Raising the bar

At last week’s annual CWLA Conference in Washington, D.C., I was honored along with other colleagues for helping to “raise the bar” for vulnerable children and families in this country. I was surprised by the recognition, but gratified that my efforts over the years, and in particular my support for the work of CWLA, was acknowledged. The recognition I received was an indicator of not only my efforts, but also of the collective effort shown by Hillsides staff to raise a voice for the children and families we serve.

As I thought about the recognition, I was reminded of a time when I sat in the plaza on campus having lunch one day this past summer watching a young boy arrive to be admitted to the residential treatment program with only a plastic bag of belongings. He was subdued when I met him and offered little affect when greeted. His withdrawal was profound and made me inquire about his situation. Left without his biological parents, he was placed in an adopted home. For numerous reasons the adoption failed and now he was placed at Hillsides with the hope of finding a permanent home for him soon. However, complicating the situation was that he was also being treated for leukemia. Although we often have residents who have very specific health conditions that require special attention, this young boy was the first resident who was admitted and actively being treated for such a serious condition.

A few days after his admission, I began to ask staff how he was doing and questioning how we were adjusting our typical program to address his special medical needs. Although staff had indicated an initial reluctance to admit a child in such a compromised health condition, I believe we were also confident that we would rise to the occasion and do whatever was necessary to individualize a program of care for him. Indeed it has been that kind of approach that has allowed us to be so successful with this boy. Although he will continue with us for a while, his health has stabilized and we are hopeful we will be able to find a loving family to receive him into their home.

These kinds of extraordinary efforts are really what “raising the bar” is all about. Efforts to advocate, assure quality care, and develop integrated, effective systems of care are all well and good; however, their success is measured by the impact created. Hillsides is known not just for the array of quality programs, but more importantly, for our willingness to make the extra effort and individualize programs to best serve the needs of the children we serve. This approach is indeed the best example of what it means to “raise the bar” for children and their families.

The bar is not just raised by any one person, but by a community that truly values all its children and places its many resources available to make a lasting impact.

Common Sense

Photo credit: www.usatoday.com

Washington, DC has become a place of sound bites, posturing, and token measures meant to appease as opposed to addressing issues in a meaningful way. Next week I head to Washington, DC for the annual meeting of the Child Welfare League of America. As part of the conference, delegates will walk the halls of Congress advocating for the needs of vulnerable children and families. Without exception, we will get a cordial reception by all our elected officials. Their staff will acknowledge our contribution to the field, our indispensable services, and assure us that they will advocate for those we serve. However, even the most effective of our legislators, like Representative Karen Bass, are up against a system that is driven by priorities that do not include the needs of those for whom we care.

The current debate on “gun control” is the most recent example. Will the modest measures that have survived the winnowing legislative process make any difference? Without being too skeptical, I suggest that more attention has been placed on the actual process than the intended outcome. As a result, no measurable benefit will come from whatever legislation may emerge. Perhaps less legislation and more common sense measures is the answer.

How can we address maintaining a secure society let alone one that is safe for our children without addressing the need for resources to provide adequate care for those who are most vulnerable? For many, they are made vulnerable by crisis and trauma that impact their mental health. Mental illness is an epidemic in our country that barely is recognized. The majority of those suffering mental illness are untreated either because of a failure to diagnose or limited access to care. Those experiencing mental illness are not to be feared; treatment can be very effective. But without an awareness of the illness and the necessary resources to provide effective interventions, it can be deadly!

I can only hope that the lack of mention of the need to reinforce the mental health service delivery system in the gun control debate is an attempt to appropriately disconnect the two and develop legislation that exclusively addresses the resources needed to adequately provide good and quality mental health services.

Common sense dictates that we keep guns out of the hands of those who would do us harm. Common sense motivates us to keep those most vulnerable safe. Common sense helps us to establish priorities in allocating precious resources to address the most vulnerable effectively.

At the end of the day, measures in Sacramento, CA and Washington, DC are important, but never a substitute for common sense and the commitment of each of us to hold the safety and security of our society, and especially our children, as a priority.