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Poverty is consistently associated with a higher risk of experiencing child maltreatment, and children from poor families are the majority of children involved in child protective services (CPS). However, the mediators in the relationship from income to CPS involvement are not entirely understood. Using theoretically-informed mediating path models and data from the second National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW II), this study tests the role of harsh physical punishment as a mediator between family income and CPS involvement. CPS involvement was measured by subsequent report of maltreatment and removal to out-of-home care. The direct paths from income to re-report and to removal were significant; with higher income associated with lower risk of report and removal. Lower income was significantly associated with higher rates of harsh physical punishment. However, harsh punishment did not mediate the relationship between income and the outcomes. These results suggest that even within a population primarily comprised of low-income families, lower income is a risk for subsequent reports and removals as well as a risk for higher rates of harsh physical punishment. However, in this sample harsh physical punishment is not the mechanism that results in higher subsequent-reports or removal rates. • Tested harsh physical punishment as mediator between family income and CPS outcomes. • Lower income was significantly associated with higher harsh physical punishment. • Harsh punishment did not mediate between income and CPS outcomes. • Direct path from family income to re-report of maltreatment was significant. • Direct path from family income to removal to out-of-home care was significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to determine whether differences exist in problematic substance use and receipt of services by nativity (U.S. born, foreign born) and legal status (U.S. citizen, legal resident, undocumented) among Latino parents reported for child abuse and neglect. We used data from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II and weighted bivariate chi-square tests to compare rates of problematic substance use and services receipt by nativity and legal status. Weighted logistic regression models estimated the effect of immigrant status on the odds of service receipt. Rates of problematic substance use were not significantly different by nativity or legal status. Service receipt was significantly lower for foreign-born (2.1%) versus U.S.-born (9.4%) parents. Compared to U.S. citizens (8.1%) and legal residents (4.3%), services receipt was least likely for undocumented parents (0.3%). Adjusting for covariates, nativity did not affect services receipt but undocumented legal status reduced the odds of receiving services by 95%. Data indicate that disparities do exist in receipt of substance use services among immigrant parents, especially undocumented parents, compared to U.S. born parents. Findings also suggest that the protective effect of immigrant status on problematic substance use, i.e., the immigrant paradox, may not apply to child-welfare-involved families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The benefits of high-quality father–child relationships for fathers and children alike are well documented. While evidence suggests parenting programs can improve the quality of father–child relationships, few fathers participate in such programs. This qualitative study aims to fill the gap in knowledge on best practices for recruiting urban African American fathers, a group of fathers with unique parenting challenges, to parenting programs. Focus groups were conducted with 29 fathers to gain their perspectives on recruitment strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with a nationwide sample of 19 fatherhood program providers to learn about their most successful recruitment strategies. Recruitment strategies based on emergent themes from the focus groups and interviews are presented here. Themes included using word-of-mouth recruitment, increasing advertising, targeting advertising specifically to urban African American fathers, providing transportation and incentives, recruiting through the courts, collaborating with other community agencies, and offering parenting programming along with other programming valued by fathers such as employment assistance. Implications for developing strategies for recruiting urban African American fathers to parenting programs are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Pathways Triple P shows promise as an effective with child welfare involved families. • Both parent and child outcomes were better in Pathways condition vs. usual care. • Pathways reduced parental anger and increased parenting efficacy. • Pathways reduced child behavior problems. Behavioral parent training programs, such as Pathways Triple P (Level 5 of the Triple P parent support and training system, hereafter referred to as Pathways), have been shown to improve child behavior. However, Pathways has not been tested with a child welfare services (CWS) population. A mixed-methods, randomized control trial was conducted to examine its effectiveness with CWS-involved families. The sample included parents investigated for maltreatment whose child remained in home following the investigation. Parents were randomized into treatment (n = 57) or services-as-usual (n = 62). Regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses: (1) Parents in the treatment condition demonstrated better parenting outcomes than parents in the services-as-usual condition; and (2) Children in the treatment condition demonstrated better child behavior outcomes than children in the usual-care condition. Qualitative findings further illuminated parents' perceptions of change in themselves and their children. Families receiving Pathways did statistically significantly better than those in the services-as-usual condition on child behavior problems, parental anger, and parenting efficacy – although effect sizes were small. Qualitative findings strongly support the quantitative findings. Pathways is a promising intervention for CWS-involved families. Efforts should be made to increase accessibility of Pathways for these particularly vulnerable families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this integrative review is to examine and synthesize extant literature pertaining to barriers to substance abuse and mental health treatment for persons with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD). Electronic searches were conducted using ten scholarly databases. Thirty-six articles met inclusion criteria and were examined for this review. Narrative review of these articles resulted in the identification of two primary barriers to treatment access for individuals with COD: personal characteristics barriers and structural barriers. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed. In particular, additional studies on marginalized sub-populations are needed, specifically those that examine barriers to treatment access among older, non-White, non-heterosexual populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]