Tagged With "Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina"
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The Standardized Assessment Protocol Welcomes Cabarrus County to the Fold
Benchmarks is excited to welcome Cabarrus County DSS as the newest member of our Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) project! The SAP project is a process created to ensure prompt trauma screening for children over the age of four entering foster care to quickly identify a child’s need for further assessment, which increases their likelihood to receive the treatment necessary to reach their full potential. This treatment goes beyond just mental and behavioral health; treatment...
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Helpful Takeaways From Trauma 101 Training
Benchmarks’ Partnering for Excellence (PFE) aims to cultivate trauma-informed communities among child welfare systems across the state of North Carolina. In addition to helping community partners implement a trauma-informed pathway for child welfare involved youth, Benchmarks’ PFE hosts a bi-annual NCTSN Trauma 101 Training for social workers and community members. Pitt and Craven Counties recently wrapped up their fall Trauma 101 Training. The four-day training dives deep into what trauma...
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Benchmarks Offers "Trauma & Resilience" Training
Beginning January 2023, Benchmarks’ Center for Quality Integration will add “Trauma & Resilience” to our catalog of offered trainings. “Trauma & Resilience” uses the National Childhood Traumatic Stress Networks’ (NCTSN’s) Child Welfare Trauma Training Toolkit as its base curricula with influences from our teams’ own “on the ground” knowledge, research, and experiences. Across North Carolina, Benchmarks has been assisting communities in efforts to become more trauma-informed over the...
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Engaging Birth Parents in Child Welfare and Behavioral Health Systems Improvement Projects
The Pathways to Permanency project, a VAYA Health initiative to align the work of the child welfare and behavioral health systems, is continuing to make progress by engaging participants from each of the six workgroups to create sustainable change. Each workgroup has identified multiple solutions for which they are currently developing implementation plans. It has been salient to the workgroup participants that individuals with lived experience are engaged in this work and have space to...
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Partners Health Management Continues to Partner for Innovative Pilot Project
This week we are giving a shout out to Partners Health Management! They are a valuable teammate in making the Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) project successful, and Benchmarks is proud to be partnering with this organization. Partners serves as a Managed Care Organization (MCO) for clients with mental health concerns, intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as substance use disorders, managing services for the behavioral health care needs of these populations. Partners...
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January is Mental Wellness Month
In efforts to promote the importance of maintaining good mental health, the month of January has been designated as “Mental Wellness Month”. With nearly one in five U.S. adults living with mental illness ( NIMH, 2022 ), it is important that we all take the time to check in on our mental health. Those who have suffered from trauma are often at higher risk of experiencing mental illness. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) study correlated that those with four or more ACEs were more...
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Rockingham County DHHS-DSS Spotlight
Rockingham County Department of Health & Human Services-Division of Social Services is adept at participating in pilot projects in the health and human services realm, and is always interested in doing innovative, trauma-informed work that is for the benefit of the children & families they serve. In 2019, Rockingham County chose to participate in Benchmarks’ Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) project and sought to provide foster children with the opportunity to receive a holistic...
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The Benefits of Peer Sharing Across Projects
As mental health agencies make decisions regarding whether they want to participate in pilot projects, it is beneficial for them to gather valuable information including feedback from agencies who already participate in the projects. Trauma-intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (TiCCA) clinicians Dale Smith of the Children’s Center of Northwest NC and Mollie Hedgecock of Rockingham County Youth Services participated in an information session with behavioral healthcare providers who are...
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Trauma-Informed Consultation within Agencies
Benchmarks has implemented 2 projects across the state over the past 12 years, Partnering for Excellence (PFE) and the Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP). Both projects are implemented within County DSS offices with a goal of ensuring children and families in child welfare have access to trauma screening and subsequent Trauma-intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessments (TiCCAs). Having access to TiCCAs provides an opportunity for the child and family to receive holistic recommendations...
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Creating a Common Language & Shared Understanding
The “Common Language & Shared Understanding” workgroup is one of the 6 workgroups that meet monthly as part of the Pathways to Permanency project. Participants who join the monthly sessions are from across the Vaya Health catchment area and work in child welfare, Medicaid managed care, behavioral health, and child placement. This cross-system group of professionals is tasked with developing solutions to challenges identified during the beginning of the project. The focus of this...
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Vaya's Pathways to Permanency Project: Utilizing (b)(3) Respite to Support School Suspension
Since 2021 Benchmarks has been consulting with Vaya Health on a project called Pathways to Permanency . This project aims to coordinate efforts between Vaya, County DSS offices, and mental health providers to ensure youth in foster care have access to high quality behavioral health services. To better understand the needs of children, families, and professionals within Vaya’s catchment, landscape analyses and several focus groups were conducted. Main themes from initial discoveries were then...
