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>> GOOD MORNING-- THANKS FOR BEING HERE.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
IT'S GREAT TO SEE A FULL HOUSE HERE TODAY.
UM, WELCOME TO THIS CHILD MALTREATMENT PRESENTATION.
MY NAME IS KATE BYERWALTER.
I'M A FULL-TIME FACULTY MEMBER
OF THE PSYCHOLOGY DEPARTMENT HERE AT GRCC...
AND OUR PRESENTATION TODAY IS SPONSORED BY THE PSYCH DEPARTMENT
AND ALSO FAMILY FUTURES OF GRAND RAPIDS.
WE ARE PLEASED TO HAVE OUR PANEL OF EXPERTS HERE
TO SHARE WITH YOU THEIR THOUGHTS,
AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM TO YOU...
MARY-- DR. MARY DeYOUNG
JOINS US FROM THE FACULTY OF GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY
WHERE SHE TEACHES A COURSE ON CHILD MALTREATMENT.
JEN SCHMIDT IS A LICENSED SOCIAL WORKER
AND SUPERVISOR FOR CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES OF KENT COUNTY.
DR. JEFF KIELISZEWSKI IS A FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGIST
AND AN ADJUNCT FACULTY MEMBER HERE AT GRCC.
AND SUE TOMAN IS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER FOR FAMILY FUTURES,
THE CO-SPONSOR OF THIS EVENT.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO RECOGNIZE LESLIE CHRISTIAN
HERE IN THE FRONT ROW.
SHE IS A C.A.S.A. VOLUNTEER AND SHE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR YOU
AFTER THE PRESENTATION AT THE BACK.
SHE HAS A TABLE, AND WE HAVE SOME INFORMATION FOR YOU.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO THANK LUCY JOSWICK
AND RAINELL MINGORI FROM FAMILY FUTURES
FOR ALL THEIR HARD WORK TO PUT THIS EVENT TOGETHER.
I DO HAVE A FEW LOGISTICAL THINGS TO SHARE WITH YOU BEFORE WE BEGIN.
UM, THE FORMAT TODAY IS GONNA CONSIST OF SHORT PRESENTATIONS
BY EACH OF OUR PANELISTS,
FOLLOWED BY A QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD,
AND I THINK IT WILL WORK BEST IF YOU JUST HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS
UNTIL ALL OF THE PANELISTS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO SHARE.
AND THEN, AT THAT TIME, WE'LL HAVE QUESTIONS.
AND I WILL COME AROUND WITH THE MICROPHONE
BECAUSE WE ARE RECORDING.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE YOU SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE WITH YOUR QUESTIONS.
PLEASE, DO ME A FAVOR AND SILENCE YOUR CELL PHONES.
BETTER YET, JUST PUT 'EM AWAY ALL TOGETHER,
SO YOU CAN REALLY FOCUS ON THE MATERIAL
THAT'S BEEN PREPARED FOR YOU TODAY.
WE'D REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
SOME OF YOU ARE HERE FOR EXTRA CREDIT.
WE HAVE SIGNED SLIPS OF PAPER FOR YOU THAT WE WILL HAND OUT
AS YOU LEAVE BY THE BACK DOOR TODAY.
WE'LL HAVE A SLIP OF PAPER THAT YOU CAN TAKE AND GIVE TO YOUR PROFESSOR.
SOME OF YOU HAVE SIGNED PAPERS ALREADY.
IF YOU HAND THOSE TO ME, I'LL LET YOUR PROFESSOR KNOW AS WELL.
SO, THANK YOU.
IF YOU NEED TO LEAVE EARLY, PLEASE DO SO QUIETLY
AND YOU'LL NEED TO WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH YOUR PROFESSOR THEN,
IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE EARLY.
LASTLY, I'D JUST LIKE TO SAY I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SURVIVORS
OF CHILD MALTREATMENT SITTING IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY,
AND I KNOW THAT FOR SOME OF YOU, IT'S REALLY HARD TO BE HERE,
AND I WANNA COMMEND YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE
AND I HOPE THAT YOU FIND THE INFORMATION VALUABLE TO YOU.
I ALSO HAVE A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR YOU,
IF YOU ARE A SURVIVOR OF CHILD MALTREATMENT.
AT THE END, IF YOU WOULD JUST PICK UP THIS LITTLE TOKEN.
IT SAYS, "I'M A SURVIVOR," AND IT HAS THE SYMBOL FOR STRENGTH.
AND FREE CANDY!
SO, PLEASE, TAKE THAT JUST AS A SMALL TOKEN OF THANKS
FOR YOUR BEING HERE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED.
SO, MARY, CAN YOU LEAD US OFF?
>> IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE,
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU
VERY BRIEFLY ABOUT CHILD MALTREATMENT.
UM, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO ADDRESS SOME VERY PARTICULAR THINGS.
UM, THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC-- AND I THINK THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO ARE HERE TODAY
AND THE VARIOUS REASONS THAT YOU'VE COME HERE--
QUITE ASIDE FROM THE FACT THAT YOU'RE GETTING EXTRA CREDIT, SOME OF YOU--
UM, REALLY IS TESTIMONY TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC IN AND OF ITSELF,
BUT I'LL EXPAND ON THAT FOR A MOMENT.
UM, AND I'VE ALSO BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT NEGLECT.
VERY OFTEN, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
WHAT WE REALLY TALK ABOUT IS CHILD ABUSE.
NEGLECT GETS NEGLECTED IN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS,
AND I'D LIKE TO BRIEFLY COMMENT ON THAT
IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
BUT LET ME START TALKING ABOUT IMPORTANCE FOR A MINUTE.
UM, AS A SOCIOLOGIST, I TREAT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
AS BEING A SOCIAL PROBLEM AMONG MANY OTHER KINDS OF PROBLEMS.
AND WE ALL KNOW THAT SOCIAL PROBLEMS HAVE CERTAIN DIMENSIONS
ASSOCIATED WITH THEM--
VERY PRACTICAL KINDS OF MEASURES, IF YOU WILL,
OF THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE IMPACT THAT IT'S HAVING ON SOCIETY.
WE KNOW THAT APPROXIMATELY 3 MILLION CHILDREN
ARE REPORTED FOR CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT TO FORMAL REPORTING AGENCIES--
WHAT WE CALL, IN MICHIGAN, "CHILDREN'S PROTECTIVE SERVICES"--
EVERY YEAR IN THIS COUNTRY.
THREE MILLION CHILDREN.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT THE COST OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
IS REALLY QUITE STAGGERING,
ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT HIDDEN, PERHAPS, FROM PUBLIC VIEW.
IT'S ESTIMATED-- AND MY FIGURES HERE ARE FROM 2008,
BECAUSE I'VE NOT FOUND ANYTHING MORE RECENT ON IT,
THAT IT COSTS US, CONSERVATIVELY,
$124 BILLION A YEAR.
UM, IF YOU WANT TO ADD TO THAT-- LOST PRODUCTIVITY OVER A LIFETIME
FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF CHILD MALTREATMENT,
WE MAY BE TALKING...
ABOUT $500 BILLION A YEAR.
SO, THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE PROPOSITION WE'RE TALKING ABOUT,
AN EXPENSIVE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.
UM, SO, THAT'S A PRACTICAL DIMENSION.
THEN, WE CAN THINK OF OTHER DIMENSIONS AS WELL.
THERE IS A MORAL AND AN IDEOLOGICAL ONE.
WE ARE, AFTER ALL, TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN.
CHILDREN ARE IN A STATE OF DEPENDENCY.
THEY RELY UPON THEIR PARENTS.
THEY RELY UPON ADULTS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
AND SO, THE COST OF CHILD ABUSE IN THAT KIND OF WAY,
IN THE RUPTURE OF TRUST, IN THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE HAVE
IN THE KIND OF SOCIAL CONTRACT TO TAKE CARE OF THE MOST DEPENDENT,
ARE REALLY CONSIDERABLE AS WELL.
THERE ARE POLITICAL REASONS TO THINK ABOUT CHILD ABUSE AS A PROBLEM.
HOW DO WE DISTRIBUTE RESOURCES IN THIS COUNTRY?
HOW DO WE HELP FAMILIES RAISE THEIR CHILDREN?
HOW DO WE PROVIDE THE RESOURCES THAT FAMILIES NEED
TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN?
IT SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM,
OUR VALUES THAT UNDERLIE POLITICAL DECISIONS AS WELL.
AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL REASONS
FOR WHY CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS SO IMPORTANT,
AND MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE COME HERE TODAY FOR YOUR OWN PERSONAL REASON.
IT WAS AN EXPERIENCE YOU HAD OR SOMEONE YOU LOVE HAD,
UM, AND YOU'RE REALLY WANTING TO WORK THROUGH AND ENGAGE
AND INTERROGATE WHAT THAT EXPERIENCE IS ALL ABOUT.
WHATEVER BRINGS YOU HERE IS AN INDIVIDUAL REASON,
AND I'M NOT GOING TO PRIVILEGE ONE KIND OF REASON OVER ANOTHER
IN MAKING MY CLAIM THAT CHILD ABUSE IS A VERY IMPORTANT SOCIAL PROBLEM
THAT ALL OF US REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS.
UM, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING VERY IRONIC
ABOUT CHILD ABUSE, NONETHELESS.
FOR AS BIG OF A PROBLEM AS IT IS AND AS ENCOMPASSING AS IT IS,
THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND MYTHS
THAT CIRCULATE ABOUT CHILD ABUSE.
AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY VOICES
TALKING ABOUT CHILD ABUSE.
IT DOESN'T BELONG TO ANY ONE PARTICULAR DISCIPLINE
OR, FOR THAT MATTER, ANY ONE PARTICULAR PROFESSION.
I'M A SOCIOLOGIST, SO THE CHILD MALTREATMENT COURSE
WE TEACH AT GRAND VALLEY
IS OUT OF THE SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
IN YOUR FUTURE STUDIES, YOU MAY VERY WELL COME ACROSS A CHILD ABUSE COURSE
THAT'S BEING TAUGHT OUT OF PSYCHOLOGY OR OUT OF, UM...
PUBLIC HEALTH, OR SOCIAL WORK,
OR A VARIETY OF OTHER DISCIPLINES.
AND THEN, ON TOP OF THAT, OF COURSE,
WE HAVE MUCH OF THE EXPERIENCE OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
BEING MEDIATED TO US BY THE MEDIA,
WHICH IS A VERY GOOD GENERATOR, AT TIMES, OF FALSE INFORMATION
AND MYTHICAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM.
SO, WE HAVE A LOT OF MYTHS THAT ARE FLOATING AROUND.
WE HAVE A LOT OF NUMBERS THAT GET REPEATED ALL OF THE TIME,
AND THEN, PRETTY SOON, THEY START TO SOUND TRUE
BECAUSE EVERYBODY'S SAYING THEM,
BUT THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY BASED ON ANYTHING FACTUAL AT ALL.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF IDEAS, AS WELL,
ABOUT WHAT KINDS OF PEOPLE DO THIS TO THEIR CHILDREN.
AND A LOT OF THESE IDEAS ARE, INDEED, VERY MYTHICAL.
UM, AND RATHER THAN DESTROYING THE MYTH AND KIND OF TAKING IT APART,
WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE TO FOCUS ON JUST FOR A SECOND
IS THE ISSUE OF MYTH-MAKING ITSELF,
WHY IT IS THAT WE KIND OF CREATE THESE MYTHS.
THE FIRST DAY OF MY CHILD MALTREATMENT CLASS,
I SAY TO MY STUDENTS, "HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE--
"AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO DEFEND YOUR POSITION--
"HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT ANYBODY WHO ABUSES A CHILD IS SICK?"
AND I USE THAT REALLY SPONGY WORD "SICK," RIGHT?
BECAUSE YOU CAN READ INTO THAT ANYTHING YOU WANT.
PROBABLY 90 PERCENT OF ALL STUDENTS IMMEDIATELY RAISE THEIR HANDS.
UM, "HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE WHO ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN ARE EVIL?"
NOW WE'LL USE A MORAL TERM.
WELL, THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT MORE HESITANT TO DO THAT
IN A SOCIOLOGY CLASS, I THINK,
BUT USUALLY I GET ABOUT HALF OF THE STUDENTS
WHO END UP RAISING THEIR HAND.
"HOW MANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT ONCE A CHILD IS ABUSED,
"THE CHILD WILL NEVER, EVER FULLY RESTORE
"AND BE A FUNCTIONING HUMAN BEING AGAIN?"
PROBABLY HALF OR MORE OF ALL STUDENTS.
NOW, YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO KNOW
THAT THOSE THREE THINGS THAT I'VE SAID TO YOU--
WHICH I DIDN'T ASK YOU TO RAISE YOUR OWN HANDS,
BUT HOPEFULLY IN YOUR OWN MINDS, YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THIS
AS I'M TALKING HERE--
ARE REALLY MUCH MORE MYTHICAL THAN THEY ARE ANYTHING ELSE.
BUT THESE ARE IDEAS THAT GET CIRCULATED
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND SO, AS A SOCIOLOGIST, I ALWAYS WANT TO ASK,
"WHY ARE WE DEVELOPING MYTHS ABOUT A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD STIR US,
"AND USUALLY DOES,
"WHEN WE HEAR ABOUT CASES OF IT?"
AND SO, I'D LIKE TO JUST GIVE YOU A LITTLE SOCIOLOGICAL ARGUMENT HERE,
AND THERE'S NO EXTRA COST TO YOU FOR LISTENING TO THIS AT ALL...
AND THERE WON'T BE A QUIZ.
AND BASICALLY, WHAT MYTH-MAKING IS ALL ABOUT
IS A WAY FOR US TO ENGAGE WITH A PROBLEM ON OUR OWN TERMS
AND AT OUR OWN CONVENIENCE.
SO, WE CAN DEAL WITH CHILD ABUSE WHEN WE WANT TO.
MAYBE WHEN WE READ ABOUT A CASE IN THE PAPER,
HEAR SOMETHING ON THE MEDIA,
OR WE KNOW ABOUT A CASE
WITHIN OUR OWN SOCIAL NETWORK OR OUR FAMILIES.
