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• 1. [Article] Network Indicators of the Social Ecology of Adolescents in Relative and Non-Relative Foster Households

  Though the presence, composition, and quality of social relationships—particularly as found in family networks—has an important influence on adolescent well-being, little is known about the social ecology ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Network Indicators of the Social Ecology of Adolescents in Relative and Non-Relative Foster Households Author: Blakeslee, Jennifer E., Kothari, Brianne H., McBeath, Bowen, Sorenson, Paul, Bank, Lew Year: 2017 Though the presence, composition, and quality of social relationships—particularly as found in family networks—has an important influence on adolescent well-being, little is known about the social ecology of youth in foster care. This study examined the social networks of foster youth participating in a large RCT of an intervention for siblings in foster care. Youth reported on the people they lived with and the relatives they were in contact with, which provided indicators of network size, composition, and relationship quality. Cluster analysis was used to identify five family network profiles for youth living in foster homes. Two identified subgroups reflected robust family networks where youth were living with relative caregiver(s) and related youth, and also reported multiple family ties outside the household, including with biological parents. The remaining three profiles reflected youth reports of fewer family connections within or beyond the foster household, with distinctions by whether they lived with siblings and/or reported having positive relationships with their mothers and/or fathers. The identified network profiles were validated using youth- and caregiver-reported measures of mental health functioning, with increased caregiver report of post-traumatic stress symptoms indicated for the three subgroups that were not characterized by a robust family network. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd Title: Network Indicators of the Social Ecology of Adolescents in Relative and Non-Relative Foster Households Author: Blakeslee, Jennifer E., Kothari, Brianne H., McBeath, Bowen, Sorenson, Paul, Bank, Lew Year: 2017 Though the presence, composition, and quality of social relationships—particularly as found in family networks—has an important influence on adolescent well-being, little is known about the social ecology of youth in foster care. This study examined the social networks of foster youth participating in a large RCT of an intervention for siblings in foster care. Youth reported on the people they lived with and the relatives they were in contact with, which provided indicators of network size, composition, and relationship quality. Cluster analysis was used to identify five family network profiles for youth living in foster homes. Two identified subgroups reflected robust family networks where youth were living with relative caregiver(s) and related youth, and also reported multiple family ties outside the household, including with biological parents. The remaining three profiles reflected youth reports of fewer family connections within or beyond the foster household, with distinctions by whether they lived with siblings and/or reported having positive relationships with their mothers and/or fathers. The identified network profiles were validated using youth- and caregiver-reported measures of mental health functioning, with increased caregiver report of post-traumatic stress symptoms indicated for the three subgroups that were not characterized by a robust family network. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd Close

• 2. [Article] Foster Care Placement Change: The Role of Family Dynamics andHousehold Composition

  Sibling co-placement and kinship care have each been shown to protect against the occurrence of placement change for youth in substitute care. However, little is known about the effects of different combinations ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Foster Care Placement Change: The Role of Family Dynamics andHousehold Composition Author: Waid, Jeffrey, Kothari, Brianne H., Bank, Lew, McBeath, Bowen Year: 2016 Sibling co-placement and kinship care have each been shown to protect against the occurrence of placement change for youth in substitute care. However, little is known about the effects of different combinations of sibling placement and relative caregiver status on placement change. Nor does the field fully understand how family dynamics may differ in these households. Utilizing data from the Supporting Siblings in Foster Care study, this paper examines family dynamics across four typologies of living composition, and tests the effects of living composition membership on the odds of experiencing a placement change over an 18-month period of time. Findings suggest that across living composition typologies, children who were placed separately from their siblings in non-relative care were more likely to be older, have more extensive placement histories, and experience more placement changes both prior to and during the study than were children in other living composition groups. Family living composition was found to influence the occurrence of placement change. Specifically, children co-placed in kinship care were least likely to experience movement; however, sibling co-placement in non-relative care was also protective. Results reveal the need to conduct additional research into the experiences of children in different family living arrangements, and tailor case management services and supports to children in substitute care accordingly. Implications and future directions are discussed. Title: Foster Care Placement Change: The Role of Family Dynamics andHousehold Composition Author: Waid, Jeffrey, Kothari, Brianne H., Bank, Lew, McBeath, Bowen Year: 2016 Sibling co-placement and kinship care have each been shown to protect against the occurrence of placement change for youth in substitute care. However, little is known about the effects of different combinations of sibling placement and relative caregiver status on placement change. Nor does the field fully understand how family dynamics may differ in these households. Utilizing data from the Supporting Siblings in Foster Care study, this paper examines family dynamics across four typologies of living composition, and tests the effects of living composition membership on the odds of experiencing a placement change over an 18-month period of time. Findings suggest that across living composition typologies, children who were placed separately from their siblings in non-relative care were more likely to be older, have more extensive placement histories, and experience more placement changes both prior to and during the study than were children in other living composition groups. Family living composition was found to influence the occurrence of placement change. Specifically, children co-placed in kinship care were least likely to experience movement; however, sibling co-placement in non-relative care was also protective. Results reveal the need to conduct additional research into the experiences of children in different family living arrangements, and tailor case management services and supports to children in substitute care accordingly. Implications and future directions are discussed. Close

