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COLLABORATIONS

COAF’s Collaborations initiative focuses on cross-systems efforts that support families affected by parental substance abuse.  Since 1999, COAF has worked closely with several systems that intersect with the substance abuse treatment field, and that provide essential services and supports to children and families, including child welfare, housing and drug courts.

Our first foray into the arena of cross-system collaboration was a neighborhood based model training program focused on child welfare and substance abuse.  Entitled Collaborations, this project featured the creation and delivery of a conjoint, multi-session training process that brought together a variety of professionals from child welfare (representing child protective services, foster care and adoption services and abuse and neglect prevention programs) together with staff from substance abuse treatment programs (residential, outpatient and methadone maintenance programs).  The focus of this training went beyond the knowledge and skills typically addressed to also include relationship building and exploration of attitudes and values.  This project, which was pilot tested in Brooklyn (NY) and in Harlem, has a curriculum and other materials designed to facilitate replication.

Our work has evolved considerably since that time to include a broad range of projects such as:

Curriculum and other model program development:

• Co-authorship of a parent empowerment curriculum for parents new to the child welfare system

• development and delivery of a training program for social services staff working with the NYC Housing Authority

• co-authorship of a Dept. of Justice curriculum to help drug courts work with families as strengths and resources (Family Resource Model)

• Participation in the development of an outline for an e-curriculum sponsored by the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare.  The curriculum was designed for child welfare professionals about the substance abuse treatment and family court systems.

Promoting systems-change

• Participate in Child Welfare League of America's Substance Abuse Advisory Committee

• Participate as Community Expert Panel member for the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare

• Active member of committee to help create Child Welfare Leadership Development Institute - a special training program - for New York City substance abuse treatment providers

• Participate in the development of the NYC Child Welfare/Substance Abuse Operational Protocols to guide cross-system information sharing and collaboration.  Presented on this process at national and local conferences.  Currently conducting evaluation of Protocol Implementation process.

For more information about COAF’s cross-systems work linking substance abuse treatment to child welfare, the justice system, housing, and other systems, curriculum development, training, technical assistance or consultation, contact Naomi Weinstein at nweinstein@phoenixhouse.org or 646-505-2061.