Treatment & Practice.

Group Treatment & Practice.

Anafernanda Munoz & Dana Gonzalez Flores

SW 3400-090 - Developmental Impacts of Child Abuse

College of Social Work

Instructor Jessica McCallister, MSW

April 11th, 2021.

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1. Agency/Case Management.

1. Department of Child and Family Services: At Child and Family Services

(DCFS), the focus is on child safety and strengthening parents and caregivers

unable to meet their own child’s needs. The work is focused on effective

interventions regarding safety issues related to child abuse and neglect. After a

report of child abuse or neglect is accepted for DCFS assessment, an assigned

caseworker will first determine whether a community referral could address

concerns in the home or if ongoing in-home services are needed to support the

family and allow them to remain safely in the home. If it is recommended that a

child be brought temporarily into state care due to safety concerns in the home,

DCFS will work with the parents toward reunification when appropriate and

connect them to services to help them build their capacity to care for their child

safely (CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, n.d.).

2. The Utah Domestic Violence Coalition: Utah Domestic Violence Coalition is a

private non-profit organization recognized nationally for providing expertise

concerning domestic and sexual violence issues to member programs, community

partners, and others in Utah (Utah Domestic Violence Coalition, n.d.).

3. Battering Intervention & Prevention Program: BIPP is a series of certified

classes that specialize in domestic violence intervention and prevent battering

behaviors that are used to gain control over another person. BIPP focuses on a

person’s history of abuse and is designed to teach them accountability, reflective

and critical thinking. This effective program is based on peer accountability

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dynamics — a methodology that has been successful for 20 years (Battering

Intervention & Prevention Program, n.d.).

2. Clinical Treatment Facilities (therapy and counseling)

1. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): Is an evidence

based treatment for children and adolescents (ages 3-18) that have experienced

abuse or neglect by a parent, caregiver or non-related adult. The treatment lasts

between 8-25 sessions of weekly therapy. The child and non-offensive caregiver

attend these sessions to help the child and the caregiver to overcome the traumatic

experience. As well addresses many other trauma impacts, including depressive,

anxiety, cognitive and behavioral problems, as well as improving the participating

parent’s or caregiver’s personal distress about the child’s traumatic experience,

effective parenting skills, and supportive interactions with the child and provide

tools to prevent revictimization and a safety plan. (Safe & HEALTHY Families:

Primary Children's Hospital)

2. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): This intervention treatment therapy

focuses on children and can also be useful when working with abusive families.

Due to the therapist directing and coaching the parents interactions with their

children. This helps decrease child behavior problems and improve the quality of

the parent-child relationship. (Trauma-Focused cognitive behavioral therapy)

3. Play Therapy (APT): This is a form of treatment that helps children and

families to express their emotions, improve their communication, and solve

problems through playing. Play therapy uses the children’s natural ability to
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express their feelings and resolve conflicts through play. The therapist will use

various methods of playing which also includes storytelling, puppet play, music,

dance, painting and drawing, and board games. Play therapy can improve the

effects of trauma and loss, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve children’s

behavior. Behavioral problems can arise due to abuse and neglect, grief and loss,

divorce and abandonment, and crisis and trauma. Play therapy is most appropriate

for children ages 4-12 years of age, or with families with children that age.

(Association for Play Therapy)

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References

Battering Intervention & Prevention Program. CASFV. (n.d.). https://casfv.org/prevention-

education/battering-intervention-prevention-program.

CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES. DCFS. (n.d.). https://dcfs.utah.gov/services/child-protective-

services/.

Safe & HEALTHY Families: Primary Children's Hospital. (n.d.). Retrieved April 09, 2021, from

https://intermountainhealthcare.org/primary-childrens/programs-specialties/child-abuse-

neglect

The Association for Play Therapy. (2021). Mental Health Professionals Applying the

Therapuetic Power of Play. https://www.a4pt.org/page/AboutAPT

Trauma-Focused cognitive behavioral therapy (tf-cbt). (2020, April 03). Retrieved April 09,

2021, from https://www.tfcbt.org/

Utah Domestic Violence Coalition. The mission statement of Utah Domestic Violence Coalition.

(n.d.). https://www.udvc.org/about-us/.