Family Partnerships as a Model of Practice Susanne Klawetter, LCSW Jon Singletary, Ph.D., M.S.W., M.Div.

Baylor School of Social Work Center for Family and Community Ministries (CFCM) Calvary Baptist Church

Vision Partner CBC volunteers with community families in ways that facilitate caring and friendship. Empower CBC volunteers to share skills and resources within areas of expertise or training. Utilize social workers’ skills and resources for case management and counseling. Develop evidence-informed model of pairing social work skills with congregations

Family Partnership Program Collaboration between BSSW/CFCM and CBC Social Work theoretical underpinnings and techniques: – Strengths Perspective, Structural Family Theory, Systems Theory – Family Group Conferencing, Multisystemic Therapy

Family Partnership Program Collaboration between BSSW/CFCM and CBC Congregation-based models – Stand in the Gap – Open Table

Family Partnership Program: Roles Partners Consultants Participant Families Social Work Interns

Partners CBC volunteers – individuals, couples, families Long-term commitment Focus on relationship building, support, encouragement May have pre-existing relationship with family

Consultants CBC volunteers – individuals Short-term commitment Focus on sharing specific skill sets, resources, expertise – EX: navigating legal or educational system; nutrition

Participant Families Families with young children Already in relationship with CBC and/or CBC volunteers Located in neighborhood surrounding CBC Voluntary

Social Work Interns MSW interns in Children and Families Concentration Interested in community-based work Interested in collaborating with churches in social work role Supervised by Program Coordinator (LMSW) and Research Faculty (LCSW)

Pilot Year Implementation 4 families referred, 3 families agreed to participate, 2 families completed program Goal: – Strengthen parenting skills – Increase social support Pre/post-test evaluation: Participant Families – Family Support Scale – Parent Stress Index Qualitative evaluation: CBC Volunteers Field evaluation: MSW Interns

Implementation: CBC Book Study: When Helping Hurts – Development focus FPP training – Strengths Perspective – Family Focus – Cultural Sensitivity – Case Studies Asset Mapping within CBC Congregation

Implementation: Participant Families Engagement and Assessment – Genograms and Ecomaps – Family Group Meeting – MST Fit Circles Intervention – Parenting Partners Curriculum – Case Management: CBC Partners, CBC Consultants, Formal and Informal resources – Counseling: Marriage/Couples, Depression, Parenting Stress, Addiction

Outcomes and Implications: Participant Families Family Group Meetings – Assessment, intervention, termination – Emphasis on natural support networks and strengths Parenting Support PSI: lacked statistical significance Offer parenting curriculum in community setting Family Support – FSS: lacked statistical significance; longitudinal study What we missed – Measure presence and change in depressive features – Qualitative study

Outcomes and Implications: CBC Volunteers Measure impact of book study Impact of social work frameworks – Strengths perspective – Understanding family and community context

Outcomes and Implications: Social Work Interns Engagement skills Professional social work role Power differentials

Social Work with Congregations Ethical integration of faith and social work practice Approach congregations from a strengths perspective Acknowledge value conflicts and challenges Provide clear definition of professional roles, values, limitations