Topic: Early Intervention, Parenting, Case Management, Safety
Target Population: Families, Parents, Infant/Toddlers, Early Childhood, Middle Childhood
Sector: Community-Based
This program is for families who are currently expecting a baby or have at least one child 10 years old or younger who has been exposed to two or more child maltreatment risk factors and is not currently involved with child protective services.
The Parent Support Outreach Program (PSOP), a community-based, early intervention program, is a voluntary program distributed through the Minnesota Department of Human Services. It is designed to enhance the well-being of families; ensure the safety of children; help families gain access to community supports so they are better able to meet the needs of their family members; and support families who have been impacted by child maltreatment factors including poverty, domestic violence, alcohol and drug misuse, mental health concerns, Child Protection Services (CPS) involvement, or homelessness.
One quasi-experimental study with a 2- to 4-year follow-up conducted in Minnesota found that families who received the PSOP had significantly fewer CPS reports and out-of-home placements compared to the control group. PSOP participants were also more likely to engage in adult mental health services compared to control group participants.
Families can refer themselves to the program or be referred by community or social service agencies. Program workers assist families in completing a comprehensive strengths and needs assessments and help connect families to community resources for long-term and short-term needs, such as the following:
Families receive home visits and supportive services as necessary from program workers based on the family’s needs and risk level. Families must meet with the program worker in person at least once a month. Additional contact can be made through telephone calls and emails.
The program is available in all Minnesota counties and the White Earth Reservation and Leech Lake Reservation.
PSOP program workers facilitate this program, and they typically have a degree in human services, social work, or public health and must have knowledge of local community resources. The Minnesota Child Welfare Training Academy provides foundational training for staff to implement PSOP. Regional trainings occur quarterly and last approximately 3 hours. Additional training and consultation are available. The Minnesota Department of Human Services publishes an online bulletin that provides best-practice guidance and updated resources for local social services agencies that are implementing PSOP.
Considerations for implementing this program include recruiting facilitators and ensuring they receive training, acquiring buy-in from families, finding convenient times and locations for program workers to meet with families, understanding families may need transportation to access services, offering child care services for families to attend classes and appointments, understanding that funding may need to be secured to support urgent family needs, and building relationships and partnerships with community resources and stakeholders.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing PSOP, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you! Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email clearinghouse@psu.edu
Meetings between program workers and families occur at least monthly, and the duration will vary. Additional information on implementation time was not located. Please see details in the Contact section for more information.
Information on implementation costs was not located. Please see details in the Contact section for more information.
To move PSOP to the Effective category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence at least one external evaluation must be conducted that demonstrates sustained, positive outcomes. This study must be conducted independently of the program developer.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program. Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Charlotte McDonald by phone 651-431-4972, email charlotte.mcdonald@state.mn.us, or visit https://mn.gov/dhs/people-we-serve/children-and-families/services/child-protection/programs-services/parent-support-outreach.jsp
Millett, L. S. (2019). Outcomes from early child maltreatment prevention program in child protective services. Children and Youth Services Review, 101(C), 329-340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.04.009
