1. MiTEAM Practice Model Introduction:
Housekeeping information (bathrooms, breaks lunch etc.)
Objectives for training
Script:
Good Morning and Welcome to the MiTEAM training. (Introduce yourself, co-trainer(s))
You are all here for the next 2 days because you will be expected to implement the MiTEAM practice model.
The training agenda is included in your handbook for your reference. After this training is completed we would like to have given you all the skills needed to competently utilize the four core MiTEAM competencies in your work with families.
We will begin by taking sometime to have an open and honest discussion on the feelings that you may be having about the training and the implementation of the MiTEAM practice model. There may be questions/concerns that you have that we feel may be answered throughout the training or that may require more conversation that we will address on the last day of the training. We will make sure to allot time to talk about county specific questions and solution focused discussion regarding MiTEAM implementation.
Large Group Discussion:
List concerns, questions, etc.
Create parking lot for those question/concerns that may be answered later and those that need to get more information to answer.
Refer them to both CFSR handouts.

2. What is a Case Practice Model?
The field of public child welfare defines how to effectively deliver services to children, youth, and families. The practice model includes the following elements: desired outcomes, principles, theory of change, evidence informed practice, process and quality of care, and service array.
Positing Public Child Welfare Guidance
Principles The field of public child welfare has an obligation to behaviorally define and model the basic values of performance with regard to the services provided to children, youth, and families. These values should be relevant to all workers regardless of their professional functions, the settings in which they work, or the populations they serve. Theory of Change The field of public child welfare articulates the underlying beliefs and assumptions that guide the delivery of services to produce change and improvement in the lives of children, youth, and families. Evidence Informed Practice The field of public child welfare shall follow best practice standards and make appropriate decisions based on the best available research. When specific research is not available to guide practice, practice standards should be based on the best available information and clearly articulated values that reflect the principles of the practice model. All practice standards should include measurable indicators and be consistently monitored and evaluated. Process and Quality of Care The field of public child welfare shall develop and expand the use of “best practices” so each child, youth, and family receives the most effective and efficient delivery of service designed to maximize individual functioning and promote community strength and stability. The developmental life cycle of the child, youth and family must be considered in the delivery of services. Service Array The field of public child welfare shall provide a range of available services and access to the services necessary to meet the needs of the target population being served.

3. MICHIGAN’s Current Case Practice trends:
In 2009, only 46% of children, parents and relatives were involved in case planning. Of the 46% who where surveyed, 69% were FC and 12% were CPS.
In 2010, 55.7% of children in FC had two or more placements and 9.9% had six or more placements.
The longer children are in care the more placements they have, for example, in 2009, 59% of children in care longer then 24 months have had two or more placements.
Script:
While we understand that the efforts of our child welfare staff have always been dedicated towards helping children, youth, and families, data indicates that we are not fully achieving our goals. The goal is to achieve improved outcomes for children and families. If family and children are not engaged they will not actively participate in their plan and this negatively impacts outcome.

4. Current Case Practice trends cont’d:
Adolescents in foster care are twice as likely to have had teenage pregnancy than teens in the general population. There are also sexually active 20% more often by age 16 compared to their peers.
1/3 Suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobia, alcohol or substance abuse. After emancipation, 42% of foster care alumni suffer from depression.
They are less likely to graduate from high school or attain a 4 year college degree.
- Casey Family Programs , No Time to Lose: An Ecological Practice Model for Youth Permanency
Script:
Continued lack of youth involvement in every aspect of their case plans, can have further damaging outcomes throughout the life of a youth and into adulthood, decreasing self sufficiency.