WE CAN ENGAGE IF WE WANT TO...
BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO ENGAGE ALL THE TIME...
AND NOT DOING IT ALL OF THE TIME REALLY RELIES UPON SOME MYTHS
THAT THE PEOPLE WHO DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS
ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM YOU AND ME,
AND THEREFORE, WE CAN KEEP THEM AT A DISTANCE,
WE CAN JUDGE AND WE CAN EVALUATE,
BUT THERE ISN'T VERY MUCH OF A BURDEN ON US TO TRY AND UNDERSTAND.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT FORUMS LIKE THIS DO--
WHICH IS REALLY VERY LOVELY--
IS ASKS US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND.
NOT TO APPROACH THE TOPIC FROM A DISTANCE,
BUT TO ENGAGE WITH IT.
ONE OF THE MYTHS, I THINK, ALSO, THAT VERY MUCH FLOATS AROUND
IN THE AREA OF CHILD MALTREATMENT HAS TO DO WITH NEGLECT.
IF YOU WERE TO GET A DOZEN TEXTBOOKS ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
YOU WOULD SEE THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY, IN EACH ONE OF THEM, ONE CHAPTER--
AND RATHER A SMALL CHAPTER, AT THAT-- ON NEGLECT.
NEGLECT IS VERY MUCH NEGLECTED.
AND SO, I WANNA JUST TALK, IN CONCLUSION AND VERY QUICKLY,
ABOUT THE ISSUE OF NEGLECT FOR A MOMENT--
THIS NEGLECTED FEATURE OF CHILD MALTREATMENT.
WHY IS IT NEGLECTED?
PROBABLY, UM, FOR TWO REASONS, I THINK-- TWO VERY BIG REASONS.
AND-- OH, BY THE WAY, I SHOULD PREFACE MY REMARKS
BY TELLING YOU
THAT OF THE 3 MILLION REPORTS OF CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT
THAT COME INTO C.P.S. EVERY YEAR ON A NATIONAL LEVEL,
TWO-THIRDS OF THOSE-- 66 PERCENT-- ARE FOR NEGLECT.
YOU MAY BE SURPRISED ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WE TALK A WHOLE MORE
ABOUT PHYSICAL ABUSE AND *** ABUSE THAN WE TALK ABOUT NEGLECT.
SO, IT REALLY IS A FEATURE OF OUR OVERLOOKING
A VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE
OF WHAT CHILD MALTREATMENT IS ALL ABOUT.
SO, TWO REASONS I THINK WHY IT'S NEGLECTED--
IT HAS A VERY EXPANSIVE DEFINITION.
IT COVERS EVERYTHING FROM MEDICAL NEGLECT
TO SUPERVISORY TO SHELTER ISSUES TO HYGIENE ISSUES,
A WHOLE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS INCORPORATED UNDER IT.
AND I THINK, REALLY, MOST SIGNIFICANTLY,
NEGLECT IS VERY MUCH TIED UP WITH SOCIAL PROBLEMS
OTHER THAN CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT ITSELF.
TO DEAL WITH NEGLECT IS TO DEAL WITH POVERTY.
IT'S TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING,
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, UNEMPLOYMENT--
ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE VERY POLITICAL,
VERY SOCIAL IN NATURE,
AND COMPLICATING,
AS A RESULT OF THEIR INFLUENCE ON NEGLECT--
A VERY INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT.
UM, LET ME JUST CONCLUDE BY SAYING THIS TO YOU--
YOU KNOW, SO OFTEN SOCIOLOGISTS GET CRITICIZED FOR TELLING US
WHERE ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE AND HOW AWFUL ALL THE PROBLEMS ARE
AND THEN WALKING AWAY WITHOUT SAYING ANYTHING ABOUT A SOLUTION,
ABOUT ANYWAY TO REDRESS THE PROBLEM.
I WISH THAT I HAD A SOLUTION TO CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
I WISH I COULD MAKE IT GO AWAY.
I CAN'T.
UM, BUT I WANT TO TELL YOU WHAT I THINK WILL EMPOWER YOU, IN SOME WAYS,
IN THE FACE OF THIS VERY LARGE SOCIAL PROBLEM-- ACT LOCALLY.
WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF PROGRAMS IN WEST MICHIGAN
THAT YOU CAN BECOME VOLUNTEERS WITH,
THAT YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO IN SOME KIND OF SUBSTANTIVE WAYS,
THAT ARE WORKING REALLY HARD TO DEAL WITH FAMILIES,
TO DEAL WITH CHILD MALTREATMENT,
THE QUALITY OF LIFE UNDER WHICH KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEING RAISED.
YOU'LL HAVE AN INCREDIBLE SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT DOING THAT,
AND IT MAY NOT BE THE DRAMATIC RESCUE OF THE ABUSED CHILD
THAT ALL OF US KIND OF HAVE A FANTASY ABOUT DOING
AND THINK WOULD BE THE MOST SATISFYING FOR US,
BUT IN MANY WAYS, IN THE LONG-TERM,
IT'S GOING TO HAVE A MUCH MORE PROFOUND EFFECT
ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR KIDS.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR INVITING ME HERE.
UM, I HOPE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE AFTER OUR PRESENTATION,
AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST.
(applause)
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY.
THANKS AGAIN FOR BEING HERE,
AND I APPRECIATE GRCC ASKING ME TO BE HERE,
TO TAKE PART IN THIS PANEL AS WELL.
I AM A C.P.S. SUPERVISOR.
I'VE ALSO BEEN A C.P.S. INVESTIGATOR,
I'VE WORKED IN FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION.
SO, CHILD WELFARE IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART.
I'VE WORKED IN IT FOR 17 YEARS NOW, SO--
AND RUN KIND OF THE GAMUT OF "BEGINNING TO END"
OF HOW THE PROCESS CAN WORK.
SO, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT TODAY
ABOUT REPORTING CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT--
UM, HOW TO DO THAT, WHEN TO DO THAT--
AND THEN, WHAT HAPPENS, KIND OF, ONCE YOU DO THAT,
WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE INVESTIGATION, AND HOW THE CASE PROCEEDS.
SO, TO START WITH, BEFORE WE GET TO HOW TO REPORT,
I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MAY COME UP
WHICH YOU WANT TO REPORT, OR THAT MAY RAISE THE QUESTION FOR YOU.
THAT'S USUALLY GONNA HAPPEN IF YOU SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN
OR SOMEBODY TELLS YOU SOMETHING.
SO, THOSE ARE KIND OF THE TWO DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW THAT WE GET.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING HAPPEN OR YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT'S CONCERNING--
THAT COULD BE SEEING A PARENT DISCIPLINE THEIR CHILD
OR SEEING A CHILD WHO DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY PARENTAL SUPERVISION WITH THEM
OR BEING IN A HOME, FOR ANY REASON,
THAT SEEMS TO BE UNSAFE OR NEGLECTFUL
BECAUSE OF THE CONDITIONS OF THE HOME
OR LACK OF HEAT IN THE HOME OR LACK OF FOOD IN THE HOME,
THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT YOU CAN REPORT.
THE OTHER SIDE IS IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU SOMETHING HAPPENED.
AND THAT CAN BE SECONDHAND--
JUST SOMEONE ELSE SAYING, "I WAS IN THIS HOME AND IT WAS FILTHY
"AND DISGUSTING AND DIRTY," YOU CAN CALL THAT IN.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE SEEN IT YOURSELF.
UM, YOU CAN SHARE WITH THEM, WHEN YOU CALL IT IN,
THAT THIS WAS TOLD TO YOU BY ANOTHER PARTY.
THAT'S FINE, TOO.
UM, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION GETS TO US.
IN ADDITION, SOMEBODY MAY TELL YOU SOMETHING A CHILD MAY DISCLOSE TO YOU.
THEY MAY TELL YOU THAT SOMETHING IS HAPPENING TO THEM AT HOME
OR THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED TO THEM AT HOME...
I WANNA FOCUS ON THAT FOR JUST A MINUTE,
BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME VERY EMOTIONAL AND CRITICAL TIMES FOR CHILDREN...
TO DISCLOSE THAT.
SO, I WANNA TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE RESPOND TO THAT
WHEN A CHILD MAKES A DISCLOSURE TO YOU.
SO, FIRST OF ALL, JUST BELIEVE THEM.
THAT'S YOUR FIRST REACTION.
IT'S NOT YOUR JOB TO INVESTIGATE IT,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO FEEL AS THOUGH YOU HAVE TO INVESTIGATE IT,
YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S TRUE BEFORE YOU CALL C.P.S.
JUST LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY.
UM... DON'T OVERREACT.
TRY NOT TO HAVE A HUGE EMOTIONAL REACTION TO IT.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CHILDREN MAY DISCLOSE TO YOU,
AT SOME POINT, UM, MAY BE REALLY DIFFICULT TO HEAR.
UM, BUT YOU WANT TO TRY TO JUST LISTEN.
KEEP YOUR BODY LANGUAGE CALM, KEEP YOUR VOICE CALM.
WE WANT TO KEEP THE CHILD'S ANXIETY LEVEL DOWN.
SO, IF THEY TELL YOU SOMETHING AND YOUR REACTION IS, "OH, MY GOD!
"WHAT?!"
THEY ARE GOING TO STOP TELLING YOU
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN REALIZE WHAT'S HAPPENING
IS NOT NECESSARILY ALL THAT WRONG.
SO, THEY MAY TELL YOU A DISCLOSURE IN A WAY
THAT IS JUST NORMAL CONVERSATION BECAUSE THAT IS ALL THEY HAVE EVER KNOWN.
THEY DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WRONG.
SO, JUST BE AWARE TO KEEP THEIR ANXIETY LEVEL DOWN.
DON'T PUSH THEM TO SAY MORE THAN WHAT THEY'RE COMFORTABLE SAYING.
UM, YOU CAN REASSURE THEM THAT WHAT HAPPENED ISN'T THEIR FAULT,
IF YOU FEEL LIKE THAT'S REASONABLE.
UM, BUT JUST MOSTLY, JUST STAY CALM AND LISTEN,
AND THEN MAKE YOUR REPORT TO C.P.S. IF YOU FEEL LIKE YOU NEED TO DO THAT.
SO...
SO, I JUST WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT,
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT PART OF THIS PROCESS
THAT PEOPLE DON'T FOCUS,
IS YOUR OWN REACTION WHEN KIDS DISCLOSE SOMETHING TO YOU.
SO, IF YOU DO NEED TO MAKE A REPORT--
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS,
BUT UP UNTIL MARCH OF THIS YEAR,
EVERY COUNTY HAD THEIR OWN INTAKE DEPARTMENT.
SO, IF THERE WAS CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT HAPPENING IN KENT COUNTY,
YOU CALLED A NUMBER IN KENT COUNTY
AND IT WENT THROUGH KENT COUNTY'S PROCESS.
THAT, AS OF MARCH, HAS CHANGED.
THERE IS ONE INTAKE DEPARTMENT NOW FOR THE ENTIRE STATE OF MICHIGAN,
INCLUDING DETROIT AND THE U.P.,
WHICH SOMETIMES WE WANT TO PRETEND WE DON'T--
YOU KNOW, THEY'RE NOT PART OF US, BUT... (laughing)
BUT THEY ARE.
SO, THERE'S NOW ONE NUMBER.
THAT OFFICE FOR THAT CENTRAL INTAKE IS ACTUALLY LOCATED IN KENT COUNTY.
SO, WE HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING VERY CLOSELY INVOLVED
WITH THE START-UP OF THAT PROCESS.
SO, THAT'S ACTUALLY HELPFUL BECAUSE NOW THERE'S ONE NUMBER.
YOU DON'T NEED TO TRY TO SEEK IT OUT IF YOU ARE VISITING SOMEBODY IN LANSING
OR YOU'RE AT A RED WINGS GAME IN DETROIT--
IT'S ALL THE SAME NUMBER, NO MATTER WHERE YOU SEE IT OR WHAT HAPPENS.
SO, THERE ARE CARDS IN THE BACK.
THERE'S A BOX OF CARDS IN THE BACK THAT HAVE THAT NUMBER ON IT.
THAT NUMBER IS-- FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS IT RIGHT NOW--
IS 855-444-3911.
YOU CAN FIND IT JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW UPDATED-- EVERYONE'S ON THEIR PHONES NOW,
SO I'M SURE IF YOU LOOKED ON D.H.S.'S WEBSITE, YOU CAN FIND IT.
YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL 211--
THEY WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE NUMBER FOR THAT.
UM, SO, THAT'S THE NUMBER YOU CALL.
UM, THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE WE HAVE MANDATED REPORTERS.
SOME OF YOU, DEPENDING ON YOUR JOB OR ROLE IN A CERTAIN SITUATION,
MAY BE A MANDATED REPORTER.
I'M NOT GONNA GO INTO THAT,
'CAUSE THAT'S AN ENTIRE TRAINING BY ITSELF, BUT, UM...
BUT JUST KNOW THAT IF YOU'RE A DAYCARE PROVIDER,
A MEDICAL PERSONNEL, A SOCIAL WORKER,
A THERAPIST, YOU MAY BE A MANDATED REPORTER,
BUT YOU WILL BE WELL AWARE OF THAT
BY THE POINT THAT YOU BECOME A MANDATED REPORTER.
ANYBODY CAN REPORT TO C.P.S.
ANYBODY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A MANDATED REPORTER,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A RELATIVE TO THE FAMILY,
YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO NECESSARILY KNOW THEIR NAME.
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING
OR HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT SOMETHING, CALL.
WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU TRY TO MAKE SOME EFFORTS TO GET SOME INFORMATION
IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
SOMETIMES, THAT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS GETTING A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER.
WE GET A LOT OF CALLS FROM SOMEBODY WHO SAW SOMETHING HAPPEN IN MEIJER
OR AT SUBWAY,
BECAUSE SOMEONE LEFT THEIR CHILD IN THE CAR
WHILE THEY WERE IN SUBWAY OR PICKING SOMETHING UP
OR RUNNING INTO THE STORE OR RUNNING INTO THE MALL.