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Prevention Team Success at Cabarrus County DSS
Benchmarks would like to draw attention to the phenomenal work being done by the Cabarrus County DSS Prevention Team. The Prevention Team was established in 2018 with two social workers on a mission: ensuring families were connected to needed community resources resulting in no further referrals for mandatory services (services mandated by the state to families when Child Protective Service reports meet the general statue definition of abuse, neglect, or dependency). By focusing on the...
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Partnering with a Purpose: Creating behavioral health services for youth in foster care
The “Accessible, Quality Continuum of Behavioral Health Services” workgroup is one of the six workgroups convening monthly in the Vaya Health Pathways to Permanency project. Participants who join the monthly sessions are from across the Vaya Health catchment area and work in child welfare, Medicaid managed care, behavioral health, and child placement. This cross-system group of professionals is tasked with developing solutions to challenges identified during the beginning of the project. In...
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Solid Foundations Spotlight
Benchmarks’ Standardized Assessment Protocol project (SAP) would like to welcome Solid Foundations as the newest Trauma-intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (TiCCA) provider! Bobby Fisher, owner of Solid Foundations stated, “Solid Foundations Counseling Center is always striving to improve our services and the care provided to our clients. Participating in the Benchmarks’ SAP allows us to expand on our Evidence Based Practices and to provide the best care to our clients and our...
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Successful Program Planning: How to Create Focus-Driven Solutions
One of the hardest things to do in project management is to define goals and objectives for your project. While it seems like a relatively simple task, clarifying goals and objectives that directly tie to the identified problems can be particularly difficult in the beginning stages of a project. This can especially be the case in health and human service-related fields where the aims of projects are often to solve complex issues that are compounded by systemic and political barriers. Due to...
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National Stress Awareness Month: Handling Stress as Helping Professionals
Stress and poor mental health are two of the biggest public health challenges that we are faced with today. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of how deeply these problems affect us. April is National Stress Awareness Month! To bring attention to this issue, we will discuss the negative impacts of stress, as well as ways to manage it. This is very important for human services professionals who work with Benchmarks’ implementation projects. The effects of stress on human services...
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Pathways to Permanency Project: Quality Clinical Assessment to Drive Services Workgroup
Monthly, cross system stakeholders are meeting to discuss best practices and develop tools to ensure that youth in foster care receive timely and quality clinical assessments that are tailored to their unique needs. The Pathways to Permanency Project is a collaborative effort sponsored by Vaya Health, an LME-MCO in North Carolina, that seeks to improve the outcomes for youth in foster care. The project's “Quality Clinical Assessment to Drive Services Workgroup” is a crucial part of this...
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May is National Foster Care Month: Supporting Children and Families
National Foster Care Month is an important initiative led by the Children's Bureau, a national organization that partners with federal, state, tribal, and local agencies to improve the overall health and well-being of children and families across the country. During this month, the bureau takes the time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of foster parents, family members, volunteers, mentors, policymakers, and child welfare professionals who work tirelessly to help children and...
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Cabarrus County In-Home Family Services Team begins SAP Implementation
Benchmarks is excited to announce that another Cabarrus County Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division team will be joining the Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) project! This will make Cabarrus the first county to have both their Permanency Planning and In-Home Family Services (IHFS) teams onboarded into the project during the same project year. The Benchmarks SAP project is a process in which children ages four and over who enter Permanency Planning or IHFS receive a...
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The Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) Project Welcomes Children’s Homes of Cleveland County
Children’s Homes of Cleveland County (CHCC) has advocated for youth to receive superb care through their participation in Benchmarks’ Partnering for Excellence (PFE). However, now that the Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) is also growing, and more clinicians are needed, they are expanding their commitment to trauma-informed care. Benchmarks’ Standardized Assessment Protocol aims to link children over the age of 4 in foster care and In-Home Family Services to Trauma-intensive...
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New! Benchmarks Supportive Supervision Training Workshop
Effective supervision and leadership are crucial for the success and engagement of organizations and their employees. However, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has presented significant challenges for many organizations, including staff retention and providing adequate training for new hires, especially those in management positions. Recognizing these concerns, Benchmarks has developed a groundbreaking training curriculum called “Supportive Supervision”. This comprehensive program,...
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Creating Placement Stability for Children in Foster Care
Last month was National Foster Care Awareness month and in our May blog we emphasized the importance of caring for this specific population. This month, we are highlighting one of the most important aspects of promoting resilience for children placed in foster care: placement stability. As you may know, 99% of children in foster care experience some type of traumatic event. Despite the child welfare system’s best efforts, trauma can be exacerbated by the child’s involvement with the system,...
