MALDI Presentation

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• MALDI Presentation
• Adoption Competency in New York State Developing
  a Post Adoption Certification Program
• October 20, 2006
• Presenter
• Ernest Anderson - Adoption Specialist NYC
  Regional Office

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Introduction
• Extensive Assessment of Needs of Adoptive
  Families
• Findings
• Adoptive Families need to access a variety of
  services from professionals/systems unfamiliar
  with adoption issues
• Need for adoption competent services providers in
  NYS
• Lack of available resources in NYS for
  cross-system adoption training
• NYS OCFS made several attempts (unsuccessful) for
  cross-system collaborations
• Sought funding for Adoption Support and
  Preservation Curriculum

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Background
• OCFS Adoption PIP/Improving Child Welfare
  Outcomes Workgroup
• Formed in 2004 to work collaboratively with NYS
  adoption stakeholders
• Collaboration of stakeholders to address systemic
  barriers to timely adoptions
• Develop strategies to address service needs for
  parents, children and adoption professionals
• Promote cross-systems collaboration to support
  adoption

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Question How can OCFS support the development
  of adoption competency training for mental health
  professionals?
• Rationale Why should NYS support this program?
• Research on mental health needs of adoptees and
  adoptive families
• Concerns raised by NYS adoption advocacy groups
  on need for adoption competent therapeutic
  services
• Successful efforts by other states in developing
  adoption competency training for mental health
  professionals

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Problem
• Life-long mental health issues of adoptees and
  adoptive families caused by feelings of loss,
  separation, impact of foster care placement
• Families have shared the impact of therapists who
  are not informed on adoption issues
• NYS families do not have viable resources for
  finding adoption competent mental health
  professionals

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Project Goal
• To provide university based certification on
  adoption therapy for mental health professionals
  to improve their ability to serve adoptive
  parents and children. Expand the availability of
  adoption competent therapists.
• Requirements/Parameters
• Program must be available statewide
• Train therapists that accept Medicaid payment
• No guarantee that NYS funding would be available

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Approach to Achieve Goal
• Educate NYS on the importance of supporting
  program
• Formed workgroup to help create NYS program
• Collect and review similar programs in other
  states
• Reviewed research on issues related to adoption
  competent therapy
• Hold informational forum to gain support for
  program from a NYS university
• Conduct survey of adoptive families regarding
  their experiences with their therapists
• Meetings with NYS Bureau of Training to secure
  funding
• Collaboration with NY University to tailor
  program to OCFS requirements

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Literature Review
• Bridges Article Does Anyone Speak Adoption
  summary of adoption competency training
  programs created by other states.
• Review of Courses and other materials from these
  adoption competency training programs
• Casey Family Services - White Paper on Promising
  Practices in Adoption-Competent Mental Health
  Services
• Psychological Adjustment of Adoptees A
  Meta-Analysis Journal of Clinical Psychology
  1993 Vol. 22
• Adopted Adolescents Overrepresentation in
  Mental Health Counseling Adoptees Problems or
  Parents Lower Threshold for Referral? Journal
  of American Academy of Child Adolescent
  Psychiatry Vol. 39 Dec. 2000

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Methodology - Informational Forum
• Invited representatives of adoption-competency
  training programs to present to NYS universities
  and agencies
• Presentations on how they created and sustained
  their programs
• Lessons learned
• Sustainability State university support may be
  needed
• Funding IV-E Waiver, Adoption Opportunities
  Grant
• Interest of NYS Universities and others in
  support of OCFS plan

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Methodology -Adoptive Parent Survey
• Client Satisfaction Survey distributed by mail
  and email to NYS adoptive parents. Eighty-six
  responses received.
• 77 of respondents reported seeking therapeutic
  treatment
• 51 of respondents sought treatment for an
  adoption related concern
• 50 respondents went to multiple types of
  therapists
• 26 of respondents believed their therapists had
  no knowledge of adoption issues.
• 82 of respondents indicated they would tend to
  use a therapist who they knew received adoption
  therapy.

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Hunter College School of Social Work
• Reviewed proposal submitted by Hunter
• Began discussions with Hunter on course content
  and budget
• Reviewed course syllabus submitted by Hunter and
  solicited comments from the field
• Received approval from Bureau of Training
• Awaiting final approval from NYS Budget and
  Finance offices

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Struggles/concerns on the action research process
• Collaboration Division of responsibilities among
  workgroup members
• Gaining support from NYS Bureau of Training
• Strategies for securing funding
• Title IV-E requirement
• Obtaining support for survey of adoptive parents
• NYS restriction on learning identities and
  addresses

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Insights/conclusions
• Challenges with cross-systems collaboration
• Collaboration and consensus with workgroups
  toward development of program
• Gained support from Bureau of Training, local
  experts in the field to support development of
  Hunter College Program
• Limits on information sharing with non-OCFS
  workgroup members
• Learning requirements to obtain funding
• Better understanding of the funding sources and
  restrictions
• Developed relationships and approach to replicate
  program in other Regions of New York State

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MALDI PresentationAdoption Competency in New
York State

• Next Steps
• Develop other avenues for providing similar
  training
• Prepare report to OCFS on how Hunter program was
  created
• Support Regional Adoption Competency Programs and
  Workshops
• Develop Adoption Competency training for
  therapists at sister agencies
• Continue to work with Bureau of Training and
  other stakeholders to replicate similar programs
  in other regions of New York State
• Evaluation of Hunter Program
• Presentation and Content
• Sustainability
• Funding
• Marketing