Wisconsin Child Welfare Professional Development System

Resource Toolkit for Home Visiting and other Early Childhood Professionals

Welcome to the WCWPDS Home Visiting Resource Toolkit, designed to support home visiting professionals working with families. This toolkit offers a comprehensive collection of resources, including articles, webinars, websites, books, and training opportunities. Our goal is to provide current research and practical tools to enhance your practice. Explore topics such as trauma, mental health, child development, substance abuse, and much more. If you have valuable resources to share, please contact us at wcwpds-mke@uwm.edu.

 

Abuse, Neglect, and Adverse Childhood Experiences

Abuse

What is Considered Child Abuse? Psychology Today article covers the legal meaning of the term child abuse and links to states’ reporting laws and commonly asked questions about mandated reporting.

ACEs

Neglect

  • InBrief: The Science of Neglect This short video, from the Center on the Developing Child, Harvard University, reveals the four types of unresponsive care and the impact of neglect on a young child’s brain development. Look for other resources related to neglect on this website.

Online Learning

  • Childhood Adversity Narratives (CAN) Developed by 5 researchers from around the country, this webinar is meant to help inform policy makers and the public about the costs and consequences of child maltreatment and adversity.  Feel free to use their work, and provide appropriate citations, to educate others.
  • Marks that Matter, Sentinel Injuries, and Other Opportunities for Child Abuse Prevention is a 25-minute module that will teach you about marks that matter and sentinel injuries, including why they are significant, who is at risk, and what to do if you suspect abuse. It is intended for childcare workers, child welfare workers, family support staff, and home visitors, but any person working with children will find it a useful tool.  This module can be viewed on your computer or mobile device.
  • WI Mandated Reporter Online Training Reporting requirements vary slightly for a few groups.  Learners can select the affiliation that best fits their role in the WI Child Welfare Professional Development System online training.
  • Coping with Early Adversity and Mitigating its Effects—Core Story: Resilience From the Center for Advanced Studies in Child Welfare, this 7 min. video addresses effective ways to help children cope and build resilience through adversity.

Prevention Advocacy

  • Child Welfare League of America with the following text,.  CWLA leads and engages its network of public and private agencies and partners to advance policies, best practices and collaborative strategies that result in better outcomes for children, youth and families that are vulnerable.
  • Prevent Child Abuse America PCA’s mission is to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation’s children.  Their website offers an activity toolkit, stats and figures, tip sheets for parents, research and ways you can make a difference.
  • Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board is committed to mobilizing research and practices that prevent the occurrence of child maltreatment.  Learn about abuse and neglect risk factors and protective factors, as well as frameworks for child maltreatment prevention.
  • Safe Haven for Newborns Information Safe Haven, also known as “infant relinquishment”, this law allows a parent to leave their newborn in a safe place in certain circumstances with certain individuals.  Learn more about this WI law, the Maternal and Child Health Hotline and crisis support on this webpage.
  • Wisconsin Sex Trafficking and Exploitation Indicator and Response Guide for Mandated Reporters (English) (Spanish)
  • Awareness to Action (A2A) A2A is an initiative focused on preventing child sexual abuse by helping adults and communities take action to protect children through awareness, education, prevention, advocacy and action, through the Child Abuse Prevention Board, Children’s Hospital of WI.

Text Resources

Tip Sheets/ Guides

Tools

  • NEAR@Home is a training manual with guided processes to help home visitors learn and practice language and strategies to safely and effectively talk about childhood trauma and the ACEs questionnaire in a safe, respectful, and effective way for both home visitor and family.
  • Tip Sheet CES
  • Childhood Experiences Survey Developed through UW Milwaukee for home visitors, this validated tool expands the framework of the original ACEs survey to include additional questions around poverty, bullying, absence of a parent, and death of a close family member.

Websites

  • Signs of Child Abuse and Neglect The WI Dept of Children and Families has outlined the signs of neglect and physical, sexual, and emotional child abuse, to help readers be prepared to recognize situations that may need to be reported.

Adult Mental Health

Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health

Depression in Mothers: More Than the Blues: A Toolkit for Family Service Providers through SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014)

For Parents

  • Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health Overview, provided by Postpartum Support International, offers information on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders for women concerned about their mental health during or after pregnancy.
  • Resources for Mothers and Families from the Periscope Project includes information about several support groups for mothers concerned about perinatal related mental health disorders.
  • HelpLine for  Moms, offered through Postpartum Support International, 1-800-944-4773 (English and Spanish), or text 503-894-9453.  Available 24 hrs. a day, callers will be asked to leave a confidential message and a trained and caring volunteer will return your call or text. They will listen, answer questions, offer encouragement and connect you with local resources, as needed.

