The Anne and Henry Zarrow School of Social Work presents:

The Knee Center for Strong Families

The University of Oklahoma

Ethics Case & DiscussionStatus of Families in OklahomaChallenges Facing Oklahoma FamiliesStrengthening Oklahoma FamiliesInvitation to provide feedback on the development of the Knee Center

Outline of Presentation

Please refer to the ethics handout at this time.

Ethics Case Presentation

What is a Family– Broadening the Definition

Married nuclear families Joint-custody families Cohabiting families Single-parent families Voluntary child-free families Involuntary child-free families Blended and stepfamilies Families headed by gay men or lesbians Grandparent-led families(Cole, Clark, & Gable, no date)

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in Oklahoma in 2007, 7,300 marriages occurred and 5,200 divorces were granted.

In 2008, 47% of Oklahoma children were living in low income households as compared to the national average of 41%.

In 2008, 52% of low income children lived in a single parent household, compared to 27% of low income children who had married parents.

26% of same-sex couples in Oklahoma are raising children under the age of 18.

National Center for Child in Poverty, 2008; National Center for Health Statistics, 2007.

Oklahoma Family Statistics

Challenges Facing Oklahoma Families

Poverty and Economic SupportMental IllnessAddiction HealthHIV/AIDSIncarcerationChildcareEmotional & Physical AbuseMarriage & family formation (divorce, gay marriage,

teen pregnancy & single parent families)Long term caregiving

If researchers study only family problems, they are likely to find only family problems. Similarly, if educators, community organizers, therapists and researchers are interested in family strengths, they look for them.

When these strengths are identified, they can become the foundation for continued growth and positive change in a family and a society.

Why Study Strong Families?

Everyday in Oklahoma147 babies are born

6 of the babies are born to children 58 of the babies are born without adequate

prenatal care11 of the babies are born too small

171 allegations of serious child abuse and/or neglect are investigated

35 incidents are confirmed to be child abuse and/or neglect

16 children quit high school without graduating

59 children are arrested for a crime2 of those are arrested for a violent crime, like

rape or murder

At least 2 young people will die1 of those will be a baby

How do we define strong families?

Characteristics of a Strong Family Adaptability Appreciation Clear roles Commitment to family Communication Community and family

ties Encouragement of

individuals Shared time(Cole, Clark, & Gable)

Individuation Mutuality Flexibility Stability Clear perception Clear communication Role reciprocity Clear generational

boundaries(Barnhill, 1979)

What is a strong family?Eight Positive Dimensions of Healthy Family Functions

Resources for Change Accessed by Strong Families FAMILY COHESION

Integration, value placed on family needs vs. individual needs

FAMILY ADAPTABILITY

Family’s authority and leadership

structure and rulesFAMILY COMMUNICATION

Member’s ability to communicate

and negotiate differenceFAMILY TIES TO

EXTERNAL SYSTEMS

Open to external

resources and support(Cole, Clark, & Gable)

Promoting ResilienceFamily Resilience - characteristics,

dimensions, and properties of families which help families to be resistant to disruption in the face of change and adaptive in the face of crisis situations. (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1988)

Family Protective Factors - moderate the relationship between a family’s exposure to significant risk and their ability to show competence in accomplishing family functions. (McCubbin & McCubbin, 1988)

Family Recovery Factors - factors that help promote a family's ability to bounce back following a period of difficult family functioning. (National Network for Family Resiliency, 1995)

How do we develop strong families?

Youth Services - over 40Behavioral Health Agencies - over 200

Though there are many family service providers throughout the state, many do not have social workers on staff, especially in rural areas. Therefore, there is a strength and a policy issue for us as social workers.

Existing Community Support in Oklahoma

1990 Child Care and Development Block Grant

1992 Child Support Recovery Act

1993 Family Medical Leave Act

1993 Family Preservation and Support Act

1993 International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act

1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act

1993 National Child Protection Act

1994 Educate America Act

1994 Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act

1994 Federal Budget

1994 Violence Against Women Act

1996 Debt Collection and Improvement Act

1996 Defense of Marriage Act

1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act

1996 Telecommunications Reform Law

1997 Adoption and Safe Family Act

1997 Balanced Budget Act

Existing Family Policies Enacted in the Last 20 years

1998 Adult Education and Family Literacy Act

1998 Deadbeat Parents Act

1999 Wetterling Act (Sexually Violent Offenders Registration)

2000 Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act

2000 Child Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Act

2000 Strengthening Abuse and Neglect Courts Act

2001 USA Patriot Act

2001 No Child Left Behind Act

2002 Education Science Reform Act

2003 The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act

2005 Fair Access Foster Care Act

2006 Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act

2006 Safe and Timely Interstate Placement of Foster Children Act

2006 Child and Family Services Improvement Act

2006 Lifespan Respite Care Act

2006 Tax Relief and Health Care Act

2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act

2009 Fair Labor Standards Act

2009 Education Begins at Home Act

Existing Family Policies Enacted from 1998 to present

Family policy focuses specifically on these four family functions:

Family creation Childrearing

Economic support Family care giving

Advocating for a Family Perspective in Policy Making

Family Commitment in a Society with a Weak Social Safety Net:

Advocating for ChangeThe family often serves as the failsafe in the US with its

small social safety net (i.e., government antipoverty programs).

When safety nets are smaller and less certain, families serve more prominent roles as health care providers, educators, social workers, and personnel managers for their members.

