Natacha Blain

Mickey McKinney

Sue Badeau

Moderator: Gary Blau

This plenary presentation provides an overview of the new Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) report, America’s Cradle to Prison Pipeline, documenting an urgent national crisis at the intersection of poverty and race that puts Black boys at a one in three lifetime risk of going to jail and Latino boys at a one in six risk of the same fate. The presentation discusses the major factors that drive tens of thousands of children and youth into the Pipeline and what child-serving systems, in partnership with communities and families, can do to prevent and remove barriers and dismantle the pipeline that often sets poor youth of color on a trajectory that leads to marginalized lives, prison, and/or premature death. A family advocate and youth advocate address their own efforts to keep children and youth out of the pipeline.

Panel:

Reweaving the Fabric of Family and Community: Action Steps for Dismantling the Cradle to Prison Pipeline

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Lynn White

Liz Ryans

Laura Vural

Kimberly Booth

Moderator: Mareasa
Isaacs

This panel discussion builds on the plenary session and provides specific examples of programs and child-serving systems that have begun the work of dismantling the Cradle to Prison pipeline in their community and organization. The session provides action steps that systems and programs might develop to begin to dismantle the Pipeline in their own communities and service delivery systems.

Panel:

The Kinship Care Connection: A Best Practice Model for Meeting the Needs of Kinship Families

Download the presentation slides

LaSandra McGrew

Cheryl Smith

Moderator: Kim Helfgott

Kinship care is the fastest growing home placement for youth in the child welfare system. In the African American community, grandmothers are the largest kinship care providers. However, the challenges and needs of these family arrangements are not well-understood or recognized. Many states do not license kinship care homes or provide adequate subsidies for these guardians.
This panel provides an overview of the Florida Kinship Center at the University of South Florida and one of its unique programs, The Kinship Care Connection, which is a school-based intervention program. One panel member is a grandmother involved in kinship care for her grandchildren who addresses her own experiences with kinship care and the importance of the Kinship Care Connection program. Both panelists address specific policy and service recommendations for others who serve these families.

Panel:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Interventions for African American Youth: The Cuyahoga County, Ohio Model

Download the presentation slides

Karen Ols

Yulanda Wiley

Moderator: Bethanie Parrish

Cuyahoga County is the most populous county in Ohio. Nationwide and in Cuyahoga County, approximately 20 percent of youth are living below poverty. Many youth also have substance abuse and mental health issues that are complicated by factors of poverty. The wraparound approach has been effective in addressing the impact of poverty on substance treatment by blending informal and formal supports.

Think Tank:

Working with Biracial and Multiracial Youth: A Sharing of Ideas, Lessons Learned, and Resources

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Ivonn Ellis-Wiggan

Moderator: Becky Ornelas

The 2000 U.S. Census allowed Americans to check more than one box to describe their race. As a result, nearly 7 million people identified themselves as being of two or more races, amounting to about 2.4 percent of the total population. In addition, the number of multiracial children in the U.S. is increasing: more than 100,000 have been born annually over the last decade. Most biracial and multiracial youth are exposed to more than one lifestyle, set of cultural norms, and racial groups. It is necessary for professionals to understand the complexity of these youth and their families.

Think Tank:

Promoting Positive Dating Behaviors in African American Females

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Erika Van Buren

Moderator: Regina Hicks

This session provides a brief overview of dating and relationships in young African American females. Participants explore issues such as peer norms and pressure, the influence of television and other media, the role of family, stereotypes, and dating myths. Strategies for helping youth care for themselves emotionally and physically when they enter the dating world are also shared.

Think Tank:

Is it Really Stigma?: The Underutilization of Mental Health Services by African American and African Descent Communities

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Mareasa R. Isaacs

Moderator: T. E. Arthur

There has been massive research literature that consistently documents the underutilization of mental health services by African Americans, regardless of socio-economic status. Is this under-utilization really the result of stigma or is it more directly related to the “long and sullied track record where blacks and the American medical and psychiatric/psychological establishments are concerned.” Are stigma and distrust two sides of the same coin or are they fundamentally different issues? If they are different, how do they differ and what strategies might be more effective in addressing the under-utilization of mental health services in Black communities?

