...Service Organization Paper Latischa Harris BSHS 462 April 8, 2012 Jane Flournoy Characteristics and Environments of a Human Service Organization Paper Kids Resource Network was founded in 1985, moving into El Paso County, Colorado in 1992. In 2001, Kids Resource Network (KRNCS) broke into two separate offices making KRNCS its own child placement agency. KRNCS works with many diverse children and families, who all have different and special needs. Working with children from ages 0-18 years of age and sometimes young adults up to the age of 21 should there be special circumstances. KRNCS works to reunify children in a safe and stable family environment. Should a child be unable to return to their biological family, KRNCS helps to locate and finalize a permanent placement. In addition to foster/adoptive success, the site also provides a wide variety of community services such as: CFI/mediation, therapy (individual, family, couples), home studies, contractual adoptive services inner and out of state, family preservation, supervised parenting time, classes such as CPR, first aid, and parenting classes, parent child interactional, and life skills. Rashida Gordon is a case worker for the Kids Resource Network of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rashida is a therapist, who uses client centered therapy as her approach. She believes in order to assist in behavioral changes; one must have emphasis in that one person to focus. KRNCS main population is foster kids ages 0-18 years...
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...that will strengthen the community and enable families and individuals to move toward independence.” (Michigan.gov) DHS provides an array of services to individuals and families, these include: food assistance, cash assistance, health care assistance, children services, adult services, and many more. Since there are so many services under the umbrella of DHS, I will focus on a part of the organization that I am familiar with, Foster care services. Approximately 14,000 Michigan children are in foster care at any given time (Michigan.gov). Foster cares mission statement is “Families first”, meaning the goal is for children to have reunification with their families. So when children cannot be returned to their homes, relatives or foster parents are often asked to provide permanent homes. Foster families provide children in this situation with the consistency and support they need to successfully transition to adulthood (Michigan.gov). In terms of operative goals, there are seven that encompass DHS and represent what the organizations day-to day goals are. The operative goals include: Safety, children’s needs, family’s needs, communities, placement, reunification and permanence, and services. Let me expand on each of these goals. Foster cares first priority is to keep children safe. So when parents/families can’t or do not fulfill this necessity, DHS has been delegated the authority to intervene on behalf of the child. Children’s needs:...
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...Reactive Attachment Disorder in Children and Adolescents in Institutionalized and in Foster Care, and Adoptive Families Lisa W. Marshall Liberty University Abstract It is believed children exposed to early institutional rearing are at risk for developing psychopathology (McGoron, et. al., 2012). Comparisons were made to discover if Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) was more prevalent in children raised institutions, foster care or adoptive families. Measurements included the Observational Record of the Caregiving Environment, Strange Situation Procedure, Disturbances of Attachment Interview, and the Preschool Aged Psychiatric Assessment (Smyke, et. al. 2012), the Reynolds Adolescent Adjustment Screening Interview (Cone, et. al., 2009) in addition to the Reactive Affective Disorder Checklist (RAD-C) and the Relationships Problem Questionnaire (RPQ), in the diagnosis of Reactive Attachment Disorder (Thrall, et al., 2009). These measurements were not only utilized to discover the existence of RAD, but to test the validity of the methods. Additionally, treatment studies including holding, narrative therapy, parenting skills training, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, psychodrama, and/or neurofeedback (Wimmer, et. al.,2009) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (Cone, et. al.,2009) are examined. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) lists Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) as a serious, directly linked...
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...Evidence Based Paper Jennifer Rabago University of Central Florida Introduction This paper includes an annotated bibliography whether there is a link between child sexual abuse and later sexual exploitation and reviews the literature on prevention strategies and effective interventions in child sexual abuse services. It shows that children are sexually exploited in other ways through the Internet. It focuses on Barnardo's response to the problem of sexual exploitation and sets it in both a historical and a contemporary context. It provides factors that influence police conceptualizations of girls involved in prostitution in six U.S. cities and if the children are sexual exploitation victims or delinquents. It explains that sexually exploited children are vulnerable to this type of abuse. It explains that sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) as one of the most destructive forms of child abuse. It explains the international sexual trafficking of women and children. It includes data on the amount of women and children that are being trafficked and experiencing sexual exploitation. It includes a dissertation that includes an empirical study and a quantitative study. This study is the first of its kind to describe a sample of commercially, sexually exploited children in foster care. Empirical Peer Reviewed Articles Barnitz, Laura. (2001). Effectively responding to the commercial sexual exploitation of children: A comprehensive approach to prevention...
