An overwhelming number of the families that child welfare agencies see are affected by drugs and alcohol. Agency workers often do not have the resources or the expertise to respond effectively to the resulting prob- lems. Children from these families are placed in foster care at alarming rates, as workers often feel no hope of keeping the families together safely. With safety of children as a primary focus, the workers learn to help people who are reluctant and ambivalent about modifying their behaviors, and how to support those people through the change process.
Workers appreciate learning new skills for helping drug-affected families.
They report more success in engaging people, feeling hopeful, and in facilitating behavior change. They should assess their own readiness to lead the training and, if they feel they need help, they should call the consultants listed below. Consultants available for training include Jill Kinney 253.927.7547, and Kathy Strand 253.627.3533. Deborah Gibbs 919.541.6942 is available for help with evaluation.