Promoting Well-Being in Children and Youth: Linking Personal, Organizational, and Community Change Isaac Prilleltensky, Ph.D. Dean, School of Education University of Miami

Ora and Matan, 18 years later….

Overview of Presentation Well-Being Signs and Sources Personal Organizational Community Strategies SPEC approaches  Strengths  Prevention  Empowerment  Community Change

Part I Signs and Sources of Well-Being

What is Well-being? Well-being is a positive state of affairs, brought about by the simultaneous satisfaction of personal, organizational, and collective needs of individuals and communities

Research on Well-being There cannot be well-being but in the combined presence of personal, organizational and community well-being

Signs of Personal Well-Being Hope and optimism Sense of control and self-determination Environmental mastery and self-efficacy Growth and meaningful engagement Love, intimacy, and social support

Sources of Personal Well-Being Biological and Constitutional Factors Early Parenting Experiences Emotional Intelligence Supportive Relationships in Multiple Contexts and Settings Opportunities for growth, engagement and self-determination

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL SUPPORT Less likely to have heart attacks More likely to survive cancer More likely to resist common cold virus Lower mortality Less degree of stress More positive outlook on life Resilience

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky10 Brain development at age 3 (Perry,

Low High Low Effective Environment Affective Environment Reflective Environment Signs of Organizational Well-Being: ERA Environments

Signs of Organizational Well-Being: Effective Environments Efficient Task-oriented Well-organized Accountable Responsible Communicate well Anticipate challenges Enabling structures Program evaluation

Signs of Organizational Well-Being: Reflective Environments Learning opportunities Organizational learning Challenge old notions Take risks Ask big questions Promote innovation Stimulating

Signs of Organizational Well-Being: Affective Environments Climate of acceptance Appreciation Affirmation Respect Safe place Sense of control Conviviality Voice and choice

Sources of Organizational Well-Being: Values, interests, power (VIP) Competing tendencies within people and groups Values Interests Power

Signs of Community Well-being Social justice and equality Liberation from oppressive forces Quality education Adequate health and social services Economic prosperity Adequate housing Clean and safe environment Support for community structures

Sources of Community Well-being Poverty Power Participation

Place Matters

Place and class in infant mortality

Income Matters for Well-Being

Education Matters

Male Life Expectancy by Inequality Sweden /Japan Canada/France

Social capital and community well-being Low SC: LA, MS, GA Med SC: CA, MO, OK Hi SC: ND, SD, VT, MN

Cake of Well-being Employment Justice Safety nets Quality education Child care Good schools Adequate housing Cohesion Access to health care Good parenting Mutual Support Good mental health Easy temperament Physical health Adequate birth weight

Mountain of Risk Poverty Injustice Violence Discrimination No child care Poor housing Lack of cohesion Crime Teen parenting Family size Stressors Poor parenting Addictions Poor mental health Poor temperament Poor health Birth weight

Part II Strategies for Well-Being

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky28 9/7/1854…Prevention Lesson

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky29 Big wake up call!!! No mass disorder, afflicting humankind, has ever been eliminated, or brought under control, by treating the affected individual HIV/AIDS, crime, child abuse, poverty, teen pregnancy, are never eliminated one person at a time. Cannot eliminate crime by treating the victim or the offender. Only solution is prevention.

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky30 Education, health, community, and human services need investments that are: Less Draining of Resources Deficits-based Reactive Alienating Individual-focused More in line with SPEC Strengths-based Prevention Empowerment Community-focused From Prilleltensky, I., & Prilleltensky, O. (2006). Promoting well-being: Linking personal, organizational, and community change. Wiley.