Need for Trained Family Social Workers

Social workers, with their specialized training and skills, are sorely needed all over Oklahoma

Social work is one of the fastest growing careers in the US

Health related jobs are on the rise

The Knee Center Mission The Knee Center for Strong Families is dedicated to strengthening families in Oklahoma through research,

service, policy, and practice.

The Knee Center is dedicated to sponsoring academic and community oriented programs in the fields of social work,

public health

(including mental health), and fine arts.

Possible projects: Visiting lectureships, workshops, seminars, meetings of

scholars, conferences, symposia, and forums Planning grants or “seed money” to develop programs that

might have continuous funding from other sources Underwrite research on the planning and development of

educational programs to enhance family life in Oklahoma

Contribute new knowledge in quality of life for Oklahoma families

Foster collaboration for outreach activities directed toward solving social problems for families

Increase current research capacity of the Center’s faculty, investigators, and students through the creation of research teams

Increase the amount of externally funded training and research grants conducted by the Center

How can we help you strengthen Oklahoma families?

Goals of the Knee Center

Invitation to provide feedback for the development of the Knee Center

Questions?

American Network of Community Options and Resources, 2005. Oklahoma Fact Sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ancor.org/issues/medicaid/statefactsheets/oklahoma.pdf on October 6th, 2009.

Barnhill, L. (1979). Healthy family systems. Family Coordinator. 22: 94-100.

Bellah, R.N. (1990). The invasion of the money world. In D. Blankenhorn, S. Bayme, & J.B. Elshtain (Eds.), Rebuilding the nest: A new commitment to the American family (p. 3-25). Milwaukee, WI: Family Service America.

Blankenhorn, D. (1990). American family dilemmas. In D. Blankenhorn, S. Bayme, & J. Elshtain (Eds.). Rebuilding the nest: A new commitment to the American family (p. 3-25). Milwaukee, WI: Family Service America.

Bogenschneide, K. (2000). Has Family Policy Come of Age? A Decade Review of the State of U.S. Family Policy in the 1990s. Journal of Marriage and Family. Vol. 62, 49. p. 1136-1159.

Children’s Defense Fund, 2008. Children’s Defense Fund. Retrieved from www.childrensdefense.org on October 6h, 2009.

Cole, K., Clark, J., & Gable, S. Promoting Family Strengths. University of Missouri Extension. http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/humanrel/gh6640.htm. no date

DeFrain. J. (1994). Family strengths and challenges in the South Pacific: an exploratory study. International Journal of the Sociology of the Family. 24, 2, 25-47.

Doherty, W.J., Kouneski, E.F., & Erikson, M.F. (1998). Responsible father: An overview and conceptual framework. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 60, 277-292.

Eastman, M. (1996). Myths of marriage and family. In D., Popenoe, J.B, Elshtain, & D. Blankenhorn (Eds). Promises to keep: decline & renewal of marriage in America (p. 35-68). Lanham, MD. Rowman & Littlefield.

Forthofer, M.S., Markman, H.J., Cox, M., Stanley, S., & Kessler, R.C. (1996). Associations between marital distress and work loss in a national sample. Journal of Marriage and the Family. 58, 597-605.

References

Giele, J.Z. (1996). Decline of the family: Conservative, Liberal & feminist views. In D., Popenoe, J.B, Elshtain, & D. Blankenhorn (Eds). Promises to keep: decline & renewal of marriage in America (p. 271-290). Lanham, MD. Rowman & Littlefield.

Kane, R.A., Kane, R.L., & Ladd, R.c. (1998). The heart of long-term care. New York: Oxford University Press.

McCubbin, H. I. McCubbin, M. A., (1988) Typologies of resilient families: Emerging roles of social class and ethnicity. Family Relations, 37, 247–254

National Center for Child in Poverty, 2008. National Center for Child in Poverty. Retrieved from www.nccp.org on October 6th, 2009.

National Center for Health Statistics, 2007. National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/nchs on October 6th, 2009.

National Institute of Corrections, 2007. Statistics for the State of Oklahoma. Retrieved from http://nicic.gov/Features/StateStats/?State=OK on October 6th, 2009.

Oklahoma Child Care Resource and Referral Association, 2008. 2008 Oklahoma Child Care and Early Education Portfolio. Retrieved from http://www.oklahomachildcare.org/news/718 on October 6th, 2009.

Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, 2009. Oklahoma Kids Count Factbook 2009. Retrieved from http://www.odl.state.ok.us/kids/factbook/kidscount2009/intro.html on October 6th, 2009.

Oklahoma Mental Health Consumer Council, 2009. Oklahoma Mental Health Consumer Council. Retrieved from www.omhcc.org on October 6th, 2009.

Ooms, T. (1990). Family and government: Implements a family perspective in public policy. Social Thought, 16, 61-78.

Saleebey, D. (2006). The Strengths Perspective in Social Work Practice (4th ed.). Pearson Education Inc. Boston, MA.

Schor, J.P. (1991). The overworked American: The unexpected decline of leisure (p.122). NY: Basic Books.

Tocqueville, A. (1945). Democracy in America (Vol. 2). New York: Vintage Books.

Wolfe, A. (1998) Developing civil society: Can the workplace replace bowling? The Responsive Community: Rights and Responsibilities. 8, 41-47.

References, cont.