Professional Reading

Online Training and Educational Modules


  • Perinatal Mental Health Modules is a two-part series designed for home visitors to better understand the signs and symptoms of perinatal mental health issues and how they impact mothers and families. Throughout the training, you will view excerpts from a live webinar taught by Jen Perfetti, MA, LPC, a licensed therapist at Luna Perinatal Counseling and the Clinical and Professional Development Coordinator with the UW Department of Psychiatry Parent-Infant Mental Health Programs.
  • WI Dept. of Health Services’ Perinatal Mental Health: Screening, Referral and Supportive Interventions for Women and Families webinar series includes videos, references, information for clinicians, and handouts for women and their families. Developed by leaders in the fields of psychiatry and women’s health, this series covers a variety of topics related to perinatal mental health.
  • The Periscope Project (Medical College of WI) offers free online modules on common topics related to perinatal psychiatric disorders. While these modules target medical providers, two of the modules, Perinatal Mood Disorders and Screening and Follow-up, are relevant for family support professionals, as well.

Websites

  • The Periscope Project website contains work from the Wisconsin project which hosts a consultation line and other resources to support professionals working with new parents, that may be struggling with perinatal mental health and depression. This site provides information on screening guidelines and resources beyond the Perinatal Algorithm training. On the site you will find screening tools, educational modules/ videos and tools on a variety of perinatal mental health topics.
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) offers authoritative information about mental health disorders well as information on a range of mental health topics and the latest mental health research.
  • Mental Health America, learn about the signs and symptoms of mental illness, facts, statistics, how to live mentally healthy, finding help, public policy, screening, and the latest news on mental health.
  • B4Stage4 is an initiative that encourages all of us to have a new perspective about mental health. Learn about both prevention and intervention strategies, including the B4Stage4 philosophy, and information and resources available through “Get informed, Get screened and Get help”.

Videos

Assessment

Prevalence

Fact Sheets

Resources

Advocacy, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Advocacy:

Instructional

Reading Materials

Talking Points

  • HV Talking Point – Home visitors can advocate for their roles and their programs as concerned citizens, during their own private time. You can use this document to help policy-makers understand the value of home visiting and your role
  • Value of PD Talking Points – Professional development helps family support professionals feel more confident and competent in their roles.

Websites

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

Articles

Videos

  • How to get Serious about Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace by Janet Stovall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvdHqS3ryw0 (September 13, 2018) TED Talk “Imagine a workplace where people of all colors and races are able to climb every rung of the corporate ladder — and where the lessons we learn about diversity at work actually transform the things we do, think and say outside the office. How do we get there? In this candid talk, inclusion advocate Janet Stovall shares a three-part action plan for creating workplaces where people feel safe and expected to be their unassimilated, authentic selves.”

Belonging

Colorism

  • Colorism https://www.nccj.org/colorism-0 the National Conference for Community and Justice “In this bulletin, we will be discussing the topic of Colorism. You will find history, videos, articles/handouts, statistics and questions to ponder related to this issue.”
  • People of Color Discuss the Impact of ‘Colorism’ on GMA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIx131aaY6A July 22, 2020 (6:28) Research shows people with darker skin experience an increased number of problems, including socioeconomic issues. Amira Adawe of The Beautywell Project weighs in on how to fight the bias.

Cultural Humility 101

Websites

  • Adoption
  • Mental Health Services
  • Services
  • Children’s Bureau Express
  • National Center for Cultural Competence, Georgetown University.  The mission of the NCCC is to increase the capacity of health care and mental health care programs to design, implement, and evaluate culturally and linguistically competent service delivery systems to address growing diversity, persistent disparities, and to promote health and mental health equity.
  • The Cross Cultural Health Care Program offers a Cultural Competence Resource Guide for health and social service providers.
  • University of Kansas Community Health and Development Center’s Community Toolbox, Cultural Competence in a Multicultural World, features 11 topics related to Culture and Diversity.
  • African American Lives Today, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation & Harvard School of Public Health.  Find research data from a national survey examining African-Americans’ views on their personal and family lives, community, experiences of discrimination and financial situations.  There are links to research on health issues faced by African-Americans in our country.
  • The Ways: Stories on Culture & Language from Native Communities Around the Central Great Lakes.

Videos

Online Training Resources

  • Allies for Reaching Community Health Equity offers monthly online training events.  For a calendar of online training events, check out the Culture of Health Institute for Leadership Development (CHILD).
  • 5 Diversity Modules include a General Diversity Module, Amish Culture, Hispanic Culture, Hmong Culture and Native American Culture for general audiences and adapted modules for clinical providers from the La Crosse Medical Health Science Consortium, UW Lacrosse.
  • Working With the African American Father: The Forgotten Parent
    Authors: California Social Work Education Center
    includes objectives, agenda, and trainer and trainee
    materials to develop professional practice working with African-American father’s and address systemic biases.

