Gathering 2010 - Monday 1200 - St Louis County

• Download PowerPoint presentation file: Gathering2010_Mon1200_Mattias_StLouis.ppt (1.2MB)

Presenters
Mattias Norenberg with Scott and Diana Abernathey

Abstract
This presentation will offer a story of how Child Protective Services helped parents stop using meth and marijuana for the safety of their children, along with exploring what “success” means to them. A brief timeline of key points and their involvement with Child Protection Services will be discussed. Matthias and the parents will discuss their Words and Pictures book, which was written at the children’s level of understanding. They will discuss what the children learned from the story and how they were integral parts in the safety planning. Bring your Kleenex for this intimate story of a family’s struggles and triumphs.

Presentation
Years of reckless lifestyles, the use of Meth by the mother, and the father’s chronic use of Marijuana were the main concerns for the children’s safety being compromised and for the family being court-ordered to work with CPS.

Matthias will dialogue with the parents, Scott and Diana about their personal views and experience with St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services. The presentation may involve aspects and views about their family history through the entire process of foster care and reunification. Matthias will ask the parents questions related to how they were included in decisions, how it felt to be included in decisions, and how they think it helped them conquer their chemical abuse and to ultimately get the children back home with them.

Their Words and Pictures book will be shown and we will discuss some ways that the book helped the family through four months while the children were in foster care. The story covers why the kids could not live at home, what their parents were doing to get them back home, and when they could move home.

Included in the discussion could also be a part about what other services the parents participated in, such as the Drug Court program, out patient therapy, and probation. The parents will discuss how they are reaching out to families currently in similar situations as they once were.

These parents presented their story with Matthias in a one and half hour training at the 2009 St. Louis County Human Services conference in Duluth, MN. Approximately seventy people attended. Minutes prior to this presentation, Scott told Matthias “for some reason, I don’t think this is the last time we will be doing something like this.” Matthias and the parents are currently having meetings with a reporter from the local paper to tell the community their “successful” interaction with Child Protective services. They will define the word “success” in this specific case example.