5. Why is Michigan making a change?
Child and Family Services Review
Dwayne B. v. Granholm, et. al. Lawsuit
Feedback from Families
Foster Care Review Board
Discussion Points:
Explain:
Lawsuit, Consent Decree, MSA (Modified Settlement Agreement)
Foster Care Review Board
Child and Family Services Review
PIP (Performance Improvement Plan)
Policy is a response to some of these things…..and bases for practice
Script:
With families, something came to the attention of DHS that led us to come knocking at their door. Something was not working well in that family, and DHS comes in to help identify and facilitate positive changes. Let’s take that parallel approach again and look at how we as an agency got here today. Who came knocking at our door? What wasn’t working well? Why have Family Team Meetings become such an integral part of how we work with families? Have we engaged our family? Are we effectively assessing their needs and strengths? In other words, what is our “DHS” family story?
It all started with the Federal Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) that focus on States' capacity to create positive outcomes for children and families and on the results achieved by the provision of appropriate services. Like MANY other states, Michigan did not do so well. States determined not to have achieved substantial conformity in all the areas assessed are required to develop and implement Program Improvement Plans (PIP’s) addressing the areas of nonconformity. Albert Einstein once defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Michigan needed to find different, more effective ways to work with families. Positive changes have also been prompted by the settlement of the “Dwayne B. v. Granholm” lawsuit filed by a children's advocacy group, Children's Rights, Inc. to force improvements in foster care in the State of Michigan.
Federal reviews have shown that we cannot change policy, make new forms, and put quality assurance systems in place and think system change will occur. WE MUST GO DEEPER.
Before system change can occur, we must:
First define where we are going (mission, vision, and principles we operate by).
Have a vision of what the system will look like when its in place.
A practice model connects the agency’s practice to it’s mission, values, and principle's
Research shows when these are aligned, translated into day to day practice, reinforced at all levels within the agency, and evaluated on a ongoing basis systematic change occurs. This is our goal.
So, at this point in our training, you should have some idea of how we (DHS) got here today, got to the point where we know we need to make some changes in the way we work with families. Like in a FTM, when we hear the family talk about from “where they sit”, how they got to a place where they had DHS knocking on their door asking them to make some changes. And we know change is hard, and people may be feeling anxious and discouraged at this point. How can we move forward in a positive way?

6. How are “we” going to change this together?
Development of the MiTEAM Case Practice Model
Improving ongoing collaboration between Central Office and Field Staff
Smaller case loads
Streamline policy/administrative barriers
Revision of CWTI Training
Actively involving Tribal Government, Judicial System, Foster Parents, Youth , Families and Service Providers.
State Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS)
Script:
“We” includes the field and program office making changes together. We will all collaborate to achieve the desired outcomes.
Rather than trying to do more of the same that was not achieving the results we wanted for families, we looked around to see what works. We have developed a family-centered, strength–based, solution-focused model that incorporates components from evidenced-based models used in Georgia, Iowa, Indiana and others. These states have utilized practice models, which have resulted in meeting the proficient standard in meeting federal guidelines. Of the models that were effective in achieving good outcomes, there are some common assumptions:
• Everyone desires respect.
• All families have strengths and can change.
• Families are the experts on themselves.
• Families, with support, can overcome the challenges they face.
• To maximize family strength and problem-solving capacity, meetings should include extended family and supportive non-family members.
For DHS, the Federal Child and Family Services Reviews (CFSR) identified the areas where we need to improve our work with families and children. Those areas were the “Non-negotiable” issues that had to go on our plan; the things we had done or not done that were called to the attention of the federal Children's Bureau.
At the end of the onsite review, States determined not to have achieved substantial conformity in all the areas assessed are required to develop and implement Program Improvement Plans (PIP’s) addressing the areas of nonconformity. Like in a FTM, the PIP is developed though a process of negotiation to identify solutions and realistic benchmarks. The Children's Bureau supports the States with technical assistance and monitors implementation of their plans. Much of our PIP includes the use of effective FTMs where families are engaged and central to the case planning process.
In the following activity, we are going to discuss the process of change and how difficult change can be, particularly for some of the families we serve. We also want to look at how change in policy, or in doing things a different way can affect the people we work with as well as some of our community partners and private agencies. We will examine resistance or “digging in” and look at some techniques for overcoming this.
Large Group Discussion:
Ask group what they needed to do to get the point where they were receptive to new information.
Discuss Change Process and resistance

7. Working together DHS and PAFC…..
Collaboration is good practice, and it’s the law
Going our separate ways is not an option
We’ll go down this path together, or we’ll fail separately
Script:
Collaboration in imperative for effective outcomes, not for us, but for the families.