Professional Reading

Resources

  • Developing Culturally Responsive Approaches to Serving Diverse Populations: A Resource Guide for Community-Based Organizations This 2017 resource guide identifies easily accessible resources on cultural competency that organizations can use to become more responsive to the needs of their targeted populations, and to help attract funds to support their important work.
  • Head Start’s Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC). Administrators, teachers, caregivers, and families can use these resources to help ensure culturally and linguistically appropriate services for all children birth to 5. These resources can also help staff provide high quality services for children who are dual language learners (DLLs). Programs can promote positive experiences for DLLs by holding high expectations. They can also emphasize children’s cultural and linguistic strengths.
  • Head Start’s ECLKC Family Engagement webpage, which includes the Parent, Family, and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework, Boosting School Readiness through Family Engagement (simulation series), Engaging and Goal-Setting with Families, and the Family Engagement Family, Language and Literacy webinar series.  https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/family-engagement

Building Collaborations

Reading Materials

Videos

Local Organizations

  • Wisconsin Early Childhood Collaborating Partners
  • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention “The Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board is committed to mobilizing research and practices to prevent child maltreatment in the state.”
  • Supporting Families Together AssociationSFTA is Wisconsin’s statewide member association for organizations and individuals committed to making every early childhood a great one. The core membership consists of Wisconsin’s Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (CCR&Rs) and Family Resource Centers (FRCs). Individual membership is made up of other like-minded individuals.

Child Development

Apps and Activities

  • ASQ activities
  • Milestone Tracker Mobile App, Milestones matter! Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with CDC’s easy-to-use illustrated checklists; get tips from CDC for encouraging your child’s development; and find out what to do if you are ever concerned about how your child is developing. Photos and videos in this app illustrate each milestone and make tracking them for your child easy and fun!
  • Text4Baby. The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition supports Text4baby, a free mobile text messaging service that provides moms-to-be, new moms and family members with information to help them care for themselves and their baby throughout pregnancy and the baby’s first year.
  • Vroom This practical app helps parents to help their babies brains grow during their regular daily routines!  Using the science of early learning, this app acknowledges parents as their child’s #1 brain builder, helping turn ordinary or fussy times into fun shared moments.
  • Sesame Street Fun Games for Kids Parents can use these free online educational games, videos and coloring activities for preschoolers.
  • Sesame Streets’ Healthy Habits for Life – We Have the Moves This resource contains fun-filled activities to help build physical activity into everyday moments. Parents will find physical activities that require minimal time and equipment; activities for both large and small spaces and groups; fun and easy ways to add more active play into everyday routines; and ways to link movement to different developmental areas.
  •  Bright by Text Parents receive free, timely Bright by Three age-appropriate activities, games and resources in English or Spanish.
  • Love, Talk, Read, Sing, Play Provides information for parents to support their child’s development in diverse ways.  The app is available in English, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese or Nepali.
  • Kinedu Offers 1,600 activity ideas for baby’s development, 0 – 4 years.
  • Activities for Babies on Pinterest 
  • Preschool Games on Pinterest.
  • Parents Magazine Educational Games for elementary school children.
  • Breathe, Think, Do mindfulness app from Sesame Street.  This free app helps teach young children, ages 2 – 5, problem-solving, self-control, planning and task persistence. Available for iOS  and Android  
  • Calm free meditation app focuses on meditation, relaxation and sleep.  Their “sleep stories” function tells tales to help users fall asleep easier. There’s also a section for “Calm Kids” that parents may enjoy, as well!  Available for iOS and Android

Fact Sheets

Articles

Online Training

Padlet

  • CHILDREN’S DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING AND HEALTH RESOURCES – Milwaukee Health Department Strong Baby Program – Are you a new parent, have young children, or an agency that serves families with young children? Check out these links to learn more about your baby’s incredible growth and development – and find resources to support you and your awesome baby!

PowerPoints

Resource Guides

  • Tips and Resources for Families U.S. Dept. of Health & Human Services, Office of the Administration for Children & Families – Early Childhood Development provides web links to resources that support the development (including social emotional) of young children.
  •  Zero to Three’s Parent Favorites Free parenting resources include articles (English and Spanish), series infographics and videos related to early development.
  •  Resource Guide:  Child Development Resources for Parents and Providers From the U.S. Health & Human Services Child Care State Capacity Building Center, this guide provides links to resources for both parents and providers.

Resources to Share

Tools

  • The Well-Visit Planner is based on national recommendations for parents/guardians of children 4 months to 6 years old. This web tool will result in a personalized visit guide of questions and topics for a child’s next well-child visit.  This was developed as a project of The Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative and Oregon Health and Science University.  English and Spanish.

