Harnessing the Power of Supportive Networks and Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences.
From a services perspective, only 16% of adolescents in foster care in the United States in 2020 received mentoring (The Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2022). Yet, a ten-year Harvard-sponsored study has shown that the largest indicator of personal happiness is close relationships, something that is challenging to maintain for adolescents involved in child protective services due to disruptions in the environment (Waldinger, R. J., & Schulz, M. S., 2023). Research has also shown that supportive relationships that allow teens to meaningfully contribute lead to lasting positive outcomes and less reported symptoms of anxiety and depression (Simkin, D., & Scheid, J. 2022). Â
The 1998 Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACEs), sponsored by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and led by Dr. Anda and Dr. Felitti, continues to provide clear data that indicates a greater chance of adverse outcomes in adulthood if trauma from childhood and adolescence is not addressed (1998). Adolescents within child protective services have reported trauma incidence rates as high as 90%, and the trauma exposure is more likely to be recurring, creating toxic stress (Dorsey et al., 2012).Â
A University of Pennsylvania-sponsored study of the implication of ACEs on social, economic, and behavioral (SEB) outcomes of teens involved with child protective services found that mental health care alone did not lead to positive outcomes (Garcia, Gupta, Greeson Thompson & Denard, 2017). Within child welfare, there is a need for an easy teaming playbook that can quickly be developed and implemented to facilitate successful outcomes for adolescents. This is true in schools, residential care, mental health facilities, and child protective services. Empowering the Traumatized Teen: It Takes a Village evaluates and discusses advances in our understanding of the development of the adolescent brain and epigenetics coupled with the social work perspective of the Family Systems Approach. Person-in-environment remains at the root, and the village represents the micro, mezzo, and macro systems that the teen interacts with. The goal of It Takes a Village is to recognize the teen’s support, engage the teen as a leader, assess needs and goals, and continue to apply interventions to adapt to the teen's needs to enable a successful adolescent transition to adulthood.
At Radiant Sunshine, our goal is to offer a special blend of expertise and client-centered care that encourages emotional, spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual wellness. Radiant Sunshine’s core values incorporate our beliefs as a center of excellence in human service and social work. Our overarching principles of empowerment, enrichment, and education combine to offer a lifelong impact to those we serve. Radiant Sunshine, #1403, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Radiant Sunshine maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 2/28/23 to 2/28/2026. Radiant Sunshine has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7371. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.
Michele Rodriguez has worked within child welfare in several roles over the last two decades. Her work began within a non-profit program that she founded that created care packs for youth in foster care, but it didn't take long for Michele to realize that care packs couldn't create the impact needed within child protective services. Michele then served two years as an AmeriCorps volunteer at her local Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and was also a direct CASA volunteer, advocating for the best interest of children involved with the New Jersey Division of Youth & Family Services (currently Division of Child Protection & Permanency) in New Jersey. During this work, Michele began to help the local CASA implement a youth transition program for adolescents while also beginning work towards her Bachelor's in social work at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, she participated in the competitive Baccalaureate Child Welfare Education Program (BCWEP). Upon graduation, Michele worked at the Division of Child Protection & Permanency (DCP&P) as a caseworker and became a Family Team Meeting Facilitator while in this role. Michele is currently working at embrella where she regularly presents training to resource and kinship parents across New Jersey, provides direct advocacy for caregivers involved with DCP&P, and develops trainings as part of the embrella family support department.
CEO
Sharea Farmer is the Founder and CEO of RS Counseling & Wellness with over 20 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker. Her training includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Narrative Theory, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Racial Trauma. Her expertise in both clinical and administration has allowed her to work in the private and public sectors as an advocate for employee wellness, Diversity & Inclusion, Race Equity, and Trauma-Informed Practices. Her unique practice that focuses on empowerment and education creates transformative wellness for her clients that range from executive leadership teams to supervisors to staff. RS Wellness has developed employee resilience plans and trauma-informed care programs for state and public health agencies, as well as educational groups, both locally and nationally. The workshops and courses created by RS Wellness are the keys to a healthy trauma-informed workplace where everyone can thrive. Courses fall under four categories: DEI, Social Work Continuing Education, Trauma-Focused, and Wellness. Although each course is tailored to its specific subject matter, the courses provide curriculum, assignments, video, and affirming activities. In recent projects, Sharea led the development of Racial Equity training, committees, DEI, and trauma-informed supervision in both Philadelphia and New Jersey-based government, public health, and nonprofit agencies including the City of Philadelphia Division of Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction, Access Matters, Philadelphia Futures, The Ladipo Group, National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation, NJ National Association of Social Work and more. This led to assisting those agencies with the development of their trauma-informed and diversity and inclusion strategies. Sharea lives in New Jersey with her husband. She enjoys all things basketball, live NBA games, traveling, coloring, and spending time with family and friends.