WE GET A LOT OF CALLS LIKE THAT.
IF YOU CAN GET THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF THE CAR, WE CAN USE THAT.
THAT'S GOOD ENOUGH.
IF IT'S A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE CALLING ABOUT A PERSON,
THE MORE INFORMATION YOU CAN GIVE US, THE BETTER.
IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION,
WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING AT ALL
BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHERE TO FIND THEM.
BUT IF YOU CAN GET US THE NAME-- EVEN THE NAME OF THE CHILD,
A DATE OF BIRTH OR AN AGE OF THE CHILD,
UM, WHERE THEY LIVE IS HELPFUL OR EVEN WHO THEY LIVE WITH,
A NAME OF A PARENT,
A NAME OF WHO THE ALLEGED PERPETRATOR IS--
WHO ACTUALLY ABUSED THEM--
WHERE THAT ABUSE MAY HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
SOMETIMES, WE CAN FIND SOME ROUNDABOUT WAYS
TO FIGURE OUT WHO THEY ARE.
SO, IF SOMETHING HAPPENED SOMEWHERE,
THERE MIGHT BE VIDEO RECORDING IN A STORE, SO WE MAY BE ABLE TO USE THAT.
WE MAY BE ABLE TO FIND THAT CHILD'S NAME IN OUR SYSTEM ALREADY
AND BE ABLE TO LINK THEM TO A PARENT.
SO, EVEN IF YOU KNOW THE CHILD'S NAME AND YOU THINK MOM'S NAME IS SARAH,
AND THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE, THAT'S FINE.
GIVE THEM ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE.
AND LET 'EM KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED, WHEN YOU CALL.
LET 'EM KNOW DID THIS HAPPEN YESTERDAY, DID THIS HAPPEN THREE WEEKS AGO,
DID THIS HAPPEN TWO YEARS AGO.
YOU CAN CALL IT IN AT ANY TIME.
I WOULD PREFER THAT YOU CALL IT IN RIGHT AWAY
BECAUSE THEN WE CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, HOPEFULLY.
BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IF YOU FIND OUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED TWO YEARS AGO,
THAT YOU DON'T WANNA--
YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL IT IN OR YOU DON'T WANT TO,
STILL CALL IT IN.
IT MAY BE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED ON ANOTHER--
WE MAY ALREADY HAVE AN INVESTIGATION WITH THAT FAMILY.
WE MAY HAVE HAD 20 CALLS ABOUT SOMETHING,
BUT THE PIECE OF INFORMATION YOU SHARE WITH US
MIGHT BE THE ONE PIECE THAT WE NEEDED.
SO, DON'T HESITATE TO CALL AT ANY TIME.
I'M NOT GONNA TALK A WHOLE LOT ABOUT OUR GUIDELINES
AS TO WHAT CONSTITUTES ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
BUT JUST BRIEFLY WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THAT WE DO HAVE LEGAL GUIDELINES.
THAT'S CONFUSING TO PEOPLE A LOT OF TIMES,
BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL BECOME FRUSTRATED ABOUT WHY WE DIDN'T DO SOMETHING,
WHY WE'RE NOT ASSIGNING SOMETHING FOR INVESTIGATION,
OR WHY WE DID NOT SUBSTANTIATE ANY TYPE OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT.
THERE ARE LEGAL GUIDELINES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW.
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR MOST OFTEN ARE...
THEY'RE SPANKING THEIR CHILD...
OR THEY'RE SPANKING THEIR CHILD WITH A BELT, OR A PADDLE, OR A CORD,
OR ANY OTHER MULTIPLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE LIKE TO USE.
YOU ARE ALLOWED TO PHYSICALLY DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILDREN
IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.
THAT'S THE LAW.
YOU ARE ALSO ALLOWED TO PHYSICALLY DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILDREN
WITH AN IMPLEMENT.
YOU CAN USE A BELT.
YOU CAN USE A PADDLE.
YOU CAN USE A SWITCH.
I AM NOT, BY ANY MEANS, CONDONING OR ENCOURAGING ANY OF THESE THINGS.
BUT THIS IS WHAT OUR LAW DOES SAY.
WHAT YOU CAN'T DO IS HARM OR INJURE THE CHILD,
WHICH MEANS YOU CAN'T LEAVE A MARK ON THEM,
OR USE EXCESSIVE FORCE WHEN DOING THIS.
SO, THAT MAKES OUR JOB MUCH MORE DIFFICULT,
BECAUSE WE HAVE TO WALK THE LINE BETWEEN "WHAT IS HARM OR INJURY?"
IS IT JUST A MARK?
IS IT FEAR IN A CHILD?
IS IT ANXIETY THAT MAY PRODUCE IN A CHILD?
SO, THERE'S A LOT MORE THAT GOES INTO WHAT--
HOW WE MAKE DECISIONS THAN JUST "DID THEY STRIKE THEM OR DID THEY NOT?"
BECAUSE THEY'RE ALLOWED TO DO THAT IN SOME CASES.
THE OTHER THING WITH NEGLECT IS THAT WE--
WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE SOCIAL ISSUES BEHIND THAT.
WE CANNOT SUBSTANTIATE SOMEBODY FOR NEGLECT DUE TO POVERTY,
WHICH MAKES THAT ALSO REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US.
SO, IF THEY ARE...
UM...
DON'T HAVE A LOT OF FOOD IN THEIR HOME OR THEIR POWER IS SHUT OFF,
WE DON'T HAVE THE OPTION TO SAY,
"WELL, YOU'RE BEING NEGLECTFUL TO YOUR CHILD."
WE WILL WORK WITH THEM TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE THOSE SITUATIONS,
AND FIX IT, AND PUT SOME SERVICES IN TO HELP THEM,
BUT WE CAN'T NECESSARILY SAY THEY'RE BEING NEGLECTFUL
JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T THE MONEY
TO ACTUALLY DO WHAT THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
SO...
THERE ARE SOME GREY AREAS.
REALLY, THE ENTIRE FIELD OF CHILD WELFARE IS VERY GREY,
SO IT TAKES A LOT OF INSIGHT AND A LOT OF DECISION-MAKING
AND A LOT OF CONFERENCING TO DETERMINE HOW TO HANDLE THESE CASES.
SO, JUST BE AWARE OF THAT.
IF YOU CALL SOMETHING IN OR YOU'RE TALKING TO SOMEONE,
AND YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY C.P.S. DID WHAT THEY DID,
UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF GUIDELINES
AND POLICIES THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW,
AND SOMETIMES, IT TIES OUR HANDS IN SITUATIONS.
WE HAVE SPOKEN NUMEROUS TIMES IN OUR OFFICE
ABOUT HAVING "JUST A TRUST ME ON THIS ONE" CHECKBOX SOMEWHERE,
THAT WE CAN SAY, "WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO SHOW YOU ON PAPER
"EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED TO SEE TO FOLLOW THIS LEGALLY,
"BUT JUST TRUST ME ON THIS ONE THAT SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT IN THIS HOUSE,
"AND WE REALLY WANNA GO IN THERE AND HELP."
SO, WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION AT THIS POINT, YET.
SO, UM...
THAT HINDERS US A LITTLE BIT.
WHAT HAPPENS ONCE YOU CALL INTO C.P.S.?
UM, THE INTAKE WORKERS MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER YOUR CASE--
THAT COMPLAINT GETS ASSIGNED FOR AN INVESTIGATION OR NOT.
IF IT DOES NOT, SOMETIMES NOTHING HAPPENS TO IT.
IT JUST GETS FILED AS-- IT WASN'T--
DIDN'T MEET THE CRITERIA TO BE INVESTIGATED.
UM, SOMETIMES, IT'S SCREENED OUT TO ANOTHER AGENCY
THAT'S MORE APPROPRIATE-- LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THERE'S SOME SITUATIONS WE CAN'T HANDLE, BUT LAW ENFORCEMENT DOES.
UM, OR A FOSTER HOME LICENSING SITUATION.
SO, IT MAY BE SCREENED OUT TO ONE OF THOSE AGENCIES.
IF IT'S ASSIGNED FOR AN INVESTIGATION,
UM, IT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO A WORKER IN WHATEVER COUNTY.
THEY GO OUT.
THEY COMPLETE THEIR INVESTIGATION.
THEY HAVE 30 DAYS TO DO THAT.
UM, THEY MAKE A DECISION AFTER THAT-- AT THAT POINT--
AT ANY POINT DURING THOSE 30 DAYS
WHETHER THERE IS SUBSTANTIATED ABUSE OR NEGLECT.
IF WE SUBSTANTIATE ABUSE OR NEGLECT,
WE DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY REMOVE THE CHILDREN.
THAT KIND OF GOES ALONG THE LINE WITH SOME OF THE MYTHS THAT ARE OUT THERE--
WE ARE NOT BABY-SNATCHERS.
WE DO NOT GET A BONUS
FOR THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT WE REMOVE.
WE DON'T HAVE A QUOTA OF THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THAT WE HAVE TO REMOVE.
UM, WE TRY VERY HARD NOT TO REMOVE ANY CHILDREN,
IF WE HAVE ANY OTHER OPTION.
SO, IF WE DO SUBSTANTIATE,
OUR FIRST JOB IS TO TRY TO PUT SOME TYPE OF SERVICE IN THE HOME
TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN
AND TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF RISK IN THE HOME.
WE CAN'T EVEN GO TO COURT
UNLESS WE CAN SHOW THAT WE HAVE TAKEN THOSE STEPS,
MADE SOME REASONABLE EFFORTS TO PREVENT A REMOVAL.
SO, WE HAVE TO DO THAT UPFRONT
AND WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT TO A JUDGE IN COURT.
UM, THERE-- NOT EVERY CASE GOES TO COURT.
WE CAN PUT SERVICES IN, WORK WITH A FAMILY, REDUCE THE RISK,
AND WE CLOSE OUR CASE, AND THAT'S IT.
IT NEVER GOES TO COURT.
IF WE CAN'T REDUCE THE RISK OR THE RISK INCREASES IN THE HOME,
WE MAY GO TO COURT AND ASK, JUST, THAT THE COURT OVERSEE THE SERVICES
THAT ARE IN THE HOME.
SO, WE STILL AREN'T REMOVING THE CHILDREN.
WE'RE JUST ASKING FOR MORE...
SUPPORTIVE OVERSIGHT OF THE FAMILY,
A LITTLE MORE "OOMPH" BEHIND WHAT WE'RE ASKING THEM TO DO,
SOMEBODY ELSE TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE TO THAT.
IF THOSE THINGS STILL DON'T WORK, THAT'S WHEN WE'RE GONNA START LOOKING
AT REMOVAL OF THE CHILDREN-- IF WE HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS.
AND EVEN AT THAT POINT, WHEN WE REACH REMOVAL,
WE'RE IMMEDIATELY LOOKING AT ANY NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS,
ANY RELATIVES, FAMILY MEMBERS THAT WE CAN PLACE THIS CHILD WITH
BEFORE WE WOULD EVER CONSIDER PLACING THEM IN FOSTER CARE.
SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF STEPS BEFORE A CHILD ACTUALLY WOULD REACH
THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM...
WHENEVER WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
SOME SITUATIONS, THERE IS TOO MUCH IMMEDIATE RISK TO WAIT,
SO WE DON'T HAVE THAT OPTION.
UM, SO, THAT'S KINDA WHAT HAPPENS TO CASES
ONCE THEY COME INTO THE C.P.S. SYSTEM,
HOW THEY END UP GETTING OUT OF THE C.P.S. SYSTEM.
UM, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING
FOR YOU ALL TO TAKE AWAY WITH YOU TODAY IS "JUST CALL."
DON'T EVER FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T,
DON'T EVER FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT SURE WHETHER IT'S ABUSE OR NEGLECT--
THAT'S NOT YOUR JOB.
IT'S OUR JOB TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT IS OR NOT.
IF YOU'RE NOT SURE,
YOU DON'T KNOW IF IT WOULD QUALIFY FOR INVESTIGATION OR NOT,
JUST CALL.
YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL.
TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY, SEVEN DAYS A WEEK,
365 DAYS A YEAR,
THEY ARE SITTING AT INTAKE WAITING FOR YOUR CALL.
SO, THANK YOU ALL FOR COMING,
UM, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF YOUR QUESTIONS WHEN WE'RE DONE.
(applause)
>> UH, HI, MY NAME IS JEFF KIELISZEWSKI.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA THANK DR. BYERWALTER FOR INVITING ME
TO BE PART OF THE PANEL.
UM, AS SHE SAID, I'M AN ADJUNCT FACULTY HERE AT GRCC.
I SEE A FEW FAMILIAR FACES.
BUT FOR MY DAY JOB, I WORK AS A LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST
IN PRIVATE PRACTICE DOWNTOWN HERE
AT A FIRM CALLED HUMAN RESOURCE ASSOCIATES,
AND I'VE BEEN THERE FOR ALMOST 11 YEARS.
UM, PRIOR TO GOING INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE,
I WORKED AS A PRISON PSYCHOLOGIST FOR SEVEN YEARS.
SO, CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT IS SOMETHING-- AND CHILD MALTREATMENT--
IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE DEALT WITH FOR MOST OF MY CAREER...
UM, SORT OF WORKING WITH PERPETRATORS, WORKING WITH THE VICTIMS,
WORKING WITH ADULTS WHO HAD BEEN VICTIMS OF CHILD MALTREATMENT.
PART OF MY PRACTICE NOWADAYS
IS I CONDUCT PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS
THAT ARE TERMED "CAPACITY TO PARENT" EVALUATIONS,
OR "PARENTING FITNESS" EVALUATIONS
FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AND REFERRED BY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
UM...
I SORT OF WENT THROUGH THE NUMBERS
AND I CALCULATED THAT PROBABLY OVER THE PAST TEN, ELEVEN YEARS,
I'VE PROBABLY EVALUATED ALMOST 2,500 PEOPLE
WHO'VE HAD SUBSTANTIATED COMPLAINTS OF NEGLECT OR ABUSE.