Videos

Websites

Subtopics

Children with special needs

  • Wisconsin First Step is an information and referral service hotline with phone and online chat forums and a resource directory to assist Wisconsin families and providers working with children and youth with special needs.
  • Family Voices of Wisconsin promotes family-centered care for all children and youth with special health care needs and/or disabilities. Family Voices provides tools for families to make informed decisions, advocates for improved public and private policies, forges partnerships with families and professionals, and serves as a health care resource.
  • What are the signs of autism? Since early treatment can improve outcomes for children diagnosed with autism, Autism Speaks stresses the importance of learning early signs of autism. The side offers a helpful Video Glossary after a brief registration.
  • The Adapting Activities & Materials for Young Children with Disabilities handout, with reference citations, provides key ideas, general teaching ideas, and activity adaptations for children with special needs.
  • Do2Learn This website for individuals with special needs provides thousands of free pages with social skills and behavior regulation activities and guidance.
  • Child Neurology Foundation This website offers insights and suggestions from child neurology experts for caregivers to engage with special needs children to nurture their development. Their mission: To serve as a collaborative center of education and support for caregivers and their children with neurologic conditions.
  • Helping Your Child with Autism Thrive with the following text.  This Help Guide provides parenting tips, treatments and services to help parents support the development of a child on the Autism Spectrum.

Language Development

  • 12 Ways to Support Language Development for Infants and Toddlers from the National Assc. of Education for Young Children (NAEYC).  Simple strategies for parents to use to support language development with very young children.
  • Resources for Home-Based Practitioners The Center for Early Literacy Learning model and approach includes both evidence-based intervention and implementation practices for practitioners and parents to promote the use of early literacy learning practices.
  • Storyline Online The SAF-AFRA Foundations’ award-winning children’s literacy website streams videos featuring actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.  Great for all kids, including those with special needs. Download the free app, too!

Prevent Blindness Wisconsin

Child Health and Safety

Immunizations

Infant and Early Childhood Safety and Injury Prevention

  • Children’s Safety Network offers information on a wide variety of child injury prevention topics, with links to further resources.
  • Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin provides Safe Sleep information in English and Spanish.
  • Safe Kids Wisconsin has information on child injury prevention programs and events, including statewide car seat check dates and links to resources such as the Safe Sleep Cribs for Kids.
  • Car Seats:  Information for Families.
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Car Seats and Booster Seats helps parents find and provides information on how to select a car seat, based on a child’s age and size.  It includes ease-of-use ratings that lets parents compare seats to find the right one for their child.
  • Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Car Seat Safety webpage, includes information on car seat clinics, laws and best practices and fact sheets in English and Spanish.

Dental

Hearing and Vision

Lead Prevention

Safe Sleep

Online Training

  • Marks that Matter, Sentinel Injuries, and Other Opportunities for Child Abuse Prevention is a 25-minute module that will teach you about marks that matter and sentinel injuries, including why they are significant, who is at risk, and what to do if you suspect abuse. It is intended for childcare workers, child welfare workers, family support staff, and home visitors, but any person working with children will find it a useful tool.  This module can be viewed on your computer or mobile device.

COVID-19

Best Practices and Services:

Resources for Families:

  • PBS Kids For Parents: Explore PBS’ COVID-19 resources for parents here.

Local Information:

Domestic Violence

Advocacy

  • Survivors of Domestic Violence May Enroll in Health Care at ANY TIME Health centers and domestic and sexual violence advocacy organizations can partner to support survivor health and prevent violence. Through cross-trainings and warm referrals, providers and advocates are able to provide comprehensive coordinated care for survivors and their families.
  • National Network to End Domestic Violence Take Action NNEDV asks advocates and allies to contact Congress at key times to influence legislation and funding for domestic violence programs.  NNEDV will ask you to make phone calls, send an email or take action on social media sites.  Taking a few minutes to contact your elected officials can mean a world of difference to a survivor of domestic violence.

Professional Reading

Learning Modules

  • Domestic Violence: Understanding the Basics
  • DVeducation.ca, sponsored by Women’s College Hospital, Canada, has learning modules targeting health care professionals and others can benefit from the information, as well.  You must register to access the free modules.  Embed link in title. 
  • How Much Do you Know About Stalking? Quiz from the Stalking Resource Center of the Nat’l Center for Victims of Crime, from the Office of Violence Against Women, U.S. Dept. of Justice. Embed link in title of quiz.
  • Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse:  Adjudicating this Hidden Dimension of Domestic Violence This online course covers the legal, medical and social science aspects of intimate partner sexual abuse. It is focused on judges but is also intended for a multidisciplinary audience including court personnel. You can treat this website as a course and take it straight through or as a resource, accessing the background resources, modules, developing issues, recommendations and case studies on an as-needed basis.  Registration is required for the free modules, developed by the National Judicial Education Program of Legal Momentum.
  • See the Signs: Speak Out Free bystander training programs available from a partnership of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, JWI, No More and Avon Foundation.  Be an Upstander, learn how to Recognize, Respond and Act. Check out these free online modules, available in English and Spanish, with registration.