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky31 Where our investments are today Community Individual ReactivePreventive X

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky32 Where our investments should be Community Individual ReactivePreventive X

Quadrant III Examples: Crisis work, therapy, medications, symptom containment, case management Quadrant I Examples: Community development, affordable housing policy, recreational opportunities, high quality schools and health services Quadrant II Examples: Skill building, emotional literacy, fitness programs, personal improvement plans, resistance to peer pressure in drug and alcohol use Quadrant IV Examples: Food banks, shelters for homeless people, charities, prison industrial complex Collective Proactive Individual Reactive Time and Space: Individualistic and Reactive Approaches are not Enough

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky34 Where our investment are today Strengths Deficits AlienatingEmpowering X

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky35 Where our investments should be Strengths Deficits AlienatingEmpowering X

Quadrant I Examples: Voice and choice in celebrating and building competencies, recognition of personal and collective resilience Quadrant II Examples: Voice and choice in deficit reduction approaches, participation in decisions how to treat affective disorders or physical disorders Strength Empowerment Deficit Expert driven Deficits and Expert driven approaches are not helpful!!! Quadrant III Examples: Labeling and diagnosis, “patienthood” and clienthood,” citizens in passive role Quadrant IV Examples: Just say no! You can do it! Cheerleading approaches, Make nice approaches

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky37 The Problems of DRAIN approaches Drain Approach Deficits-based Reactive Alienating Individual-focused Problems Too little Too late Too costly Too unrealistic

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky38 Brain Drain (Bruce Perry, 2004) Maltreatment and the Developing Child: How Early Childhood Experience Shapes Child and Culture. Inaugural Margaret McCain lecture on September 23, Age Decline of brain flexibility Increase of public spending in young age in old age

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky39 Too much reaction, not enough prevention Investments in Reactive vs. Proactive Interventions in Health and Mental Health (a. Nelson, Prilleltensky et al, 1996; A survey of prevention activities in mental health in the Canadian Provinces and Territories, Canadian Psychology, 37, ; b. OECD, 200, de Bekker-Grob et al., 2007Towards a comprehensive estimate of national spending on prevention. BMC Public Health. 2007; 7: 252. Published online 2007 September 20. doi: / Investments in Prevention: Italy 0.6% USA 3% Netherlands 4.3% Canada 8%

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky40 National spending on preventive methods by disease group (ICD-9 chapters), in the Netherlands in 2003, in € per capita. de Bekker-Grob et al. BMC Public Health :252 doi: /

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky41 National spending on health promotion and disease prevention by age group, in the Netherlands in 2003, in € per capita. de Bekker-Grob et al. BMC Public Health :252 doi: /

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky42 Hoping for individual miracles 166 Programs in United Way in mid size US City From Prilleltensky, I., & Prilleltensky, O. (2006). Promoting well-being: Linking personal, organizational, and community change. Wiley.

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky43 Costs of Waiting on Child Abuse: $ 103 billion Prevent Child Abuse America : Direct costs: $ 33 billion Hospitalization $ 6 billion Chronic health problems: $ 3 billion Mental health care: $ 1 billion Child welfare: $ 25 billion Judicial system: $ 33 million Indirect costs: $ 70 Billion Special education: $ 2.4 billion Mental health: $ 67 million Adult criminal justice system: $ 28 billion Juvenile delinquency: $ 7.1billion Lost productivity: $ 33 billion

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky44 Florida and Miami Dade: Education Florida second to last in number of drop out factories (Johns Hopkins study) , 59.9 percent of high school students graduated in Miami-Dade County Florida number 4 (from top) in terms of access to VPK for 4 year olds, but 35 in terms of resources. 4 out of 10 in terms of quality standards

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky45 The Promise of SPEC approaches SPEC Approaches Strengths-based Prevention Empowerment Community-focused Built to last Start early Give voice & choice Return $$$$

SPEC INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL Child and Family OrganizationsCommunity Strengths Prevention Empowerment Community Change

SPEC EXTERNAL Child and Family OrganizationsCommunity Strengths Prevention Empowerment Community Change

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky48 From Cunha and Heckman,

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky49 From Cunha and Heckman,