OCCASIONALLY-- WELL, MORE THAN OCCASIONALLY--
I'LL ALSO SEE THE CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE CASE,
AND THERE'S ALLEGATIONS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED AS WELL.
I ALSO FREQUENTLY TESTIFY IN COURT ON THESE MATTERS.
UM, MOST OFTEN, IT'LL BE WHEN THE CASE HAS GONE THROUGH,
THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IS NOW VERY INVOLVED IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM,
AND THERE'S A PETITION TO TERMINATE SOMEONE'S PARENTAL RIGHTS...
AND I'LL BE CALLED IN TO TESTIFY IN COURT AS AN EXPERT WITNESS.
I ALSO DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF WORK IN TRAINING PEOPLE
WHO WILL WORK IN CHILD WELFARE.
I DO SOME CLINICAL SUPERVISION WITH PSYCHOLOGISTS AND COUNSELORS
WHO WORK WITH THESE ISSUES,
AND I'LL ALSO DO A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONSULTING IN CASES
WHERE THERE ARE ISSUES OF CHILD MALTREATMENT OR ABUSE OR NEGLECT.
MY TASK TODAY
WAS TO TALK ABOUT THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
TO DESCRIBE THE PERPETRATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
AND TO DESCRIBE SOME RISK FACTORS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD MALTREATMENT.
IN ORDER TO, UM...
SORT OF GET A HANDLE ON WHAT I'M GOING TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT TODAY--
WELL, LET ME BACK UP.
ONE THING THAT I'M GONNA-- THOSE ARE MY TASKS.
WHAT MY SORTA GOAL IS TODAY
IS TO TRY TO INTEGRATE SOME OF THE RESEARCH
ON CHILD MALTREATMENT
INTO SOME OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY WORK
OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS.
SO, YOU'LL GET KIND OF A COMBINATION OF THE RESEARCH LITERATURE,
PLUS SOME ANECDOTAL OBSERVATIONS THAT I'VE SEEN WORKING WITH THESE ISSUES
FOR MANY YEARS.
BUT IN ORDER TO TRY TO GET AN UNDERSTANDING OF...
CHILD MALTREATMENT,
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALLY KIND OF UNDERSTAND
THERE ARE BASICALLY FOUR TYPES OF ABUSE.
YOU ALREADY KNOW PHYSICAL ABUSE AND *** ABUSE,
LIKE DR. DeYOUNG HAD TALKED ABOUT...
IS PROBABLY THE SORTA-- I DON'T WANNA SAY "MOST POPULAR,"
BUT "THE MOST WELL-KNOWN."
EMOTIONAL ABUSE IS ALSO QUITE SALIENT AS WELL,
AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VERBAL ABUSE.
AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE CAN TAKE THE FORM OF CALLING THE CHILD NAMES,
MAKING DISPARAGING AND DEROGATORY STATEMENTS TOWARDS THE CHILD,
BUT ALSO THERE ARE--
AND I KNOW SOME OF THESE THINGS CAN SOUND A BIT DISTURBING,
AND WHEN YOU WORK IN THIS EVERY DAY, YOU BECOME A BIT DESENSITIZED,
SO I'LL APOLOGIZE UPFRONT IF I SOUND A LITTLE BLUNT AND INSENSITIVE.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER THINGS LIKE PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE
THAT OCCASIONALLY OCCURS.
FOR AN-- FOR-- I'LL TRY TO USE A MILD EXAMPLE.
I'VE HAD MANY CASES WHERE A PARENT HAS TOLD THE CHILD
THAT THEY WILL KILL THEMSELVES, AND...
DID VARIOUS GESTURES TO CAUSE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL IN THE CHILD.
THERE'S ALSO-- YOU'LL SEE, THINGS LIKE TORTURING OR KILLING A CHILD'S PET.
THESE ARE FORMS OF EMOTIONAL ABUSE, OKAY?
NEGLECT.
I LIKE WHAT DR. DeYOUNG SAID ABOUT "NEGLECT IS NEGLECTED."
NEGLECT IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT IN CHILD MALTREATMENT.
I ALREADY MENTIONED YOU HAVE MEDICAL NEGLECT--
NOT TAKING YOUR CHILD TO THE DOCTOR WHEN THEY HAVE PHYSICAL PROBLEMS--
NOT FEEDING YOUR CHILD.
UM, THERE'S ALSO, I WOULD ARGUE, SOME EMOTIONAL NEGLECT--
NOT BEING THERE FOR THE CHILD IN ORDER TO HELP THEM
NAVIGATE CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE TO NAVIGATE.
UM, NOT SUPPORTING PEER RELATIONSHIPS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO, NEGLECT CAN ALSO BE QUITE--
CAN HAVE QUITE AN IMPACT,
AND IT IS OFTEN A COMPONENT OF CHILD MALTREATMENT
THAT WE DON'T TALK THAT MUCH ABOUT.
NOW...
FOR MY FIRST TASK-- TO TALK ABOUT THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES
OF NEGLECT AND ABUSE,
SOME OF THE THINGS I'M GOING TO MENTION TODAY WILL NOT BE SURPRISING.
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT JUST IF--
JUST BEING SUBJECTED TO CHILD MALTREATMENT
OR BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED AS A CHILD OR BEING PHYSICALLY ABUSED AS A CHILD,
DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT YOU'LL HAVE THESE PROBLEMS, ALL RIGHT?
I WILL RUN THROUGH THE COMMON PROBLEMS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED--
AND IF YOU'VE ALL TAKEN "P.Y. 201"
AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU'VE TAKEN MY CLASS,
YOU KNOW THIS ISSUE ABOUT CORRELATION VERSUS CAUSATION.
JUST BECAUSE IT'S ASSOCIATED, DOESN'T MEAN IT CAUSES IT, RIGHT?
I THINK WE ALL TEACH THAT, DON'T WE? (audience chuckling)
OKAY.
DEPRESSION-- IN THE RESEARCH, THERE'S A LOT OF RESEARCH
TO SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT CHILD MALTREATMENT
IS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVELOPMENT OF DEPRESSION LATER IN LIFE.
THE STRONGEST ASSOCIATION OR CORRELATION THAT YOU'LL SEE
IS WITH *** AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE, OKAY?
THERE'S ALSO, OBVIOUSLY,
A STRONG ASSOCIATION WITH PHYSICAL ABUSE AS WELL.
SO, DEPRESSION IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR FOLKS
WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED AS A CHILD.
ANXIETY...
IS ANOTHER VERY COMMON CLINICAL PROBLEM THAT YOU'LL SEE,
THAT DEVELOPS IN A PERSON WHO'S BEEN SUBJECTED TO ABUSE OR NEGLECT.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS--
POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER OR P.T.S.D. IS NOT UNCOMMON
FOR FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED OR MISTREATED AS A CHILD.
THAT'S AN ANXIETY DISORDER.
YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD OF THE NOTION
OF PEOPLE HAVING FLASHBACKS TO THEIR ABUSE,
SORT OF RELIVING ABUSE THAT OCCURRED IN THEIR CHILDHOOD.
THAT'S NOT ENTIRELY UNCOMMON WITH FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO ABUSE.
NOW, JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN ABUSED OR MISTREATED AS A CHILD
DOES NOT MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO DEVELOP P.T.S.D.,
BUT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE.
SUBSTANCE ABUSE IS ANOTHER THING THAT'S HIGHLY CORRELATED
OR ASSOCIATED WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED AS A CHILD.
NOW, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND
THESE SORT OF CONSEQUENCES THAT ARE--
ER, CLINICAL PROBLEMS THAT I'M TELLING YOU--
THERE'S AN INTERACTION THAT OCCURS.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS SOMETIMES,
IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING TROUBLE COPING WITH EMOTIONAL TURMOIL
DUE TO THEIR RECOLLECTIONS OF ABUSE OR MISTREATMENT AS A CHILD,
THEY MAY TURN TO SUBSTANCES, RIGHT?
SO, SUBSTANCES MAY BE USED TO COPE WITH THE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL.
SO, THESE THINGS INTERACT.
THEY'RE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD ABUSE,
PARTICULARLY IF ABUSE OCCURRED WITH YOUNGER CHILDREN.
I THINK MANY OF YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD OF "SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME,"
WHICH IS A FORM OF ABUSE WHERE AN INFANT--
THE PARENT HAS A HARD TIME WITH MAKING THE CHILDREN,
THE CHILD, THE INFANT STOP CRYING AND WILL SHAKE THE CHILD, OKAY?
I THINK THAT'S PRETTY WELL KNOWN.
UM...
ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND ANGER PROBLEMS
IS SOMETHING YOU'LL SEE IN THE LITERATURE
THAT'S STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE BEEN MISTREATED AS A CHILD.
UM, VIOLENT BEHAVIOR-- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
THERE SEEMS TO BE A PATTERN THAT IF YOU GREW UP IN A HOME
WHERE YOU WERE ABUSED
AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE HOME WERE ABUSED,
LIKE THE PARENTS WERE PHYSICALLY ASSAULTIVE TO EACH OTHER,
THAT IT'S NOT UNCOMMON BUT NOT GUARANTEED
THAT SOMETIMES THAT'LL CARRY OVER
AND BECOME SORT OF ALMOST NORMAL OR TYPICAL
IN THAT SORT OF CULTURE OF THAT FAMILY.
AND JEN TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT,
"THEY MAY NOT EVERY THINK THAT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM
"IS ENTIRELY WRONG OR OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY."
WHEN I WAS PREPARING FOR THIS TODAY,
ONE THING THAT I DIDN'T REALLY REALIZE
BUT I FOUND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE LITERATURE
IS PHYSICAL HEALTH PROBLEMS ARE ALSO STRONGLY ASSOCIATED
WITH A HISTORY OF CHILD ABUSE OR MALTREATMENT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A COUPLE OF STUDIES THAT TALK ABOUT CHILDREN
WHO SUSTAIN RIB FRACTURES FROM CHILDHOOD ABUSE
ARE AT A MUCH HIGHER RISK FOR BONE CANCER.
I MEAN, LIFE EXPECTANCY IS LOWER
FOR POPULATIONS THAT HAVE ENDURED PHYSICAL ABUSE.
NOW, WITH ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND--
THERE'S ALSO A BODY OF LITERATURE THAT LOOKS AT CHILDREN
WHO HAVE BEEN IN ABUSIVE SITUATIONS OR MISTREATED
AND HAVE NOT DEVELOPED
ANY OF THESE CLINICAL CONDITIONS OR PROBLEMS.
UM, THE RESEARCH TERMS THESE CHILDREN "DANDELION CHILDREN,"
WHICH IS, I THINK, AN INTERESTING PHRASE,
WAS THE IDEA THAT DANDELIONS CAN PRETTY MUCH FLOURISH AND DEVELOP
AND DO WELL ANY PLACE, RIGHT?
CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALK, THERE ARE DANDELIONS OUT.
UM, SO, THIS MOVES INTO AN AREA OF THE LITERATURE--
THE RESEARCH LITERATURE-- CALLED "RESILIENCE."
AND IN MY PRACTICE, ONE THING THAT HAS ALWAYS SURPRISED ME OVER THE YEARS
IS I WILL SEE FOUR CHILDREN IN A FAMILY
AND THEY ALL SUSTAIN SORTA SIMILAR ABUSE...
UM, ONE OF THE KIDS SORTA TAKES THE P.T.S.D. ROUTE--
THEY START TO DEVELOP ANXIETY.
ONE OF THE KIDS TAKES THE ANTISOCIAL ROUTE,
STARTS ACTING OUT AT SCHOOL.
ONE TAKES THE DEPRESSION ROUTE, STARTS TO DEVELOP DEPRESSION.
AND THE OTHER ONE IS FINE.
UM, AND SO, THE RESILIENCE RESEARCH IS TRYING TO LOOK AT WHY THAT OCCURS.
NOW, ONE OF MY OTHER TASKS IS TO DESCRIBE THE RISK FACTORS
ASSOCIATED WITH CHILD MALTREATMENT.
THIS IS VERY TRICKY, BECAUSE WHAT YOU WOULD MAYBE EXPECT
IS I WOULD PUT A LIST UP AND SAY, "THESE ARE THE FACTORS
"THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH A RISK FOR CHILD MALTREATMENT."
IN FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY, WHICH IS THE INTERACTION
OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND PSYCHOLOGY,
WE DO THINGS LIKE-- I DO, UM, "RISK FOR VIOLENCE" ASSESSMENTS.
AND THE RESEARCH FITS PRETTY WELL WITH WHAT'S CALLED "A LINEAR MODEL."
SO, IF HAVE-- IF THERE ARE 20 FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH RISK FOR VIOLENCE
AND YOU HAVE NINE OF THOSE, YOU'RE AT A HIGHER RISK.
THAT'S KIND OF A LINEAR MODEL.
IN CHILD MALTREATMENT, THE LINEAR MODEL HAS NOT HELD UP.
IT'S ALSO DANGEROUS FOR ME TO PUT UP A LIST OF CHARACTERISTICS
AND SAY, "THESE ARE ASSOCIATED,"
BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT SOMEONE YOU KNOW AND SAY,
"WELL, THAT PERSON'S GOT FIVE OF THOSE, THE CHILD MUST BE AT RISK."
SO, THIS APPROACH TO A LINEAR MODEL IS NOT--
IT'S SUPPORTED IN THE RESEARCH.
BUT WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS IS THAT CERTAIN FACTORS--
AND THESE FACTORS CAN BE SOCIOLOGICAL, PERSONAL, OR INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES--
FOR EXAMPLE, SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN A PARENT--
SOME OF THESE FACTORS TOGETHER
CAN SET UP CONDITIONS WHERE ABUSE CAN OCCUR.
SO, FROM A SCIENTIFIC STANDPOINT OR AN EMPIRICAL APPROACH,
YOU REALLY CAN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION OF RISK FOR CHILD ABUSE,
BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO IS EXAMINE CERTAIN FACTORS THAT ARE PRESENT
THAT COULD ALLOW FOR THE CONDITIONS FOR CHILD ABUSE TO OCCUR, OKAY?