Resources for Parents

  • Children and Domestic Violence Fact Sheet Series – The National Child Trauma Stress Network Domestic Violence Collaborative Group announces a new series of fact sheets created for parents whose children have been affected by domestic violence. The set of 10 fact sheets gets to the heart of the experiences and needs of these children and families, and offers education in support of their resilience and recovery.
  • Resources for Families What do kids need?  Find Best Practices for serving children, youth and parents experiencing domestic violence.
  • The Childhelp National Abuse Hotline  is available 24 hrs. a day, every day of the year.  All calls are anonymous and toll-free.  Communication is available in 170 languages.  Downloadable resources, related to safety plans, dealing with difficult behavior words of encouragement for children and more, are also available.

Websites

  • The Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN) is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to inform and strengthen domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts at the individual, community, and societal levels. It currently includes two national resource centers, four special issue resource centers, three culturally-specific resource centers, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the National LGBTQ DV Capacity Building Learning Center
  • The National Domestic Violence Hotline aids victims of domestic violence 24 hours a day. Hotline advocates assist victims, and anyone calling on their behalf, by providing crisis intervention, safety planning and referrals to local service providers. The hotline receives more than 24,000 calls a month.  800-799-SAFE (7233)
  • End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin mission is to promote social change that transforms societal attitudes, practices and policies to prevent and eliminate domestic violence, abuse and oppression. Their website includes resources access to services, economic justice, legal issues, public policy, outreach to underserved communities and more.
  • Futures Without Violence provides resources and training related to all aspects of violence, including webinars, resources on a continuum of topics related to violence, and downloadable articles/manuals.
  • For almost two decades, the National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence (The Center)  has supported health care professionals, domestic violence experts, survivors, and policy makers at all levels as they improve health care’s response to domestic violence. The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Family & Youth Service Bureau, funds the Center. Embed link in italicized name.
  • The National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health was established in 2005 with funding from the FVPSP. Its mission is to develop and promote accessible, culturally relevant, and trauma-informed responses to IPV and other lifetime trauma so that survivors and their children can access the resources that are essential to their safety and well-being.
  • State and national resources for domestic violence, includes a safety plan, national domestic violence hotline, state-by-state legal information, and more
  • Help for Abused and Battered Women provided by HELPGUIDE.org, a trusted guide to mental, emotional and social health through a partnership with Harvard University
  • National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center The Mission of NIWRC is to support culturally grounded, grassroots advocacy and to provide national leadership to ending gender-based violence in Indigenous communities through the development of educational materials and programs, direct technical assistance, and the development of local and national policy that builds the capacity of Indigenous communities and strengthens the exercise of tribal sovereignty. Access educational and advocacy resources on this website.
  • The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), a social change organization, is dedicated to creating a social, political and economic environment in which violence against women no longer exists.
  • Youth.gov Victims of teen dating violence often keep the abuse a secret. They should be encouraged to reach out to trusted adults like parents, teachers, school counselors, youth advisors, or health care providers. They can also seek confidential counsel and advice from professionally trained adults and peers.  Find resources for teens involved in abusive relationships here.

Toolkit

  • Transitional Housing Toolkit This toolkit is meant to provide transitional housing providers with easy access to information and resources to enhance services to survivors. The information provided here addresses frequently asked questions, common challenges, best practices, templates for adaptation, and resources for additional information and assistance.

Webinar

  • Domestic Violence Oklahoma State Department of Health. Oklahoma Home Visitor Training. Enter ‘Oklahoma Home Visitor Training, Domestic Violence webinar’ in website’s search bar to gain access to the training.
  • Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Oklahoma State Department of Health. Oklahoma Home Visitor Training. August 2008 – Prevention Webinar presented by the Federal Interagency Work Group on Child Abuse and Neglect’ in website’s search bar to access webinar

Engaging Families

Online Training

  • Boosting School Readiness through Effective Family Engagement Series, “What you do and say matters! Explore and practice everyday strategies to develop Positive Goal-Oriented Relationships with a family. Four different simulations provide strategies and opportunities for you to practice skills to build bonds with families, help families develop and set goals, explore strength-based attitudes during challenging times, and have conversations about developmental concerns.  Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center, U.S. Dept. of Health Services

Reading Materials

Recognition

Toolkits

  • Resources including Public Service Announcements, media strategies and talking points are available by clicking the link to the Parents Anonymous NPLM toolkit.

Videos

Early Intervention Video Library “This video library is designed to be a central resource for EI videos which can be used for professional development, preservice preparation, public awareness, and individual study. These videos address a variety of topics and represent EI as provided in a variety of states. All videos embedded in this site are available as free resources.”

