THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGEMENT and Connecting Specific to Birth to Three population January, 2018 Presenters: Tina Mata Heleodora (Dora) Guerrero Carmen Diaz Welcome and Introductions Name and County

GOALS Increase understanding of the importance of engaging with families, youth and children receiving mental health services. Understand the importance of not only engaging but connecting with our families Increase understanding of the role engagement plays in the process of positive outcomes. We engage with families but many times we do not connect with them. Engaging could be that we engage them in conversation but not does not mean that we connect with them. Connecting with families means they actually feel a part of the team not just someone who answers the teams questions.

WHAT IS ENGAGEMENT? Ongoing communication that creates a positive, trustful and effective working relationship with families in order to help them learn how to become full partners in the services they receive. Engagement is a healing and an important process for many who have limited experience in relationships/interactions with those who are helping them and involved with their families lives Because of struggles and distrust they have from prior experiences or the unknown. Make a commitment to provide only what is realistic and to keep in mind that families may have a different view on reality.

What is connecting? Connecting is a step more than engaging someone. You could engage a person in conversation but they may not feel they are connected to the team. Connection with a family should be about the families feeling like they are a real part of the team. They feel comfortable enough to share their concerns and joys to the team. Connection is when a family feels like a there is a true partnership. The family is not only engaged with the team but feels as being the most important part of the team.

ENGAGEMENT IS FOUND WITHIN MENTAL HEALTH PRINCIPLES Family voice & choice Strength Based Collaboration Natural Supports and Resources Community Based Culturally Competent Individualized Persistent Outcome based around the family needs Add bullets to the left side so that it looks the same. Team Based (the team should include parents, caregivers and families) Culturally Competent (their culture and beliefs) Individualized (start where the family is not where you feel they should be at) Persistent (not demanding)

SHARED CORE PRACTICE MODEL Guiding Principles: Child Protection and Safety Permanent, Lifelong, Loving, Families Strengthening Child and Family Well-Being and Self Sufficiency Child Focused Family Centered Practice Community-Based Partnerships Cultural Humility Best Practices and Continuous Learning

SHARE CORE PRACTICE MODEL PILLARS Long-Term View: The degree to which there are stated, shared and understood goals of safety, well-being and permanency outcomes, as well as, functional life goals for the child and family Cultural Humility: Seeks to explore and embrace diversity; listens for and is open to differences in experience, perception, values, beliefs and traditions; supports exploration of how one’s bias and assumptions may impact interactions Trauma Informed Care: Recognizes that interventions can cause traumatization & re-traumatization. Utilizes a comprehensive assessment to guide practice. Explore how one’s own traumatic experience may impact interactions and practice.

THE PRACTICE WHEEL KEY SHARED PRACTICE MODEL STRATEGIES Engaging: Creating trustful working relationships with a child and their family Teaming: Building and strengthening the child and family’s support system Assessing: Collaborating with a family’s team to obtain information about their strengths and underlying needs Planning and Intervening: Tailoring and implementing plans to build on strengths and protective capacities in order to meet individual needs for each child and family Tracking, Adapting and Transitioning: Evaluating the effectiveness of the plan; adapting to challenges and organizing after-care supports I think you need to add the pillars of the share core practice model which is Long Term View, Cultural Humility and Trauma –Informed Care.

THE BENEFITS OF ENGAGING FAMILIES Supports the family’s goals. Increases family participation. Increases the family’s willingness to continue to work even when faced with challenges. Increases the family’s willingness to change and improve. BUILDS TRUST I moved the box with the wording up a little so that the wording is in the white part and doesn’t look cut off. I also moved the picture up a little so that it fits better.

ENGAGEMENT TIPS Clearly identify your role. Address each person with the name they are most comfortable with. Speak in a language that families understand. Recognize the family’s strengths and experiences. Family Strengths - (all the work they have already done and how much they have learned and gone through with their struggles).

ENGAGEMENT TIPS CONTINUED Be attentive and present. Validate their feelings, thoughts and concerns. Be mindful that your personal beliefs and values may not be the same as the family’s. Be mindful of your body language, tone of voice and eye contact. Be compassionate with words and actions. Be attentive - No calls, side bars or writing notes Parents/caregivers and the family may feel uncomfortable since they are not seeing what you are writing. If you have to take notes, explain to the family what you are doing and ask them if they would like to have a copy or see the notes. This would let them know you are really listening and taking their feelings into consideration. No one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes, forgets or does not understand all the time. Make it easy and comfortable for the family. (it’s okay don’t worry it happens to everyone) Be compassionate - Use positive not negative words and actions.

ENGAGEMENT TIPS CONTINUED Be warm, honest and genuine/real interest. Be willing to learn from the parent(s)/caregiver(s) about their child. Use humor (when appropriate). Be willing to learn - They know their families better then anyone. Look for ways to connect, lived experience is one way and looking for similarities to connect with parents. Sometimes it may be nice to use the touch technique we just need to figure out if the family is comfortable with it. Not everyone is and some may not like it at all.

Show that you are willing to listen. Eliminate distraction. ACTIVE LISTENING LISTENING = LEARNING Guiding Points: Stop talking. Show that you are willing to listen. Eliminate distraction. Put yourself in their shoes.

MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING Motivational interviewing is used to assist people with accepting change. These skills include the following: The ability to ask open ended questions. The ability to provide affirmations (confirmation). The ability to use reflective listening . The ability to periodically provide an oral summary and upon request written updates in the parents/youth/caregivers language. Motivational interviewing is largely utilized in the engagement process. Open-ended questions: Will allow a person to think more about the question before responding. Usually starting questions with what, how, why, how come, tell me about it, help me understand. Affirmation/Reassurances Reinforce/strengthen behavior change. Always highlight and emphasis on the positive. Build empathy/relationship together. Summaries/updates Bring everything together in a way parents/caregivers/youth will understand These skills are used while focusing on a variety of topics. (reviewing-looking back, a typical day, the importance of change, looking forward, confidence about change…) GET INFORMED ALWAYS ASK QUESTIONS

Role Play #1 First Time Parents Parent Provider of Services Observer

Scenario # 2 Parents who have other children Parent Parent Partner or Team Member Observer

WORKING WITH TRAUMATIZED FAMILIES Trauma is an “extreme distressing & disturbing experience”. Being aware of the trauma helps you know how to support your parent(s)/caregiver(s). Trauma may result in: Emotional Pain Behavior problems Change in character Physical pain

HELPING FAMILIES MANAGE LIFE EXPERIENCES Guilt Support parents in having compassion for themselves. Shame Letting them know that this can happen to anyone Forgiveness Help parents forgive themselves. Empowerment Teach and mentor the parents to advocate for themselves and their families.

REMINDERS Engagement is ongoing. Empower the family encourage hope. Don’t give up, regardless of how guarded a parent can be. And needs to be revisited from time to time. Changes in the family Changes in environment

Carmen Diaz cdiaz@dmh.lacounty.gov HOW TO REACH US Carmen Diaz cdiaz@dmh.lacounty.gov Tina Mata tmata@dmh.lacounty.gov Dora Guerrero hflores@dmh.lacounty.gov Carmen