• 3. [Article] Organizational Supports Used by Private Child and Family Serving Agencies to Facilitate Evidence Use: a Mixed Methods Study Protocol

  Background: Challenges to evidence use are well documented. Less well understood are the formal supports—e.g., technical infrastructure, inter-organizational relationships—organizations may put in place ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Organizational Supports Used by Private Child and Family Serving Agencies to Facilitate Evidence Use: a Mixed Methods Study Protocol Author: Chuang, Emmeline, Collins-Camargo, Crystal, McBeath, Bowen Year: 2017 Background: Challenges to evidence use are well documented. Less well understood are the formal supports—e.g., technical infrastructure, inter-organizational relationships—organizations may put in place to help overcome these challenges. This study will identify supports for evidence use currently used by private child and family serving agencies delivering publicly funded behavioral health and/or human services; examine contextual, organizational, and managerial factors associated with use of such supports; and determine how identified supports affect evidence use by staff at multiple levels of the organization. Methods: We will use a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, with study activities occurring in two sequential phases: In phase 1, quantitative survey data collected from managers of private child and family serving agencies in six states (CA, IN, KY, MO, PA, and WI) and analyzed using both regression and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) will identify organizational supports currently being used to facilitate evidence use and examine the contextual, organizational, and managerial factors associated with the use of such supports. In phase 2, data from phase 1 will be used to select a purposive sample of 12 agencies for in-depth case studies. In those 12 agencies, semistructured interviews with key informants and managers, focus groups with frontline staff, and document analysis will provide further insight into agencies’ motivation for investing in organizational supports for evidence use and the facilitators and barriers encountered in doing so. Semi-structured interviews with managers and focus groups with frontline staff will also assess whether and how identified supports affect evidence use at different levels of the organization (senior executives, middle managers, frontline supervisors, and frontline staff). Within- and between-case analyses supplemented by QCA will identify combinations of factors associated with the highest and lowest levels of staff evidence use. Discussion: This study will inform efforts to improve sustainment, scale-up, and spread of evidence by providing insight into organizational and managerial strategies that facilitate evidence use, the contexts in which these strategies are most effective, and their effect on evidence use by staff at different levels of the organization. Title: Organizational Supports Used by Private Child and Family Serving Agencies to Facilitate Evidence Use: a Mixed Methods Study Protocol Author: Chuang, Emmeline, Collins-Camargo, Crystal, McBeath, Bowen Year: 2017 Background: Challenges to evidence use are well documented. Less well understood are the formal supports—e.g., technical infrastructure, inter-organizational relationships—organizations may put in place to help overcome these challenges. This study will identify supports for evidence use currently used by private child and family serving agencies delivering publicly funded behavioral health and/or human services; examine contextual, organizational, and managerial factors associated with use of such supports; and determine how identified supports affect evidence use by staff at multiple levels of the organization. Methods: We will use a sequential explanatory mixed methods design, with study activities occurring in two sequential phases: In phase 1, quantitative survey data collected from managers of private child and family serving agencies in six states (CA, IN, KY, MO, PA, and WI) and analyzed using both regression and qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) will identify organizational supports currently being used to facilitate evidence use and examine the contextual, organizational, and managerial factors associated with the use of such supports. In phase 2, data from phase 1 will be used to select a purposive sample of 12 agencies for in-depth case studies. In those 12 agencies, semistructured interviews with key informants and managers, focus groups with frontline staff, and document analysis will provide further insight into agencies’ motivation for investing in organizational supports for evidence use and the facilitators and barriers encountered in doing so. Semi-structured interviews with managers and focus groups with frontline staff will also assess whether and how identified supports affect evidence use at different levels of the organization (senior executives, middle managers, frontline supervisors, and frontline staff). Within- and between-case analyses supplemented by QCA will identify combinations of factors associated with the highest and lowest levels of staff evidence use. Discussion: This study will inform efforts to improve sustainment, scale-up, and spread of evidence by providing insight into organizational and managerial strategies that facilitate evidence use, the contexts in which these strategies are most effective, and their effect on evidence use by staff at different levels of the organization. Close

• 4. [Article] Infusing Culture into Practice: Developing and Implementing Evidence-Based Mental Health Services for African American Foster Youth

  The lack of culturally appropriate health and mental health care has contributed to the large number of African American youth and families involved in the child welfare system. This article reviews the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Infusing Culture into Practice: Developing and Implementing Evidence-Based Mental Health Services for African American Foster Youth Author: Briggs, Harold E., McBeath, Bowen Year: 2010 The lack of culturally appropriate health and mental health care has contributed to the large number of African American youth and families involved in the child welfare system. This article reviews the consequences of the insufficient access to culturally sensitive, evidence-supported interventions for African American foster youth. The authors describe a framework for the development of culturally appropriate mental health interventions responsive to the needs of African Americans. Title: Infusing Culture into Practice: Developing and Implementing Evidence-Based Mental Health Services for African American Foster Youth Author: Briggs, Harold E., McBeath, Bowen Year: 2010 The lack of culturally appropriate health and mental health care has contributed to the large number of African American youth and families involved in the child welfare system. This article reviews the consequences of the insufficient access to culturally sensitive, evidence-supported interventions for African American foster youth. The authors describe a framework for the development of culturally appropriate mental health interventions responsive to the needs of African Americans. Close