Ethics and Boundaries

Ethics and Boundaries

Reading Materials

Health Insurance and Other Benefits

Resources

Websites

  • Covering Kids Wisconsin The Covering Kids & Families initiative seeks to enroll eligible, uninsured children and adults in Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).
  • Covering Wisconsin, Their mission is to connect residents with and promote effective use of insurance coverage and other programs that support health. The site includes How to Sheets, Find Local Help, Help Using Health Insurance, tips for applying for Medicare, BadgerCare Plus (Medicaid) and the Health Insurance Marketplace.
  • IPV Health. IPV Health cultivates partnerships between health care providers and domestic violence advocates to promote survivor’s health and safety.

Home Visitor Safety

Reading Materials

Videos and Training Modules

Human Service Agencies

Wisconsin Community Program, Social Service, and Human Service Agencies – Links are provided to every county health and human services department in the state of Wisconsin

Parenting

Articles

Online Learning Activities

  • The Protective Factors Overview learning activity is an introduction for anyone who would like to gain a better understanding of the five Protective Factors. This interactive learning activity provides a synopsis of the five Protective Factors, their relevance and their characteristics, opportunities to practice identifying them and an understanding of how a strengths-based approach is integral to building these Protective Factors.

Videos

Websites

Subtopics

  • Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) presents complex and difficult issues for families, communities and home visiting programs. Research articles about IPV and its effects can be found at the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services’ Child Welfare Information Gateway.

Breastfeeding

Crying

Parent Leadership

Articles

Online Learning Activities

  • The Role of the Parent Co-Presenter learning activity is designed provide Parent Co-Presenters with an understanding of what is involved in co-facilitating the Bringing the Protective Factors Framework to Life in Your Work training for family serving professionals. The learning activity defines the roles of the Parent Co-Presenter and the Certified Trainer. Video montages, by current Parent Co-Presenters, highlight the benefits of serving in this role and sharing one’s story in an impactful way.

Professional Reading

Websites

Webcasts

Poverty and Financial Capacity Building

Articles

Professional Reading

Reports/Statistics

  • United States Census Bureau’s Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015. This report presents data on income, earnings, income inequality, and poverty in the United States based on information collected in the 2016 and earlier Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplements (CPS ASEC) conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  • United States Census Bureau’s Poverty Data, provides poverty data from several household surveys and programs. Here you can find poverty estimates, learn about these surveys and programs, and get guidance on how to choose the right estimate for your needs.
  • Wisconsin Poverty Report: Treading Water in 2017: the Eleventh Annual Report of the Wisconsin Poverty Project (2019) is from the Wisconsin Poverty Project, Institute for the Research on Poverty, UW Madison.
  • Poverty’s Effect on Infants and Toddlers Infographic (Sept. 2018).  Zero to Three.
  • WI ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report. United Way of Wisconsin 2016. Despite recent reports of overall improvement in employment and gains in median incomes, the economic recovery in Wisconsin has been uneven. This Report updates the cost of basic needs in the Household Survival Budget for each county in Wisconsin, and the number of households earning below the amount needed to afford that budget (the ALICE Threshold). The Report delves deeper into county and municipal data and looks at the demographics of ALICE and poverty-level households by race/ethnicity, age, and household type to reveal variations in hardship that are often masked by state averages.
  • U.S. Census Bureau Library for Income and Poverty data contains static, printable materials.

Resources

  • 2Gen Tools to Help Children and Families Thrive is a resource for programs implementing state, federal and local programs serving children and families, published by the Dept. of Education.
  • Pediatricians’ Guide to Poverty Resources – Wisconsin
  • Federal Poverty Guidelines determine enrollment in state health care and other programs.
  • 99 Great Resources Confronting Poverty and Hunger, from MSWOnlinePorgrams.org, resources for social workers.
  • National Center for Homeless Education Wisconsin data and information.
  • Wisconsin Community Action Association, whose goal is to help low-income individuals and families escape poverty. WISCAP believes in personal and in community responsibility to ensure economic opportunity.
  • Wisconsin Homeless Assistance Agencies, U.S. Housing and Urban Development.
  • Benefits.govYour Path to Government Benefits in Wisconsin.
  • Wisconsin Fathers for Children and Families: Legal Services for Low-Income Parents– Low Income Legal Resources by regions of the state.
  • Financial Literacy Resource Directory provides information on financial literacy resources, issues and events that are important to bankers, organizations, and consumers of all ages. The directory includes descriptions and contact information for a sampling of organizations that have undertaken financial literacy initiatives as a primary mission, government programs, fact sheets, newsletters, conference materials, publications, and links to Web sites. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, U.S. Dept. of the Treasury
  • MyMoney.gov contains information, games and fun facts related to money, saving and planning for youth; curricula, tip sheets, lesson plans, guidance and helpful tools for teaching financial capability for teachers/educators; and a clearinghouse of federally-funded research reports, datasets, and articles on financial capability and related topics for researchers/other professionals.
  • The Balance: The Balance Money Website is a great tool for people new to budgeting. “Use this budget calculator to plan for your savings goals and manage your expenses. Fill out all fields that apply to you and make adjustments to see how you could save more.”
  • Good Budget: Share this budgeting website and app with families, help them to…“Spend, save, and give toward what’s important in life”

Tools for Professionals

  • Your Money, Your Goals Toolkit is a financial empowerment toolkit designed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The toolkit helps organizations understand when and how to introduce to clients’ financial empowerment concepts such as goal- setting, saving for emergencies, managing debts, understanding credit, and choosing safe and affordable financial products. English | Spanish

Websites

  • National Human Services Directory (NHSA) is comprised of over 55 of the largest national nonprofit human service organizations. In aggregate, members and their affiliates and local service networks collectively touch, or are touched by, nearly every household in America—as consumers, donors, or volunteers.  NHSA staffs four different initiatives through which leaders can work together to improve family stability and well-being.  
  •  9 Ways to Reduce Poverty, from PBS’s Raising of America:  Early Childhood and the Future of our Nation.

Pregnancy and Maternal Health

Online Training

Professional Readings

Websites

  • The Periscope Project Website contains work from the Wisconsin project which hosts a consultation line and other resources to support professionals working with new parents, that may be struggling with perinatal mental health and depression.  This site provides information on screening guidelines and resources beyond the Perinatal Algorithm training. On the site you will find screening tools, educational modules/ videos and tools on a variety of perinatal mental health topics.
  • Wisconsin Association for Perinatal Care
    • Promote, coordinate and develop perinatal care in Wisconsin
    • Aid in the development and implementation of programs to improve the health and health care of pregnant women and newborn infants
    • Improve public understanding and awareness of perinatal health care
  • Prenatal Care Coordination, Wisconsin Department of Health Services
  • March of Dimes has information for families, communities, and professionals on a variety of topics designed to promote healthy pregnancies and babies, including prenatal care, and preterm labor and premature birth.
  • Text4baby is a free health education text message service (with most cell carriers) for pregnant women and mothers of babies under one year of age. Anyone can sign up!
  • National Maternal and Oral Health Resource Center  – Georgetown University https://www.mchoralhealth.org/highlights/pregnancy.php This collection of selected resources offers high-quality information about pregnancy and oral health. Use the website tools for further searching, or contact them for personalized assistance.
  • Maternal and Child Health Bureau  https://mchb.hrsa.gov/ Covers MCH domains: maternal/women’s health, perinatal and infant health, child health, adolescent health, and children with special health care needs, data, research & epidemiology and more.
  • Breastfeeding Facts and Research. https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/index.htm  The CDC’s webpage includes Guidelines and Recommendation, Diseases and Conditions, Data and Statistics, Research, Promotion and Support, National Policies and Positions, Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Breastfeeding vs. Formula Feeding – Medline Plus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000803.htm

Assessment

Resources

  • Saving Our Babies “The gap in birth outcomes between Black and white women in Dane County and Wisconsin has persisted for decades, while Black mothers and birthing people across the state face consistently higher rates of maternal deaths each year. We are collaborating across sectors to implement community-driven solutions to end this crisis and produce better birth outcomes for Black families.”
  • Nips and Babes “Forging a way for all birthing people to access a new model of comprehensive care: quality doula, lactation, emotional and parenting supports in Dane County.”

Professional Practices and Skills

Competencies and Best Practices

Reading Materials

Tools

Training

Websites

  • The National Family Support Network’s Standards of Quality for Family Strengthening & Support were issued by the California Network of Family Strengthening Networks (CNFSN) in 2012, and adopted by the National Family Support Network in 2013. They are the first and only standards in the country to integrate and operationalize the Principles of Family Support Practice with the Strengthening Families Frameworks and its research-based evidence-informed 5 Protective Factors. The vision is that their implementation will help ensure that families are supported and strengthened through quality practice.

Program Administration
Program Evaluation

Professional Reading

Tools

  • A Framework for Program Evaluation:  A Gateway to Tools provides a synthesis of existing best practices and a set of standards that can be applied in almost any setting.  It provides a stable guide to design and conduct a wide range of evaluation efforts in a variety of specific program areas, made available through the Center for Community Health and Development at the University of Kansas – Community Toolbox.
  • An Introduction to Evidence-based Programming is an implementation resource guide for social service programs provided by the Office of Family Assistance, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Websites

  • Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Other Evalaution Resources
    Purpose Statement: This page is a list of evaluation resources such as: program evaluation guides/manuals, manuals on specific evaluation steps (e.g., logic models, data collection methods), evaluation-related websites, key professional associations and journals.
  • MDRC, Design Options for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Evaluation (DOHVE) Project Resources
    Purpose Statement: This page is a list of resources for Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) programs (such as WI’s Family Foundations home visiting sites) on issues related to strengthening their evaluations of promising programs, developing and
    adapting data systems to facilitate tracking and reporting on federal benchmarks, and implementing quality improvement systems.
  • American Evaluation Association
    Purpose Statement: The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness. AEA has approximately 7300 members representing all 50 states in the U.S. as well as over 60 foreign countries.