8. MESSAGE
The MiTEAM practice model is not a replacement for, but rather an
enhancement of current practice.
It builds upon the strengths of prior teaming processes.
Note: EMPHASIZE this point…..
Script:
A Family Team Meeting cannot standalone as a one-time event. It is part of a process. A working agreement with the family needs to be established before the meeting. We will be talking in depth about preparation interviews with the family later when we practice exploring, focusing, and guiding skills. FTMs are built on a foundation of engagement with the family and preparation of everyone involved–the family, DHS staff, PAFC and community partners—before the meeting. Everybody needs to have a clear idea of what his/her role will be within that room as a team member and understand the purpose of the meeting.

9. The State of Michigan's Case Practice Model: MiTEAM
Practice Model consist of the following four key competencies :
Teaming
Engagement
Assessment
Mentoring
Script:
The MiTEAM model will serve to improve engagement practices and establish a unified approach that helps families, children, youth, and caregivers by:
Providing for consistency in practice.
Clarifying roles and expectations for staff.
Informing policy, training, and quality assurance.
Explaining how child welfare intervention and services are delivered to children and families.
Focusing reform efforts by using accepted principles of good social work practice.
Encouraging family driven solutions.
MiTEAM is an approved family engagement practice based on nationally recognized evidence based practices and lessons learned from previous experiences that will allow us to improve child welfare outcomes by improving our initial processes and skill set.
Strengthening Michigan’s family engagement practice is critical to meet federal outcomes in the areas of safety, permanency and well-being of children and families. When families, children, youth and caregivers are engaged in case planning, they are more motivated to make long lasting, sustainable change that improves functioning in all areas.   
Teaming
Teaming is a collective effort that necessitates a team approach. The ability to assemble, become a participant of, or lead a group or groups that provide needed support, services and resources to children or families and that help resolve critical child and family welfare related issues.
Engagement
The ability to successfully establish a relationship with others, to work together to help meet the needs of the child or family and resolve child welfare related issues.
Assessment
The ability to acquire information about significant events and underlying causes that trigger a child and family’s need for child welfare related services. This discovery process helps children and families identify issues that affect the safety, permanency, or well-being of the child, helps children and families recognize and promote strengths they can use to resolve issues, determines the child or family’s ability to complete tasks or achieve goals, and ascertains a family’s willingness to seek and utilize resources that will support them as they try and resolve their issues.
Mentoring
The ability to guide and empower others. Mentoring is a developmental partnership through which one person shares knowledge, skills, information and perspective to foster the personal and professional growth of someone else. The power of mentoring is that it creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for collaboration, goal achievement and problem-solving.

10. MiTEAM Key Competencies
Teaming is a collective effort that necessitates a team approach. The ability to assemble, become a participant of, or lead a group or groups that provide needed support, services and resources to children or families and that help resolve critical child and family welfare related issues.
Engaging is the ability to successfully establish a relationship with children, parents, and individuals, to work together to help meet the needs of the child or family and resolve child welfare related issues. Engagement is the overarching competency.

11. MiTEAM Key Competencies
Assessment is the ability to acquire information about significant events and underlying causes that trigger a child and family’s need for child welfare related services. This discovery process helps children and families identify issues that affect the safety, permanency, or well-being of the child, helps children and families recognize and promote strengths they can use to resolve issues, determines the child or family’s ability to complete tasks or achieve goals, and ascertains a family’s willingness to seek and utilize resources that will support them as they try and resolve their issues.
Mentoring is the ability to guide and empower youth and parents. Mentoring is a developmental partnership through which one person shares knowledge, skills, information and perspective to foster the personal and professional growth of someone else. The power of mentoring is that it creates a one-of-a-kind opportunity for collaboration, goal achievement and problem-solving.

12. MiTEAM Practice Model recognizes and promotes :
All families have strengths;
Families are the experts on themselves;
Families deserve to be treated with dignity and respect;
Families can make well-informed decisions about keeping their children safe when supported;
Outcomes improve when families are involved in decision-making; and
A team is often more capable of creative and high-quality case plan than an individual.
Script:
These are the aspects that we are looking to recognize in our work with families.