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Spotlight on Access Family Services
This month, Benchmarks is spotlighting Access Family Services and welcomes them to the Standardized Assessment Protocol (SAP) team. Access Family Services (AFS) is a behavioral health agency that has been serving children and families throughout North Carolina since 1999. Their mission is to deliver culturally sensitive behavioral health services to individuals and families in the community using evidence-based practices to improve overall functioning and well-being. Access Family Services...
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Using Workgroups to Drive Outcomes
Since 2021, the Benchmarks’ Center for Quality Integration has been consulting on Vaya Health's Pathways to Permanency project. This collaboration has brought together six dedicated workgroups, a lived experience council, and an internal Vaya workgroup to address the needs of professionals and foster parents supporting child welfare-involved youth. Through monthly meetings since April 2022, these workgroups have played a pivotal role in analyzing shared strengths and challenges, designing...
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Adult Learning Principles Training Focuses on Developing and Empowering Adult Learners
Benchmarks’ Center for Quality Integration (CQi) builds and implements prototype projects in North Carolina and through that implementation the impact of effective training programs has been critical to sustaining long-term project successes. To that end, how well the facilitators or trainers understand and develop instructional strategies for adult learners is an important measure of training programs. Benchmarks’ CQi is thrilled to now include an “Adult Learning Principles” (ADLP) training...
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Empowering Foster Parents: Unpacking the Foster Parent Bill of Rights Training
In the intricate web of child welfare and support systems, foster parents stand as pillars of strength, providing nurturing homes for children in need. Acknowledging the pivotal role they play, Vaya Health’s Pathways to Permanency project's “Common Language and Shared Understanding” workgroup recently organized a training session on the Foster Parent Bill of Rights. Held in collaboration with the Foster Family Alliance (FFA), the training focused on enlightening professionals in child...
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Benchmarks' Destination 2023: Inspirational Takeaways from Keynote Speaker Danny Trejo
From October 11th to 13th, in the heart of the majestic Cherokee mountains, Benchmarks hosted its first annual conference, bringing together child welfare and behavioral health professionals and stakeholders from all corners of the industry. It was a gathering where ideas were shared, innovations explored, and, most importantly, inspiration ignited. The event featured an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, including the renowned Patch Adams, the talented Lauren Potter, and on the final...
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November is Homeless Youth Awareness Month
November has been recognized as National Homeless Youth Awareness Month since 2007 to acknowledge the children and youth that are experiencing homelessness, build awareness around the causes of youth homelessness, examine possible solutions to the issue, and to encourage discussions about how to prevent homelessness among children and teens. Each November, in addition to awareness campaigns, communities recognize businesses and organizations dedic ated to supporting children and teens...
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Elevating Foster Parent Training: Unveiling the Pathways to Permanency FosteringNC Developmental Effects of Trauma Facilitator’s Guide
In the collaborative pursuit of addressing the comprehensive needs of youth in foster care and their families, the Pathways to Permanency project has given rise to a powerful tool – the “FosteringNC Developmental Effects of Trauma Facilitator’s Guide". Developed in tandem with Vaya, County DSS offices, and mental health providers, this guide stands as a testament to Vaya’s commitment to addressing critical needs related to the foster care experience. The Pathways to Permanency Project The...
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Seasonal Affective Disorder: Unraveling its Impact on Complex Trauma
December is Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that typically occurs during fall and winter. It is believed to be related to changes in light exposure and may result from disruptions in the body’s internal clock (circadian rhythms) and alterations in neurotransmitter levels, such as serotonin. What happens when SAD is coupled with complex trauma ? The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) defines complex trauma as...
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A Journey through Literature with Benchmarks CQi Staff
October may be National Book month, but any time is the it is the perfect time to honor the dedicated reading efforts of the Benchmarks Center for Quality Integration (CQi) staff. In 2019 they initiated a CQi staff book club, focusing on deepening their understanding of trauma-informed science, behaviors, and treatments, as well as exploring mental health, leadership, and project management. This initiative also aimed to gain insight into the worlds their project partners work in, such as...
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Enhancing Family Foster Care: "All Staff Treat Them Like Gold Training"
The importance of safe and supportive homes for youth in foster care cannot be overstated. The "Safe & Supportive Homes: Family Foster Care Recruitment and Retention" workgroup, part of Vaya's Pathways to Permanency project, has been making significant strides in enhancing the foster care experience for both children and resource families. As an extension of the highly successful virtual Treat Them Like Gold (TTLG) Learning Collaborative , the workgroup is now introducing the All-Staff...
