2025 - RDD Discussion Guide

RACIAL DISPARITY & DISPROPORTIONALITY DISCUSSION GUIDE RESOURCES

Purpose

This resource is designed to support staff within Children’s Services Division (CSD) to engage in meaningful conversations about reducing racial disparities and disproportionalities affecting Black children and families.

Call To Action

Each month, select one resource from this list to discuss and implement with your team.

Key Terms

Brave Space Agreements Before beginning this discussion, we encourage you to review the Brave Space Agreements: Share your thoughts using “I” statements Listen with the intention to understand Respect moments of silence Avoid fixing or correcting others Maintain confidentiality Focus on growth, not perfection What’s shared here stays here, but what’s learned here leaves here. Disproportionality - When a racial or ethnic group is overrepresented or underrepresented in a specific population compared to its percentage in the general population. Racial Disparity – The unequal outcome of one racial or ethnic group compared with outcomes of another racial or ethnic group.

These topics may be difficult. If needed, please reach out to the DPSS Office of Health and Wellness or RivCo Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential support.

TABLE OF CONTENTS Click on desired month to be directed to the corresponding page.

JANUARY‌ BIAS‌

FEBRUARY‌ DISPROPORTIONALITY‌‌ IN FOSTER CARE‌

MARCH‌ EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH BLACK CHILDREN AND FAMILIES‌

APRIL‌ LANGUAGE MATTERS‌‌

MAY‌ BUILDING BLACK‌‌ COMMUNITY PARTNERS‌‌

JUNE‌ MENTAL MODELS‌

JULY‌ CULTURAL COMPETENCY‌

AUGUST‌ RACIAL EQUITY GLOSSARY‌

SEPTEMBER‌ MEETING THE CULTURAL‌‌ NEEDS OF BLACK CHILDREN‌

OCTOBER‌ SHARE VIDEOS‌

NOVEMBER‌ WHAT IS RDD?‌

DECEMBER‌ HISTORICAL TRAUMA‌‌

JANUARY Bias

Discuss: Provide an opportunity for staff to share their experiences and offer teachable moments to their peers. Review: Microlearning: CWDS: Moving Beyond Bias Article: Beyond Bias Video: Moving Beyond Implicit Bias Handouts:

Moving Beyond Bias: Distinguishing Between Terms Moving Beyond Bias: Facilitative Questions to Continue Your Learning Anti-Defamation League: Personal Self Assessment of Anti-Bias Behavior 1. 2. 3.

Action: Complete the Moving Beyond Bias training within 30 days.

Let’s Celebrate! Martin Luther King Jr. Day

The 15 Year Battle for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Day - Martin Luther King Day

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FEBRUARY Disproportionality in Foster Care BLACK HISTORY MONTH Discuss: Riverside County’s 2024 data reflected our Black children entered foster care more than 2 times the general population. What else does the data tell us? Review: Video: What challenges have you seen in our child welfare practices that might be impacting Black children in care? How can you minimize disparity in your practice? What steps can you take or have taken to help reduce the entry of Black children into foster care or timely permanency of Black children? Let’s Celebrate! How are you sharing and/or celebrating Black History Month? Here are some resources to check out: Rare audio of enslaved people connects history to the present Best African American Genealogy Websites: 10 Million Names. Recover. Restore. Remember. Why Black History Month Matters for Children in Foster Care The Trauma of Being Black in Foster Care 1. 2. 1. 2. 1. 2. 3. Action: Discuss one or all of the questions below, either in pairs or as a group:

Click To View

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MARCH Share your Experience of Working with Black Children and Families Discuss: Share teachable moments from past or current referrals and/or cases, including both successes and challenges. Review: Videos: Action: Think about a time you worked with a Black child or family. What went well A Conversation With Black Women on Race | Op-Docs 4 Generations of African Americans on Being Black in the USA 2. 3. A Conversation About Growing Up Black | Op-Docs | The New York Times 1.

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What challenged you, and/or What would you do different?

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APRIL Language Matters

Discuss: Why do the words we use matter, especially when we are talking with families, the court, or each other? How can language shape the way we view and engage the Black child and families we serve? Review: Articles:

American Psychological Association: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Language Bias in Child Welfare Diversity and Inclusion Terminology: A Guide to Inclusive Language

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Videos:

Words Matter | Shatterproof This is Why EVERY Word Matters

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Action: What commitment can you make today to change the language you use?

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MAY Building Black Community Partners Discuss: Why is building Black community partner relationships for Child Family Team Meetings (CFTMs) important? This includes traditional (county/city agencies) and non-traditional (business owners, ministers, coaches, relatives, etc.). Review: The RDD Community Response Form is used to engage our community and inquire their partnership to promoting a healthy and culturally sensitive environment. Action: How do you share new community partners with others? Next month, share one new community partner.