SO, ONE THING TO UNDERSTAND, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE FOUR TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE
IS CHILD MALTREATMENT IS A VERY COMPLICATED ISSUE, OKAY?
AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT IS EASY TO PUT INTO KIND OF THE LINEAR MODELS
THAT WE WOULD LIKE.
UM, SO, THEY TALK ABOUT THESE FACTORS AS "SETTING UP A PROCESS OR CONDITION
"WHERE CHILD ABUSE CAN OCCUR."
NOW, ANOTHER THING THAT I'VE BEEN CHARGED WITH WAS TO TALK ABOUT
THE PERPETRATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
AND I CAN TELL YOU THE RESEARCH WOULD SAY-- AND IN MY PRACTICE--
I'VE SEEN FOLKS WHO'VE ABUSED OR NEGLECTED OR MISTREATED THEIR CHILDREN
FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.
I'VE SEEN DOCTORS, LAWYERS, PASTORS.
I'VE SEEN PASTORS DOING PRISON SENTENCES FOR THEIR ABUSE THEY DID ON CHILDREN.
I'VE SEEN HOMELESS PEOPLE, I'VE SEEN WORKING CLASS PEOPLE,
I'VE SEEN MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE.
SO, IT RUNS THE GAMUT.
THERE'S NOT A PARTICULAR TYPE OF PERSON WHO IS INCLINED TO ABUSE THEIR CHILDREN.
RIGHT, NOW WE COULD PUT UP SOME--
A LIST OF, "OH, THESE ARE CHARACTERISTICS YOU OFTEN SEE IN ABUSERS,"
BUT REALLY, IF WE TAKE THE IDEA THAT WE CAN'T SORT OF HAMMER THESE FACTORS
INTO A LINEAR APPROACH,
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL TYPES OF FOLKS ARE INVOLVED
IN CHILD MALTREATMENT, OKAY?
NOW...
WHAT I'LL SEE IN MY PRACTICE MANY TIMES IS A TRUNCATED SAMPLE.
IN OTHER WORDS, I'LL SEE THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED
BY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
OCCASIONALLY, I SEE THE FOLKS WHO ARE NOT.
UM, WHAT I'LL SEE-- NOW, AGAIN, I WANT YOU TO TAKE THIS LIST
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU, AND NOT SAY THAT THIS IS A RISK FACTOR,
BUT THIS IS WHAT I SEE LOCALLY IN THIS TRUNCATED SAMPLE.
WE'LL SEE A HIGH DEGREE OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN THE PARENT--
THAT'S PRETTY COMMON IN THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE'LL DO.
OFTEN TIMES, WE'LL SEE A LOWER ECONOMIC STATUS--
SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN IF YOU'RE FROM...
"YOU DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY AND A LOT OF EDUCATION, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ABUSE,"
BUT THAT'S MORE COMMONLY WHAT COMES INTO OUR OFFICE.
FREQUENTLY, WE'LL SEE SORT OF SINGLE-PARENT HOUSEHOLDS
WITH MANY DIFFERENT PARTNERS COMING THROUGH,
DIFFERENT BOYFRIENDS OR GIRLFRIENDS THAT COME THROUGH.
VERY COMMON FOR US TO SEE ON THESE C.P.S. REFERRALS--
YOUNG PARENTS WITH MULTIPLE CHILDREN FROM MULTIPLE UNINVOLVED FATHERS.
THERE ARE MANY CASES WHERE PARENTS WILL HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN
WITH MULTIPLE UNINVOLVED FATHERS AND ABUSE DOES NOT OCCUR, RIGHT?
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SEE MORE FREQUENTLY.
A LACK OF PARENTAL SUPERVISION OR ENGAGEMENT
IS SOMETHING THAT WE SEE A LOT, PARTICULARLY IN SEX ABUSE CASES.
A LACK OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT, KNOWLEDGE IN PARENTING TECHNIQUES--
KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTING TECHNIQUES-- THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL SEE FREQUENTLY.
BY THE WAY, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S VERY FIXABLE, RIGHT?
THOSE SERVICES THAT GET IN PLACE LIKE PARENTING EDUCATION.
AND OCCASIONALLY, WE'LL SEE UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS,
BUT NOT VERY OFTEN.
I WAS TALKING WITH A COLLEAGUE ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY.
ONE OF THE MYTHS WOULD BE THAT SOMEONE IS SICK
OR SOMEONE HAS A MENTAL DISORDER WHEN THEY DO THIS.
OCCASIONALLY, WE SEE SOMEONE WITH UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS
WHO'S INVOLVED IN CHILD MALTREATMENT,
BUT MOST OF THE TIME, THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.
AND MOST OF THE TIME, WE'LL SEE FOLKS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS...
THAT IS TREATED-- INADEQUATELY TREATED--
BUT STILL, SOME CHILD MALTREATMENT OCCURS.
SO, UM...
TO NOT CONFUSE YOU ANY, I JUST WANNA SORT OF EMPHASIZE THE POINT
THAT CHILD MALTREATMENT IS A COMPLICATED ISSUE,
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABUSE
THAT COMMONLY OCCUR THAT WE SEE.
UM, TRYING TO DETERMINE WHICH RISK FACTORS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ABUSE
IS IMPORTANT WORK,
BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOT LIST RISK FACTORS
WITH THE ASSUMPTION THAT WE CAN APPLY THESE
TOWARDS SORT OF A "RISK ANALYSIS" OF AN INDIVIDUAL.
NOW, IDENTIFYING RISK FACTORS CAN BE IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THEN WE CAN TRY TO DESIGN INTERVENTION
OR SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS
TO MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES OR ALLEVIATE THOSE.
BUT THERE'S NOT A PARTICULAR CLUSTER OF RISK FACTORS
THAT IS PREDICTIVE OF ABUSE.
AND THIRDLY, THE IDEA OF "WHO DOES THE ABUSER--
"WHO'S INVOLVED IN CHILD MALTREATMENT?"
IT OCCURS ACROSS A BROAD SPECTRUM OF PEOPLE, SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS,
RACIAL IDENTITIES OR ETHNICITIES.
IT OCCURS IN ALL TYPES OF HOUSES.
WHO COMES TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS, I WOULD ARGUE,
SORT OF A TRUNCATED SAMPLE.
AND I WILL SEE CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS THAT TEND TO BE FAIRLY COMMON
IN THE CASES THAT I SEE THROUGH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES,
AND THE CHILDREN ARE REMOVED FROM THE HOME.
UM, BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY TELL THE WHOLE PICTURE.
SO, CHILD ABUSE AND CHILD MALTREATMENT-- CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT--
IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS EVERYWHERE, OKAY?
NOT JUST WITH PARTICULAR TYPES OF FOLKS AND PARTICULAR TYPES OF SITUATIONS.
(applause)
>> AND THIS IS JODACY.
>> HELLO. >> (all) HI.
>> AND SHE IS PART OF OUR "HEALTHY START" PROGRAM AT FAMILY FUTURES.
SO, JODACY, TELL US HOW YOU GOT STARTED WITH "HEALTHY START."
WHAT MADE YOU INTERESTED IN BEING A PART OF OUR PROGRAM?
>> WELL, I WAS 15 AND PREGNANT,
AND I NEEDED A HELPING HAND.
I NEEDED SUPPORT-- I DIDN'T HAVE MUCH AT HOME.
SO, I JUST-- I WENT THROUGH THE PREGNANCY RESOURCE CENTER
AND GOT THE INFORMATION FOR "HEALTHY START,"
AND I SIGNED IT, SENT IT IN THE MAIL, AND THEY GOT BACK TO ME.
(laughing)
>> AND WHAT HAVE THEY--
WHAT KIND OF SUPPORT HAS BEEN PROVIDED TO YOU AS A NEW MOM?
>> UM, BY BEING THERE FOR ME WHERE I COULD TALK ABOUT ANYTHING--
ANYTHING I NEEDED TO.
THEY TAUGHT ME PATIENCE, HOW TO UNDERSTAND MY SON
AND WHY HE DOES THE THINGS THAT HE DOES...
(all laughing)
>> BECAUSE HE'S NOW TWO. >> YEAH, HE'S TWO NOW.
(all laughing)
ESTHER, UM, MY WORKER, ACTUALLY--
SHE EVEN HELPED ME GET A SAFER CRIB FOR HIM.
THE FIRST CRIB WE HAD WAS-- UH, I CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT,
BUT SHE GOT ME A SAFER CRIB AND A CAR SEAT,
AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE I WOULD BE IF I DIDN'T HAVE HER.
>> AND HOW HAS "HEALTHY START," THEN, HELPED YOU BECOME A BETTER PARENT?
>> UM, WELL...
I LEARNED THAT WHEN MY SON ACTS UP,
THAT HE'S JUST CURIOUS INSTEAD OF BAD.
HE'S JUST CURIOUS.
UM, I HAD BABY EXPERIENCE BEFORE, BUT HAVING MY OWN CHILD--
I GUESS I DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH EXPERIENCE, SO...
(both laughing)
SO, ESTHER-- SHE HELPED ME OUT AND LEARN HOW TO UNDERSTAND HIM BETTER.
MY MOM AND DAD REALLY DIDN'T SUPPORT ME,
BUT ESTHER SUPPORTED ME A LOT.
I'M SORRY-- I CALL MY SON "PUDDA,"
SO "PUDDA" IS WRITTEN ON THIS PAPER. (audience chuckling)
UM, I REALLY WANT PUDDA TO HAVE A BETTER FUTURE,
AND ESTHER HELPS ME SEE HOW I CAN DO THAT.
>> 'CAUSE HAVING A BABY CHANGES EVERYTHING.
>> EVERYTHING-- YEAH, EVERYTHING. (all laughing)
>> AND SO, HOW HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO--
HOW HAS HE BEEN ABLE TO GROW AS PART OF "HEALTHY START"?
>> UM, LIKE MICHELE SAID IN THE VIDEO, PUDDA WAS LATE IN HIS DEVELOPMENT, TOO.
SO, UM...
ESTHER-- SHE GAVE ME THE, KINDA LIKE, CONNECTIONS.
WE FILLED OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE.
THE "AGES" AND "STAGES" QUESTIONNAIRES, AND SHE GAVE ME THE MATERIALS I NEEDED
TO HELP HIM WITH THE DEVELOPMENT,
AND WE PRACTICE THAT TWO OR THREE TIMES A DAY,
AND NOW HE'S CAUGHT UP IN HIS DEVELOPMENT.
HE'S ALL OVER THE PLACE. (all laughing)
>> AND HOW DO YOU THINK THAT YOUR LIFE WOULD BE DIFFERENT
IF YOU HADN'T BEEN A PART OF "HEALTHY START"?
>> UM, I WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST.
I MAY HAVE ACTED LIKE I KNEW WHAT I WAS DOING,
BUT THINGS WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFICULT.
UM, "HEALTHY START" HAS TAUGHT ME HOW TO BE THE BEST MOM I CAN BE.
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU.
(both laughing) (applause)
>> I FEEL LUCKY TO FOLLOW THAT VIDEO.
MY NAME IS SUE TOMAN-- BRANDY IS ON MY STAFF.
I WANTED TO SAY THIS, AND IT'S PRESUMPTUOUS BUT IT'S TRUE--
THEY SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST.
THAT IS NOT TOOTING MY OWN HORN AT ALL,
BUT THIS IS CHILD PREVENTION OF ABUSE MONTH,
NOT "ABUSE MONTH" OR "NEGLECT MONTH."
AND SO, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT NEGLECT, WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT ABUSE,
BUT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD VERY MUCH ABOUT PREVENTION,
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS MONTH IS CELEBRATING AND RECOGNIZING.
WE HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON AT OUR CHURCH THAT'S A LITTLE FUNNY TO ME,
AND I'M NOT REALLY LIKE THE "RAH-RAH" KIND OF LADY,
BUT SOME PEOPLE GO TO OUR CHURCH WHO NEED RIDES,
AND THEY WERE REALLY-- THE PERSON WAS TRYING TO GET RIDES FOR THESE FOLKS
TO GET TO CHURCH, SAID, "OUT OF A CONGREGATION OF 500,
"WE'VE HAD THREE PEOPLE VOLUNTEER TO GET 25 PEOPLE TO CHURCH,"
AND HE WAS APPALLED BY THAT.
SO, WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THIS AUDIENCE
IS THAT, TO ME,
JUST LIKE THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT MORE PEOPLE AT CHURCH
RAISING THEIR HANDS AND SAYING, "WE'LL GIVE RIDES"--
AND SO, HE STARTED SAYING THIS, "TEAM,"
AND THEN THE WHOLE CONGREGATION HAD TO SAY "MOBILIZE,"
AND THE IDEA WAS WAS THAT WE WERE ALL TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH OTHER
AND HELPING EACH OTHER MEET EACH OTHER'S NEEDS.
AND SO, WHAT I WANNA START OUT MY PRESENTATION AS SAYING--
WE ALL HAVE POTENTIAL TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT PEOPLE AROUND US,
WHETHER THEY'RE OUR BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN OR NOT,
BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE A TENDENCY TO NOT LIVE PERFECTLY.
UM, SO, WE CAN MOBILIZE BY TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR OWN PARENTING
AND OUR OWN RELATIONSHIPS.
BUT THE OTHER WAY THAT YOU CAN MOBILIZE IS--
THAT WE'RE A COMMUNITY, AND THOSE CLICHES THAT HAPPEN
LIKE, "IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD,"
WE WANT THEM TO BE TRUE AND WE WANT TO ALL HELP EACH OTHER
TO BE THE BEST PARENTS.
SO, THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED BY THIS VIDEO THAT YOU JUST SAW
BECAUSE JODACY WOULD FIT MANY OF THOSE RISK FACTORS
THAT JEFF DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO LIST, BUT--
YOU KNOW, SHE WAS A TEEN PARENT,
UM, SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORT OF HER PARENTS,
SHE HADN'T FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL YET.
