In systems of care, the term family friendly is used to describe services that are aligned with the needs of the families and delivered in a manner that shows professionals value and respect family involvement, empowerment, and cultural differences. The authors devised a 42-item structured observation instrument to rate the family friendliness of one component of the systems of care in Virginia for children with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) and their families. The instrument covers typical aspects of the meeting process, such as meeting management, case presentation, and formulation of service plans. It also allows for the collection of data on relevant characteristics of the meeting participants as well as demographic information on the children and their families. This instrument was used to rate the family friendliness of Family Assessment and Planning Team (FAPT) meetings, the purpose of which is to develop community-based service plans for children with EBD who are referred to the team. These teams meet in local communities and typically consist of representatives from the local juvenile court, education, health, mental health, and social service agencies. The authors observed 79 case presentations at 31 FAPT meetings in 7 localities. Although there were variations within, between, and among localities, the overall rating of family friendliness across all case presentations was good (63%). Improvements in the FAPT process are needed to assure increased family friendliness in the planning of services for children with EBD and their families.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Able-Boone, H., Sandall, S. R., Loughry, A., & Frederick, L. L. (1990). An informed, family-centered approach to public law 99–457: Parental views. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 10, 100–111.
2.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
3.
Baker, B. L., Heller, T. L., Blacher, J., & Pfeiffer, S. I. (1995). Staff attitudes toward family involvement in residential treatment centers for children. Psychiatric Services, 46, 60–65.
4.
Brotherson, M. J., & Goldstein, B. L. (1992). Time as a resource and constraint for parents of young children with disabilities: Implications for early intervention services. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 12, 508–527.
5.
Byalin, K. (1990). Parent empowerment: A treatment strategy for hospitalized adolescents. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 41, 89–90.
6.
Cohen, J. (1960). A coefficient of agreement for nominal scales. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 20, 37–46.
7.
Cohen, R., & Lavich, C. (1995). Strengthening partnerships between families and service providers. In P. Adams & K. Nelson (Eds.), Reinventing human services (pp. 271–277). New York: Aldine deGruyter.
8.
Collins, B., & Collins, T. (1990). Parent-professional relationships in the treatment of seriously emotionally disturbed children and adolescents. Social Work, 35, 522–527.
9.
Comer, J. P., & Haynes, N. M. (1991). Parent involvement in schools: An ecological approach. Elementary School Journal, 91, 271–277.
10.
Curtis, W. J., & Singh, N. N. (1996). Family involvement and empowerment in mental health service provision for children with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5, 503–517.
11.
DeChillo, N. (1993). Collaboration between social workers and families of patients with mental illness. Families in Society, 74, 104–115.
12.
DeChillo, N., Koren, P. E., & Schultze, K. H. (1994). From paternalism to partnership: Family and professional collaboration in children's mental health. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 64, 564–576.
13.
Delgado-Gaitan, C. (1991). Involving parents in schools: A process of empowerment. American Journal of Education, 100, 20–46.
14.
Dunst, C. J., & Trivette, C. M. (1988). A family systems model of early intervention with handicapped and developmentally at-risk children. In D. R. Powell (Ed.), Parent education as early childhood intervention: Emerging directions in theory, research, and practice (pp. 131–175). Norwood, NJ: Ablex.
15.
Dunst, C. J., Trivette, C. M., Davis, M., & Cornwell, J. (1988). Enabling and empowering families of children with health impairments. Children's Health Care, 17, 71–81.
16.
Epstein, J. L., & Dauber, S. L. (1991). School programs and teacher practices of parent involvement in inner-city elementary and middle schools. Elementary School Journal, 91, 289–305.
17.
Epstein, M. H., Cullinan, D., Quinn, K. P., & Cumblad, C. (1994). Characteristics of children with emotional and behavioral disorders in community-based programs designed to prevent placement in residential facilities. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 2, 51–57.
18.
Epstein, M. H., Kutash, K., & Duchnowski, A. (in press). Community-based programming for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families: Research and evaluation. Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
19.
Epstein, M. H., Nelson, M. C., Polsgrove, L., Coutinho, M., Cumblad, C., & Quinn, K. (1993). A comprehensive community-based approach to serving students with emotional and behavioral disorders. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 1, 127–133.
20.
Freund, P. D. (1993). Professional role(s) in the empowerment process: “Working with” mental health consumers. Psychosocial Rehabilitation Journal, 16, 65–73.
21.
Friesen, B. J., Koren, P. E., & Koroloff, N. M. (1992). How parents view professional behaviors: A cross-professional analysis. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 209–231.
22.
Friesen, B. J., & Koroloff, N. M. (1990). Family-centered services: Implications for mental health administration and research. Journal of Mental Health Administration, 17, 13–25.
23.
Goodman, J. F., & Hover, S. A. (1992). The individual family service plan: Unresolved problems. Psychology in the Schools, 29, 140–151.
24.
