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Capacity Building for Programs and Systems to Promote Well-Being
Addressing the well-being of children, youth, and families who come in contact with child welfare often requires integration with other service systems and restructuring of programs and services to better address social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. The following resources offer information on building the capacity of programs and systems to promote the well-being of children, youth, and families, including State and local examples.
IM-12-04: Promoting Social and Emotional Well-Being for Children and Youth Receiving Child Welfare Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau (2012)
Explains the Administration on Children, Youth and Families priority to promote social and emotional well-being for children and youth receiving child welfare services and to encourage child welfare agencies to focus on improving the behavioral and social-emotional outcomes for children who have experienced abuse and/or neglect.
A Better Future for America, A Better Future for America's Children: Strengthening Our Capacity to Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect (PDF - 151 KB)
Prevent Child Abuse America (2011)
Reflects on the last decade of prevention work and describes four lessons learned that will help legislators and other public officials, funders, service providers, community coalitions, and advocates take advantage of today's unprecedented opportunities to prevent child abuse and neglect.
Improving Children's Health and Well-Being by Integrating Children's Programs (PDF - 747 KB)
National Opinion Research Center (2011)
Presents a series of research-based strategies for improving information-sharing, cross-agency coordination, and cooperation among federally funded children's programs.
Investing in Public Programs Matters: How State Policies Impact Children's Lives: 2012 State Child and Youth Well-Being Index (PDF - 1,422 KB)
Foundation for Child Development, Annie E. Casey Foundation, & Population Reference Bureau (2012)
Highlights data indicating the relationships between State policies and economic and demographic factors that impact child well-being, including a focus on State taxes and investments in education, health care, and welfare benefits.
Making the Case: A Comprehensive Systems Approach for Adolescent Health and Well-Being (PDF - 678 KB)
Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (2010)
Uses the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative as a model for building systems to support adolescents' complex biological, behavioral, cognitive, and social needs.
Promoting Social-Emotional Well-Being in Early Intervention Services: A Fifty-State View (PDF - 1,011 KB)
Cooper & Vick (2009)
Examines States' efforts to support screening, referral, and evaluation for children at risk of developmental delays and includes information on States with written agreements to guide coordination between Part C and child welfare services.
Promoting the Social-Emotional Well-Being of Infants and Toddlers in Early Intervention Programs: Promising Strategies in Four Communities (PDF - 1,822 KB)
Woods, Smith, & Cooper (2010)
Suggests ways to strengthen early intervention programs for infants and toddlers to reduce the long-term negative consequences of early developmental delays. The report addresses promising strategies in the areas of screening, eligibility, and support of at-risk children; staff development; interagency collaboration; and funding.
Results-Based Public Policy Strategies for Promoting Children's Social, Emotional and Behavioral Health (PDF - 236 KB)
Center for the Study of Social Policy (2012)
Provides policy strategies States can use to implement evidence-based practices to prevent and address social, emotional, and behavioral health disorders. State examples of effective policies and financing approaches are also included.
State and local examples
Change in Sight: Child Well-Being as a Policy Development Framework (PDF - 77 KB)
Schmidt & Coffey (2008)
Describes a web-based reporting system developed in Shelby County, TN, to evaluate the effectiveness of policy decisions on behalf of children.
Implementing a Post-Care Service System in Child Welfare: The Catawba County Child Wellbeing Project (PDF - 489 KB)
Redmond, Mabry, Ball, Wilson, Brandes, Metz, & Malm (2012)
Details a project to improve the well-being of children and youth who leave foster care through reunification, guardianship, or adoption by offering coordinated postcare services informed by the needs of resident families.
New Jersey Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Plan 2010-2013: A Roadmap to Child and Family Well-Being (PDF - 752 KB)
New Jersey Department of Children and Families & New Jersey Task Force on Child Abuse and Neglect (2010)
Outlines strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect and improve child and family well-being in areas such as increasing concrete supports to families in need, improving early childhood services, and expanding statewide family-centered resource and support networks.
Standard: Child Well-Being (PDF - 43 KB)
Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (2009)
Provides guidance to State programs regarding how to effectively address the unmet physical, mental health, or educational needs of children and youth who comes to the attention of child protection.