SHE HAD ALL KINDS OF RISK FACTORS,
BUT THERE'S NOBODY WHO CAN WATCH THAT VIDEO
THAT DOES NOT SEE HOW INCREDIBLE HER LOVE IS FOR HER CHILD,
HOW INVESTED SHE IS IN BECOMING THE BEST PARENT SHE CAN BE.
AND SO, WHEN I THINK ABOUT PREVENTION AND WHY I'M INVOLVED IN IT,
IT'S BORNE OF A BELIEF THAT--
I CAN'T SAY "100 PERCENT OF PARENTS,"
BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PARENTS
WANT TO BE THE BEST PARENT THAT THEY CAN BE.
SO, YOU REALLY, RIGHT AWAY, YOU HAVE A WAY TO ENGAGE PARENTS
AND TO GIVE THEM FEEDBACK ABOUT THEIR PARENTING WHEN YOU SEE IT,
BECAUSE IF YOU CAN HAVE THAT BE THE BRIDGE YOU START ON
THAT PEOPLE WANT TO BE THE BEST PARENT THAT THEY CAN BE,
LOTS OF GOOD CONVERSATIONS CAN OCCUR IN THIS COMMUNITY
THAT WILL LEAD TOWARD CHILDREN DEVELOPING WELL.
SO, THERE'S LOTS OF RISK FACTORS BUT RESEARCH PROMOTES
THAT THEY ARE ALSO A LOT OF PROTECTIVE FACTORS
THAT CAN BE BUILT INTO FAMILY LIFE,
AND THE MORE PROTECTIVE FACTORS THAT PARENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE,
THAT LOWERS THE RISK OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
BUT IT ALSO INCREASES OPTIMAL CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
SO, I'M GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS ARE
THAT RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT IS EFFECTIVE
IN HELPING TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT,
AND, ON THE FLIP SIDE, PROMOTING POSITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN.
AND THEY ARE, UM, WELL-ESTABLISHED, LIKE I SAID,
BUT THE PART THAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS WHEN I SAY THEM...
THEY'RE NOT MYSTERIOUS AND YOU'LL KIND OF HAVE THIS,
"WELL, SHE'S JUST TALKING COMMON SENSE AT ME."
WELL, WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD A FRIEND WHO'D ALWAYS SAY,
"THE PROBLEM WITH COMMON SENSE IS THAT IT ISN'T COMMON."
WELL, THE OTHER PROBLEM IS THAT SOMETIMES COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS
ARE HARD TO APPLY.
AND SO, THESE WON'T BE-- UM, LIKE, YOU WON'T GO AWAY FROM HERE
AND SAYING, "OH, THAT LAST ONE WAS THE BEST
"'CAUSE SHE TOLD ME THINGS I DIDN'T KNOW."
I'M GONNA TELL YOU LOTS OF THINGS THAT YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT MAKE SENSE...
BUT THE FUN PART IS TO PLAY AROUND WITH THE CONCEPTS,
THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS, AND SAY, "HOW DO I PROMOTE THESE IN MY OWN LIFE?
"HOW DO I PROMOTE THESE IN THE FAMILIES THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO ME?"
I MEAN, I THINK ABOUT THIS WITH MY OWN FAMILY.
I THINK ABOUT IT WITH THE FAMILIES THAT FAMILY FUTURES WORKS WITH.
SO, THEY'LL SEEM INTUITIVE.
THE FIRST ONE IS PARENTAL RESILIENCE.
JEFF TALKED ABOUT THAT CHILD THAT'S LIKE THE DANDELION THAT WON'T DIE
NO MATTER HOW MUCH WEED KILLER YOU PUT ON IT, WHICH IS TRUE IN MY YARD...
UM, SO, THAT ARE PARENTS, ALSO--
WE NEED TO DEVELOP THAT IN PARENTS--
THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK FROM CHALLENGES.
AND THE PART THAT'S HELPFUL TO ME IS THAT, UM...
WHEN YOU COME FROM A MIDDLE CLASS BACKGROUND,
YOU HAVE ONE SORT OF CHALLENGES.
WHEN YOU COME FROM A WEALTHY BACKGROUND,
YOU HAVE ANOTHER SET OF CHALLENGES.
AND WHEN YOU COME FROM POVERTY, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF CHALLENGES.
LIFE IS FULL OF CHALLENGES NO MATTER WHAT ECONOMIC--
I MEAN, ROMNEY'S TRYING REALLY HARD TO PROVE THAT HE'S "ONE OF US"
AND THAT HE HAS FACED CHALLENGES.
AND THERE ARE CHALLENGES NO MATTER WHAT SPHERE YOU LIVE IN.
BUT THE KEY TO LIFE IS THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK.
AND SO, THERE'S ANOTHER GROUP THAT DEALS WITH PROTECTIVE FACTORS,
AND THEY SUMMARIZE THE PARENTAL RESILIENCE
AS "BE STRONG BUT BE FLEXIBLE."
AND SO, WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE PARENTS TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THEY CAN DO IT.
I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE
WHEN THE DOCTOR CAME TO JODACY
AND SAID, "YOU'RE PREGNANT."
I MEAN, WHAT A TIME TO FEEL LIKE, "WELL, I CAN'T DO THAT."
AND YET, PARENTS THAT BECOME GOOD PARENTS LIKE SHE OBVIOUSLY IS,
THEY'RE STRONG AND THEY DIG DEEP INSIDE THEMSELVES
AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY'RE GONNA DO IT.
SECOND, DEVELOP SOCIAL CONNECTIONS,
AND THAT'S BEEN TRANSLATED TO "PARENTS NEED FRIENDS."
UM...
OFTEN WHEN I TALK TO OUR INTERNS ABOUT PROTECTIVE FACTORS,
I SAY, "IF YOU HAVE A BIG TEST COMING THIS WEEK
"AND YOU'RE FRETTING ABOUT IT," BECAUSE YOU'VE GOTTEN THREE "C"S
AND YOU WANT TO PULL YOUR GRADE UP TO A "B,"
AND YOU NEED TO GET AN "A" ON THIS TEST TO DO IT-- IT'S THE FINAL.
"IF YOU GET AN 'A,' YOU'LL GET A 'B' IN THE CLASS,
"AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU."
YOU CAN FEEL OVERWHELMED, BUT IF YOU HAVE SOME CHEERLEADING FRIENDS AROUND YOU
WHO SAY, "YEAH, YOU REALLY CAN FIND 20 MINUTES TO STUDY HERE,
"20 MINUTES TO STUDY THERE.
"I CAN SHARE MY NOTES WITH YOU-- THAT'S GONNA HELP YOU."
THAT'S THE KIND OF THINGS THAT BUILD SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
AND HELP YOU TO BE ABLE TO PARENT BETTER.
IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT TOPIC THAN SCHOOL.
UM, KNOWLEDGE OF PARENTING AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S PROVEN THAT IF YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM YOUR CHILD,
YOU'RE LESS LIKELY TO ABUSE AND NEGLECT THEM,
AND THE STATEMENT THAT THAT'S TRAINING, UM...
CHANGED TO BEING, IS THAT BEING A PARENT
IS PART NATURAL AND PART LEARNED.
AND ISN'T THAT THE TRUTH?
THAT YOU HAVE SOME INSTINCTS ABOUT HOW TO PARENT,
BUT YOU GOTTA LEARN SOME STUFF, TOO.
SO, WHEN I WAS A PROBATION OFFICER HERE IN KENT COUNTY,
I USED TO HAVE TWO-YEAR-OLDS COME AND THEIR PARENT WOULD SAY
THAT THEY NEEDED TO SIT STILL IN THE CHAIR
WHILE THEY TALKED TO ME FOR HALF AN HOUR.
NO TWO-YEAR-OLD SITS STILL, AND THEY WOULD SAY KINDA WHAT SHE SAID.
SHE LEARNED HER CHILD WASN'T BAD.
THEY'D SAY, "OH, MY CHILD'S SO BAD"-- NO, YOUR CHILD'S NOT BAD.
THEY'RE TWO.
AND SO, IT HELPS WHEN YOU LEARN THOSE THINGS.
UM, THE FOURTH ONE IS "CONCRETE SUPPORT IN TIME OF NEED,"
AND THAT'S BEEN TRANSLATED TO "WE ALL NEED HELP SOMETIMES."
UM, IF YOU WAKE UP FOR WORK
AND YOUR CHILD'S REALLY, REALLY SICK
AND YOU NEED TO GO AND GET THAT PAYCHECK,
IF YOU HAVE THREE FRIENDS YOU CAN CALL AND SAY,
"WHO CAN TAKE MY CHILD AND WATCH HIM TODAY
"BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO SICK TO GO TO DAYCARE?"
THAT'S CONCRETE SUPPORT IN TIME OF NEED.
YOU'RE OUT OF FOOD
AND YOU KNOW WHERE THE FOOD PANTRY IS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
AND YOU CAN GO THERE AND GET FOOD.
THAT'S CONCRETE SUPPORT IN TIME OF NEED.
AND WE NEED TO HELP PEOPLE FIND THE CONCRETE SUPPORT THEY NEED.
AND THEN, AS I WAS TALKING ABOUT MOBILIZING YOUTH.
SOMETIMES, WE NEED TO BE THE CONCRETE SUPPORT
FOR THE FAMILIES WE KNOW
THAT ARE LIVING IN CHALLENGING SITUATIONS.
UM, THE FIFTH ONE IS "SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE IN CHILDREN."
PARENTS NEED TO HELP THEIR CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO BE SOCIALLY
AND EMOTIONALLY COMPETENT.
IT HELPS PROTECT CHILDREN FROM ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS BUILDING EMOTIONAL
AND SOCIAL COMPETENCE THAT I TAUGHT MY CHILDREN BOUNDARIES,
SO THAT THEY KNEW THAT ANOTHER KID GOING OFF
AND SLUGGING 'EM IN THE PLAYGROUND CROSSED A BOUNDARY.
THEY KNEW THAT ADULTS DOING CERTAIN THINGS TO THEM CROSSED BOUNDARIES,
AND THEY HAD THE WHEREWITHAL INSIDE THEMSELVES TO SAY, "STOP IT.
"THAT'S NOT OKAY WITH ME."
UM, THEN, THE LAST PROTECTIVE FACTOR
IS TO "PROMOTE HEALTHY PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIPS,"
AND THAT'S BEEN TRANSLATED TO "GIVE YOUR CHILD LOVE AND RESPECT."
SO, THERE'S A LOT THAT YOU CAN DO TO PREVENT CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT.
AND I FEEL LIKE IF WE MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND
WHAT PROTECTIVE FACTORS ARE
AND HOW WE CAN HELP BUILD THEM IN OUR OWN LIVES
AND IN OUR COMMUNITY,
IT'S REALLY TRUE THAT MANY OF US WILL BECOME GOOD ENOUGH PARENTS--
NOT PERFECT PARENTS-- BUT WE'LL HAVE GOOD ENOUGH PARENTS,
AND WE'LL HAVE CHILDREN THAT AREN'T ABUSED AND NEGLECTED
AND ARE ABLE TO THRIVE AND TO GROW.
SO, THANKS.
THAT'S THE END OF MY PART, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO KATE.
(applause)
>> OKAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH, PANEL.
I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
I'M GONNA ASK THAT YOU JUST KEEP THE MICROPHONE THERE.
AND WE DO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME.
WE'VE SAVED SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS.
AND SO, I WILL COME AROUND TO YOU WITH THE MICROPHONE.
I KNOW IT'S HARD TO BE THE FIRST PERSON TO ASK A QUESTION, BUT...
>> MY QUESTION IS FOR JEN.
I WAS WONDERING, UM, IS THERE ANY--
LIKE, DO YOU THINK BEING A SOCIAL WORKER IS EMOTIONALLY DIFFICULT?
AND DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR SOMEBODY
THAT MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN GOING INTO IT?
>> UM, SURE.
SOCIAL WORK IS DEFINITELY AN EMOTIONALLY DIFFICULT FIELD.
(clearing throat)
WE ACTUALLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME WORKING WITH OUR STAFF ON SECONDARY TRAUMA
THAT THEY SUFFER AS A RESULT OF SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SEE
AND DEAL WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.
SO, IN THIS FIELD OF C.P.S., IT'S ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT.
BUT IN ALL THE FIELDS, I THINK IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT.
ANYTIME THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH A FAMILY IN NEED
OR EVEN AN INDIVIDUAL IN NEED,
YOUR FIRST INSTINCT IS TO HELP THEM, TO DO FOR THEM.
AND YOU HAVE TO BUILD BOUNDARIES TO PREVENT YOURSELF FROM DOING THAT.
SO, REALLY, I THINK MY ADVICE
WOULD BE SIMILAR TO SOME OF THE PROTECTIVE FACTORS
THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT WITH CHILDREN
ARE REALLY THE SAME PROTECTIVE FACTORS WE USE FOR OURSELVES AS SOCIAL WORKERS--
BUILD A SUPPORT SYSTEM, SET BOUNDARIES THAT ARE CLEAR...
UM, WE WANNA WORK 24-7 BECAUSE WE KNOW WHAT'S OUT THERE, BUT WE CAN'T.
YOU NEED TO STOP.
AT CERTAIN TIMES, YOU JUST NEED TO STOP AND YOU NEED TO GO HOME,
BE WITH YOUR FAMILY, DO THINGS YOU ENJOY,
FIND SOME WAYS TO RELEASE SOME OF THE TENSION AND ANXIETY.
WE HAVE EXERCISE PROGRAMS IN OUR OFFICE A FEW TIMES A WEEK,
SO THAT PEOPLE CAN TRY TO FIND SOME OUTLETS FOR THAT,
BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF THAT THAT BUILDS UP.
AND A LOT OF OUR FAMILIES DON'T REALLY WANNA HEAR ABOUT IT ALL THE TIME.
UM, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT, NECESSARILY.
WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE WHEN THEY DO,
BUT THEY DON'T NEED TO HEAR THE NITTY-GRITTY,
AND IT'S VERY HARD TO EXPLAIN TO THEM WHAT YOU'VE SEEN
WHEN YOU HAVE HAD A DAY
WHERE YOU'VE BEEN AT THE HOSPITAL WITH A SHAKEN BABY
AND SEEN THE IMPACT OF THAT
AND SEE THIS TINY INFANT IN THIS GIANT HOSPITAL BED
IS VERY TRAUMATIC, AND THEY DON'T ALWAYS WANNA HEAR IT.
SO, USING YOUR COWORKERS, OTHER PROFESSIONALS IN YOUR FIELD
AS YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL.
>> MINE'S-- OH.
MINE'S MORE OF A TWO-PART QUESTION SORTA.
WHAT IS THE PREVALENCE OF MORE THAN-- (mic feedback)
SORRY.
WHAT IS THE PREVALENCE OF MORE THAN ONE FORM OF ABUSE IN INDIVIDUAL CASES?
AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS FOR BREAKING THE CYCLE
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ABUSED
TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING ABUSERS THEMSELVES.
>> I'LL ANSWER THAT THE BEST I CAN.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY INPUT, THEY CAN CHIME IN.
IT IS NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO SEE MULTIPLE FACTORS IN A HOME--
UM, MULTIPLE TYPES OF ABUSE IN A HOME.
NOT ALWAYS, BY ANY MEANS.
THERE ARE CERTAIN ONES THAT TEND TO GO TOGETHER...
MORE...
MORE SO, I GUESS, THAN OTHERS, I WOULD SAY.
SO, S-- I'M TRYING TO THINK OF WHAT WE SEE THE MOST COMBINED.
UM, WE WOULD, A LOT OF TIMES SEE NEGLECT AND--
WE SEE A LOT OF NEGLECT AND PHYSICAL ABUSE TOGETHER.
A LOT OF THAT, I THINK, STEMS FROM SOME OF THE SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS
THAT LEAD TO THE NEGLECT, CAUSES A LOT OF STRESS, A LOT OF ANXIETY,
A LOT OF FRUSTRATION IN THE HOME...
THAT GET RELEASED SOMEWHERE.
A LOT OF TIMES, PARENTS LOSE THEIR TEMPER,
AND THAT'S WHEN WE SEE SHAKEN BABIES
OR WE SEE HANDPRINT ON A CHILD'S FACE OR WE SEE--
YOU KNOW, THEY SPANK 'EM A LITTLE TOO HARD THAT DAY
BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN A REALLY BAD DAY.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY CASE OF ABUSE
IS SOMEBODY WHO JUST BEATS THEIR CHILD ALL THE TIME,
BUT SOMETIMES, THEY JUST LOSE IT FOR A MINUTE,
AND IT MAY BE JUST THAT SINGLE INCIDENT.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE THOSE TWO THINGS PAIRED TOGETHER.
UM...
>> (softly) I'LL SEE A-- OH.
I'LL SEE A LOT OF EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE PAIRED TOGETHER.
THAT'S PRETTY COMMON.
BUT I THINK...
THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST COMMON THAT I SEE,
UM, BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT--
YOU KNOW, OF THESE TYPES OF ABUSE, UM, IT JUST--
I LIKE THE BIGGER TERM OF "CHILD MALTREATMENT,"
BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU'LL SEE SITUATIONS
WHERE THERE WILL BE EMOTIONAL ABUSE IT'LL START OUT,
AND THEN IT'LL MOVE INTO PHYSICAL.
SOMETIMES, IT'S JUST PHYSICAL.
SOMETIMES, IT'S JUST ***.
SO, THERE CAN BE DIFFERENT TYPES,
BUT I LIKE THE BIGGER UMBRELLA TERM OF "CHILD MALTREATMENT."
IT MAKES MORE SENSE.
>> WHAT WAS THE OTHER PART OF THE QUESTION?
>> THE OTHER PART WAS "BREAKING THE CYCLE,"
AND I THINK THAT'S VERY POSSIBLE FOR THE CYCLE TO BE BROKEN.
I THINK THAT IT DEPENDS A BIT ABOUT WHAT THE ABUSE OR NEGLECT WAS
IN TERMS OF HOW TO BREAK THAT CYCLE.
UM, PART OF IT IS BUILDING THOSE PROTECTIVE FACTORS,
AND THAT CAN HAPPEN THROUGH HAVING A CASE MANAGER.
I THINK THAT JEFF HAS DONE A LOT OF THERAPY, I'M SURE,
THAT HE HAS SEEN COUNSELING BE KEY, BECAUSE LOTS OF TIMES,
EVEN IN MINOR WAYS, YOU REPEAT HOW YOU'VE BEEN PARENTED.
AND SO, PART OF IT IS TO LOOK AT HOW YOU'VE BEEN PARENTED
AND SORT OF COME TO GRIPS WITH IT, COME TO ACCEPTANCE,
AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SUPPORT TO CHANGE THAT.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT,
BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE THAT COUNSELING END...
>> ONE THING THAT I'LL SEE THAT WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT TODAY IS--
THAT'S FAIRLY COMMON IN THE CASES THAT I'LL SEE.
AND AGAIN, I SEE THE CASES THAT ARE SORT OF TRUNCATED DOWN--
THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH C.P.S.
UM...
IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR US TO SEE, FOR EXAMPLE,
A SINGLE MOTHER WHO HAS A BOYFRIEND THAT MOVES INTO THE HOUSE,
AND THE BOYFRIEND'S ABUSIVE TO EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE.
AND THEN, THERE'S A PETITION FOR "FAILURE TO PROTECT."
THE ACCUSATION IS THAT MOTHER DIDN'T ADEQUATELY PROTECT.
AND A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT I'LL SEE WHEN I DO THEIR PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS,
I'LL FIND THEY HAVE THINGS LIKE DEPENDENT PERSONALITY DISORDER--
ER, DEPENDENT PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS.
THEY DON'T HAVE A HEALTHY ABILITY TO BE ASSERTIVE IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS.
SO, ONE THING THAT WE'LL DO IS REFER THE PERSON FOR COUNSELING,
AND PART OF THE PRESCRIPTION OF THE COUNSELING
IS TO HELP WITH THEIR INTERPERSONAL ASSERTIVENESS
TO HELP THEM GAIN SOME INSIGHT INTO THE CHOICES THEY'RE MAKING
IN THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
UM, SOMETIMES, WE'LL SEE--
WE'LL MAKE REFERRALS FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELING.
SO, THAT'S SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT,
BUT HAVING A BOYFRIEND, TYPICALLY-- OR SOMETIMES A GIRLFRIEND--
IN THE HOUSE THAT'S ABUSIVE TO THE CHILDREN,
AND THEN THE PARENTS NOT PUTTING FORTH AN ADEQUATE ABILITY TO PARENT,
IS NOT UNCOMMON.
AND SOMETIMES, THE COUNSELING CAN HELP THEM MAKE BETTER CHOICES
IN THEIR RELATIONSHIPS, YOU KNOW, AND RECOGNIZE BOUNDARIES.
IF YOU MEET SOMEONE AND YOU'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW,
GOING OUT WITH THEM FOR TWO WEEKS,
IT'S NOT NECESSARILY HEALTHY OR APPROPRIATE
TO LET THEM MOVE INTO YOUR HOUSE
AND PARENT YOUR CHILDREN, AND THEN YOUR CHILDREN CALL THEM "DAD."
I MEAN, THAT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS, BUT WE'VE SEEN THAT QUITE A BIT.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS?
>> I USED TO WORK AT JOHN BALL ZOO, AND ONE DAY, WHEN I WAS THERE,
TWO GUYS CAME IN WITH SOMEONE I'D ASSUMED WAS THEIR SON
OR RELATED TO THEM SOMEHOW.
THE BOY WAS ABOUT TWO AND HE WAS WEARING ONE OF THOSE BACKPACKS
WITH THE LONG TAIL ON IT, SO KIDS CAN, YOU KNOW--
PARENTS KEEP A LEASH ON THEIR KIDS.
I DON'T PARTICULARLY LIKE THOSE, BUT...
AT ONE POINT, THE BOY WAS CRYING AND LYING ON THE GROUND,
AND I DIDN'T SEE WHY HE WAS,
AND THE GUY THAT WAS HOLDING ONTO THE END OF TAIL OF THE MONKEY THING
WAS TRYING TO PICK HIM UP WITH THE TAIL,
AND HE WOULDN'T BEND DOWN TO PICK HIS KID UP.
AND THE KID JUST WOULDN'T STOP CRYING AND HE WASN'T EVEN LOOKING AT HIS CHILD.
I'M ASSUMING IT WAS HIS CHILD, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT,
AND I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS ABUSE OR IF THAT WAS NEGLECT,
AND THERE WAS REALLY NOBODY I COULD ASK ABOUT THAT.
>> UM, THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT SITUATIONS THAT WE DEAL WITH,
WHEN YOU DON'T NECESSARILY SEE--
AND YOU'RE SEEING A VERY ISOLATED SITUATION,
YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WERE
THAT WERE LEADING TO IT, AND YOU DON'T KNOW THEM...
UM, SO IT'S HARD TO CALL C.P.S. AND SAY, "WELL, I SAW THIS HAPPEN AT THE ZOO
"AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY LIVE,
"AND I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THEIR NAMES."
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN CALL.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING 'CAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE.
WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND, THOUGH,
IS IF YOU'RE SEEING SOMETHING AND YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE THAT CHILD'S AT RISK,
BEFORE YOU CALL US, CALL THE POLICE...
BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR JOB, FIRST AND FOREMOST.
THEY CAN BE THERE FASTER.
IF THERE'S AN IMMANENT RISK TO A CHILD--
IF YOU'RE IN MEIJER
AND SOMEONE IS JUST WHOOPING THE SNOT OUT OF THEIR KID,
AND YOU'RE LIKE "HOLY COW.
"THAT IS NOT GOING TO END WELL..."
DON'T WAIT TO CALL US AND HAVE US GO OUT TOMORROW.
CALL THE POLICE NOW AND HAVE THEM COME.
NOW, IF YOU'RE SEEING A MOM
JUST, YOU KNOW, FRUSTRATED AND YELLING AT HER KID,
I'M NOT RECOMMENDING THAT YOU CALL THE POLICE
BECAUSE SHE'S YELLING AT HER CHILD, BUT...
THERE ARE SOME OTHER AVENUES.
SOMETIMES, THERE IS NO GOOD ANSWER
FOR THOSE SITUATIONS BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW--
I CAN'T EVEN ANSWER YOU WHETHER IT WAS ABUSE OR NEGLECT...
WITHOUT KNOWING MORE OR HAVING A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION.
SO, YOU KNOW, HAVING YOU GUYS TRYING TO RELY ON
WHAT IS OR ISN'T IS ALWAYS REALLY DIFFICULT,
BUT THOSE ARE THE SITUATIONS WHERE I SAID, "JUST CALL."
LET US MAKE THAT DECISION AS TO WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING THAT QUALIFIES OR NOT.
IF IT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE...
THAT'S USUALLY THE TIME WHEN YOU WANT TO CALL.
IT MAY NOT MEAN ANY LEGAL STANDARDS-- THAT'S FINE.
BUT NEXT TIME, IT MIGHT.
AND NEXT TIME, WHEN SOMEONE CALLS, WE'RE GONNA PULL THAT UP
AND SEE THAT YOU HAD CALLED BEFORE AND HAD A CONCERN ABOUT IT.
THAT'S GONNA INCREASE, UM... HOW WE LOOK AT IT.
IT'S GONNA CHANGE HOW WE LOOK AT IT,
'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA SEE THAT THERE WERE OTHER COMPLAINTS BEFORE THAT.
SO, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION, BUT...
THERE ISN'T REALLY A GOOD ANSWER FOR IT.
>> THANK YOU.
OTHER QUESTIONS?
PUT YOUR HAND UP HIGH, SO I CAN SEE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> UM, IF I WERE TO CALL IN TO REPORT SOMETHING, UM...
DOES THE PERSON I'M REPORTING-- WOULD THEY EVER FIND OUT WHO IT IS?
IS THAT REQUIRED?
FOR EXAMPLE, IF IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER
AND YOU DON'T WANT TO LOSE CONTACT WITH THE REST OF THE FAMILY,
HOW DOES THAT ALL WORK?
>> I'M REALLY GLAD THAT YOU ASKED THAT
BECAUSE I MEANT TO COVER THAT IN MY PRESENTATION EARLIER,
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH TO COVER IN 15 MINUTES, SO... NO.
WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISCLOSE THAT INFORMATION BY LAW
TO ANYBODY UNLESS A COURT ORDERS US TO,
AND IN MY EXPERIENCE, I HAVE NEVER HEARD A COURT ORDER ANYBODY TO DO THAT.
UM, AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A VERY SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE
WHERE A COURT WOULD ORDER THAT.
SO, WE HAVE PEOPLE ASK US ALL THE TIME,
ESPECIALLY WHEN WE SHOW UP AT THEIR DOOR AND SAY, "C.P.S. WAS CALLED,"
THEY ARE SO COMPLETELY FOCUSED ON WHO CALLED,
AND THAT IS ALL THEY WANT TO KNOW.
AND WE TELL THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN
THAT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO DISCLOSE THAT, BY LAW.
THEY WILL TRICK YOU THOUGH.
SO, BE AWARE OF THIS, BECAUSE THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT WE TOLD THEM...
AND WE DID NOT.
BUT THEY WILL BLUFF YOU INTO ADMITTING THAT YOU CALLED.
THEY ARE VERY SMART.
SO, PLEASE BE AWARE--
WE CANNOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, DISCLOSE WHO CALLED.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THEY'RE GONNA FIGURE IT OUT
BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN, THEY MAY KNOW.
WE TRY TO BE VERY CAREFUL IN TRAINING OUR INTAKE STAFF
TO WRITE THE ALLEGATIONS IN A WAY THAT DOES NOT DISCLOSE WHO CALLED,
INCLUDING NOT EVEN WRITING "HE" OR "SHE."