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...Personality Disorder AbstractThe DSM-IV is widely used in the mental health field. Some of its many uses include providinga common language among professionals about psychopathology and delineating criteria for diagnosing individuals with mental disorders. This paper explores the purpose, history, andlimitations of the DSM diagnostic approach. A case study is provided and the DSM-IV-TR isused to diagnosis borderline personality disorder. The disorder is described and an empirically- based treatment plan is offered.2 Borderline Personality Disorder Borderline Personality Disorder: DSM Diagnosing and Empirically-Based TreatmentThe APA (2000) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is widelyused by mental health professionals. It provides a common language about psychopathologyamong clinicians, researchers, students, and other mental health professionals. Since its inceptioninto the field of mental health, it has made a huge impact on clinical practice, research, andeducation. Although it has advanced the field of mental health, there is still criticism of theDSM classification system. Despite its limitations, it continues to be considered an importantreference for mental health professionals. This paper will explore the DSM’s use within the fieldof psychopathology. Then it will be applied to a case study of a 15 year-old girl with mentalhealth concerns including a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Her symptoms will bedescribed, criteria for diagnosis...
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...Kids, there are over 14,000 children in the foster care system in Ohio alone. (Adopt Us Kids, 2013) If we factor in the entire United States, that number goes up exponentially. However, for the purpose of this paper, all references will be related to the needs of the foster children in Ohio. Unfortunately, what is discussed in this paper relates to the needs of the other 386,000 or so kids in the foster care system throughout the United States. That need, the one that is so important, is the fact that there aren’t enough foster parents. There are more children in the foster care system than there are parents to take care of them. Foster care can be considered a necessary evil. The end results are not always what we hope them to be, but without it, so many more children would be lost. An article, written in 1986, says it best: “Foster care is a necessary evil”, explained Robert Hayes, a lawyer with the Coalition for the Homeless. In a recent interview with Children’s Express, “There are times and places when parents cannot take care of their kids. But sometimes, children can live for 18 years in ‘temporary foster care’.” Hayes goes on to say: “this accounts for why these children never learn many of the appropriate tools of life”. (Lin, Zelermyer, Young & Young, 1986) This paper, written in 1986, tells of the same exact issues that are faced today. Children are often forgotten about or misplaced because of the demands placed upon foster parents and social workers. Having more qualified...
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...Child Abuse and Neglect 29 30 Dimensions and Critical Issues of Child Maltreatment in the African American Community: Causation, Consequences, and Prospects Presenter: Respondent: Joyce N. Thomas, R.N., M.P.H. Robert Pierce, Ph.D. Introduction African Americans, the largest minority population in the United States, suffer disproportionately from preventable diseases and deaths—(Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, 1994). This statement from the Office of Minority Health not only captures the tragic problem of health related issues of African Americans, it also applies to the social welfare problems of these children and their families. Each year over 2,000 children die at the hands of their parents or caretakers (U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1995). Abuse and neglect in the home are considered one of the leading causes of death for children four years of age and younger and the largest number of child abuse fatalities is due to severe head trauma. Homicide statistics are only part of the grim reality, with near–fatal abuse and neglect accounting for more than 18,000 permanently disabled children, and approximately 142,000 serious injuries (Baladerian, 1991). Findings from the report, A Nation’s Shame: Fatal Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States, indicate that African Americans are overrepresented in both fatalities and near–fatal injuries (U.S. Advisory Board on Child Abuse and Neglect, 1995). Research shows that...