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My Newcomer Experience with Benchmarks
“B enchmarks’ Center for Quality Integration redesigns the local child welfare/behavioral health system, changing the way child welfare, Medicaid Managed Care Organizations, local providers, and the wider community understand the need for accessible, appropriate mental health services for children, youth and families who have experienced potentially traumatic events .” Starting a new job has its challenges, one of which is learning a new culture. As a newcomer, being with the organization...
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Creating Resilient Communities in 2024: The Year of Cultivating Resilient Networks Through Healing Centered Cultural Wisdom
As we head into our full CRC curriculum this January, we invite current and future CRC Accelerator participants to join us with collective care and self care in mind.
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January: A Month for Self-Love
As the new year unfolds, January not only signals fresh resolutions but also marks Self-Love Month, a time to foster personal renewal and nurture our well-being. As we extend our celebration of love into Valentine’s Day, it is important to recognize the transformative power self-love has to enhance our relationships not just with ourselves but with others as well. In this blog post we will explore the significance of self-love, delving into evidence-based practices as well as other ways...
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Healthy Blue Spotlight
For our Partner Spotlight this month, Benchmarks’ Center for Quality Integration (CQi) is highlighting our work with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina’s Healthy Blue Medicaid plan. Healthy Blue is one of the five health plans selected to provide Standard Plan services to NC Medicaid recipients. Standard Plans offer physical and mental/behavioral health coverage to individuals experiencing mild to moderate behavioral health concerns. Healthy Blue understands that even children with...
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Stress and the Heart
For many, February is the month of "love “due to its association with Valentine’s Day; red roses and pink hearts are everywhere. However, February is also Heart Health Awareness Month. The state of one’s mental health can have either a positive or negative impact on their physical health and can be considered a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Constant stress is a contributing factor for many people who have poor mental health. Stressful situations set off a chain of events within...
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Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina: A Legacy of Care and Commitment
For nearly 140 years, Baptist Children's Homes of North Carolina (BCH) has been a steadfast presence in the lives of countless individuals. Originating in Thomasville, NC, and now extending its reach to over three dozen locations across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Guatemala, BCH has dedicated itself to providing diverse and comprehensive programs that cater to the needs of various populations, embodying a legacy of care and commitment. Over the years, BCH has grown to include a wide...
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Beyond Therapy: The Importance of Non-Clinical Recommendations in Trauma-Informed Clinical Assessments
In the realm of trauma-informed clinical assessments, there exists a profound realization: that children’s needs go beyond diagnoses and clinical treatment and that non-clinical recommendations are just as significant to a child’s day-to-day functioning and overall thriving. One striking example I have seen that came from a Trauma-intensive Comprehensive Clinical Assessment (TiCCA) that underscores this point is a simple yet impactful recommendation to rearrange a child’s bedroom. During the...
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Nutrition Heals
March is National Nutrition Month! Nutrition is of the utmost importance for growth, brain development, and healthy living. Making informed decisions about what’s fueling our brains and bodies has a significant impact on our physical and mental health. This is even more true for children as they have growing brains to support! Ensuring a child receives adequate nutrition is considered part of living within a safe environment as children need to have access to healthy well-rounded meals to...
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Celebrating Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in North Carolina
In the vibrant tapestry of human diversity, each brings unique perspectives, talents, and challenges. A beautiful and meaningful part of this fabric are those who identify as Intellectual and Developmentally Disabled (I/DD). These individuals experience diverse spectrum of conditions that require more than understanding, tolerance, and support, but inclusion. As we commemorate Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month this March, it is a poignant moment to reflect on the...
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New Beginnings
It is that time of year again. Spring has sprung! After the long months of gazing out the window at dull surroundings, dealing with cold temperatures, and sunsetting before our workday ends, we are finally into a bright and glorious season. Spring is upon us, and now we get to look forward to longer days, warmer weather, and everything around us coming back to life. This fresh new beginning can be the perfect opportunity for professional growth as well. As human services professionals, we’re...
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Empowering Communities: A Journey to Trauma-Informed Care in Alexander County
In late 2023, recognizing the prevalence of trauma among the youth in their care, Alexander County leadership took proactive steps to address this pressing issue. Collaborating with Benchmarks, they embarked on a journey to equip their Department of Social Services (DSS) staff and foster parents with the tools and knowledge necessary to support these vulnerable individuals effectively. Understanding the profound impact of unaddressed trauma on young lives, Alexander County DSS sought to...
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Children’s Mental Health Awareness
As a member agency for providers that address both child abuse and neglect as well as children’s mental health issues, Benchmarks is always elevating these issues and their impacts on the community. These two issues are the focus of annual national awareness month activities during the months of April and May. April is National Child Abuse Prevention month, which recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect. May is Mental Health...