The 9th Annual Conference on
Differential Response in Child Welfare
The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect
NOVEMBER 12-14, 2014 | THE WESTIN SEATTLE
REGISTRATION BROCHURE
THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Background on Differential Response
Differential response (DR) is a child welfare system reform effort that began over 15 years ago in a few counties and states
and has expanded quite rapidly in the last few years. Its core function is to create a child protection system that more
effectively responds to the varying needs of families. In practice and protocol, it is implemented differently across the U.S. and
internationally.
Differential response, also referred to as “dual track,” “multiple track,” or “alternative response,” allows child protective
services (CPS) to respond differently to accepted reports of child abuse and neglect with a minimum of two pathways: an
investigation response pathway, for accepted reports that are typically high-risk and may involve egregious harm to children,
and an alternative response pathway, generally applied to those cases that present no immediate safety concerns. In the
alternative response pathway, there is not a formal determination or substantiation of child abuse and neglect. Research and
implementation experience have shown that, when CPS implements two response pathways, practice across the child welfare
system improves. Numerous evaluations have been done on DR, which can be found at www.differentialresponseqic.org.
As the implementation of DR has expanded, more states, counties, and tribes are also developing an additional pathway to
serve those families that come to the attention of CPS but whose reports do not meet the legal threshold required for
intervention. These “screened out” reports typically do not have a formal child welfare response, but some jurisdictions are
working with the broader community to find ways to voluntarily offer services to those families with the hope of preventing
child maltreatment, meeting the needs of vulnerable families, and reducing the likelihood that they will penetrate deeper into
the formal child welfare system.
2014 Conference
The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect at the University of Colorado | Anschutz
Medical Campus is pleased to announce the 9th Annual Conference on Differential Response in Child Welfare, November 1214 in Seattle, Washington. Attendees of our previous conferences have consistently suggested that the topic of engagement be
a theme. This year’s theme, Family & Community Engagement: The Keys to Child Safety, provides numerous sessions on
engagement in response to this demand.
Target Audience
Communities representing all of the variations of DR implementation across the child welfare continuum are encouraged to
attend, as well as those not yet implementing DR or those considering it. The sessions target caseworkers, supervisors,
managers, and administrators in child welfare, as well as those from partnering systems: courts, education, law enforcement,
domestic violence, mental health, and other community providers.
Terminology Key for Brochure
Differential Response
Term is used mostly to describe an overall system reform that allows two pathways or tracks for an accepted report of
maltreatment to enter. This term is also used at times to describe a CPS system that has a pathway designed to offer
voluntary services to reports that do not meet the threshold of maltreatment and are screened out.
Alternative Response
Term is used to label the pathway or track that does not require substantiation or a finding. The threshold related to
eligibility for this track varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. This track may also be termed “family assessment response.”
Investigation Response
Term is used to label the pathway or track that requires a substantiation or finding on an accepted report of maltreatment. In
some jurisdictions, time frames for response and completion of work are different than in an alternative response. Other
terms include “traditional response” and “high-risk assessment.”
www.thekempecenter.org
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Schedule of Events*
*Event times may be slightly adjusted in the final program, and registered participants will be notified.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. General Session (breakfast included)
Welcome Address
Jennifer A. Strus, Assistant Secretary, Children’s Administration, Olympia, WA
Opening Keynote
Glorie Magrum, House of Neighborly Services, Community Life Center, Fort Collins, CO; Jerri Howe, The Matthews House,
Community Life Center, Fort Collins, CO; Jim Drendel, PhD, Larimer County Department of Human Services, Fort Collins, CO;
Parent Representative of House of Neighborly Services, Fort Collins, CO; and Parent Representative of The Matthews House, Fort
Collins, CO
Differential response has changed the face of child protection practice in Larimer County. Child protection begins with how
the county answers the phone on that first contact to the closing of the partnership with the family. Larimer County has
learned that DR can bring citizens together to help with a family’s needs. Community Life Centers have transformed an old
idea with a new concept, partnering a settlement house with a child welfare agency to develop best practice for the
community. This approach has inspired a non-governmental group to work with a child welfare agency for the safety and
well-being of the child and family. Community Life Centers are taking the lead on prevention and intervention services,
including family advocates and mentors for children and their families. Outcomes are being measured to determine the shortand long-range outcomes of this partnership. These outcomes will be shared, along with families’ personal experiences with
these Community Life Centers.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions
If You Want M2C . . . Txt Me: How to Engage Adolescents in the FAR Process?
Christa M. Doty, MSW, LCSW, and Missy Berglund, BA, Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver, Denver, CO
A key philosophical tenet of FAR is including the voices of all family members in the assessment and solution-building
processes. Many of our tools are geared toward younger children, yet how do we engage those hard-to-relate-to adolescents?
How do we honor where they are developmentally and still hear their voices? Through our time together, we will explore
creative ways to engage adolescents in the FAR process so their voices can be heard.
Co-Located Advocacy: Supporting Child Welfare, Domestic Violence Victims, and Child Safety
Through Community Engagement
Heidi Rankin, MPA, David Mandel & Associates, LLC, Canton, CT, and Shelby Borchers, LSW, Artemis Center/Montgomery County
Children’s Services, Dayton, OH
Engaging the domestic violence and child welfare communities in a collaborative effort to protect children and support
domestic violence victims is necessary to good practice in both fields. Co-located advocates have unique opportunities to
support child welfare and families alike. This workshop will discuss advocacy institutes, strategies for collaboration, and
information from a co-located advocate on how her role supports child welfare’s mission. Participants will discuss
implementation of co-located advocacy initiatives.
Aiming to Go Beyond Child Abuse: The Struggle to Develop Differential Response in the Japanese
Child Welfare System
Yukako Hatakeyama, PhD, MSW, MA, Kobe Women’s Junior College, Kobe, Japan
Contributors: Taishi Arimura, PhD, Japan College of Social Work, Tokyo, Japan; Tokuma Ito, Chigasaki-City Social Work Office,
Kanagawa, Japan; Koji Sasai, Numazu-City Social Work Office, Shizuoka, Japan; Mitsuo Tashiro, Kamakura-Miura Child Guidance
Center, Kanagawa, Japan; Toshihiko Tsuchihashi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan; Keiko Yoshida, Sakai-City Social Work Office,
Osaka, Japan; and Tadashi Wanatanabe, Chiba Central Child Guidance Center, Chiba, Japan
This presentation intends to introduce a unique system and strategies in order to engage with vulnerable families in Japanese
child welfare services. It was developed from the traditional informal mutual support system in the Japanese culture. This
presentation will discuss the recent struggles to unite the traditional support system and CPS, as well as efforts to incorporate
the concept of DR into Japanese child welfare as a possible solution for these struggles.
Testing the DR Logic Model: Associating Engagement With Services and Outcomes
Dana Hollinshead, PhD, John Fluke, PhD, and Lisa Merkel-Holguin, MSW, The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of
Child Abuse and Neglect, Aurora, CO
Between 2009 and 2013, the Quality Improvement Center on Differential Response (QIC-DR) conducted a multi-site,
randomized control study examining the implementation of DR systems and associated client outcomes. Using data from two
sites involved in the QIC-DR’s study, this presentation will share the results of analyses examining the impact of the
alternative response intervention on the engagement of parents, service utilization, and outcomes.
How Are You Doing This? Designing and Launching Community-Led Differential Response
Scott Trotter, MBA, Orange County Child Abuse Prevention Center, Orange, CA; Danny Sells, Olive Crest/Safe Families for
Children, Santa Ana, CA; and David Zietz, MA, LMFT, Child Abuse Registry, Social Services Agency, Orange County, CA
We get the question “How are you doing this?” too often. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the importance of breaking down the
referral/engagement process to allow community-based organizations (CBOs) to match their involvement with their
appetites for risk, mission fit, economics, and skill sets. The right match can allow funders and volunteers to support causedriven CBOs, bringing prevention-based response to kids. This interactive workshop will help you develop your local plan for
creating or improving CBO-supported DR.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Selecting a Pathway: RED Team Innovations
Rob Sawyer, MSW, LICSW, Child Welfare Consultant, Rochester, MN, and Sue Lohrbach, MS, LICSW, KVC Inc., Olathe, KS
The originators of the RED (Review, Evaluate, Direct) Team will offer a practical orientation to implementation of the process,
present information on adaptations from other jurisdictions, and share information regarding a readiness assessment tool to
aid in implementation and review. The RED Team process promotes critical thinking, transparency of decision making,
shared risk taking, and accountability regarding the initial response to a report of child maltreatment. RED Teams are
developed to structure the initial decision-making process in DR systems.
Drawing Upon the Knowledge Base for Successfully Achieving Differential Response
Implementation: An Introduction to the DR Implementation Resource Kit
Kai Guterman, MA, MPP, and Kevin Solarte, MSW, Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA
For child welfare jurisdictions planning for DR implementation, this workshop introduces the DR Implementation Resource
Kit, a web-based implementation guide and comprehensive set of resources. Utilizing the existing knowledge base by drawing
upon DR implementation experiences across the U.S., the Resource Kit provides an understanding of the basic design features
associated with successful DR implementation, the various pathways and processes that have led to successful
implementation, and commonly encountered barriers and strategies for overcoming them.
11:45 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch on Your Own
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Family, Community, Provider Partnerships: Servicing Families in the Community Through
Agency Collaboration
Michael A. DeGretto, BA, Arapahoe County Department of Human Services, Aurora, CO; Dan Makelky, MPA, Douglas County
Department of Human Services, Castle Rock, CO; Austin Topolnicki, Shiloh House Chief Administrative Officer, Littleton, CO; and
Kira Suurvarik, Juvenile Assessment Center, Centennial, CO
This workshop will walk participants through the development and implementation of the Arapahoe and Douglas Counties
Shiloh House Family Resource Center. The Family Resource Center was conceptualized and developed in 2011 with the
intention of servicing children, youth, and families in the community with a one-stop-shop approach. By collaborating with
other agencies (Senate Bill-94, Juvenile Assessment Center [JAC], 18th Judicial Probation, Shiloh House, Synergy Drug and
Alcohol Services, Arapahoe Douglas Mental, and Arapahoe and Douglas Counties), we have developed a cutting edge
community partnership that is redefining the ways in which Arapahoe and Douglas Counties bring a true community-based
service approach to how families obtain services.
Final Results From the Evaluation of Ohio’s Six County Alternative Response (SOAR) Project
Julie Murphy, MSW, and Linda Newton-Curtis, MS, Human Services Research Institute, Tualatin, OR
This presentation will highlight the findings from a three-year evaluation of a six-county effort in Ohio to implement DR. The
presentation will describe the two-track DR system in Ohio, as well as describe the findings from a qualitative process study
and an outcomes study built upon random assignment. The presentation will also describe efforts to look at fidelity to the DR
model and impact of implementation on the child welfare system in these six counties.
Sustaining and Advancing Safety Organized Practice: Committing to Engagement and Partnership
Throughout the Child Welfare Continuum
Kari Hohn, BSW, Olmsted County Child and Family Services, Rochester, MN; Scott Maloney, MSW, Family Service
Rochester/Dodge County Human Services, Rochester, MN; and Jessie Stratton, MSW, Olmsted County Child and Family Services,
Rochester, MN
Implementing DR requires energy spent on organizational structure, procedures, and agency culture. Presenters will share
one agency’s journey, beginning in 1999 with the inclusion of a DR “track.” Since then, the organization has evolved to create
a DR “system” that includes multiple entry points for services and support. This presentation will center on changing a
system by focusing on family engagement and involvement, enhancement of worker skills, and commitment to developing
meaningful partnerships.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
CT’s Community Support for Families Program: Lessons Learned From an Interactional
Perspective
Kimberly Nilson, MSW, Department of Children and Families, Hartford, CT; Kenneth Cabral, Department of Children and Families,
Hartford, CT; Marcy Kane, PhD, Wellmore Behavioral Health, Waterbury, CT; Victoria Bosse, LMFT, Wellmore Behavioral Health,
Waterbury, CT; and Lillanya Gray, MSW, University of Connecticut School of Social Work (Performance Improvement Center),
West Hartford, CT
In April 2012, Connecticut’s Department of Children and Families implemented the family assessment response Community
Support for Families (CSF) program. In this case-based panel presentation, a family’s movement through CSF from referral to
post discharge will be used to demonstrate how child welfare, community partners, and performance improvement team
members work together to simultaneously engage, connect, and empower the families in the program. Findings from the
evaluation of this program will be presented.
Public/Private Partnership: Building Differential Response With the Community
Jeanne McShane, MSW, Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), Children’s Administration, Olympia, WA;
Ron Murphy, MSW, Casey Family Programs, Seattle, WA; Rachel Austin, Community Health Worker, Better Health
Together, Spokane, WA; and Heidi Kennedy, MSW, DSHS, Children’s Administration, Mount Vernon, WA
This workshop illustrates Washington State’s efforts to include the community in the development of family assessment
response (FAR). The workshop will provide a brief overview of FAR implementation in Washington, followed by a panel
discussion about the impact of improved partnerships between child welfare and the community. The panel will include
representatives from Casey Family Programs, Better Health Together, a Children’s Administration FAR social worker, and a
parent who has experienced a FAR CPS intervention.
Implementing a Child Abuse Prevention Program
Nicholas Neal, MPA, MLEA, and Brandy Jania, MS, Geminus Corporation, Merrillville, IN
Community Partners will present on how to engage families in a voluntary prevention services program. We will focus on
how to engage families, properly assess the families’ needs, link the families to community agencies, keep a family engaged,
and teach empowerment skills. We will discuss skills for implementing a child abuse prevention program, as well as the
process of recruiting various community agencies to commit to the importance of prevention services.
The Fish Philosophy: Build Stronger Relationships With the Team Members We Work With, the
Families We Serve, and the People We Love
Dan Comer, MA, Barium Springs Training Group, Asheville, NC
The FISH! Philosophy includes four simple, interconnected practices:
Be There is being emotionally present for people. It’s a powerful message of respect that improves communication and
strengthens relationships. Play taps into your natural way of being creative, enthusiastic, and fun-loving. Make Their Day is
finding simple ways to serve or delight people in a meaningful, memorable way. Choose Your Attitude means taking
responsibility for how you respond to what life throws at you.
3:15 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Critical Incident Stress Management Groups as
Treatment Options for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence
Minnie P. Allen, MSW, LICSW, and Shayna Waites, MA, MSW, LGSW, Howard University, School of Social Work, Washington, DC
This presentation offers two group treatment options for treating children exposed to intimate partner violence and who are
also termed poly-victims due to other family, community, and environmental abuses. This presentation will draw
comparisons between the two interventions and, where applicable, point out the challenges and weaknesses of the
interventions as a group modality for children with severe victimization issues related to social and environmental exposures
to violence.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Larimer County After Dark: How Our After Hours Child Protection Team Responds to Crisis and
Supports Our Agency (An Organizational Response to 24/7 Safety Monitoring)
Danielle Hicks and Becky Tolpa, Larimer County Department of Human Services, Fort Collins, CO
Larimer County’s unique design of after hours response allows our agency to provide both DR and high risk assessment (also
called investigation) after business hours. Our style also provides opportunity for enhanced screening and safety monitoring
in FAR and high risk assessment cases, leaving children in their homes as an option in some cases where it may not otherwise
be an option. This high stress job has very little turnover with a high degree of skill level of our casework staff. Learn how our
system works and how it might work for you.
The Alignment or Misalignment of Hypotheses, Proclamations, and Data: A Discussion
Lisa Merkel-Holguin, MSW, The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, Aurora, CO
There are a number of hypotheses and proclamations that are suggested in newspaper stories, grant and waiver applications,
trainings, and practice manuals regarding the types of outcomes that will be achieved if DR is implemented. You likely have
seen the following: 1) families will be better engaged if they receive alternative response (AR); 2) the child welfare system
will save money; 3) the number of children entering foster care will decrease; and 4) children will be as safe or safer if they
receive AR. Likely, these proclamations stem from findings from one or multiple evaluations. But, what if different
evaluations from different jurisdictions implementing DR don’t replicate such findings, or show the opposite? The purpose of
this session is to discuss the framing of DR in the years to come. Come and participate in what is likely going to be a lively
dialogue.
Using Implementation Science to Support Engagement of Families to Achieve Child Safety:
Lessons From Family Connections
Diane DePanfilis, PhD, MSW, University of Maryland School of Social Work, Baltimore, MD; Theresa Costello, MA, ACTION for
Child Protection, Charlotte, NC; and Tarrin Reed, MSW, ACTION for Child Protection, Charlotte, NC
There is a growing consensus that improving the effectiveness of child welfare services is as much influenced by the process
of implementing innovative practices as the efficacy of the practices implemented. This session will illustrate how the
National Implementation Research Network (NIRN) framework for implementation is used to guide the implementation of
Family Connections as a multi-modal family strengthening intervention designed and tested to engage families and
communities to keep children safe.
Screening Decisions in Large and Small Counties: When Do We Intervene With Families
Experiencing Child Abuse and Neglect?
Cary Brown, MSSA, LISW-S, Lucas County Children Services, Toledo, OH
This session will include a review of the Ohio screening guidelines for physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and family in
need of services reports. Options for screening reports in or out will be provided to participants. Variations between large
and small county screening practices will be discussed. Agency practices with domestic violence, opiate and marijuanapositive infants, and parents with opiate addiction will be discussed.
Coaching to Foster Culturally Responsive Family Assessments in a DR System
Michelle Howard, MS, LPC, The Kempe Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Child Abuse and Neglect, Aurora, CO
There are cultures within cultures within cultures: family cultures, cultures based on race or heritage, professional cultures,
and the culture of the communities in which we live, among others. It may feel overwhelming to supervisors and workers
alike to be culturally responsive with families. At times it may make us want to retreat from the conversation rather than lean
into it. This workshop will help supervisors and front-line staff establish a coaching relationship to navigate the challenges of
ensuring culturally responsive practice. Through a situation-based learning format, participants will be able to identify what
they already know and what they need to know to respond to the cultural needs of families. Participants will use critical
thinking to achieve confidence in leaning into an informative conversation rather than away.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Thursday, November 13, 2014
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Three-Hour Breakout Sessions
Family Engagement Strategies When Engagement Is Challenging
Vicky Kelly, PsyD, MSW, MHA, Director, Delaware Division of Family Services, Wilmington, DE
Often, the families that most need support can be the most challenging to engage, defeating even the most dedicated
caseworkers. This skills-based workshop will integrate research on trauma and attachment to increase understanding of
challenging behaviors and reactions. Practical skills will address challenges related to dealing with inevitable “speed bumps”
that rupture connection, as well as more confusing patterns of self-defeating behaviors. Skills for understanding and
responding to caseworker reactions of vicarious trauma and burnout will also be discussed.
Enhancing Child Welfare Practice Through the Use of Ohio’s Differential Response Practice
Profiles
Sonia Tillman, MSW, MA, LSW, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Columbus, OH, and Stacy Cox, MSW, Champaign
County Department of Job and Family Services, Urbana, OH
How do you describe the practices of advocating, assessing, collaborating, engaging, and partnering? What indicators are
used to know whether these skills are being consistently demonstrated with families and community partners? This session
will provide an introduction to Ohio’s Differential Response Practice Profiles and discussion about how this tool can assist in
identifying training and coaching agendas, as well as potential systemic issues preventing practitioners from demonstrating
ideal practices across 10 key worker skill sets.
Tools of Engagement
Dan Comer, MA, Barium Springs Training Group, Asheville, NC
Successful engagement is at the core of DR and is best practice for any role in helping families, agencies, or communities make
and sustain change. Good engagement leads to better outcomes and increased safety for children, as well as better buy-in and
collaboration when it happens between systems or within agencies. Spend a day exploring the Principles of Partnership,
learning concrete tools and strategies to put the principles into action to increase engagement, and sharing in the power of
parallel practice.
Transforming Parent Engagement: Exploration of Supportive Relationships Across the Lifespan
and What They Can Add to Children’s and Youths’ Lives Now
Kevin Campbell, National Institute for Permanent Family Connectedness at Seneca Family of Agencies, Oakland, CA
Parents contacted by child welfare professionals are often facing challenges that limit their ability to meet their own and their
children’s basic needs. Early engagement increases our potential to provide positive, meaningful assistance to address these
challenges. In this seminar, participants will experience a strengths-based approach to initial engagement, including
strategies for parent empowerment, tools to establish and strengthen parents’ relationships within their families and
communities, and practices to determine the engagement level parents experience through DR.
Bringing Differential Response Alive: Stories and Secrets for Success From Workers and
Supervisors
Philip Decter, MSW, NCCD Children’s Research Center, Boston, MA and Mollie Warren, MPA, NCCD Children’s Research Center,
Denver, CO
Most descriptions of DR implementations focus on the actions of agency leadership. Drawing on lessons learned from
workers, supervisors, and coaches from around Colorado, this skills institute will instead showcase the stories and secrets
that contributed to significant change in front-line social work practice and in organizational culture. Through video
recordings and experiential exercises, participants will leave with action steps they can take to make their agencies’ DR
implementations more collaborative and effective.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Teaming Domestic Violence Cases
Kyle Pinto, MSW, and Heidi Rankin, MPA, David Mandel & Associates, LLC, Canton, CT
Teaming cases in DR is an invaluable practice to support child welfare. This teaming process can be uniquely informed by
using the Safe and Together model components to guide tracking, engagement, and planning in cases that involve both
domestic violence and child maltreatment. Using the Safe and Together model as a guide, this workshop will provide
participants with an opportunity to practice teaming a domestic violence case to guide engagement and practice.
Supervision and Leadership: The Art of Using Catalyzing Inquiry to Facilitate Critical Thinking
Christa M. Doty, MSW, LCSW, and Leslie E. Wilmot, MSSW, Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver, Denver, CO
The reward of supervision is inspiring growth and insight in staff by seeing them critically think through situations. The art of
supervision is to purposefully utilize questions to help staff with professional growth. We will explore the various levels of
questions, as well as when and how to use them. You will leave with new skills to enhance your supervision with staff and
have a purposeful outcome, which workers will then model with children and families.
12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. General Session (lunch provided)
What Is Happiness?
Donna Miller, MS, The Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Southern
Connecticut, Stamford, CT
This keynote address will begin to define happiness as the overall experience of meaning and
pleasure. The session will address constructs that can lead to a happy life, one that combines
positive emotions and a sense of purpose. Topics covered include finding flow, identifying our
purpose, dealing with stress and procrastination, and the happiness revolution.
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Breakout Sessions
Don’t Give Up! Planning for When a Fatality or Egregious Incident Occurs in FAR
Missy Berglund, BA, Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver, Denver CO; Angela Lytle, MSW, and Michelle Dossey,
MSW, Arapahoe County Department of Human Services, Aurora, CO
Historically, child fatalities and egregious incidents have occurred within families involved with child welfare. Like virtually
all child welfare practices, the worst outcomes also occur within families involved in DR. However, when they do, this entire
approach is called into question. How can we change this reaction so that DR is evenly weighted with other approaches and
supported to grow and thrive? Join us as we discuss a healing and learning response from a couple of thriving programs.
Oregon’s Community-Involved Approach to DR Implementation
Stacy Lake, LMSW, Differential Response Manager, Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare, Salem, OR; Jeremy
Player, District Manager, Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare, Klamath Falls, OR; DHS supervisor from one of
the initial implementing sites, Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare, Eugene, OR; Traci Savoy, Casey Family
Programs, Seattle, WA; Michael Ware, Clearview & Associates Consultant Promoting “Equity of Inclusion,” Portland, OR; Dana
Ainam, BS, Children & Family Services Manager, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, Grand Ronde, OR; and Shary Mason,
Juvenile Court Programs, Oregon Judicial Department, Portland, OR
Early implementation activities in Oregon involved over 100 people, including philanthropic partners, staff, and community
stakeholders. This workshop explores the importance of collaboration and other key strategies necessary to support
implementation planning. The workshop will also examine how Oregon customized lessons learned nationally to inform the
exploration and installation phases, development of a statewide implementation team, and utilization of principles from
Implementation Science to drive this effort. Oregon launched a staged implementation in May 2014.
Thursday, November 13 , 2014
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
The Family Engagement Inventory: An Evidence-Based Cross-Disciplinary Synthesis
Christine Tappan, MSW, CAGS, Penny Putnam-Collins, MPA, and Alicia Gallant, Child Welfare Information Gateway, Fairfax, VA
The Family Engagement Inventory is an interactive web-based tool designed to familiarize professionals in child welfare,
juvenile justice, behavioral health, early childhood education, and education with family engagement as defined and
implemented across these fields of practice and to aggregate knowledge in a way that assists professionals in engaging in true
multidisciplinary exploration of family engagement. Understanding the commonalities and differences in family engagement
supports cross-system collaboration among systems often working with the same families.
Engaging and Collaborating With Stakeholders in the Phases of Differential Response
Implementation
Julie Allison, MPA, Mike McInroy, LMSW, and Lori Lipscomb, Service Area Manager, Iowa Department of Human Services, Des
Moines, IA; and Christine Secrist, PhD, LMFT, Executive Director, Mid-Iowa Family Therapy Clinic, Inc., Perry, IA
Strong private and public collaboration in child welfare policy and practice leads to positive outcomes for children and
families. During Iowa’s DR implementation phases (vision, exploration and design, infrastructure support, initial
implementation, and full implementation) the Department of Human Services and stakeholders worked together. The
screening tool used by the Department to determine which families receive a family assessment will be shared. The logic set
regarding screening tool criteria, data collection, and the operationalization of DR implementation will be presented to
provide participants with a broad overview regarding Iowa’s DR system.
Washington State’s IV-E Waiver Family Assessment Response (FAR) and Preliminary Process
Evaluation Findings
Dawn Cooper, MSW, Children’s Administration, Olympia, WA; David Marshall, PhD, Research Data and Analysis, Olympia, WA;
Peter Selby, PhD, TriWest Group, Seattle, WA; and Tonya Aultman-Bettridge, PhD, and David Bartsch, PhD, TriWest Group,
Boulder, CO
This session will review the experiences of Washington State’s Children’s Administration’s first 8 months of FAR
implementation. The panel will discuss implementation successes and challenges, as well as share caseworker and family
experiences with this new child welfare pathway. In addition, the evaluation team will present some preliminary data
regarding implementation lessons learned, the intake/evaluation process, the proportion of families opting in and out of the
program, and progress monitoring instances of minority disproportionality in the system.
Engaging Families in an Alliance
Donna Miller, MS, The Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse of Southern Connecticut, Stamford, CT
In this workshop, participants will learn effective ways to establish a positive alliance with families. These alliances are
proven to be formed around individual goals that are agreed upon by each family member, even though they may each see
the problem differently. Participants will understand the change process, engage in activities related to resistance and
resiliency, and learn techniques to use with families to create an alliance. The theory behind engagement is that people do
things because it makes them feel good and has meaning for them. Participants will understand and build skills that will show
them how to help families achieve a new vision for themselves based on their strengths, creativity, sense of humor,
perseverance, and appreciation.
Thursday, November 13 , 2014
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Friday, November 14, 2014
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. General Session (breakfast included)
10:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. Breakout Sessions
Birth Parent Involvement: Developing Indicators to Establish Meaningful Involvement
Jeri L. Damman, MSc, University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare, Lawrence, KS
Parent involvement is a complex term that is difficult to measure and evaluate. This workshop addresses involvement from a
historical perspective and reviews current measures of participation used in child welfare. These measures are then
organized by key domains and serve as a framework to measure development in DR. This workshop emphasizes the need for
involvement to be meaningful in order to promote multi-level change to address the historical challenges experienced by
birth parents.
Responding Differently: Engaging Families in Voluntary Services Following a CPS Assessment
Christine Secrist, PhD, LMFT, Mid-Iowa Family Therapy Clinic, Inc., Perry, IA; Lori Mozena, MS, LMFT, Mid-Iowa Family Therapy
Clinic, Inc., Windsor Heights, IA; and Lisa Bellows, MS, LISW, Mid-Iowa Family Therapy Clinic, Inc., Council Bluffs, IA
Iowa recently implemented a DR approach with two pathways: child abuse assessment and family assessment. Community
Care is a voluntary service provided through a contract with the Iowa Department of Human Services and is the only
contracted service available to families involved in a family assessment. The presenters will discuss strategies for engaging
families following a family assessment in order to keep children safe, families intact, and reduce the risk for further
intervention.
Building on Differential Response: The Title IV-E Waiver and Ongoing Systems Change in
Colorado
Helen Holmquist-Johnson, PhD, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; Julie Murphy, MSW, Human Services Research
Institute, Tualatin, OR; and Rebecca Orsi, PhD, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Colorado is currently conducting a demonstration project that expands child welfare system reform and embraces values
consistent with DR: caregiver and family engagement, child and youth inclusion, and trauma-informed care. Join us for a brief
overview of the Title IV-E Waiver interventions, including family engagement, permanency roundtables, kinship supports and
trauma screening, and assessment. The overview will be followed by a more in-depth presentation about successes,
challenges, and early learnings from the IV-E Waiver evaluation.
Judgments Can Wait; Looking in the Mirror to Better Engage With Families
Missy Berglund, BA, and Leslie E. Wilmot, MSSW, Butler Institute for Families at the University of Denver, Denver, CO
Explore with us how our thoughts, beliefs, and even basic language use may influence our ability to create lasting change.
This session will examine the multiple perspectives from which we approach our work while exploring how some serve us
while others may disrupt success. Explore what it takes to trust that families know what is best for them and take pride in
refusing to take credit for the achievement of others.
This Little Light of Mine, I’m Going to Let It Shine
Monica Morton, MS, MSSA, and Tracy Pedani, MSW, LISW-S, Stark County Job & Family Services, Canton, OH
How do you keep your “Eternal Flame” burning? How do you prevent your “Candle in the Wind” from burning out? How do I
“Light My Fire”? In this innovative workshop, learn how to recognize, prevent, and recover from burnout and compassion
fatigue. Discover how alternative response increases compassion satisfaction. Tools for assessment and self-care will be
provided. Re-ignite your fire and let it burn!
Friday, November 14, 2014
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Early Intervention and Community Response in Human Services: Why Re-Invent the Wheel?
Wade Branstetter, MA, Boulder County Housing & Human Services, Boulder, CO
If you have ever wondered what direct prevention services looks like in the field of child welfare, this workshop is for you.
The Boulder County Early Intervention Team has built a strong and consistent model for assisting clients with services
tailored to the family. Services are voluntary and offer case-management assistance, community referrals, and monetary
support. The goal of the team is to prevent entry (or increased involvement) in the child welfare system. If you would like to
find out how this program works, this is a great place to come and learn from our experiences.
About Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the largest city in the Pacific Northwest and offers much more than fresh seafood and the Seattle Seahawks. Its
cultural attractions and museums, outdoor recreation, shopping, and endless dining opportunities attract millions of visitors
from around the world each year. The conference will take place only a few blocks from numerous attractions, including Pike
Place Market, Seattle Waterfront, 5th Avenue Theatre, Space Needle, and Nordstrom’s flagship store. We picked a location in
the heart of the city to provide participants with an opportunity to explore the many attractions in the evenings.
Lodging
This year’s conference will be held at The Westin Seattle. The Westin Seattle is a AAA Four Diamond award-winning hotel in
downtown Seattle. The hotel offers in-room spa services, a full gym, an indoor pool and hot tub, as well as a full-service
restaurant. Located in the shopping and financial districts of downtown Seattle and across the street from the light rail
station, you will find it easy to travel around the city. We have secured a reduced rate of $159 per night (plus 7% room tax,
8.6% sales tax, and a $2.00 STA fee per night). Room rate is based on single or double occupancy. To add a third person to the
room will cost $30.00 per night. We have a limited room block and suggest you make reservations early to secure the reduced
room rate. Whether or not the room block sells out, the reduced rate will not be available after October 12, 2014. This rate
includes high-speed Internet and is available 3 days prior to and after the event in case you want to extend your visit. Make
your reservation by October 12, 2014, online at https://www.starwoodmeeting.com/Book/9thAnnualDifferential or call 1888-627-8513 and mention the “Differential Response Conference” rate.
Travel to Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is served by most major and discount airlines and provides numerous daily flights all
over the U.S. and internationally.
Travel to Hotel
The hotel address is 1900 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101.
Airport Shuttle
We have arranged a significant discount with Shuttle Express for shuttles between the airport and The Westin Seattle. The
round trip cost is $25 per person if you book 3 weeks in advance. To book your shuttle, please visit
http://shuttleexpress.hudsonltd.net/res?USERIDENTRY=DRC&LOGON=GO or call 425-981-7000 and reference the
“Differential Response Conference.”
Link Light Rail
The hotel is located 0.2 miles from the Westlake Station. The light rail departs frequently from the airport and will take about
40 minutes. Fares are $2.75 one-way.
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THE 9TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE IN CHILD WELFARE
Taxi
Taxi service is readily available from the airport and hotel. The average taxi fare is $45 from the airport to the hotel.
Parking
Valet parking is available at the hotel for $46 per day. Self-parking is available at several lots in the area. In the Westin
Building on 5th Avenue (not associated with the hotel), parking is available for $14 for the day (in before 10:00 a.m. and park
less than 10 hours) or $26 for overnight parking if you mention that you are staying at the hotel. This building is connected to
The Westin Hotel by a sky bridge on the second floor.
Weather
Average temperatures are in the 50s in November. Rain is always a possibility, though sunny days tend to outnumber the
rainy days in the fall.
Attire
Business casual attire is encouraged at this event. The temperatures in the conference rooms will be monitored for your
comfort, but we do recommend that you bring a shawl or sweater with you, as it does take a while to adjust the temperatures
and the conference rooms are often quite cool at the beginning of the day.
Registration Cost
For the fourth year in a row, we are able to keep the cost of registration to only $360 if you register before October 1,
2014. Registration includes your attendance to all of the breakout sessions on Wednesday through Friday. Included in your
registration fee are all conference materials and three meals provided at the event. Participants who register between
October 1, 2014, and November 7, 2014, will pay $395. Registration any time after November 7, 2014, will have to be done
on-site and will cost $425.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Participants may earn up to 12 CEUs by the Washington Chapter, National Association of Social Workers (NASW) for Licensed
Social Workers, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapists, and Licensed Mental Health Counselors. CEUs are available for $20.
Participants will be required to collect a presenter’s signature at each session they attend.
Registration Instructions
Online Registration: Visit https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=93386a. Online registration offers the option to pay by credit
card for up to one registrant at a time.
OR
Group Registration and/or Payment by Check: If you need to register multiple participants with the same method of
payment or you need to pay for registration with a check, please email [email protected] and we will provide you with a form
to complete and/or instructions on where to mail the check.
Questions
Questions about the conference should be directed to [email protected] or by calling 303-630-9429.
Cancellations
Any request for a refund must be received in writing no later than October 10, 2014. A service fee of $100 will be charged for
all cancellations received by October 10, 2014. Cancellations after October 10, 2014, and before November 11, 2014, will be
charged one-half the conference registration fee. Cancellation notifications received after November 11, 2014, are not eligible
for refunds. You may substitute your registration with another person’s without a charge. Please send substitutions and
cancellation notices to [email protected].
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