Each month, there are so many pressing topics in the child welfare world, many of which are directly related to behavioral health issues.
We are hearing a lot about Human Trafficking and Normalcy, both very complicated, but yet both so critically important to the safety and well-being of children in the system.
Normalcy is something that has troubled me since my days of working in the adoption arena.
There are so many rules within the child welfare system, all designed for good reason, however, rules that set the kids we serve apart from the general child population. I have always struggled with case worker visits at school.
While I know first hand finding the time to visit children is a moving target, I recall with all of my kids the stories they share at the dinner table about kids asking:
- Who is that?
- Why were you called out of class?
- What did they ask you?
The school day is often challenging for kids in general; there are things to learn, tests to take, homework to set aside, and social pressures. It is hard enough without layering on top serious conversations with a child about their future, how they like their current home, and/or do they want to go home and live with their biological family. For kids, this conversation doesn’t end with the bell when lunch is over.
These topics stay in their head the rest of the day, and for some, days to come. It is hard to be ‘normal’ in school when you have such important life issues going on.
There is a time and place for important discussions, and in my opinion, school is not the time or place. Can you image a parent in an intact family going to school to have lunch with their child and telling them “by the way, I wanted to share that your dad and I are getting a divorce”. No, we cannot.
This conversation would most likely happen at home.
With Normalcy, I hope to see things change with children in foster care. Kids have emotions, and emotions will come out, and school is not the place to tackle tough life issues.
Normalcy does bring with it the ability for children now to easily spend the night with friends. That is such positive news. Children can go and do as other kids. That is a huge improvement for children in the system currently, and for those to come. I applaud this effort, and look forward to the behavioral health services kids receive falling in line with Normalcy. No therapy at school. No caseworker visits during lunch. Normalcy needs to be normal.
Human trafficking is a tough, complex topic. We hear about it in the news daily. For our kids, they are vulnerable. We all know that. The catch is how to we help prevent, intervene, and heal from human trafficking.
As this issue evolves, we have taken a proactive approach and are working with experts nationally to identify successful interventions and treatment, and educational activities. We are seeing programs pop up across the country, saying they focus on human trafficking victims. While I have no doubt that they do, what we really need to look at is what works best.
From a Medicaid perspective, we need to cover quality, successful programs that achieve the desired outcomes. I have not seen the perfect model yet, but I have no doubt we will in the years to come. For now, we need to try, watch, adapt, and work together to bring the best evidence base to the front line. Our teams are helping with that, and we look forward to learning from programs and people across the country.
The one thing we can all do, every day, is continue to learn about these issues. We need to understand how our youth are impacted, how they feel and think, and what expertise exists. One size doesn’t fit all; we all know this as well.
Our training team at Cenpatico continually develops training and educational materials to first, share information on topics and trends, and second, to share successful interventions. We believe that knowledge is the key to any successful intervention and/or change. Keep an eye on www.CenpaticuU.com for new educational opportunities.
Owner/Editor - Chris Chmielewski