Greenley, J. R., & Robitschek, C. G. (1991). Evaluation of a comprehensive program for youth with severe emotional disorders: An analysis of family experiences and satisfaction. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 61, 291–297.
25.
Koren, P. E., DeChillo, N., & Friesen, B. J. (1992). Measuring empowerment in families whose children have emotional disabilities: A brief questionnaire. Rehabilitation Psychology, 37, 305–321.
26.
Kuperminc, G., & Cohen, R. (1995). Building a research base for community services for children and families: What we know and what we need to learn. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 4, 147–175.
27.
Landrum, T. J., Singh, N. N., Nemil, M. S., Ellis, C. R., & Best, A. M. (1995). Characteristics of children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance in system of care: Part II. Community-based services. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 3, 141–149.
28.
Macbeth, G. (1993). Collaboration can be elusive: Virginia's experience in developing an interagency system of care. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 20, 259–282.
29.
Nyberg, T. C. (1990). Family services planning team observation form.Tampa: University of South Florida, CFS Outreach Programs, Florida Mental Health Institute.
30.
Olmsted, P. P. (1991). Parent involvement in elementary education: Findings and suggestions from the follow through program. Elementary School Journal, 91, 221–231.
31.
Parsons, R. J. (1991). Empowerment: Purpose and practice principle in social work. Social Work With Groups, 14, 7–21.
32.
Powell, J. Y., & Dosser, D. A. (1992). Structural family therapy as a bridge between “helping too much” and empowerment. Family Therapy, 19, 243–256.
33.
Rosenblatt, A., & Attkisson, C. C. (1992). Integrating systems of care in California for youth with severe emotional disturbance: I. A descriptive overview of the California AB377 evaluation project. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 1, 93–113.
34.
Rosenson, M. K. (1987). Model for a new relationship: Professionals and families working together to build community services. International Journal of Mental Health, 15, 94–109.
35.
Russell, G. L., Fujino, D. C., Sue, S., Cheung, M. K., & Snowden, L. R. (1996). The effects of therapist—client ethnic match in the assessment of mental health functioning. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 27, 598–615.
36.
Sheridan, S. M., & Kratchowill, T. R. (1992). Behavioral parent—teacher consultation: Conceptual and research considerations. Journal of School Psychology, 30, 117–139.
37.
Singh, N. N. (1995). In search of unity: Some thoughts on family—professional relationships in service delivery systems. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 4, 3–18.
38.
Singh, N. N. (in press). Cultural diversity: A challenge for evaluating systems of care. In M. H. Epstein, K. Kutash, & A. Duchnowski (Eds.), Community-based programming for children with serious emotional disturbance and their families: Research and evaluation.Austin, TX: PRO-ED.
39.
Singh, N. N., Curtis, W. J., & Wechsler, H. A. (1995). Family Assessment and Planning Team Observation Form: Manual.Richmond, VA: Commonwealth Institute for Child and Family Studies, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University.
40.
Singh, N. N., Curtis, W. J., Ellis, C. R., Nicholson, M. W., Villani, T. M., & Wechsler, H. A. (1995). Psychometric analysis of the family empowerment scale. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 3, 85–91.
41.
Singh, N. N., Ellis, C. R., Oswald, D. P., Wechsler, H. A., & Curtis, W. J. (1997). Value and address diversity. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 5, 24–35.
42.
Singh, N. N., Villani, T., Curtis, W. J., & Wechsler, H. A. (1994). Family Assessment and Planning Team Observation Form.Richmond: Virginia Commonwealth University, Commonwealth Institute for Child and Family Studies, Medical College of Virginia.
43.
Sluyter, G. V. (1994). Creating a vision for mental health services: A survey of states. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 21, 247–250.
44.
Sonnenschein, P. (1981). Parents and professionals: An uneasy relationship. Teaching Exceptional Children, 14, 62–65.
45.
Staples, L. H. (1990). Powerful ideas about empowerment. Administration in Social Work, 14, 29–42.
46.
Strickland, B. (1993). Parents and the education system. In J. L. Paul & R. J. Simeonsson (Eds.), Children with special needs: Family, culture, and society (pp. 231–255). Fort Worth, TX: Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich.
47.
Summers, J. A., Dell'Oliver, C., Turnbull, A. P., Benson, H. A., Santelli, E., Campbell, M., & Siegel-Causey, E. (1990). Examining the individualized family service plan process: What are family and practitioner preferences?. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 10, 78–99.
48.
Tarico, V. S., Low, B. P., Trupin, E., & Forsyth-Stephens, A. (1989). Children's mental health services: A parent perspective. Community Mental Health Journal, 25, 313–326.
49.
Whitaker, C. A. (1977). Process techniques of family therapy. Interaction, 1, 4–19.
50.
Williams, B. E. (1988). Parents and patients: Members of an interdisciplinary team on an adolescent inpatient unit. Clinical Social Work Journal, 16, 78–91.
51.
Wynne, L. C., McDaniel, S. H., & Weber, T. T. (1986). Systems consultation.New York: Guilford.
