1. Family Needs and Services

2. Define structure vs. function of families
Structure describes who the members are, e.g. nuclear family, extended family, etc. Other examples of family types?
Function describes the purpose of the family. What are the roles filled and needs met by the family?
Changes in structure and function require adaptation--

3. A model of cultural transformation
Individual and family struggle
Cultural and political struggle; public debate
Restabilization

4. What do families need to thrive?
Brainstorm
Prevention of family problems?
Fair and adequate wages
Healthcare-$1 in vaccinations saves $16 in tx
Family friendly workplace policies
Nurse/family partnership-$1 saves $3
Family friendly school policies, such as after school programs, tutoring services, etc.-$1 in early childhood care/education saves $7

5. Barriers to thriving: Child abuse risk
See Box 10.2 for risk factors.
Knowledge of these can direct us toward prevention services. Support services for:
Parents with mental health issues.
Parents with substance abuse.
Parents who were abused as children.
Parents of children with mental health issues.
Young parents.
Parents with negative attitudes about kids’ behavior and inaccurate information about child development.
Etc.

6. Prevention of Child Abuse
You’ll be assigned a population at risk of child abuse.
In your group, review the brief description on page 344.
Discuss how you would make contact with members of this population. Pick the top three.
How might people fall through the cracks? How could you seal these cracks?
Under what circumstances, if any, would you require parents in this population to participate in parent training and support in order to prevent abuse? Why?

7. Children’s Administration
The mission of the Children's Administration is first to protect abused and neglected children, to support the efforts of families to care for and parent their own children safely, and to provide quality care and permanent families for children in partnership with parents and kin, Tribes, foster parents and communities.
Children and Family Services is the door to:
Child Protective Services
Child Welfare Services
Family Reconciliation Services

8. An Intervention: Family Preservation Services
The goals
Allow children to remain safely in their home
Strengthen family bonds
Stabilize crisis
Increase family coping skills/competencies
Facilitate family’s use of formal and informal helping resources

9. Characteristics Short term-4-6 weeks
Intensive-a session can last hours
In-home
Frequent-as much as daily
Skill building
Family system focus
Family driven

10. Foster Care http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/ca/fosterparents/index.asp
Removes the child from the home
May be short term or long term
Basic training is required of foster parents
Relatives can be foster parents- “kinship providers.”
Specialized foster care may be available

11. Concerns re: Foster Care
De-emphasizes importance of families.
Often results in multiple home placements.
Insufficient numbers of appropriate homes.
Insufficient support for foster families.
Focus becomes maintaining the child rather than strengthening the family.
Alumni of foster care are at greater risk of a range of problems.

12. Foster Youth 20-36% of homeless people have been in foster care.
20% of youth who go to shelters went directly from foster care.
13% were homeless at some point w/in 1 year of aging out.
50% graduated high school.
25% were taking some college classes.
43% employed; 47% at/below poverty line; 45% looking for work.
41% unwed pregnancy
38% had been arrested
22% had been jailed

13. Budget situation Children’s Admin (CA) has a $1.2 billion budget.
To maintain services, the budget needs a $50.3 increase.
Instead, there is a proposed $6.7 million increase, .1%.
Some of the cuts include:
Reduction in cd counselors to provide tx to youth in involved families.
Reduction in other support services to involved families.
Reduction of 40 CA staff positions.
Elimination of foster care services to youth
Elimination of Secure Crisis Residential Centers.

14. Older Adults: What are your associations to aging?
How old is old?
AARP says 50
“Vulnerable adults”=60
62 for partial social security benefits
65 for full benefits
67 for full benefits in 2027
“Frail” elderly=85

15. Older Adults-demographics
# in population
34.5 million
Est. 70 million in 2030
% of population
12.7-in U.S.
11.4 in WA
female: male
141:100 (65+)
118:100 (65-69)
237:100 (85+)
Ave. life expectancy
77.8 overall
66.1-Black men
80.8-White women
Poverty rate
(25% in 1969)
9.3%; 6.1 “near poor” (125% of fpl)
16.2% of kids are poor; 13.7 in WA
Worker:Social Security recipient
5:1 in 1960
3.3:1 in 1990s
Est. 2:1 in 2040

16. Service System for Older Adults
Federal Administration on Aging
State unit: Aging and Disability Services Administration
County: Aging Program
City: “Area Agency on Aging:” Aging and Disability Services

17. Older Adult Services, cont.
Adult Protective Services-
Gray Panthers-an advocacy organization
AARP-Membership based advocacy, research, policy development, service provider.

18. Social Security (OASDI)
What is it?
An insurance program for families of deceased workers and disabled workers.
An Anti-poverty program.
An entitlement.
A contribution based program.

19. Characteristics of OASDI
Funding: 7.65% tax for retirement, disability and medicare (1.45%).
First $90,000 is taxed.
Salary replacement is 56.8, 41.8 and 29% of salary for lowest to highest earners.
Automatic COLA.
Retirement benefit can be received at age 62, increasing to 67 in 2027.

20. Characteristics, cont. Who receives social security?
61.5%=retired workers (26.8 million)
12.5% (5.5 million)=widows/widowers & mothers/fathers
7.4% (3.2 mil)=wives/husbands
8.7% (3.8 mil)=children
9.9% (4.3 mil)=disabled workers.
Disability benefit can be received when the person has a disability that prevents them from working.

21. Programs for people with disabilities
SSI-Supplemental Security Income
SSDI-Social Security Disability Income