Technical Expertise
Strength-based Service Delivery
What is Strength-based Service Delivery?
Strength-based service delivery is an approach to providing support and resources to individuals that focuses on identifying and building their assets and skills, to help them create needed change. Strengths are emotional or behavioral skills, competencies, and characteristics that 1) create a sense of personal accomplishment, 2) contribute to satisfying relationships, 3) enhance one’s ability to deal with stress and adversity, and 4) promote moral, social, emotional, skill, and other types of development. Strengths approaches are scientifically grounded, ecological (taking into account the person in her/his environment), and attentive to diversity. Many areas of the human services are incorporating this approach, which engages and empowers the service recipient, family, and community. Strength-based service delivery includes assessment, prevention, intervention, supervision, management/administrative, evaluation, and community development activities.
NPC’s Approach to Strength-based Service Delivery
NPC provides training and consultation services to early childhood, juvenile justice, and substance abuse treatment professionals, and agencies working to support at risk children and their families. NPC staff have participated in the development of strength-based assessment tools; helped agencies revise their paperwork; and trained line staff, supervisors, and administrators on the philosophy behind this approach as well as implementation strategies. We also conduct evaluations that include measures of change in individual (client) protective factors, strength-based orientation of staff, and organizational changes to strength-based practices.
NPC's Staff in the Strengths Area
Beth L. Green (Early Childhood), Juliette R. Mackin, (Early Childhood, Juvenile Justice, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment, Youth Services), Judy M. Weller (Early Childhood, Juvenile Justice, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment, Youth Services), Jerod M. Tarte (Early Childhood, Juvenile Justice, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment, Youth Services)
Links
1. Projects- Oregon State Incentive Grant Enhancement for Early Childhood Prevention
- Healthy Start (project description)
- Early Head Start (project description)
- Strengths-based Restorative Justice Assessment Tools for Youth: Addressing a Critical Gap in the Juvenile Justice System
- The Strengths-Based Practices Inventory: A Tool for Measuring Strengths-Based Service Delivery in Early Childhood and Family Support Programs
- Youth Competency tool and training materials
- Juvenile Justice Risk and Protective Factor Screen/Assessment materials
For more information regarding NPC’s services related to Strength-based Service Delivery, please contact Juliette R. Mackin at (503) 243-2436 x 114 or mackin@npcresearch.com.