13. MiTEAM Practice Model Core Outcomes
The MiTEAM Practice Model goal is to achieve the following three core outcomes: safety, permanency and well-being of children and their families. MiTEAM is our agency’s guide of how staff, children, families, stakeholders, and community partner’s work together to reach desired outcomes

14. MiTEAM Practice Model
Safety
The Department of Human Services (DHS) recognizes that parents /legal guardians have primary responsibility for keeping their own children safe. However, when safety cannot be maintained in the home. DHS and Private Agency Foster Care (PAFC) have been entrusted with the authority to intervene on behalf of the child. Our desired outcome is that children are safe from abuse and neglect.

15. SAFETY Safety Outcomes and Items of measurement: MiTEAM Practice Model
Item 1: Timeliness of initiating assessments
Item 2: Repeat maltreatment
Outcome S1: Children are, first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect.
SAFETY
Outcome S2: Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.
Item 3: Services to family to protect child(ren) in home and prevent removal or re-entry into foster care
Item 4: Risk Assessment and safety management

16. MiTEAM Practice Model
Permanency
The primary goal for the children and families involved with DHS and PAFC is permanency - a safe, stable home in which to live and grow including a life-long relationship with a nurturing caregiver. When the home is not safe and stable option, the goal is to move children from the uncertainty of foster care to the security of a permanent family. Our desired outcome is to reach permanency by reunification, guardianship, adoption; another planned permanent living arrangement, or other legal categories within specific time frames.

17. Permanency Permanency Outcomes and Items of measurement:
MiTEAM Practice Model
Permanency Outcomes and Items of measurement:
Item 5: Foster Care re-entries
Item 6: Stability of foster care placement
Item 7: Permanency goal for child
Item 8: Reunification or transfer of permanent legal and physical custody to a relative
Item 9: Adoption
Item 10: Permanency goal of long term foster care
Outcome P1: Children have permanency and stability in their living situations.
Permanency
Item 11: Proximity of foster care placement
Item 12: Placement with siblings
Item 13: Visits with parents and siblings in foster care
Item 14: Preservation of connections
Item 15: Relative placement
Item 16: Relationship of child in care with parents
Outcome P2: The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children

18. MiTEAM Practice Model
Well-Being
Implementing interventions that provide protective and positive outcomes to ensure that children thrive in safe permanent homes with access to necessary resources for long-term stability. Our desired outcome includes maintaining a child or youth’s connectedness to family, supportive relationships, and the community as well as, effectively meeting the physical, mental health and educational needs of a child, youth or young adult.

19. Well Being Permanency Outcomes and Items of measurement:
MiTEAM Practice Model
Permanency Outcomes and Items of measurement:
Outcome WB1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children’s needs.
Item 17: Needs and services of child, parents and foster parents
Item 18: Child and family involvement in case planning
Item 19: Worker visits with child
Item 20: Worker visits with parent(s)
Well
Being
Outcome WB3: Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs.
Item 22: Physical health of the child
Item 23: Mental/behavioral health of the child
Outcome WB2: Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs.
Item 21: Educational needs of the child

20. Leadership Principals for: Supervisors
MiTEAM Practice Model
Leadership Principals for: Supervisors
Coaching is demonstrating practice skills that provide leadership, direction, education and support that will help staff to gain confidence in Teaming, Engaging, Assessing and Mentoring our families, their peers and community partners.
Modeling is the demonstration of the MiTEAM skills in Case Conference, Field supervision and in daily activities. Modeling is staying visible to staff and actively engaging staff in setting individual goals and objectives that reflect the MiTEAM skills. From the top down, leaders will always model best practice with staff and all external partners.

21. Leadership Principals for: Supervisors
MiTEAM Practice Model
Leadership Principals for: Supervisors
Feedback is the ability to articulate expectations of Teaming, Engaging, Assessing and Mentoring. Give frequent and effective feedback that is behaviorally specific to skills that promote MiTEAM. Effective feedback is timely, sharing of pertinent information, empathetic, concentrates on strengths and works toward solutions. The supervisor and/or manger will work with the Case Worker to clarify performance expectations and encourages them to take an active role.

22. Leadership Principals for: Case Mangers
MiTEAM Practice Model
Leadership Principals for: Case Mangers
Engagement: The ability to successfully establish a relationship with children, parents, and individuals who work together to help resolve the child welfare related issues that brought the youth into care. Effective engagement allows the Case Manager to guide and empower youth and parents during the life of the case.