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky50 Ratio of Benefits to Costs in National Exemplary Prevention Models (Lynch, 2007, Enriching children, enriching the nation. Economic Policy Institute)

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky51 Perry Results at Age 40

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky52 Large return on investment (Per participant in 2000 constant dollars discounted 3% annually)

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky53 Better Beginnings, Better Futures: Goals Prevention  To reduce the incidence of serious, long-term emotional and behavioural problems in children living in high risk neighborhoods Promotion  To promote the optimal social, emotional, behavioral, physical and educational development in children Community Development  To strengthen the ability of disadvantaged communities to respond effectively to the social and economic needs of children and their families

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky54 BBBF: Teacher Ratings of Children’s Self-Control

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky55 Effects of community change on cases of child maltreatment in Better Beginnings Better Futures program in Canada

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky56 Benefits of high school graduation from Moretti, E Crimes and the cost of criminal justice. In Belfield and Levin (Eds.), The price we pay. Brookings Institution. One percent increase in male high school graduation would save as much as $ 1.4 billion, or about $ 2,100 per additional graduate, per year One additional year of high school costs $ 6,000 per student, much less than $ 2,100 in benefits per year after graduation Completing high school would increase annual earnings of graduate by $ 8,040

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky57 Lifetime public savings per new high school graduate in 2004 dollars (Levin & Belfield, Educational interventions to raise high school graduation rates. In Belfield and Levin (Eds.). The price we pay. Brookings) Based on extra tax payments, public health savings, criminal justice system savings, and welfare savings, White male$ 262,000 Black male$ 268,500 Hispanic male$ 196,300

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky58 Reduction in crime as a result of one year increase in schooling Moretti, 2007Crimes and the cost of criminal justice. In Belfield and Levin (Eds.), The price we pay. Brookings Institution. Murder30% Assault30% Vehicle theft20% Arson13% Burglary6% Larceny6%

8/30/2015 Prilleltensky59 Extra high school graduates per 100 students in successful programs (Levin & Belfield, Educational interventions to raise high school graduation rates. In Belfield and Levin (Eds.). The price we pay. Brookings) Perry Preschool Program 19 First Things First (school reform)16 Chicago Child Parent Center11 Project Star (class size reduction)11 Teacher Salary Increase 5

Effect Sizes for Intensive Family Preservation Programs on Out of Home Placement Rates Source: MacLeod & Nelson (2000)

SPEC INTERNAL Child and Family OrganizationsCommunity Strengths Prevention Empowerment Community Change

Stages of Organizational Change Kotter (2002). The heart of change. Harvard 1. Create Sense of Urgency 2. Build the Guiding Team 3. Get the Vision Right 4. Communicate for Buy-In 5. Empower Action 6. Create Short Term Wins 7. Don’t Let Up 8. Make Changes Stick

Skills for SPEC Prilleltensky nd Prilleltensky (2006). Promoting well-being. Wiley I VALUE IT 1. Inclusive host 2. Visionary 3. Asset seeker 4. Listener and sense maker 5. Unique solution finder 6. Evaluator 7. Implementer 8. Trendsetter

New SPECs Three-year action research project in Nashville Oasis Center Bethlehem Center Martha O’Bryan Center UNHS

Outcomes of NEW SPECS PROJECT New mission statements New outreach programs More youth and client involvement Assessment of projects in light of SPEC More prevention efforts Empowered counselors Blending of therapy with social change

In every act, in every interaction, in every social action, we hold each other accountable to promote People’s dignity, safety, hope and growth Relationships based on caring, compassion and respect Societies based on justice, communion and equality We are all better when these values are in balance To put these values into action, we will: Share our power Be proactive and not just reactive Transform the conditions that create problems for youth Encourage youth and families to promote a caring community Nurture visions that make the impossible, possible We commit to uphold these values with Youth and their Families Our Employees Our Organization Our Community This is a living document. We invite you to discuss it, to critique it, to live it

Miami SPECS: Learning and Changing by Doing

Can we do it? “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead