York State Foster Care and Adoption Conference themed, “Hurting, Hoping, Helping, Healing” examined the deeply rooted issues in child welfare, adoption, foster and kinship care to…
Why Strong Partnerships Are Vital to Lasting System Transformation
Endeavor to create lasting, meaningful change in a silo, and your chance of success is slim. Anyone who has delved into the pursuit of system transformation—however noble their intentions—understands this….
COVID-19 & “Great Resignation” Illuminate Need for Improved, Intentional Wellness Programs in Child Welfare
COVID-19 has not just affected people’s health; it’s affected their finances, mental health and more, such as illuminating “all kinds of reasons to change direction” in their careers. The International Labor…
Juvenile Justice Reform Through Kinship
How Kinship Care and Other Community-Based Supports Provide Trauma-Informed Alternatives for At-Risk Crossover Youth With the enactment of SB 823 / AB 1868 in 2020, California has been phasing out its Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) and instead, creating ways…
Kinship Care & Collaboration as Juvenile Justice Reform: Q&A with Felipe Franco
Growing research continues to support that restorative practices allow youth to remain in their homes and schools, help systems-involved families heal and keep communities intact. As such, prioritizing kinship care as a means to prevent out-of-home youth from becoming dually involved is reflected in juvenile justice and child welfare organizations’ practices and priorities nationwide. Additionally, models like the Crossover Youth…