Department of Children & Families Monthly Update

Volume Two | Issue Eleven

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In This Issue:

Key findings for MA from

ACF Maltreatment Report

MA sweeps first ever SAMHSA

Restraint Prevention Awards

Jordans Furniture poses

challenge; recruits over 1,200
new Foster Families for DCF

MCI Framingham offers Learning

Opportunity for DCF staff

ICPM Corner: Promoting Child Abuse

Prevention through ICPM

Announcements

FYI: Upcoming events planned in

May 2010

National organization awards grants

for reducing abuse of young children
DCF launches Area Board
Kick-off Meetings

Key findings for MA from ACF Maltreatment Report

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month a time to
raise awareness about the prevalence of child abuse in the
Commonwealth and what we as a community can do to
prevent it. Throughout the month of April, child advocacy
organizations and state agencies have been holding events
that will provide information and resources on risk factors
and warning signs as well as positive parenting skills.
Conversations about prevention can be informed with the
latest Child Maltreatment report from the Administration
for Children and Families. With information from federal
fiscal year 2008 (October 1, 2007 September 30, 2008),
the report delineates information about referrals and reports of maltreatment, characteristics of victims, fatalities,
perpetrators, and services. The report is available to read
online, or as a PDF file to download.
Key findings for Massachusetts (Please note: 2008 data)
In 2007, Massachusetts had one of the lowest abuse
and/or neglect child death rates in the country; the
Massachusetts rate was the 10th lowest abuse and neglect
child death rate (1.11 per 100,000). In accordance with
its culture of service provision, Massachusetts proactively
engages families in services prior to more serious crisis;
the Commonwealth had the 4th lowest average number
of days to services (9 days vs. national 41 days).
Reporting Rate Massachusetts had the 21st highest
report rate (50.1 vs. national 44.1 per 1,000). In the

March/April
December 2010
2010

Commonwealth, child welfare agency staff is 2 3 times

more likely to file a report of abuse or neglect as compared
to their peers from other states (23% vs. national of 7%).
Investigation Rate The Massachusetts investigation
rate per 1,000 children compares favorably with the
national average (31.0 vs. 27.1 per 1,000), Massachusetts
is ranked 37th highest on this indicator.
Above Average Rate of Providing Post-Investigation
Services Families involved in the Massachusetts child
welfare system are much more likely to receive services
post-investigation: Massachusetts ranked 9th in providing
services to victimized children (90.2% vs. national
63.3%), and ranked 9th in providing services to nonvictimized children (37.4% vs. national 28.5.2%).
Massachusetts offers more In-home Services
Massachusetts ranked 5th in offering services to
victimized children (75.6% vs. national 42.9%);
additionally, Massachusetts ranked 10th in offering
services to non-victimized children (30.9% vs. national
25.0%); and ranked 7th in total children receiving inhome services (51.8% vs. 28.5%).
Victimization Physical Abuse Victimization Rate
Massachusetts had the 17th lowest percentage of
physical abuse (12.6% vs. national 16.1%).
Lowest Sexual Abuse Victimization Rate
Massachusetts had the lowest percentage of sexual
abuse victimization (2.3% vs. national 9.1%). [top]

PHOTOS: Bill Shamlian

Jordans Furniture poses challenge; recruits

over 1,200 new Foster Families for DCF
The Department of Children and
Families (DCF) and Jordans Furniture
announced the successful recruitment
campaign of 1,231 new foster families
in Massachusetts as part of the 2010
PlusOne Challenge. The Challenge, a
14 month effort initiated by Jordans
Furniture to recruit new foster families
culminated in a celebration held at
Jordans Reading Store on Sunday,
April 11th. At the event, Jordans
Furniture President and CEO Eliot
Tatelman and DCF Commissioner
Angelo McClain thanked newly
recruited foster families that have
opened their hearts and homes to
children and youth, and to the families and staff who recruited them. The
event featured live entertainment by
the Contours, the original Vandellas,
award winning impersonator, Pete

