National Association For The Education of Homeless Children and
Youth
Kansas City, MO
October 27, 2014
Jen Tisdale, MSW, MPH
Project CATCH Coordinator
Raleigh, NC
OVERVIEW
 History – How’d we get started.
 What is CATCH?
 Outcomes
 How to get it started where you are.
WHAT ABOUT THE
CHILDREN?

Kids like baggage.

Shelters are silos. Let’s work
together to solve the problem.

Case Manager on board: TSA 474
Children were screened between
fiscal years 2006 and 2010
(approx. 118 per year).
WHAT IS THE NEED?
2008-2010
 Focus Groups: Intensive study of 4 shelters
(Marmaud, 2008) included staff & parent focus
groups as well as observation in shelters. Families
wanted support for their children.
RESEARCH, RESEARCH: Review of professional
literature and the work of national organizations.
WHAT WE
DISCOVERED…
1. Rate of family homelessness is
high and rising rapidly
39% Between 2007 and 2010 (US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
2011 data: 500 families spent time in a shelter, transitional or supportive
housing 64% of them were children.
JUSTIFICATION
2. Social-emotional concerns/ mental health
problems are significant and rarely addressed.
Children “invisible” in shelters because…
…staff members focus on housing/employment goals.
…parents often don’t recognize stress in their own
children.
…no questions asked about children’s well being
“ My case manager keeps asking about me, but my concern is for my child. I”ll be
good when he is.” – mom from TSA
Therefore, increased attention to children’s needs is essential.
JUSTIFICATION
3. Parents experiencing homelessness face
parenting challenges, and are unable to
provide quality parenting.
 Shelter climate does not support positive parenting and healthy
family interactions.
 Policies and practices are not conducive to nurturing parenting
practices and positive family relationships.
JUSTIFICATION
4. Rich in resources but lack of coordination &
integration of services.
 Families move from shelter to shelter – no consistent
provision or coordination of services among shelters.
 Shelter staff access community resources sporadically and
inefficiently.
Therefore, coordination & collaboration are
needed.
GRANT EFFORTS
State and Federal Funding provided for sustainable program to:
Address social-emotional & developmental
needs of children
Provide a shelter environment that supports
healthy family interactions
Coordinate services across shelters
Evaluate the system for possible dissemination
All families experiencing homelessness in
Wake County will have access to a
coordinated system of care that nurtures
the health, well-being, and success of their
children.
BEST PRACTICES FOR CHILDREN IN
TRANSITION
1. Housing
2. Maternal well-being
3. Child well-being
4. Family functioning
5. Family preservation
National Center on Family Homelessness
(DeCandia 2012)
THREE HATS OF CATCH
1. Direct Service: Case Management
2. Collaboration/ Partnerships and Children/Family
Centered Programming
3. Trauma Informed Care Training and Services
Direct Service Hat:
1. Referrals are made from shelters
2. Screenings and psychosocials are conducted.
1. Parent Interview
2. Brigance; Ages and Stages
3. ASQ
4. Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory
3. Needs are identified (e.g., further evaluation,
treatment)
4. Results and decisions are entered in data
base.
5. Cases are followed closely.
Resources are ineffective if families don’t have access to
them. Project CATCH staff members provide transportation for
families as needed to attend appointments.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Screenings
Basic needs such as food and clothing
Medical transport
Educational Assistance
Mental Health Referrals
Parenting Assistance
Families choose to keep up, Project
CATCH has a policy “once a CATCH
family, always a CATCH family.” This
motto has allowed families a feeling of
safety and they have often taken the
initiative to let CATCH know how they
are doing or reach out for a simple
request.
Child Screenings
and Referrals
From the
first
intake…
…families can count on Project
CATCH as a consistent support.
….to
three
years
later…
Salvation Army
COLLABORATION
HAT:
PEACH
Women’s Empowerment
TheraPlay
Raising a Thinking Child
Wake Med Chaplaincy
Circle of Parents
Triple P
Family and Child
Centered
Programming/
Collaboration
Raleigh
Rescue
Mission
Haven
House
PLM
Women’s
Center
Passage
Home
Circles of
Support
Interact
WIHN
The
Carying
Place
Wake County
Southlight
Healing
Place
OTHER PARTNERS:
• Head Start
• Local Museums
• Guardian ad Litem
• School systems
• Learning Centers
• Nonprofits
COMMUNITY MEETINGS
HIGH LEVEL OF SUSTAINED COMMITMENT OVER TIME WITH STABLE ATTENDANCE
AND GROWTH IN PARTNERS.