23. Leadership Principals for: Case Mangers
MiTEAM Practice Model
Leadership Principals for: Case Mangers
Assessment is a process rather than a one-time or point in time event. A thorough initial and ongoing assessment has a direct effect on the MiTEAM core outcomes; permanency, safety and child well-being. Proficient assessments helps children and families recognize and promote strengths they can use to resolve issues, determines the child or family’s ability to complete tasks or achieve goals, and ascertains a family’s willingness to seek and utilize resources that will support them as they try and resolve their issues.

24. Leadership Principals for: Case Mangers
MiTEAM Practice Model
Leadership Principals for: Case Mangers
Teaming: When a Case Manager effectively teams with the youth and family, the needs of the family can be addressed in a safe and supportive environment. The process includes information gathering, analysis, and collaborative decision-making that include the family as partners. Teaming is a collective effort that necessitates a team approach. The ability to assemble, become a participant of, or lead a group or groups that provide needed support, services and resources to children or families and that help resolve critical child and family welfare related issues.

25. Family Teaming Meeting
So, what is different?
Family Teaming Meeting
Name Change: The name change to Family Team Meetings (FTM) was made as it is more family-friendly. Our goal is to increase the engagement and involvement of families; therefore we are creating a format that includes them at every level.
Addition of a pre-meeting discussion: Family is engaged in the entire process. Extensive prep-work is done before meeting. The family defines purpose of meeting with team feedback regarding any non-negotiables. Family is empowered to tell their story, share their concerns and strengths, and to assist leading decision making.
Location of FTM’s: FTM’s may be held at the parents’ home or other neutral location, as safety dictates.
Facilitator: FTM’s may be led by the Case Manager assigned to the case; however there are times that the meetings may be led by another facilitator, as safety dictates.
Additional Types and Timeframes created: Meetings will be held timeframes that were not required under the PPC model.
Permanency Planning Conferences
Typically run by a trained Facilitator
Minimal engagement of family prior to staffing, prep work not defined clearly or done consistently
DHS defined purpose for meeting
Content of meeting led mainly by the Case Manager and PPC Facilitator

26. Family Team Meeting is:
MiTEAM Practice Model
Family Team Meeting is:
Strength Based: Means that we will recognize and emphasize the family’s strengths. The focus is to identify strengths from the family, supportive groups and communities that will be utilized to solve the problem or crisis that brought the child into care.
Child Centered: Promotes and emphasizes the need to actively encourage the safety and health of the child thus, ensuring the well-being of the youth. Promoting the youth’s right to make and maintain connections, while, asking questions and searching for answers. 
Family Focused: It emphasizes family relationships as an important factor in maintaining permanency, identifying strengths and overcoming concerns. The Family Focused skills begin with treating the family with respect and dignity. Having their strengths acknowledged will empower them to participate in services.

27. Family Team Meeting Process:
MiTEAM Practice Model
Family Team Meeting Process:
Pre-Meeting Discussion:
The Case Worker will inform the family on why the meeting is being called. This will allow for the family and their team members to be ready to fully participate but to provide the family with a forum to share their point of view.
During the pre-meeting the family with the Case Worker input will identify the location of the meeting, develop the agenda, ground rules and participates that are to be invited. It is important that all participants are prepared for the meeting, agree to what will be accomplished, and understand the purpose of the meeting.

28. Family Team Meeting Process:
MiTEAM Practice Model
Family Team Meeting Process:
Meeting:
The team will agree to the confidentiality statement, agenda and ground rules. The team highlights the family strengths and utilizes them in supporting the family in making the necessary changes to increase child safety, permanency, and well-being.
The Case Worker will promote an atmosphere of safety and transparency. So that all concerns can be addressed and evaluate realistic, measurable and obtainable solutions.

29. Family Team Meeting Process:
MiTEAM Practice Model
Family Team Meeting Process:
Meeting Documentation:
The Case Worker will document action steps/safety plan on DHS-1105, as agreed upon by all team members, and distribute to participants at the conclusion of the meeting.
Document the meeting in the JJOLT database and in SWSS/SACWIS and service plan.