• 5. [Article] Institutional and Market Pressures on Interorganizational Collaboration and Competition Among Private Human Service Organizations

  While private human service organizations face institutional pressures to collaborate, market-based pressures also generate competition, giving rise to complex interorganizational relationships. The current ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Institutional and Market Pressures on Interorganizational Collaboration and Competition Among Private Human Service Organizations Author: Bunger, Alicia C., McBeath, Bowen, Chuang, Emmeline, Collins-Camargo, Crystal Year: 2017 While private human service organizations face institutional pressures to collaborate, market-based pressures also generate competition, giving rise to complex interorganizational relationships. The current study draws on institutional and resource dependence theories to examine institutional and market-based environmental pressures on the intensity of collaboration and competition among private human service organizations. Using data from the National Survey of Private Child and Family Serving Agencies, we find that the intensity of interorganizational relationships is associated with market-based and mimetic pressures but not with other institutional factors. These findings suggest practical implications for human service leaders focused on managing interorganizational collaboration and competition. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Title: Institutional and Market Pressures on Interorganizational Collaboration and Competition Among Private Human Service Organizations Author: Bunger, Alicia C., McBeath, Bowen, Chuang, Emmeline, Collins-Camargo, Crystal Year: 2017 While private human service organizations face institutional pressures to collaborate, market-based pressures also generate competition, giving rise to complex interorganizational relationships. The current study draws on institutional and resource dependence theories to examine institutional and market-based environmental pressures on the intensity of collaboration and competition among private human service organizations. Using data from the National Survey of Private Child and Family Serving Agencies, we find that the intensity of interorganizational relationships is associated with market-based and mimetic pressures but not with other institutional factors. These findings suggest practical implications for human service leaders focused on managing interorganizational collaboration and competition. © 2017 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Close

• 6. [Article] An Intervention to Improve Sibling Relationship Quality Among Youth in Foster Care: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

  Sibling programming is an important part of a prevention framework, particularly for youth in foster care. After children are removed from their families and placed into foster care in the aftermath of ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: An Intervention to Improve Sibling Relationship Quality Among Youth in Foster Care: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial Author: Kothari, Brianne H., McBeath, Bowen, Sorenson, Paul, Bank, Lew, Waid, Jeff, Webb, Sara Jade, Steele, Joel Year: 2017 Sibling programming is an important part of a prevention framework, particularly for youth in foster care. After children are removed from their families and placed into foster care in the aftermath of maltreatment, the sibling relationship is often the most viable ongoing relationship available to the child, and may be critical to a youth's sense of connection, emotional support, and continuity. The promise of dyadic sibling programming in particular rests on the ability of interventions to enhance the quality of sibling relationships; yet little research exists that suggests that sibling interventions can improve relationship quality among foster youth. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects of a specific dyadic sibling-focused intervention for older and younger siblings on sibling relationship quality. One hundred sixty four dyads (328 youth) participated in the study, with each dyad consisting of an older sibling between 11 and 15 years of age at baseline and a younger sibling separated in age by less than 4 years. Hierarchical linear models were applied to self-reported, observer-reported and observational data over the 18-month study period. Findings suggest that the sibling intervention holds promise for improving sibling relationship quality among youth in foster care. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd Title: An Intervention to Improve Sibling Relationship Quality Among Youth in Foster Care: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial Author: Kothari, Brianne H., McBeath, Bowen, Sorenson, Paul, Bank, Lew, Waid, Jeff, Webb, Sara Jade, Steele, Joel Year: 2017 Sibling programming is an important part of a prevention framework, particularly for youth in foster care. After children are removed from their families and placed into foster care in the aftermath of maltreatment, the sibling relationship is often the most viable ongoing relationship available to the child, and may be critical to a youth's sense of connection, emotional support, and continuity. The promise of dyadic sibling programming in particular rests on the ability of interventions to enhance the quality of sibling relationships; yet little research exists that suggests that sibling interventions can improve relationship quality among foster youth. The primary aim of the current study was to examine the effects of a specific dyadic sibling-focused intervention for older and younger siblings on sibling relationship quality. One hundred sixty four dyads (328 youth) participated in the study, with each dyad consisting of an older sibling between 11 and 15 years of age at baseline and a younger sibling separated in age by less than 4 years. Hierarchical linear models were applied to self-reported, observer-reported and observational data over the 18-month study period. Findings suggest that the sibling intervention holds promise for improving sibling relationship quality among youth in foster care. Implications and future directions for research are discussed. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd Close