“There is a supportive affirming atmosphere which helps us feel we are not out there
along. Many are working cooperatively for the benefit of our most vulnerable,
homeless children”
“Having an opportunity for face to face contact with representatives from other
service agencies has been a strategic component to better serving my own clients
so they have benefitted from the collaborative work of Project CATCH.”
“I’ve met many people from other agencies and learned so much about what they are
doing. Often, other workers and I share a client and can catch up about services
for them.”
TRAUMA HAT:
TRAUMA INFORMED CARE/VICARIOUS
TRAUMA/SELF-CARE TRAINING:
On-site training in trauma-informed best practices
to promote strong families and children’s wellbeing.
National Center for Family Homelessness TIC
School Social Workers
All but 3 shelters
Other community organizations
Clients
 Follow-up on-site training conducted to discuss
progress and problem-solve challenges.
WHAT WE ARE TEACHING ABOUT TRAUMAINFORMED SERVICES
 Training of shelter and school staff includes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
The effects of trauma on neurological / psychosocial
development of parents and children.
Behavioural Responses.
Understanding acute, chronic, and complex trauma
Understanding potential retraumatization via the service
system.
Recognizing traumatic stress.
Potential mislabeling or misdiagnosing of MH symptoms.
without considering past experiences of trauma.
How schools can increase trauma informed responses..
RESULTS
HOW IS PROJECT CATCH
CHANGING
SHELTER SERVICE DELIVERY?
• Shelters are looking at self-care, Intake procedures, selfawareness of vicarious trauma, and involving consumers
in advisory groups.
• Average of 15 agency reps attend monthly CATCH
meetings to share resources, struggles, etc . Each year
we’ve grown in numbers and in strength.
• Trauma-Informed care has been incorporated into the NC
Schools statewide training protocol for personnel working
with children. Trained over 500 providers in the
community.
“There is a supportive, affirming atmosphere which
helps us feel like we’re not out there alone. Many are
working co-operatively for the benefit of our most
vulnerable, homeless children.”
Interact
“Partnership with CATCH has helped WIHN become
better able to more affectively assist our clients with
their needs. Because this makes our job easier in
some ways, it has made my current position more
enjoyable. Having a partner in the community that
cares as deeply about kids as WIHN does makes the
job in general much less stressful.”
- WIHN
RESULTS:
90% of agencies
participating reported
utilizing new
resources/protocols for
children as a result of
information sharing and
trauma informed care
training
75% of shelter programs
assessed successfully
achieved one identified
goal related to serving
children and families more
effectively
CATCH
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Over 900 children referred to Project CATCH
• Successful partnerships developed with 20 or more
community agencies - helped streamline service
delivery.
• 20% of referrals from School Social Workers
• 1200 referrals made to community partners (MH,
Early Ed, Head start, Medical, Day Care, etc) which
equates over 100% of our children receiving at least
one identified service based on need.
SCREENING RESULTS:
• 84% received a psychosocial or developmental
screening determining need for referral.
• ASQ and Brigance Early Childhood Screening II
administered to more than 500 children in 11
shelters (50% of clients referred)
25% of parents had serious concerns about their children’s
mental health.
Mean scores on the Brigance were significantly lower
(96.18) than the norm (100) with particular delays in
language.
60% of three year olds had a significant language delay.
There are wide individual differences as well indicating
resiliency functioning.
“7 REASONS WE NEED PROJECT CATCH”
1. Project CATCH is glue
2. Project CATCH is like preventing cancer instead of
diagnosing it at stage four.
3. Project CATCH acts to end inter-generational
homelessness and poverty
4. Project CATCH is designed around evidenced-based
research
5. Project CATCH is run by a dedicated and lean team of
three full time staff.
6. Project CATCH does what needs to be done
7. PROJECT CATCH meets a real need
The Homeless in Wake County, NC: The Listening Project blog
PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PROJECT CATCH
AND THE
WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL
SYSTEM
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
A brief overview…
“As the McKinney Vento Liaison, I would not have had
the opportunity to build the same community
relationships, gain a better understanding of the work
done by other agencies, shelters, etc. and learn of
new resources in the community without CATCH. As
well, their existence has enhanced the work of School
Social Workers and has greatly improved the schoolcommunity-family communication and involvement.”
Michelle, WCPSS
STUDENTS WHO ARE
HOMELESS
IN WAKE COUNTY, NC
Wake County Population: almost 1 million. 104 Elmentary Schools, 36
middle schools and 29 high schools.
2013-2014, 2,669 students met McKinney Vento eligibility, a 7% increase
from the year before. This year we are already up to 1,468.
Biggest issues: Lack of housing. Couch surfing and hotel living higher than
before.
Michelle Mozingo, MSW, Wake County McKinney Vento Liaison for Homeless Students
HOW WE CLOSED THE GAP…
Project CATCH Community Meetings
McKinney Vento Liaison and Preschool Social Worker attend
monthly meetings with reps from homeless agencies
 Recent topics/activities:
 Navigating school re-assignment
 Assistance with IEP’s for homeless students
 Solving transportation issues and school relocation
 Assistance with Special Ed services
 CATCH and Trauma Informed Care info is disseminated throughout the
school system.
 Partnerships with Museums for educational purposes for families
TIME TO PAUSE:
HOW DO YOU WORK WITH SHELTER STAFF?
WHAT DOES COLLABORATION OF SERVICES LOOK LIKE IN YOUR
COMMUNITY?
HOW DO YOU ACCESS RESOURCES FOR HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH,
AND TRACKING YOUR CHILDREN WHO ARE HOMELESS?
WHAT BARRIERS DO YOU FACE?
FOCUS ON 3 SPECIFIC
AREAS:
Community Assessment
Program Development
Marketing
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT
1. Identify target population /need/ community players. What support system is lacking in
the community? How are children’s needs being met? Where are the gaps?
2. Look at the research – what are other communities doing? What is working, and what
isn’t?
3. Develop a collaborative of professionals – Universities, established leaders in the field,
community organizers, specialists. They can do a lot of the work. How can we work
collectively to better meet children’s needs?
4. What is in it for community members specifically? How can it help them with little effort
on their part? Keep community/client focus. RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
5. Talk to all levels of staff members – multiple agencies
6. Develop a viable service / action plan that agencies can tap into
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Volunteers and MSW students – helps build program capacity
Website and social media is important. Keep information fresh and informative
Press Releases – Keep your name out there
Media relationships lead to more coverage
Advisory committee – Continue to seek out members who can bring strengths that your
program needs. They have community connections that can drive sustainability.
MARKETING
Became part of the Ten Year Plan – program took off!
Group collaborations receive grant funding
Constant interaction and follow-up with agencies
Regular support of partners
Regular communication / scheduled agency meetings - Include an educational / resource
element
Continuous feedback from agency partners
Keep track of statistics so potential funders can connect with your mission and goals
Presentations.
THE BEST WAY TO FIND
YOURSELF IS TO LOSE
YOURSELF IN THE SERVICE OF
OTHERS
- GHANDI
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Jen Tisdale, MSW, MPH
Project CATCH Coordinator
The Salvation Army of Wake County, NC
Jennifer.tisdale@uss.salvationarmy.org
919-834-6733 x 136
REFERENCES
Chiu, Sheau-Huey., DiMarco, Marguerite A.(2010). A pilot study comparing two developmental
tools for use with homeless children. Journal of pediatric health care 24 (2). pg. 72-80.
screening
Hong, Saahoon., Piescher, Kristy. (2012) The role of supportive housing in homeless children’s wellbeing: An investigation of child welfare and educational outcomes. Children and youth
services review 34. pg. 1440-1447.
Kilmer, Ryan P., Cook, James R., Crusto, Cindy., Strater, Katherine P., Haber, Mason G. (2012).
Understanding the ecology and development of children and families experiencing
homelessness: Implications for practice, supportive services, and policy. American Journal of
Orthopsychiatry 82 (3). Pg. 389-401.
National Center on Family Homelessness- www.familyhomelessness.org
Putnam, Frank. (2006). The impact of trauma on child development. Juvenile and family court
11.
journal. Pg. 1-