The following learning modules about People-Centered Screening and Assessment are designed to help strengthen the personal and organizational screening and assessment practices of home visitors, parent educators, family advocates, and supervisors.
Module 1 is focused on general approaches that can be used to strengthen all screening and assessment efforts. Specific practitioner attributes and skills that have been identified in Motivational Interviewing (Miller & Rollnick 2013) research as being linked to promoting engagement and positive behavior change have been highlighted. In addition, Paul Burke Motivational Interviewing trainer and practitioner, has shared his Motivational Interviewing Promises. This is a resource that is a helpful reminder about people-centered approaches and relationship-based practices.
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Module 2 is focused on Wiist and McFarlane’s Abuse Assessment Screen. This screen is used within the first 60 days of a parent/family enrolling in a Family Foundations home visiting program. It provides an opportunity for the home visitor and parent to explore a parent/care giver’s current safety as well as historical exposure to violence in the home.
Domestic and intimate partner violence have a significant impact on families. Greater knowledge about a parent/care giver’s experiences with domestic/intimate partner violence can provide tremendous insight into the strengths, needs, and goals of the family. The module includes a tip sheet, short videos, a quiz and quiz key. The module also includes strategies for home visitors and supervisors to use the tool reflectively to strengthen supports to families.
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Module 3 is focused on Mersky and Topitzes’ Childhood Experiences Survey and Anda and Felitti’s research about Adverse Childhood Experiences, ACEs. This survey asks parents/caregivers to reflect on experiences that they had in their first 18 years of life which include risk and protective factors. ACEs have been linked to poorer behavioral, physical, and mental health outcomes as well as poorer economic outcomes. Resiliency has been linked to mitigating risks.
By using the Childhood Experiences Survey to have a meaningful conversation with parents/caregivers about their childhood, home visitors are better able to individualize supports to families. The module includes a tip sheet, short videos, a quiz and quiz key. There are also strategies in the module for front-line staff and supervisors to use the tool reflectively to strengthen home visiting services.
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EPDS
Module 4 is focused on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (Cox, Holden, Sagovsky 1987 and Wisner, Parry, and Piontek 2002). This tool asks parents/caregivers to respond to ten questions while considering how they’ve felt for the last 7 days. Maternal and paternal depression is a significant risk of child birth and can be treated. By conducting screening systematically, families can be connected with appropriate care and can achieve better health and relational outcomes.
In this module, participants will better understand how to deliver screening and follow-up about pre and post natal depression. There is also information in the module about maternal and paternal depression. The module includes a tip sheet, short videos, a quiz and quiz key. There are suggestions about using the tool reflectively to strengthen home visiting services and make appropriate referrals to community partners.
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Module 5 is focused on the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarack, Mermelstein 1983). This 10-question tool is used to help families think back over how frequently they have felt stressed or overwhelmed during the last 30 days. While stress is a normal part of life, the frequency, duration, and intensity of stress can have negative results. Professionals who use this tool with parents/caregivers can gain a better understanding about how a family sees and copes with stress in their life. This module also includes information about kinds of stress, the prevalence of stress and stress triggers in the United States.
There is also a very helpful resource that is included with the permission of Dr. Connie Lillas, co-author of Relationship-Based Therapies: A Neuro Relational Framework for Interdisciplinary Practice, to help professionals and families better understand stress and stress responses. A family’s perception of stress can have a significant impact on their desire, ability, reasons, and needs related to family goals. By having an open and intentional conversation about stress, home visitors and families can grow a stronger working alliance. The module includes a tip sheet, short videos, a quiz and quiz key. There are also resources in this module for front-line staff and supervisors about supporting families and while managing worker stressors.
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Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment
Module 6 is focused on the HOME 0-3 or Home Observation Measurement of the Environment (Caldwell and Bradley 1978, 1984, 2003). This tool includes both observation and a guided interview with families to better understand the home environment through the child’s eyes. This module reminds home visiting professionals how to conduct the observation and interview in a respectful manner that moves beyond value judgments to opportunities to strengthen a child and parent/caregivers early experiences. There are suggestions in this module for front-line staff and supervisors related to using the HOME in a reflective way.
This module does not take the place of the extended HOME training but rather is a supplement to the comprehensive training offered through the UW-Milwaukee Child Welfare Training Partnership (MCWP). The module includes a tip sheet, a quiz and quiz key, but does not include videos. Videos are available in the face-to-face HOME training.
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These learning modules were made possible through a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Child Welfare Training Partnership, and Common Worth, LLC.
Author and Voice Over
Lilly Irvin-Vitela, MCRP, Common Worth, LLC
Technical Support and Module and Video Production
Marta L. Magnuson, PhD, Instructional Specialist, Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Joe Franklin, Customer Services Coordinator, Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Video Actors
Charisse Daniels (as Sophia – the mom), Parent Mentor and Co-Trainer Early Childhood Parent Ambassador Program, U-W Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Child Welfare Training Partnership
Lorenzo Seefeldt, (as Jordin – the baby), member of the Daniels- Seefeldt Family
Lilly Irvin-Vitela, MCRP, (as Elizabeth- the home visitor), Common Worth, LLC
Screen, Scales, Assessments, Resources
Citations are in the modules.
Content and Project Support
Paul Burke, (MINT) B.Ed., MA, RSW, Paul Burke Training for use of the Motivational Interviewing Promises
James Dimitri Topitzes, PhD, Associate Professor, UW Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare for feedback and guidance on the Childhood Experiences Survey Tip Sheets
Danielle D. Hayes, MBA, Business Manager, Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee for contract management
Tom Hinds, Home Visiting Performance Planner, Department of Children and Families for support with home visiting program data and protocol requirements
Connie Lillas, PhD, MFT, RN, Director, Interdisciplinary Training Institute, Co-author, The NRF for use of the Awake States and Stress Responses in the Perceived Stress Scale Module.
Leslie McAllister, Home Visiting Coordinator, Department of Children and Families for support of concept development, tip sheet review, identifying resource people, and supporting feedback loops with grantees.
Joshua Mersky, PhD, Associate Professor, UW Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare for feedback and guidance on the Childhood Experiences Survey Tip Sheets
Gloria E Rathkamp, Senior Financial Specialist, Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee for financial management.
Sara Voelker, Home Visiting Research Analyst, Department of Children and Families for support with home visiting program data, protocol requirements, supporting feedback loops with grantees, and concept development.
Staci Sontoski, Home visiting Professional Development Manager, U-W Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Child Welfare Training Partnership for support of concept development, module development and project management.
Wisconsin Home Visiting Grantees for identifying a resource need and providing written feedback on tip sheets.