Peterkin and the Royalty of Rockn

Roll All-Stars with R&B legend,
Billy Davis.
This is the second PlusOne Challenge
initiated by Jordans Furniture. The
first PlusOne Challenge was issued in
the State House by Eliot and Barry
Tatelman on May 3, 2006. The initiative with the DCF was created by Eliot
Tatelman to recruit new foster families
in Massachusetts and came from the
simple thought: what if every existing
foster parent recruited just one more
foster family? With the idea that
foster and adoptive parents make the
best recruiters, Jordans called on
all foster, adoptive, kinship and child
specific families and encouraged them
to recruit just one new family from
among their own family, friends and
social networks. Current foster and

adoptive parents speak from their

hearts and are honest about why they
foster and/or adopt children from DCF.
Their stories are compelling and make
people think about fostering and/or
adopting themselves.
For the 2006 through 2007 Challenge,
there were 675 new families that
were recruited; for the 2009 through
2010 Challenge, there were 1,231
new families recruited. In total,
Jordans Furniture has helped the
Department recruit 1,906 new
families through the PlusOne
Challenge campaign.
Thank you to the new foster parents,
existing foster parents and social
workers who made this campaign
such a great successyour efforts
made this happen! [top]

National organization awards grants

for reducing abuse of young children

DCF launches Area Board

kick-off meetings

The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) is

awarding nearly $1.4 million to a partnership of city and
state organizations, including the Department of Children
and Families, to test a promising approach to preventing
abuse of infants and young children whose families live in
high-poverty neighborhoods and face numerous stressors.

DCF launched its Regional Area Board meetings and

swearing-in ceremonies with the kick-off of the Metro
Regional Area Boards. Area Boards bring the voices
of the citizens of the Commonwealth to the table in
order to promote the welfare of children and families,
and to help DCF implement its mission, values and
goals. Area Boards provide forums for DCF consumers
and other community partners to come together to
help DCF:

DuLCe Family Partners: Developmental-Legal

Collaboration for Infants in Boston, which will target newborns to 10-week-old babies and their families who receive
care at Boston Medical Center. Working in collaboration
with Project LAUNCH, Healthy Steps, and Medical-Legal
Partnership | Boston, a DuLCe family specialist will reach
infants and families through their routine health care visits
and provide them with legal assistance, screen infants for
developmental problems and families for mental health
problems, and teach families about child development.
This research is part of the National Quality Improvement
Center on Early Childhood. It is a five-year project which
was launched in late 2008 to develop and disseminate new
information about programs and strategies that prevent
child maltreatment and optimal development of infants and
children younger than five. This grant is one of four projects
selected by CSSP to implement new models, and evaluate
their effectiveness. [top]

2.

Improve outcomes for children and families;

Ensure that all children are kept safe and families

strengthened; and

Assist the agency in becoming an effective

partner with the community.

Kick-off meetings were held for the Southeast and

Central area offices and will be held for Boston, the
Northeast and Western area offices throughout the end
of April and month of May.
For any inquiries pertaining to Area Boards, please
contact your local Area Director or Brian Cummings,
Director of Community Engagement. [top]

MA sweeps first ever SAMHSA Restraint Prevention Awards

Massachusetts mental health facilities swept the firstever awards given by the US. Substance Abuse Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), recognizing
sustained restraint and seclusion reduction and prevention work. Five of the ten awards given went to
Massachusetts facilities, including Taunton State Hospital
and the nine child/adolescent statewide programs operated by the Department of Mental Health (DMH). The
DMH statewide programs were the only youth-serving
programs in the country to be recognized by SAMHSA.
SAMHSAs has set forth a vision to reduce and ultimately
eliminate the use of seclusion and restraint practices in
behavioral health care settings. The Alternatives to
Seclusion and Restraint Recognition Program acknowledges the excellent work being done across the country
and creates the opportunity for leaders to share experiences with other programs throughout the US.

DMH first launched its Restraint and Seclusion

Elimination Initiative in 2001. Since that time, the
use of seclusion and restraint has decreased more
than 63 percent statewide. More recently, DMH has
joined with the Departments of Children and Families
(DCF), Early Education and Care (EEC), Elementary
and Secondary Education (ESE) and Youth Services
(DYS), to form the Massachusetts Interagency
Restraint and Seclusion Reduction Initiative. Building
on the groundbreaking work of DMH, the vision for
the multi-year, multi-agency effort is that all youth
serving educational and treatment settings will use
trauma informed, positive behavior support practices
that respectfully engage families and youth. For
more information please visit the DCF website at
www.mass.gov/dcf. [top]