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JUNE Mental Models Discuss: What are mental models?

Review: Based on the Driving Better Outcomes Program (DBOP), equity is a behavioral change before it is a systemic change. It is important to measure how shifting mental models and behaviors impact practice and then how practice impacts outcomes. Equity is best measured in micro segments rather than the macro aggregate (e.g. doctors don't just measure if a broken bone has healed, but that it is healing).

Handout: Mental Checklist

Let’s Celebrate! How are you honoring Juneteenth? Action: Define a ‘safe’ or an ‘unsafe’ family dynamic?

Here are some resources to check out:

History of Juneteenth What is Juneteenth, and Why is it Important? 1. 2.

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JULY Cultural Competency

Discuss: We have been working to address bias and cultural competency in the workplace and yet we continue to struggle. Why do you think that is? Review: Culturally Responsive Practice Behaviors Assessment and Development Tool Cultural Competency Training Activities Cultural Competence Self-Assessment Test Action: Complete one of the following trainings within 30 days:

Culturally Responsive Practice Behavior Assessment and Development training within 30 days. Click here to go to the California Child Welfare Training site to take the training Self-Paced Staff Development Training on Culturally Responsive in LMS as follows: Title: Introduction to Culturally Responsive Crisis Care in Diverse Communities E-Course in LMS - Healthy Crownz This is suitable for July due to the passing of the Crown Act in July.

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Let’s Celebrate! Do you know about the Crown Act which passed on July 3, 2019? Here are some resources to check out:

Governor Newsom Signs Legislation to Protect Employees from Racial Discrimination Based on Hairstyle | Governor of California Local hairstylists reflect on the impacts of the CROWN Act 1. 2.

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AUGUST Racial Equity Glossary Discuss: What’s your thoughts on this statement? Commonly used words in discussions about race can often lead to confusion, controversy, disagreement, discomfort, or hostility. It is crucial to build a shared understanding, especially when using terms that may mean different things to different people. This helps improve the quality of our dialogue and ensures we’re truly hearing each other. Review: Article: Racial Equity Tools Glossary Action: Share what terms stood out to you the most when reviewing the Racial Equity Tools Glossary, and why? Let’s Celebrate! BLACK BUSINESS MONTH (nationaltoday.com)

August is National Black Business Month. Here’s what you should know (ajc.com)

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SEPTEMBER Meeting the Cultural Needs of Black Children Discuss: Share your experiences in addressing the cultural needs of Black children in care by answering the questions below. Action: Complete the Heathy Crownz Training within the next 30 days. Click here to go to the website to take the training. caregivers to a Healthy Crownz event? (Resources available: Healthy Crownz and Healthy Crownz (SP) brochures) What hinders staff from providing the cultural needs of Black children in care? What cultural supports and/or resources have you been successful in when providing to Black children, families, and caregivers? What made those supports and/or resources work well? How can you have made the experience even better? What is your knowledge on RDD Healthy Crownz subcommittee and events? Have you attended or invited any youth or 1. 2. 3. 4. Review:

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OCTOBER Share Videos Discuss: Choose a video below and discuss after viewing. Review: Part 1: Cultural Competency & Cultural Humility Part 2: Understanding Your Own Attitudes & Bias Part 3: Cultural Competence Strategies Action: What is your takeaway from the video? Let’s Talk About White Supremacy Culture CSUN Family Focus Resource Center Series:

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NOVEMBER What Is RDD? Discuss: What is the Racial Disparity and Disproportionality Committee? Review: CSD’s Mission Statement: CSD protects children and youth from abuse and neglect and partners with families, young adults and communities to build safety, permanency and well-being. The RDD workgroup will integrate CSD's mission and vision using the following subcommittees: Practice, Workforce, Community Focus, and Healthy Crownz. RDD Goals: The Racial Disparity & Disproportionality Committee's primary goal is to address the overrepresentation and disparate experiences and outcomes of Black families through evaluating current processes to develop and implement changes in policy and practice at all decision points. The decision points include but limited to; reporting, investigation, referral disposition, case management/services, placement, and exit from care. Action: In what ways will you contribute to the goals of RDD? Video: RDD 3rd Annual Convening | October 2024 These four pillars will guide our work to address racial disparities and disproportionalities within Riverside County’s child welfare system.

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DECEMBER Historical Trauma Discuss: What is historical trauma, and why is it important for us to understand it in the context of child welfare? What does historical trauma mean to you? How might it show up in the families we serve—or even in our own lives? Why is it important to keep this in mind in our work?

Review: Videos:

Action: What practice changes can you make considering what you know of historical trauma? Addressing Historical Trauma & Preparing the Child Welfare Staff (Native Americans) Historical Trauma: Context and Effects 1. 2.

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Thank You !