WE REFER TO PEOPLE AS "THE REFERENT" IN THERE.
SOMETIMES, THE CIRCUMSTANCE
OR THE SITUATION MAY GIVE AWAY WHO CALLED,
SO WE TRY TO LEAVE THAT INFORMATION OUT, IN ANY PART THAT A PARENT MAY SEE.
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO SEE THE ALLEGATION THAT WAS MADE AGAINST THEM,
THEY'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE A COPY OF THEIR REPORT, SO THEY'LL SEE THAT.
SO, WE GO TO GREAT LENGTHS TO TRY TO PROTECT THAT PERSON'S IDENTITY
IN ALL OF OUR DOCUMENTATION, AS WELL AS IN OUR INVESTIGATIONS.
THAT WAS A GOOD QUESTION-- THANK YOU.
>> WE HAVE TIME FOR A FEW MORE.
>> WE HAVE ONE UP HERE IN THE FRONT. >> THANK YOU.
>> (with accent) HI, THIS QUESTION IS FOR JEFF.
AND, UM... ONE OF MY COWORKER--
SHE HAVE A UNIQUE WAY TO RAISE HER KID.
SHE KIND OF BRAINWASHED HIM INTO BELIEVING
THAT EVERYBODY IS BAD OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE,
AND I WAS WONDERING IF THIS, LIKE, AN EMOTIONAL ABUSE?
AND WHAT LONG-TERM EFFECT ON THEM?
>> OKAY, WELL, ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION.
IT IS A FORM-- IT COULD BE CONSIDERED A FORM OF EMOTIONAL ABUSE.
NOW, UM...
WHEN YOU USE THE PHRASE "AN UNUSUAL OR DIFFERENT APPROACH TO PARENTING,"
SOMETIMES IN MY JOB, I'LL BE CHARGED WITH THE IDEA,
"IS THIS AN UNUSUAL WAY TO PARENT, NUMBER ONE?
"AND NUMBER TWO, DOES THIS CAUSE ANY TYPE OF EMOTIONAL DAMAGE?"
IN THE LAW, THEY TALK ABOUT A THING CALLED "MENTAL INJURY."
SO, IN CASES LIKE THAT, IF A PARENT IS USING AN APPROACH
THAT MAYBE ISN'T MAINSTREAM OR TYPICAL,
UM...
A LOT OF TIMES, I'LL BE CHARGED WITH MAKING A DETERMINATION
ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS CAUSING SOME LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL DAMAGE.
NOW, SOMETHING LIKE BRAINWASHING YOUR CHILDREN
TO TELL THEM THAT EVERYONE OUTSIDE THE FAMILY IS "BAD"
IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A USUAL OR TYPICAL PARENTING TECHNIQUE.
IT OBVIOUSLY-- IT COULD RESULT IN SOME LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL CONFUSION
AND DISCOMFORT IN THE CHILDREN, RIGHT?
IT DEPENDS ON THE CHILD'S AGE.
UM... IT COULD.
NOW, UNDER THE LAW, MENTAL INJURY IS--
THE LAW'S NOT VERY WELL-WRITTEN FOR THAT PARTICULAR CONCEPT,
BUT WHAT I TYPICALLY DO IS I'LL SAY, "IS THERE EMOTIONAL TURMOIL BEING CAUSED
"BY THIS PARENTING BEHAVIOR?"
AND SOMETIMES, THE PARENTING BEHAVIORS, UM...
ARE TRICKY.
UM, YOU KNOW, BREAST-FEEDING YOUR SIX YEAR OLD...
IS THAT TYPICAL?
IS THAT CAUSING EMOTIONAL DAMAGE?
TAKING YOUR CHILDREN TO A NUDIST CAMP.
THESE ARE CASES I'VE HAD.
I'VE HAD A FEW OF THE "NUDIST CAMP" CASES.
IS THIS UNUSUAL TO HAVE FAMILY OUTINGS TO THE NUDIST CAMP,
AND DOES THIS CAUSE ANY TYPE OF EMOTIONAL DAMAGE?
I MEAN, SOME OF THEM ARE TRICKY QUESTIONS.
I HOPE I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IS THERE ANY WAY, IF SOMEBODY GETS AN ALLEGATION AGAINST THEM
WHERE IT'S, I GUESS-- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WOULD SAY--
"SOMEWHAT PROVEN," AND THEY MOVE TO ANOTHER STATE
AND IT HAPPENS AGAIN,
DOES THAT STATE KNOW THAT IT HAPPENED IN ANOTHER STATE?
>> UM, WE DO HAVE-- I CAN'T ANSWER TO HOW OTHER STATES HANDLE THIS,
BUT I CAN ANSWER TO HOW MICHIGAN HANDLES THIS.
WE DO HAVE LEGISLATION HERE THAT REQUIRES US TO CONTACT ANOTHER STATE
IF A PARENT TELLS US THEY HAVE LIVED IN ANOTHER STATE.
SO, WE'RE SOMEWHAT DEPENDENT ON WHAT THEY SHARE WITH US,
WHICH IS ALSO A TESTAMENT TO OUR SKILLS TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE FAMILIES,
TO GET THEM TO SHARE A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION WITH US.
BUT IF THEY TELL US THAT THEIR FAMILY HAS LIVED IN OHIO,
ILLINOIS, TEXAS, AND RHODE ISLAND AS AN ADULT,
WHILE THEIR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN BORN,
WE ARE REQUIRED TO CONTACT ALL OF THOSE CHILDREN PROTECTIVE SERVICES
IN ALL THOSE STATES TO DETERMINE WHETHER THEY HAVE ANY HISTORY THERE,
AND WE WOULD GET COPIES OF THOSE REPORTS.
UM, WE HAVE A NEW SYSTEM THAT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE STATE--
I DON'T EVEN KNOW-- PROBABLY NOT UNTIL NEXT YEAR, AT LEAST, SOMETIME--
A NEW COMPUTER SYSTEM.
THAT SYSTEM IS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BECOME A NATIONWIDE SYSTEM,
SO WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE COMPUTER ACCESS DIRECTLY TO OTHER STATES.
THAT WOULD BE A HUGE BENEFIT,
UM, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SITUATIONS WHERE WE FIND OUT, AFTER THE FACT,
THAT THEY'VE HAD CHILDREN REMOVED IN ANOTHER STATE
OR HAD THEIR RIGHTS TERMINATED IN ANOTHER STATE.
I FIND IT IRONIC THAT THEY SHARE THIS WITH US ON A REGULAR BASIS,
'CAUSE A LOT OF TIME, THEY DO, AND I APPRECIATE THAT,
BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY WAY TO KNOW IF THEY DON'T,
BECAUSE WE OBVIOUSLY CANNOT CONTACT ALL OTHER 49 STATES.
BUT WE DO TRY TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
>> THIS ONE'S PROBABLY MORE FOR JEFF.
IF YOU KNOW SOMEONE THAT WAS ABUSED, LIKE, AS A CHILD,
AND THEY'RE LIKE MAYBE 21 AND THEY'RE TRYING TO RECOVER NOW,
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP?
IF SO, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP 'EM?
>> WHAT DO YOU DO AS A FRIEND, YOU MEAN?
OR JUST...
IN GENERAL, WHAT CAN HAPPEN CLINICALLY?
OR BOTH? >> BOTH.
>> OKAY, WELL, IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND WHO IS 21
AND HAS EXPERIENCED ABUSE AS A CHILD
AND IS HAVING SOME EMOTIONAL DIFFICULTY,
YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY COUNSELING IS THE ONE THING
THAT CAN REALLY MAKE A BIG IMPACT.
NOW, AS A FRIEND, WHAT DO YOU DO?
WELL, THE BEST THING YOU CAN PROBABLY DO IS LISTEN,
EVEN IF IT'S DIFFICULT TO LISTEN.
IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO TRY TO EMPHASIZE THAT, YOU KNOW,
THE ABUSE HAPPENED IN THE PAST BUT YOU'RE SAFE NOW.
AND THOSE ARE KINDA STANDARD, SORTA CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS
THAT ARE EMPHASIZED IN COUNSELING FOLKS
WHO HAVE HAD EXPERIENCES OF ABUSE IN CHILDHOOD.
BUT I WOULD SAY, AS A FRIEND, PROBABLY JUST LISTENING AND BEING THERE FOR THEM,
NOT TRYING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR THEM
BUT JUST LETTING THEM VENT TO YOU.
AND THEN, AGAIN, COUNSELING WITH THE LICENSED THERAPIST OR COUNSELOR
IS PROBABLY THE BEST APPROACH.
>> UM, MY QUESTION WAS,
IF YOU HAD A FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS NEGLECTING THEIR CHILD,
IS IT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO INTERVENE RIGHT THEN AND THERE,
OR CALL C.P.S.?
'CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT YOUR FAMILY MEMBER,
ESPECIALLY LIKE A NIECE OR A NEPHEW, BE TAKEN AWAY.
UM...
WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR THAT PURPOSE?
>> UM, IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING
RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE...
OBVIOUSLY, WE WANNA ALL PROTECT THE CHILDREN,
SO THAT WOULD BE OUR FIRST INSTINCT,
BUT YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL OF THAT YOURSELF
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU AT RISK EITHER.
UM...
SO, YES, I MEAN, YOU CAN ADDRESS IT RIGHT THERE AT THE TIME.
UM, WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT YOU DON'T--
EVEN THOUGH IT'S A FAMILY MEMBER,
YOU DON'T ALWAYS KNOW EVERYTHING THAT'S GOING ON,
NOR DO YOU WANT YOUR ROLE TO BE THE C.P.S. WORKER IN THE FAMILY,
BECAUSE THAT REALLY HINDERS YOUR ABILITY
TO BE AN AUNT OR A COUSIN OR A SISTER.
SO, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT YOU CALL-- I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT.
NOBODY WANTS THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS REMOVED,
UM, AND THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU GUYS EARLIER
THAT THAT IS NOT THE MOST PREVALENT THING THAT WE DO.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE JUST GOT OUR STATISTICS FROM LAST MONTH,
AND FOR THE TEAM THAT I SUPERVISE, WE DID NO REMOVALS LAST MONTH.
NONE.
SO, THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON.
IF I SAW A NUMBER FOR MY STAFF THAT WAS EVEN FIVE IN A MONTH,
I WOULD PROBABLY BE SURPRISED IF IT WAS NOT A SIBLING GROUP OF FIVE,
WHERE WE HAD REMOVED ON ONE FAMILY.
SO, WE ARE NOT REMOVING KIDS ALL THE TIME.
SO, THIS MAY-- BY LETTING C.P.S. KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, MORE LIKELY THAN NOT,
IT'S GONNA PROVIDE SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO THE FAMILY
THAT THEY MAY NOT EITHER HAVE ELSEWHERE OR BE WILLING TO ACCEPT,
BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA LISTEN TO THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS,
BUT SOMETIMES WHEN A NEUTRAL PARTY COMES IN FROM OUTSIDE,
THEY'RE MORE WILLING TO LISTEN AND RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S SOME THINGS
THAT THEY COULD BE DOING DIFFERENTLY.
>> I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR JOB EVER
TO DECIDE IF SOMEBODY'S NEGLECTED OR ABUSED THEIR CHILDREN,
BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT'S NOT "GREY" ANY LONGER
AND YOU KNOW THAT SOMEBODY'S ABUSED OR NEGLECTED THEIR KIDS
TO MAKE CALLS FOR HELP.
UM, THERE ARE PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN KENT COUNTY.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE, YOU CAN CALL OUR OFFICE.
AND WE HAVE, ALSO--
I THINK MARY HAS A COPY OF THE "FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE."
DO YOU HAVE A COPY OF THAT?
THIS GUIDE HAS A VAST ARRAY OF RESOURCES
THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR FAMILIES.
LOTS OF THEM ARE FREE FOR FAMILIES IN KENT COUNTY.
SO, THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES OUT THERE,
AND IT'S REALLY MY HOPE THAT, IN TERMS OF US DOING PREVENTION IN THE COMMUNITY,
THAT YOU DON'T WAIT AND THAT FAMILIES KNOW THEY DON'T HAVE TO WAIT
TO HAVE A C.P.S. WORKER COME TO THEIR DOOR TO DEAL WITH SOME ISSUES
THAT ARE TROUBLING THEM.
LOTS OF TIMES, THEY KNOW SOME THINGS ARE GOING ON
THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO BE GOING ON,
BUT THEY'RE AFRAID TO CALL FOR HELP
BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID THAT THAT MIGHT LEAD TO THE REMOVAL OF THEIR CHILD,
AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO REACH OUT FOR HELP,
TO BE ABLE TO GET-- LIKE JODACY, SHE'S NOT A P.S. CLIENT.
SHE'S JUST A YOUNG TEEN MOM WHO KNEW THAT SHE NEEDED SOME EXTRA SUPPORT
AND SIGNED UP FOR "HEALTHY START."
AND A HOME VISITOR COMES TO HER HOME ONCE A WEEK
AND HELPS HER LEARN ABOUT CHILD DEVELOPMENT
AND IT'S LIKE A FRIEND COMING TO YOUR DOOR.
SO, THERE'S LOT OF RESOURCES,
AND HOPEFULLY, YOU CAN HELP THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU
NOT WAIT TILL IT'S AT THE POINT WHERE IT'S A C.P.S. ISSUE.
AND...
AND LOTS OF TIME, C.P.S., WHEN THEY GO OUT AND THEY SAY,
"IT'S NOT TO THE LEVEL THAT IT MEETS THE LAW FOR ABUSE AND NEGLECT,"
THEY MAKE THE REFERRAL TO THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE
TO HELP THE FAMILY.
SO, THEY DON'T JUST SAY, "WELL, LET'S WAIT TILL IT GETS SO BAD THAT IT IS C.P.S."
>> WONDERFUL-- I THINK THAT'S A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO END.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.
SO, A ROUND OF APPLAUSE, PLEASE.
(applause)
THANK YOU, AND I WILL HEAD TO THE BACK DOOR
WITH THOSE SLIPS THAT SOME OF YOU NEED-- THANK YOU.