MCI Framingham offers learning opportunity for DCF staff

On February 4, 2010, 50 staff members from
Massachusetts Department of Children and Families
(DCF) area offices across the state visited the only
committing state facility for women offenders, MCI
Framingham. The day-long event was hosted by the
Superintendents of MCI-Framingham, Lynn Bissonnette,
and South Middlesex Correctional Center, Kelly Ryan
and their staff. It was structured to provide DCF staff
with firsthand knowledge of the comprehensive array
of programming and services offered to women during
incarceration, many of whom are parents. The day
opened with introductions and a co-presentation by
DCF and DOC of a case scenario illustrating collaboration
between a DCF social worker and DOC staff on behalf of
a female offender parent. The day progressed to tours
of the facility and presentations by panel members
consisting of DOC staff who represented a spectrum
of disciplines.

They described the delivery of gender-specific programming and services at the facilities for women. As a
special treat, mid-day, women offenders demonstrated
their skills as they prepared and served a delicious
lunch as part of the Culinary Arts program.
This event is just one of the ongoing initiatives which
have grown from the work of the Incarcerated Parents
Working Group. Other work the agency is currently
involved in includes our work with incarcerated fathers.
This effort has been made to ensure that fathers have
the opportunity to stay connected to their children.
All of this began reenergizing collaborations between
DCF and DOC under the leadership of Commissioner
Angelo McClain and Commissioner Harold W. Clarke of
the Department of Corrections.

DCF participants reflect on MCI-Framingham visit

I really felt it expanded my learning, my

3.

From soup to nuts (and yes, lunch was great!), I gained an understanding of the extensive

thinking about incarcerated women, and

the conference was extremely informative

programming available for inmates and the

the importance of the preservation of

and gave me confidence and hope for

commitment from DOC staff to actively work

connection between incarcerated

improved collaboration between DCF and

with DCF re: service planning and parent/

mothers and their children. It was quite

the staff at MCI Framingham. The agenda for

child visitation. Walking in the shoes of the

an experience. Also, the compassion

the day: talks by the Superintendents, the

inmate as we toured the facility was met

(and professionalism) of the staff there

story telling by DCF, the panel presentation,

with an array of feelings and emotions which

was especially impressive. I have been with

lunch and the tour was a perfect combination

greatly informed my understanding of the

DCF for almost 20 years now. I am selective

that provided the participant with a well

experience of those incarcerated. [top]

when it comes to attending trainings, but

rounded picture of the many facets of MCI

I must say this one impacted me. I feel more

Framingham. Thank you for a fantastic day!

empathy for these women as mothers, and

This conference should be mandatory for

less judgmental of their circumstance.

all DCF staff!

ICPM Corner
Promoting Child Abuse Prevention through ICPM
In recognition of Child Abuse Prevention Month, this months ICPM
article focuses on several key ways in which DCFs new Practice
Model supports child abuse prevention especially reducing the
likelihood of repeat maltreatment. Highlights of how the key elements of the ICPM help prevent child abuse and/or neglect include:
Engaging Families: The approach to working with families
incorporated into the ICPM reflects a growing recognition of
the importance of family-centered practice. Research shows
that engaging families in the
child welfare process has been
linked to lower rates of repeat
maltreatment. Family involvement fosters a shared understanding about how the family
got to the point of a maltreatment report, what needs to
change and what services might
help. The ICPM leverages opportunities to engage families, build
on family strengths, and involve
extended family networks and
community supports in protecting children. The earlier the
father and mother are engaged
in the child welfare process, the
more likely the family will
achieve their goals and eliminate
the need for further services.
Signs of Safety and Safety
Mapping: The Signs of Safety
framework in casework practice
is nested in three universal
questions asked throughout the
life of a case. These questions
are opened-ended, solution focused discussion starting points:
1. What are we worried about?
2. What works well?
3. What needs to happen?

Safety Mapping is a key practice

of the Signs of Safety framework
and is a facilitated process of
using the three questions to explore the impact of a caregivers
actions on a child. The practice
is a continuous effort to gather
information and organize it in
a way that helps social workers
and families better understand
the presence of safety in relation
to the presence of danger for
children, and what actions are
necessary to promote child
safety. This framework helps
expand DCFs work beyond a
focus on risk to identifying and
understanding a familys
strengths. Through this process,
a familys natural support system
and protective capacities can be
better deployed to help address
their needs and reduce the likelihood of future DCF involvement.
Safety + Danger and Risk
Assessment Tools: The goal
of these evidence-based
Structured Decision Making
Processes tools is to reduce
subsequent child maltreatment,
referrals, substantiations, injuries and foster placements.
By relying on research based
indicators of danger, safety and
risk the process/tools have
been shown to help increase
consistency and reliability in
decision-making among social

workers as well as to support

more effective targeting of resources to a
familys specific needs and goals.
Differential Response: A key
element of the ICPM is assigning
families for a differential response based on the specifics in
the allegation and on the unique
circumstances of each family.
Under ICPM, families reported
for suspected child abuse and/or
neglect receive either a traditional investigation or an initial
assessment, depending on the
severity of the allegation.
Generally, investigations are
aimed at determining whether
the child maltreatment actually
occurred, or if the child is at
risk for maltreatment, and
putting in place an appropriate
intervention. In contrast, an
initial assessment emphasizes
the assessment of the familys
strengths and needs and the
prevention of future maltreatment. Overall, the evaluations
of differential response from
other states who have implemented a similar approach have
documented positive outcomes,
particularly in terms of sustained
child safety, improved family
engagement, increased community involvement, and enhanced
family and worker satisfaction.

Sources: Differential Response to Reports of Child Abuse and Neglect, Child Welfare
Information Gateway, February 2008; Signs of Safety, A. Turnell and S. Edwards, 1999;
Child Welfare Information Gateway, California, CPS and Iowa, DHS. [top]
4.

Announcements
Medical Services News
The DCF Health and Medical
Services Team now have a page
on mass.gov/dcf that provides
information on the unit, health
news, policies and related forms.
For more information, please visit:
www.mass.gov/dcf and click on
the Health and Medical Services link
found under Programs and Services.

Help a child in DCF custody to work

towards a brighter future by volunteering to become an important
member of their Special Education
Team. A solid education opens the
door to their future! For more information, please call: 508-792-7679
or email: sespp@earthlink.org.

Help Solve the Puzzle: Special

Education training is now available for
foster parents through the Special
Education Surrogate Parent Program.

New Brochures distributed

DCF has issued two new resources
regarding child abuse and neglect
in the Commonwealth: A Familys
Guide to Child Protective Services

and Child Abuse and Neglect

Reporting: A Guide for Mandated
Reporters.
Paper copies of the Guides can
be obtained by contacting your
local DCF Area Office or DCFs
Office of Public Affairs at
617-748-2252. Electronic copies
are available on DCFs website
at www.mass.gov/dcf. The
Family Guide is also available on
the DCF website in Spanish,
Portuguese, Haitian Creole,
Khmer and Russian. [top]

FYI: Upcoming events happening in MAY 2010

May 2

May 6 12
National Nurses Week begins May 6th through 12th. DCF would
like to acknowledge the excellent work of its Health and Medical
Services Team and the tremendous contribution they make to the
health and well-being of our children and the critical support they
provide to our staff, foster and adoptive parents statewide.
May 16

May 3

DCF Kids Fund Golf Classic

Monday, May 3, 2010
Platinum Sponsorship

Hopkinton Country Club

$10,000

DCF
Kids Fund Chair Larry Begley willFormat
sponsor
the 7th Annual
1 12 Playing Spots
1 Shotgun Start/Scramble Play
1 Registration Banner
Golf
Tournament
Fundraiser
for the DCF
Kids Fund. For more
1 Company
or Individual Name on Golf
Gift
Schedule
1 Company or Individual Name on Tee/Green Sign
11:00 am
Registration and Lunch
1 Acknowledgement in Tournament
Brochure
12:30 pm
Shotgun Start
information,
please
contact$5,000
Saf Caruso. 617-748-2000.
Gold Sponsorship
5:30 pm

Cocktail Reception

Contact Information

5.

Massachusetts Department
of Children & Families
Angelo McClain, Commissioner

Central Office
24 Farnsworth Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02210

617-748-2000
1-800-kids-508
www.state.ma.us/dcf

For general questions or comments

please contact:
alison.goodwin@state.ma.us

For Intranet updates, contact:

joseph.green@state.ma.us

For Internet updates, contact:

alison.goodwin@state.ma.us