Research/Frameworks in Home Visiting

Professional Reading

Specific reports/articles:

Journals that often carry Home Visiting research articles:

Webinars

Websites

Videos

Self-Care
Sound Beginnings Module Resources
Strengthening Family Coping Resources

Strengthening Family Coping Resources

Online Learning

Websites

Substance Abuse

Online Modules

  • Relationships Matter!  Learn what professionals need to know about the role of relationships in the lives of women with mental health and substance use issues.  Transcripts, slides and audio recordings of the 2017 SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) webinars available. Online registration for these tutorials required. Tutorials are free to earn a Certificate of Completion, fee of $7.50 to earn NAADAC or NBCC CE units.
  • National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) – U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, Understanding Substance Use Disorders, Treatment, and Family Recovery: A Guide for Child Welfare Professionals.    This free tutorial requires online registration with the NCSACW.

Reading Materials

Resources

Videos

Websites

  • My Baby and Me  https://www.wwhf.org/mybabyandme/  A free program, sponsored by the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation, to help Wisconsin women achieve a healthy and alcohol-free pregnancy through screenings, research-based education, phone counseling and text message support.
  • Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. CDC’s webpage that defines Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and provides facts, causes, signs, diagnosis and treatment information.  Headings on this web page include:  Research and Tracking, Data and Statistics, Free Materials, Alcohol Use During Pregnancy, Education and Training, Articles, Multimedia and Tools, and Information for Specific Groups. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/index.html
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) is one of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAAA supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being. It is the largest funder of alcohol research in the world. https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/

Supervision/Reflective Supervision
Trauma/Brain Development

Online Training

  •  Recognizing and Addressing Trauma in Infants, Young Children and their Families.   “This five module tutorial, from the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, addresses the effects of trauma on young children and their families, healing and recovery, resources, publications and interventions for childhood mental health consultants and family support professionals.” https://www.ecmhc.org/tutorials/trauma/index.html

Videos

  • Congressional Briefing: Elizabeth Hudson remarks
    Elizabeth Hudson addresses the mental health impact of violence and
    trauma on children. Elizabeth Hudson is a Trauma-Informed Care
    Consultant; University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Medicine and
    Public Health; Consultant to the Wisconsin Department of Health
    Sevrices.
  • Jill Botle Taylor’s Stroke of Insight
    Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists
    would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive
    stroke. As it happened — as she felt her brain functions slip away one
    by one, speech, movement, understanding — she studied and remembered
    every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us
    and connect us to the world and to one another.
  • How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime (16:03) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95ovIJ3dsNk Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease.
  • The Paradox of Trauma (12:23) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFdn9479U3s Dr. Vicky Kelly, psychotherapist, administrator, and consultant is also a nationally known trainer in the areas of trauma and attachment. The common thread across her career has been helping victims of trauma heal. She has been an early advocate for human services to adopt “trauma-informed care,” an approach that calls for a focus not just on someone’s behavior, but, more importantly, on what drives behavior.
  • How Do We Stop Childhood Adversity from Becoming a Life Sentence? (15:54) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0kV7JtWiE Adverse childhood experiences are physical, sexual or emotional abuse and neglect as well as witnessing family violence, addiction or mental health episodes in the household. Evidence on the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences is presented-to give a sense of the magnitude of the problem. Research is presented which demonstrates a direct link between the level of adversity in childhood and worse outcomes in adulthood related to health, addiction, imprisonment, education and life success and evidence from the field of neuroscience, which explains this link. Ways to prevent and respond to childhood adversity and support victims are presented

Text Resources

  • The Center for the Developing Child
    Short PDF article regarding Early Childhood Mental Health
  • A series of information and tutorials from the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation.
  • Creating a Culture of Care
    This toolkit is the result of the STARS project trauma-informed care project, sponsored by the Texas Dept. of State Health Services (2011). The toolkit can be used across human service settings and was developed broadly for this purpose.
  • Creating a Trauma Informed HV Program Issue Brief. This issue brief features useful strategies for implementing trauma-informed care in home visiting programs and the section Snapshots of Success From the Field: Trauma-Informed Approaches in Home Visiting, highlights Wisconsin home visiting programs.”