Preventing Child Abuse: Family-Based Programs to Improve Resiliencies and Address Substance Use

Preventing Child Abuse introduces the evidence, theories, concepts, essential components, and practice issues for family-based prevention programs (FBPs) for families dealing with substance use problems. FBPs are interventions that involve the family in program practices which are trauma-informed, skills-oriented, and strengths-based, in an effort to prevent or minimize future problems. Guided by multiple theoretical perspectives, FBPs assume that improving parenting capacity, reducing harmful substance use, and improving family relationships will translate into a reduction of both violence in the home and neglect of children's needs.

To demonstrate the foundations and outcomes of FBPs, the book provides examples from existing programs and an in-depth case study of the Celebrating Families! program developed and piloted by the authors to specifically address caregivers' substance use. Chapters provide a comprehensive treatment of child welfare outcomes research, adverse and compensatory factors that inform FBPs' practices, prominent theories for FBPs, cultural adaptation, and evaluation methods. The book concludes by recommending that funders and policymakers sustain programs showing promise of preliminary efficacy while they work toward implementing increasingly robust evaluation research studies.

Edward Cohen, PhD, MSW is Professor at the School of Social Work at San José State University in San José, California. He is former Director of the Center for Social Services Research at the University of California at Berkeley. His research interests include evaluation of programs for children and families, child welfare services, and justice system services. He has also worked in international social work and is lead author of The International Development of Social Work Education: The Vietnam Experience. He serves on the Editorial Board of Child and Adolescent Social Work.

Rosemary Tisch, MA is former Director of Prevention Partnership International and the lead author of Celebrating Families!. She holds a Master Degree in Counseling Psychology from Stanford University. Ms. Tisch has co-authored several publications in trade and professional journals about family-based prevention, and has been honored with several local and national awards recognizing her work in the development of prevention programs for children and youth of caregivers with addictions.

Melissa Santos, BSW is the Vice President of Workforce & Business Development at Community Solutions in Santa Clara County, California. She has over 25 years of experience in the behavioral health field and is a national trainer and developer of the Celebrating Families! program.