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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:11 pm
Time: 8:11 pm
Results for defending childhood initiative
5 results foundAuthor: Swaner, Rachel Title: Protect, Heal, Thrive: Lessons Learned from the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program Summary: In order to address the high prevalence of children's exposure to violence, eight sites around the country were selected by the Department of Justice for the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program. This national initiative aims: 1) to prevent children's exposure to violence; 2) to mitigate the negative impact of such exposure when it does occur; and 3) to develop knowledge and spread awareness about children's exposure to violence, both within and beyond the chosen pilot sites. The eight demonstration sites were tasked with developing and implementing comprehensive strategies that could include both universal and targeted prevention programs; case management and treatment interventions for children who had been exposed to violence; community awareness and education; and professional training designed to increase the knowledge of children's exposure to violence, trauma-informed care, and the use of proven evidence-based or promising treatment practices. Part of the evaluation of the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program, this report is a cross-site synthesis of implementation strategies, lessons learned, and promising practices in six of the eight sites: Boston, MA; Chippewa Cree Tribe, Rocky Boy's Reservation, MT; Cuyahoga County, OH; Grand Forks, ND; Rosebud Sioux Tribe, SD; and Shelby County, TN. This mixed-method study included three primary data collection methods: 1) multiple site visits involving interviews with key stakeholders and observations of meetings or events at each site; 2) quarterly site implementation reports tracking quantitative program outputs; and 3) document review of important planning documents, program records, and other materials. The Defending Childhood sites made decisions about their strategies using their own needs assessments; discussions among their collaborative bodies; and informal evaluations of implementation feasibility. Program models vary greatly by site; however, general themes and lessons emerged as all of the sites worked to tackle children's exposure to violence. Based on the identified findings and lessons, this report provides 58 distinct recommendations, which sub-divide into recommendations for: (1) other jurisdictions, (2) tribal sites, (3) funders, (4) technical assistance providers, and (5) evaluators who may be studying similar initiatives. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 3, 2015 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248882.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/248882.pdf Shelf Number: 135856 Keywords: Children and Violence Children Exposed to Violence Defending Childhood InitiativeDelinquency Prevention |
Author: Jensen, Elise Title: Building a Safer Tomorrow: A Process Evaluation of Grand Forks County Defending Childhood Initiative Summary: Safer Tomorrows, the Grand Forks Defending Childhood Initiative, was unique in its implementation of universal prevention programming in Grand Forks County schools, extending to all students (pre-kindergarten through high school) in public, private, and rural schools. The programs addressed multiple forms of violence (e.g., bullying, dating violence); strategies for preventing violence; fostering healthy positive relationships with others; and improving personal social-emotional health. Other components of Safer Tomorrows included trauma-informed treatment for children exposed to violence; community awareness strategies tailored to the local sports culture; and training of professionals on topics related to children's exposure to violence and trauma. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Grand_Forks_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Grand_Forks_0.pdf Shelf Number: 136023 Keywords: Children and ViolenceChildren Exposed to ViolenceDefending Childhood InitiativeDelinquency Prevention |
Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: "We Have the Power to Stop the Violence": A Process Evaluation of Cuyahoga County's Defending Childhood Initiative Summary: As part of the U.S. Attorney General's Defending Childhood Demonstration Program, eight sites around the country were funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the Office of Violence Against Women to use a collaborative process to develop and implement programming to address children's exposure to violence in their communities. Cuyahoga County, Ohio was chosen as one of these sites, and, since 2010, has received over $3 million in federal funding for this initiative. Led by the Witness/Victim Service Center at Cuyahoga County's Department of Public Safety & Justice Services, the Cuyahoga County Defending Childhood Initiative (CCDCI) created a streamlined screening, assessment, and service system implemented county-wide for children ages 0-18 who have been exposed to violence and are experiencing trauma symptoms. Smaller initiative components included two targeted evidence-based/promising prevention programs (Adults and Children Together; Families and Schools Together) in high-risk neighborhoods; community awareness and education campaigns; and professional training activities. The county-wide system for treating children who have been exposed to violence represented a system-level reform that was unique to the Cuyahoga County Defending Childhood Initiative. The first step in the system focuses on identification and screening. A short, one-page screener was created for children seven years of age and younger (completed by the caregiver) and for children eight years of age and older (completed by the child). The Juvenile Court and the Department of Children and Family Services are the primary screening agencies. If a child screens as having been exposed to violence or trauma, it leads to a referral to a newly created Central Intake and Assessment office for a full assessment, the second step in the system. If the child screens positive on the full assessment, the child is then referred to the final step in the system: appropriate evidence-based treatment services such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or Parent Child Interaction Therapy, administered by a CCDCI contracted agency. Although there were barriers and challenges to implementation for each program component, the CCDCI can be potentially viewed as a model for a countywide streamlined screening, assessment, and service system to systematically address children's exposure to violence. The high level of detail and sophistication in many of the strategies in Cuyahoga County could provide other cities with a clear roadmap and guidance for replication. However, it is unknown whether or not Cuyahoga County's strong preexisting service infrastructure, interdisciplinary collaboration, and local research capacity may be found in comparable cities. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Cuyahoga.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Cuyahoga.pdf Shelf Number: 136024 Keywords: Children and ViolenceChildren Exposed to ViolenceDefending Childhood InitiativeDelinquency Prevention |
Author: Ayoub, Lama Hassoun Title: Tackling Urban Inequalities: A Process Evaluation of the Boston Defending Childhood Initiative Summary: The Boston Defending Childhood Initiative centralized the importance of racial/social justice and health equity during planning and implementation in nearly every approach for addressing children's exposure to violence. Specific strategies included funding community health centers to provide treatment for children exposed to violence; funding local community organizations to implement family nurturing programs; creating a youth-led and produced web series to raise awareness about violence; and engaging professionals (e.g., through "learning communities") in long-term training on topics related to trauma-informed care and evidence-based therapeutic interventions. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Boston_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Boston_0.pdf Shelf Number: 136025 Keywords: Children and ViolenceChildren Exposured to ViolenceDefending Childhood InitiativeDelinquency Prevention |
Author: Swaner, Rachel Title: An Outcome Evaluation of the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program Summary: The National Institute of Justice funded the Center for Court Innovation to evaluate the Defending Childhood Demonstration Program. The evaluation produced a series of reports on six of the program demonstration sites, as well as a cross-site report that synthesizes implementation strategies, lessons learned, and recommendations. This outcome evaluation presents the results of three distinct research strategies to assess the impact of local sites' community awareness campaigns, trainings offered to professionals, and treatment and prevention strategies related to children's exposure to violence. Results of the community survey point to potential positive impacts, including increased community understanding of what actions are considered violence at the non-tribal sites, and increased community awareness of the Defending Childhood Initiative and available services at the tribal sites. Results of the professional practices survey indicate that after attending a Defending Childhood-sponsored training, professionals' knowledge about children's exposure to violence, evidence-based practices, and vicarious trauma and self-care increased. Additionally, agencies reported incorporating more trauma-informed practices to treat children who have been exposed to violence. There were no changes in indicators for exposure to violence at school, home, and in the community before and after the implementation of the Defending Childhood Initiative. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2015. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 5, 2015 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Defending%20Childhood%20Outcome%20Evaluation.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/Defending%20Childhood%20Outcome%20Evaluation.pdf Shelf Number: 137200 Keywords: Children and ViolenceChildren Exposed to ViolenceDefending Childhood InitiativeDelinquency Prevention |