Adaptability, Flexibility, and Empathy: Foundations for Success in Working With Youth Who Are Involved in Systems and Their Families

As a clinician who has worked in clinical and non-clinical roles in juvenile hall, residential treatment, shelters, and with foster and adoptive families, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to receive adequate training and support to learn best practices in working with system-involved youth.

 Article
  Added on 8/6/2021
Building Connection in Foster Families

Working with child welfare-involved youth and their families can be both challenging and rewarding. Use this collection of resources to teach families how to encourage one another and communicate with compassion. These tools can help families build connections that are resilient and long lasting.

 Resource Collection
  37 items
  Added on 5/28/2020
Collaborating Across Systems for Youth Clients

Effective care coordination is essential for supporting positive outcomes in clients with complex medical and mental health needs. This is especially true for child and adolescent clients involved with multiple agencies or systems. This training will examine the best practices for engaging in professional collaboration on behalf of youth clients. Participants will explore theoretical approaches to care coordination and case management activities, review the various systems with which youth clients may be involved (e.g., schools, the juvenile justice system, DCFS, etc.), discuss care coordination techniques ...

 Training
  1 hour, 14 minutes
  Added on 3/1/2023
Enhancing Family Engagement Through Adaptive Practices

This course is designed to support facilitators and clinicians who work with adolescents and youth involved in various systems (e.g., child welfare, juvenile justice, residential treatment, foster care, and more). When working with youth and adolescents in these settings, facilitators experience distinct challenges when engaging with the youth’s family. In this course, facilitators will enhance family engagement and appreciation while building a more positive family climate for the youth and their families. Facilitators will learn specific strategies such as tokens of appreciation to share with ...

 Course
  1 hour, 30 minutes
  Added on 5/4/2021
Homeboy Industries Training Series: Strengths-Based Engagement Techniques for Providers

Join Homeboy Industries subject matter experts in a 4-part interactive learning experience focusing on cultural competency and strength-based client engagement for professionals serving youth. Over the course of the series, you will learn vital information for understanding the impact of severe trauma in order to support clients through their journey of change and transformation. With the development of workforce skills, you will be better prepared to provide support through peer support and case management, one-on-one therapy, group work, life skills classes, rituals, retreats, and how ...

 Training Series
  4 items
  Added on 7/7/2022
LGBTQ+ Youth in Foster Care: Where Are Their Resource Families?

The disproportionate number of LGBTQ+ youth lingering in foster care is a longstanding issue in the child welfare system, both locally in Los Angeles and nationally across the country. This video will increase attendees' understanding of why resource parents are not intentionally stepping up to care for LGBTQ+ youth and include a review of the subsequent health disparities facing LGBTQ+ youth with prolonged involvement in the child welfare system. Results will be presented from a mixed-method project examining factors impacting prospective resource parents' willingness to ...

 Training
  1 hour, 30 minutes
  Added on 7/13/2021
Supporting Basic Student and Family Needs

Due to structural and systemic issues, students and families may have a difficult time meeting their basic needs. This can impact their overall wellbeing and their academic progress. This training will teach educators how to help families access services including food, housing, health and mental health resources. We will also cover child care and after-school programming to discuss how these supports will strengthen students and their families. In addition, educators will learn how to recognize when resource referrals might be needed to support a family's ...

 Training
  45 minutes
  Added on 5/6/2021
Supporting Children in Foster Care: Tips for Social Workers

This collection of resources is designed to help child welfare professionals better support foster youth and their caregivers. Curated with handouts, videos, and online trainings, this collection uses evidence-based behavior management strategies and resilience-promoting parenting skills that help reduce placements for children in LA County’s welfare system, while also promoting family and individual development. 

 Resource Collection
  25 items
  Added on 12/14/2022
Techniques and Tools for Greater Family Engagement

When working with systems-involved (e.g., foster, juvenile justice, welfare) youth and adolescents, facilitators and clinicians can experience distinct challenges while engaging the youth’s family. Access specific strategies to engage youth, regardless of being systems-involved, and their families without judgment and with flexibility and empathy. Explore these techniques and tools to diversify family discussions, support emotion regulation, and build a positive family climate.

 Resource Collection
  15 items
  Added on 6/18/2021
Trauma Informed Sex Trafficking Training for Mental Health Professionals

Upon completion of this training, participants will understand the realities of human trafficking including current statistics. Participants will learn the health consequences and mental health challenges associated with sex trafficking. Participants will also be able to recognize and respond to individuals who have experienced sex trafficking. Participants will gain a better understanding of how to use a trauma informed approach when providing care to a person with lived experience of sex trafficking.

 Training
  1 hour, 30 minutes
  Added on 1/20/2022