1. Personal Environment Assessments “PEAs” Interdisciplinary tools that can be used by all staff

2. Difficult Life Circumstances (DLC) Scale ( 2 nd Edition) Evaluates six areas of possible stress:  Financial  Housing/Transportation  Health  Personal  Child  Partner

3. Financial Concerns Four new items:  Do you have a hard time paying bills? Reverse coded:  Do you have enough money for food?  Can you afford child care?  Do you have internet access when needed?

4. Housing/Transportation Issues Four new items:  Have you moved in the last year? Reverse coded:  Do you live in a safe neighborhood?  Do you have your own car?  Can you easily access public transportation?

5. Health Concerns Three new items:  Do you have major health problems that interfere with ADL’s? Reverse coded:  Do you have health insurance or coverage for yourself ?  For your children?

6. Personal Experiences Four new items:  Have you experienced a divorce or separation in the last year?  Has someone in your immediate family died?  Do you have concerns about immigration status?  Have you been in prison or jail in the last year?

7. Child Related Stress One new item:  Has one of your children been diagnosed with a major disability? Possible Challenges with Partner Three new items:  Current partner looking for a job?  Current partner been in prison/jail past year?  Current partner been in a rehab program past year?

8. Aren’t we just opening a can of worms? …..NO!

9. Administration of the DLC  A self-administered questionnaire.  The answers are from client’s point of view.  If client is unable to read, you may administer the scale as an interview.

10. Scoring the DLC NOTE:  Nine items assess a resource the client may have, thus a YES is a positive item rather than negative.  These items are REVERSE CODED.  These nine items are bold and shaded on the form and are counted separately.

11. More on scoring

12. When to be concerned A score of 6 and above is a cut-off for identifying a case at high risk for family, parenting, and child outcomes. Photo credit: jezebel.com

13. Break for Practice

14. Community Life Skills Scale (CLS) Assesses a client’s ability to negotiate for herself or her family in the community.

15. Content areas of the CLS   Transportation   Budgeting   Support Services   Support- Involvement   Interests/Hobbies   Regularity-Organization- Routine

16. Administration of the CLS  Casual Interview, similar to HOME  Describe a typical month  Become familiar with all topics and areas  Practice at least three times Photo credit:chocktalk.mc.edu

17. So what do I do with this information? A total score of less then 18 is worrisome and requires intervention. Photo credit:enet.gr

18. Benefits of the CLS  Baseline early functioning  Identifies client strengths  Facilitates mutual goal setting  Provides an opportunity to focus on the parent  Gives practical information regarding knowledge and use of community resources

19. A Good Base Foundation The CLS covers topics that, as home visitors, we find it is easier to not ask about or get involved with. However, these are basic things for a mother to be able to master. Making lasting change that will influence their behavior and their interaction with their children requires an ability to do these things.

20. Break for Practice

21. The Network Survey Social support is a resource for the parent in stressful situations because supportive relationships provide:  Caring  Understanding  Information  Task help  Reassurance of worth Photo credit: slideshow.net/mekong river

22. Network Properties are Relational & Structural:  A person’s support network has both costs and benefits.  Understanding the relational & structural properties of their network helps our clients establish and maintain their supportive relationships.

23. Relational properties:  Content  Commitment  Reciprocity

24. Non-supportive relationships are characterized by:  Stress  Conflict  Resource drain in energy & finances energy & finances

25. Structural Properties   Size of the network   Location of these resources   Diversity of the resources   Personal interconnectedness   Stability

26.  Facilitate planning with parents and caregivers  Help them obtain support within their existing network  Develop new sources of help Knowing Structural & Relational Properties will:

27. Importance of Social Support During Pregnancy….. More and more evidence is showing that a strong support network is a highly protective factor for maternal depression. Photo credit: weheartit.com

28. How to administer the Network Survey  Explain how adequate support influences how well people cope with stresses in parenting  Ask them what “having support” means to them  Discuss the many ways of helping  “Take a few minutes think of people as well as agencies that may help”  “Take a few minutes to think of people as well as agencies that may help” Photo credit: clinicalsocialworkassociation.org

29. Break for Practice