Workshop:

Historical Comparisons Between the Family Movement and Other Social Justice Movements

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Sandra Spencer

Moderator: Frank Rider

Social Justice is a concept that is used to describe the movement toward a socially just world. It also refers to the distribution of advantages and disadvantages within a society. This workshop gives a historical comparison between major social justice movements and the emerging family movement birthed in the children’s mental health arena. Participants examine the path of the family movement and why it qualifies as a social justice effort. The family movement is described as the national advocacy voice of families raising children and youth with serious behavioral, emotional, and mental health challenges.

Workshop:

Effective Strategies to Reduce Disproportionate Contact of African American Youth in the Juvenile Justice System

Download the presentation slides

Joyce Burrell

Moderator: Michele Herman

African American youth represent a disproportionately high percentage of youth in the juvenile justice system. According to the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ), "nationwide, African Americans represent 15 percent of the population, 26 percent of juvenile arrests, 44 percent of youth who are detained, 46 percent of the youth who are judicially waived to criminal court, and 58 percent of the youth admitted to state prisons. Incarceration rates of African Americans and other minorities are so high that criminal justice has become the civil rights movement of this generation."
This session identifies the causes and issues which impact the overrepresentation of minority youth in the juvenile justice system and presents strategies for addressing Disproportionate Minority Contact (DMC).

Panel:

Promoting Racial Equity in Child Welfare Services, Policies, and Child and Family Outcomes

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Khatib Waheed

Robert Hill

Sondra Jackson

Moderator: Guileine Kraft

The fact that nearly 60 percent of our nation’s children who live in foster care are children of color goes largely unnoticed by most Americans. Yet these children, while under state-mandated care, suffer far worse outcomes—in terms of physical and mental health, educational performance, and access to basic services and resources—despite the hard evidence that parents of color are no more likely than white parents to abuse or neglect their children. This session highlights current national and state data on disproportionality and disparities in child welfare systems. The panel describes the work of the Casey-CSSP Alliance, a collaboration effort, which includes the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Casey Family Services, Casey Family Programs, the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and parents and alumni of foster care.

SOC Cinema:

"Half Nelson"

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Sharon Hunt

Regenia Hicks

Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) is a young inner-city junior high school teacher whose ideals wither and die in the face of reality. Rejecting the standard curriculum in favor of an edgier approach, Dan teaches his students how change works – on both a historical and personal scale – and how to think for themselves. Though Dan is brilliant, dynamic, and in control in the classroom, he spends his time outside school on the edge of consciousness. His disappointments and disillusionment have led to a serious drug habit. He juggles his hangovers and his homework, keeping his lives separated, until one of his troubled students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), catches him getting high after school. From this awkward beginning, Dan and Drey stumble into an unexpected friendship. Despite the differences in their ages and situations, they are both at an important intersection. Depending on which way they turn – and which choices they make – their lives will change.

SOC Cinema:

"A Boy Named Twist"

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Luc Nya

Reyhan Reid

A contemporary interpretation of Dickens' "Oliver Twist" which is relocated to the poor streets of Cape Town. A mother dies in childbirth in the middle of nowhere. Fearing blame, the locals bury her in an unmarked grave and drop the baby at a rural orphanage. Now a teenager he runs into trouble and escapes to the city where he is caught up in a network of child pickpockets. His new friend Dodger teaches him the tricks of the trade, but the inexperienced Twist is caught trying to steal from Ebrahim Bassedien. There is a strange affinity between this old man (who has lost his daughter) and the young boy who never knew his mother. Bassedien takes Twist in and for a moment it seems that the trauma is over as the little boy encounters love for the first time in his short and brutal life.

SOC Cinema:

"Boys of Baraka"

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Raymond Crowel

Bethanie Parrish

On September 12, 2002 twenty "at risk" 12-year-old boys from the tough streets of inner-city Baltimore left home to attend the 7th and 8th grade at Baraka, an experimental boarding school located in Kenya, East Africa. Here, faced with a strict academic and disciplinary program as well as the freedom to be normal teenage boys, these brave kids began the daunting journey towards putting their lives on a fresh path.
"The Boys of Baraka" focuses on four boys: Devon, Montrey, Richard, and his brother Romesh. Their humor and explicit truthfulness give intimate insight into their optimistic plans, despite the tremendous obstacles they face both at home and in school. Through extensive time with the boys in Baltimore and in Africa, the film captures the kids' amazing journey and how they fare when they are forced to return to the difficult realities of their city. "The Boys of Baraka" zeros in on kids that society has given up on: boys with every disadvantage, but who refuse to be cast off as "throw-aways."

Panel:

A Faith-Based Approach to Healing Intergenerational Trauma in the African American Community

Download the presentation slides

Scott Palmer

Waana Thomas

Daedalys Wilson

Ken Nash

Pastor James Matthews

Moderator: Susan Stromberg

This presentation provides an overview of Connecting Circles of Care, a federally funded system of care in Butte County, CA. It highlights the effective collaboration of African American churches and community organizations, which led to the development of a faith-based approach to healing intergenerational trauma among African American youth and families.

Panel:

Support for Black Students: Creating Culturally Competent Learning Environments

Download the presentation slides

Darren Woodruff

Gwen Darpoh-Willis

Moderator: Andy Hunt

This presentation examines the current national data on the disproportionate identification of African American students for special education services, as well as explore the circumstances that may contribute to this increasing trend. Other factors impacting student performance including readiness to learn, poverty, teacher perceptions, school environment, cultural and linguistic classroom practices and school disciplinary policies are addressed. The session concludes with a description of a culturally competent school environment and how to assist schools in obtaining this goal.

Panel:

The Mental Health Needs and Challenges of African Immigrant Youth and Families

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Luc Nya

Sheikh Mohamed

Moderator: Becky Ornelas

Stigma has been identified as a major factor in the underutilization of mental health services by people of color. Research has shown that culture, immigration status, and acculturation also impact help seeking behavior and the individual’s understanding of mental health. This workshop provides an overview of the successful collaboration between the cultural and linguistic competence coordinator and the director of social marketing to address mental health stigma within the African Immigrant populations in Maine. Project Thrive is a federally funded system of care that has incorporated a trauma focused approach to clinical services and social supports that effectively engages diverse ethnic communities in mental health transformation efforts.

Think Tank:

A Discussion of, Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors by Bill Cosby and Alvin Poussaint: The Implications for Communities of African Descent

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Karen Francis

This session involves a lively facilitated discussion on the controversial book entitled, Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors by Bill Cosby and Alvin F. Poussaint. This book provides a powerful message for families and communities as they lay out their visions for strengthening America and the world. The authors aim to help empower people to make the daunting transition from victims to victors. They contend that African Americans have adopted a “victim mentality” which has been detrimental to community progress and family relationships.

Think Tank:

Creating a Curriculum to Inform Clinical Practice with African American Youth: A Trauma-Based Approach

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Kristin Williams

Joanna Melon

Presenters describe the development and operationalization of a trauma-based curriculum that can be utilized with African American youth who have suffered from multiple sources of trauma, including historical trauma. Participants provide suggestions for the curriculum development and factors associated with historical trauma.

Think Tank:

Unraveling the Mixed Messages of Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Reyhan Reid

Larry Brown

Rap music and hip hop culture has become a main stay of our society. Many popular videos often include negative images and stereotypes of the African American community. Parents, clergy, and educators contend that these videos have a detrimental effect on prosocial behavior in youth. Does the media misrepresent hip hop culture? Do lyrics and words influence youth culture?

Workshop:

Immigrants at Risk: The Impact of the Caribbean Migration Process on Parent-Child Dynamics

Download the presentation slides

Marcia Bayne-Smith

Reyhan Reid

Moderator: Guileine Kraft

The pattern of migration from the circum-Caribbean Region to the U.S. is unlike that of other groups. Caribbean women tend to come first as it is easier for them to find work, albeit low-paying jobs in the service sector. A critical step in making this move however, is that they oftentimes must leave their children in the care of grandmothers or other relatives. They then work slowly over the course of several years to accumulate the resources necessary to reunite their families. Many of these reunited families face a myriad of social, psychological, and economic stressors when trying to re-establish themselves as a family. This session explores strategies to improve the well-being and behavioral health within these families.

Panel:

How Faith Influences the Risk Behaviors of African American Youth Entering Substance Abuse Treatment

Download the presentation slides

Gretchen Chase Vaughn

Donna Baird

Moderator: Kim Helfgott

This session examines whether the religious and spiritual beliefs of African American youth served as a protective factor against substance abuse and sexual risk behaviors. Data collected with the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) from African American, Caucasian, Hispanic and mixed race youth admitted into federally funded substance abuse treatment programs are examined. Results indicated that African American youth entered treatment with stronger spiritual and religious beliefs compared to their Caucasian peers. In addition, there was a negative correlation between African American youths' level of religiosity/spirituality and the number of days that they had used drugs.

Panel:

Utilizing Afrocentric Approaches in the Treatment of African American Youth and Families: The Case for NTU Therapy

Download the presentation slides

Vivian Jackson

Henry Gregory

Moderator: Frank Rider

In the trend towards evidence-based practice models that are not often grounded in the cultural values and beliefs of racial and ethnic groups, effective models of practice are often overlooked. For more than two decades, a body of research and practice has developed around NTU therapy. NTU psychotherapy is based on the core principles of ancient African and Afrocentric worldview, nurtured by African American culture, and augmented by concepts and techniques of Western psychology. It utilizes the principles of Nguzo Saba as guidelines for harmonious living. This session provides information about the basic concepts of NTU therapy and how it is applied in therapeutic interventions. The session also examines the research-base to determine whether NTU therapy is effective in practices with African American youth and families.

Workshop:

Understanding and Treating Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) in African American Children: Myths and Realities

Download the presentation slides

Evelyn Polk Green

Robert Green

Moderator: Lisa Rubenstein

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often persists into adulthood. AD/HD is a chronic disorder that can negatively impair many aspects of daily life, including home, school, work, and interpersonal relationships. There are many effective treatments and interventions for ADHD, yet studies show that African American and other children of color do not often receive appropriate care. Based on her own experiences as an advocate and mother of a son with ADHD, the presenter explores the many myths that sometimes keep African American families from seeking treatment for their children and describes the types of treatments and supports that have been effective.

Panel:

The Silent Epidemic of Parental Depression in African American Communities: Creating the Parent Support Program Curriculum

(No slide presentation for this session.)

Mareasa Isaacs

Cynthia Newbille

Annie Giles

Moderator: Ivonn Ellis-Wiggan

Major depression has been identified by the World Health Organization as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and the single largest cause of disability for women. In the United States, 12.4 million women are affected by depression each year (12.3 percent) and 6.4 million men (6.7 percent). Recent data suggest that rates of depression are twice as high among low-income women and women of color (25 percent). Recent studies also suggest that depression may be more prevalent among men of color. This session examines the findings from recent focus groups and literature reviews on depression among African American parents and the impact on their children. It highlights the Parent Support Program Curriculum, a 12-week culturally-congruent, gender-specific support program designed to reduce feelings of sadness and increase levels of self-efficacy.

Workshop:

School Experiences Among African-American Adolescents: Implications for Ethnic Identity Development and School Adjustment

Download the presentation slides

Erika Van Buren

Moderator: Nick Read