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...change as the case progresses. According to Vrouvas (2013), a treatment plans can work as a mean of providing clients with guidelines that may foster moral support, provide incentive and offer practical solutions for dealing with adversity. This paper will describe a treatment plan and how it will be presented to the client. The paper will also make specific reference to Brittany. Brittany is a 21 year old female who was in foster care until she was 18 and is now employed full-time at a Gentleman's club. She lives in a two-bedroom townhouse and owns a car which is currently uninsured due to her inability to make the payments. The client lives with her unemployed boyfriend. Brittany was recently arrested and subsequently owes a $400 ticket along with all her other bills. She is now considering seeking employment at another gentleman's club on her days off in an effort to allocate enough money to pay her bills. Description of the Treatment Plan A treatment plan will now be described based on the information provided by Fritscher (2011). The description will also be directly linked to scenario five: Brittany. According to Fritscher (2011), a treatment plan usually has four parts. These include the presentation of the problem, a list of both the overall goal(s) and the interim goal(s) of therapy, methods or interventions, and the time estimate. Presentation of the Problem This is a brief description of the main issue(s) and the goals of the treatment. It must...
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...Homeless Youth: Research, Intervention, and Policy by Karen Spuriel Coleman- MBA Abstract Homelessness among youth in the U.S. is disturbingly common, with an estimated annual prevalence of at least 5 percent for those ages 12 to 17. Although homeless youth appear throughout the nation, they are most visible in major cities. Rigorous research on this special population is sparse, making it difficult to capture an accurate and complete picture. Despite its limitations, recent research describes homeless youth as a large and diverse group. Many homeless youth have multiple overlapping problems including medical, substance abuse, and emotional and mental problems. Literature suggests that comprehensive and tailored services are needed that address both the immediate and long-term needs of homeless youth. Where appropriate, services should include assistance with meeting basic needs as perceived by youth as a gateway to other needed services. In addition to serving those already homeless, interventions are needed to prevent homelessness among at-risk youth. Lessons for Practitioners, Policy Makers, and Researchers • As used here, the term “homeless youth” focuses on minors who have experienced literal homelessness on their own—i.e., who have spent at least one night either in a shelter or "on the streets" without adult supervision. On occasion, where warranted by the research being discussed, the term is also used to describe homeless young adults up to age 24. • Homelessness...
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...The Impact of Foster Care on Child Development Demeka F. Gaddy Liberty University Abstract The foster care system was designed to provide a safe temporary placement for children who can no longer stay in the care of their parents or guardian. The overall goal of foster care is for the children to return home to their caregiver. If the caregiver fails to regain custody the child is placed in other living arrangements, to include foster homes. However there is a controversy over the effectiveness of the foster care system in regards to child development. Foster care has been linked to negative impacts in child development to include; physical and sexual abuse, attachment disorders, and behavioral problems that eventually lead to children being placed in multiple placements and in some cases the juvenile justice system,. Children who are in foster care are a vulnerable group due to the being removed from their home, in some cases abruptly. It has been proven that the longer children living in foster care are subject to negative development more than children who do not live in foster care. Based on these factors the foster care system needs to focus more on the needs of the child so that positive development can occur. Keywords: child welfare, abuse, child development The Negative Impacts of Foster Care on Child Development The foster care system was designed to provide a safety net for children and families and to reunite children with their biological parents if possible...
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...Torres NUR 598 September 11, 2011 Dr. Veta Massey Nursing Research Utilization Project Proposal Section D: Methods of Implementation Health care throughout the history has shown many changes. Every change brings in challenges in a workplace because change is more often met with resistance. It also brings in innovative ideas that steers the organization’s advancement and performance. The major motivation of change in this organization is to sustain a successful future in its continuum. For change to succeed, brilliant strategy, and clever implementation are necessary (Gandossy and Sonnenfield, 2004). Organizing the Plan The problem that was stated in Part A of this proposal was medication error and the organization is aiming at reducing the incidents of administration errors that involve medications. Although there are three proposed solutions, the one that gained the highest priority is the use red disposable apron during the medication rounds. This type of innovation is cost-effective, requiring short staff in-service by the nurse clinical educator, it is maintenance free, and does not require space for storage. This intervention will also allow a less difficult data collection for measuring outcomes. Every institution requires the approval of the Chief Nurse Officer (CNO) to pilot an intervention. The intervention will be introduced in a small 30-bed medical-surgical unit which will last for four months, and to start as soon as equipment is ready. A small task...
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...rapidly during the first few years of life. It is a period of growth that is especially sensitive and vulnerable to the effects of maltreatment (Hildyard & Wolfe, 2002). When childhood neglect occurs during this very sensitive period, issues of safety, attachment, and social-emotional functioning are often identified as areas that need immediate intervention. The following paper will focus on the issue of early childhood neglect and the possible effects it can have on development during infancy according to three expert theorists Mary Ainsworth, Erik Erikson, and Albert Bandura. This paper is also written using the stories from “Paul”, (a pseudonym), a victim of childhood neglect: My name is Paul. I was born in 1995 to my mother who was thirteen years old. Her boyfriend, my father, was seventeen. My father was never involved in my life, as he was actively involved in criminal behavior, which ultimately led to his early death by gun violence. I was ten months old when my father was killed and I have no memories of him. My mother hid her pregnancy until she was 36 weeks and did not receive any prenatal care. Although she was pregnant with me, she experimented with drugs and alcohol, which may have altered my prenatal development. My mother was very young; a child herself; and did not welcome the...
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...of Care Residents Receive and Decreases Unnecessary Health Care Cost Nurses have the power to increase positive patient outcomes by implementing changes in their practice based on the evidence found in the nursing literature. Utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) increases nurses job satisfaction, increases communication across the interdisciplinary team, enables nurses to provide their patients with high-quality care and decreases health care cost. The purpose of this paper is to describe why readmissions from nursing homes (NHs) is a nurse practice problem, nurse practice changes to reduce hospitalizations in NHs, evidence found in the nursing literature that supports the change in nursing practice and how to evaluate the change in practice after implementation of interventions. The Problem Residents in NHs continue to experience potentially avoidable 30-day readmissions to hospitals. Rahman, Foster, Grabowski, Zinn, & Mor (2013) define 30-day readmissions as when the resident is readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of being discharged from the hospital to NHs and avoidable readmissions as conditions that can be managed safely and efficiently in NHs instead of the resident being transferred to the hospital (p. 1901) There are more than 1.6 million Americans living in NHs in the United States and 23.5% of these Americans experience readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharges and cost more than $17.4 billion per year in unnecessary health care cost...
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...impact of a nursing transitions program on retention and cost savings, why new nurses don’t stay and what the evidence says we can do about it and Benefits and Challenges of a Baccalaureate Nurse Residency Program. b. Databases used: A thorough review of the literature was made using EBSCOhost, Google Scholar databases, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). These databases were reviewed to ensure that it contains the appropriate information needed for the research work and they met the search criteria. c. Refinement decisions made: Goal of the nursing residency program was to increase residents’ comfort with clinical skills, thereby enhancing their critical thinking abilities and communication with the health care team. The employers should reduce the workload of the new nurse residence in other to enable them do a good job....
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...“Give a Child a Helping Hand” Intervention Methods For Child Sexual Abuse Introduction Child sexual abuse has severe and long lasting implications for the victim while being historically unreported and unaddressed. Child abuse is difficult to identify because there is a lack of consensus across many sectors of healthcare about which “acts” are defined as abuse. One study outlines the associated interpersonal characteristics (such as boundary violations, betrayal, sexual traumatization, stigma, and secrecy) result in developmental consequences not associated with other forms of maltreatment (Noll). This is due to the highly stigmatized nature of the abuse and the multiple barriers that exist that are both individual and systemic in nature. There are many types of intervention options that are conflicting in nature; some promote a clinical setting while others tout community-based approach involving many types of adults in raising awareness. Studies show that cumulative exposure to multiple forms of victimization represents a substantial source of mental health risk and costly health care costs from high utilization rates. There is a $103.8 billion cost of child abuse and neglect of more than $33 billion in direct costs for foster care services, hospitalization, mental health treatment, and law enforcement while indirect costs of over $70 billion include loss of productivity, as well as expenditures related to chronic health...
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