Susana Mariscal

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https://hdl.handle.net/1805/35558

Caring and Collaborative Communities, Strong and Resilient Families

Dr. Susana Mariscal is an associate professor at Indiana University School of Social Work. She researches child maltreatment prevention and the promotion of resilience among children and families. What is resilience? Resilience is the transformational capacity that all human beings have to overcome adversity. It emerges in the interplay between risk and protective factors. What are risk factors? Risk factors can be adversity, victimization, a traumatic event, or a natural disaster. What are protective factors? They're the strengths, assets, resources, skills, and support systems that children and families have or that they may develop to overcome adversity. One of the most important protective actors is caring relationships. When a child feels seen, heard, understood, safe, loved, and valued that child can take that strength throughout their life. That strength is so critical because it can be transformational. And, it can be a protective factor that can be activated anytime that there are difficult times of adversity.

The beauty of resilience is that caring relationships are not exclusive of parents and children. Parents are not the only adults who can make a child feel safe and loved. Grandparents, any relatives, coaches, teachers, mentors, neighbors can also be that caring adult for children. And the same thing for parents. The more protective factors they have, the better families will do. Protective factors actually may be shielding families from maltreatment. And that is the premise of strengths-based prevention.

One of Dr. Mariscal's projects comes from the approach of strength space prevention. It is implementing a primary child maltreatment prevention program. In Indiana, she and her team of researchers and community partners are implementing four family resource centers. And this is in collaboration with over 200 partners at the state and local levels. This is in collaboration with Firefly Children and Family Alliance and Department of Child Services. Multiple agencies that are supporting her research in different ways. What is offered at the Family Resource Centers? They offer concrete support programs. They have a store that offers baby and hygiene items. They have monthly family fun events that are designed to strengthen those bonds between children and parents. They also offer parent cafes to create informal support among parents. It is important to know that it is okay not have everything figured out about parenting, and the parent cafes are the perfect space to talk about it. They also offer a window between World Studies arts program to support the expression of feelings that are sometimes difficult to express. A variety of other services are available through their wonderful community navigators.

Dr. Mariscal's creation of community resources to strengthen child and family support systems is another excellent example of how IUPUI's faculty members are TRANSLATING their RESEARCH INTO PRACTICE.

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A health research agenda guided by migratory and seasonal farmworkers and the providers who serve them
(Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), 2018-11) Holmes, Cheryl; Levy, Michelle; Mariscal, E. Susana
This document shares the results of an almost two-year process to create a health research agenda specific to migratory and seasonal farmworkers. The purpose was to better understand what health outcomes are important to farmworkers in two Midwestern states and identify research and information gaps. A key strategy in accomplishing this work was not only to engage farmworkers in addition to providers, researchers and various other administrators but to do so in an active, direct and frequent manner, thus highlighting and elevating their voices and perspectives. This document is organized in that spirit.
Child Protective Services Guidelines for Substantiating Exposure to Domestic Violence as Maltreatment and Assigning Caregiver Responsibility: Policy Analysis and Recommendations
(Sage, 2021-11) Victor, Bryan G.; Rousson, Ashley N.; Henry, Colleen; Dalvi, Haresh B.; Mariscal, E. Susana; School of Social Work
The purpose of this study was to examine the range of policy approaches used by child welfare systems in the United States to guide workers in classifying and substantiating child exposure to domestic violence (CEDV) as an actionable form of maltreatment. To that end, we conducted a qualitative document analysis of child protective services (CPS) policy manuals from all state-administered child welfare systems in the U.S. ( N = 41). Our findings indicate that a majority of state-administered systems (71%) have adopted policy requiring workers to demonstrate that children have endured harm or the threat of harm before substantiating CEDV-related maltreatment. Many state systems (51%) also include policy directives that require workers to identify a primary aggressor during CPS investigations involving CEDV, while far fewer (37%) provide language that potentially exonerates survivors of domestic violence from being held accountable for failure to protect on the basis of their own victimization. Based on our findings and identification of policy exemplars, we offer a recommended set of quality policy indicators for states to consider in the formulation of their policy guidelines for substantiating children’s exposure to domestic violence that promotes the safety and wellbeing of both children and adult survivors of domestic violence.
Child Safety Forward Indiana Impact Profile
(2023-03-15) Mariscal, E. Susana; Victor, Bryan G.; Smith, Jamie
Child Safety Forward Indiana (CSF IN) improved the quality of the child fatality review (CFR) process, provided evidence for child fatality policy changes, and developed a data-informed statewide infant safe sleep campaign, which has already started to translate in decreased SUID rates, so that all children can reach their full potential.
Child Saftey Forward Indiana: Final Report
(2023-07) Mariscal, E. Susana; Victor, Bryan G.; Smith, Jamie K.; Elliott, Jenna M.; Commodore-Mensah, Miriam; Lown, Mallory; Chase, Kacie; Ashby, Pam; Liang, Sophia; Houston, Allie; Martin, Gretchen
This report is the culmination of an in-depth evaluation of the Child Safety Forward – Indiana (CSF) project carried out from October 2019 through June 2023. Here we detail the findings from 127 child fatality reviews conducted during the project period, along with documentation of the multiple ways that the CSF Indiana team has secured improvements to the child fatality review process in the State (See Appendix 2). We also provide a set of recommendations based on the evaluation that is intended to further enhance the capacity of Indiana communities to prevent child fatalities due to external injury (See Overview of findings). We hope that the report is useful to community members, prevention workers, and policymakers working hard each day to keep children safe.
Community- and Systems-level Factors that Contribute to Foster Care Entry: Perspectives from Child-Serving Professionals
(Taylor & Francis, 2023-06-12) Mariscal, E. Susana; Victor, Bryan G.; Elliot, Jenna M.; Smith, Jamie K.; Ashirifi, Gifty D.; Commodore-Mensah, Miriam M.
Discussions around reasons for foster care entry primarily focus on family-level service needs. However, families exist within social environments that can either increase or reduce risk for foster care entry. This qualitative study draws on interviews (n = 27), focus groups (n = 7), and open-ended survey responses (n = 548) from child-serving professionals in Indiana to identify community- and systems-level factors contributing to entry. Through qualitative coding we identified eight themes at the community- and systems-levels that direct attention toward modifiable dimensions of the social environment that can serve as targets for policy and practice reform.
The Comparative Effectiveness of a Model of Job Development versus Treatment as Usual
(2018) Carlson, Linda; Smith, Galen; Rapp, Charles A.; Mariscal, E. Susana; Holter, Mark C.; Ko, Eunjeong; Kukla, Marina; Fukui, Sadaaki; School of Social Work
Job development is critical to assisting people with serious disabilities to obtain jobs, but little is known about the actual methods that make job development effective. Using a post-only quasi-experimental design, this study examined the effects of the Conceptual Selling® method on the number of job development contacts and number of job placements. By controlling for employment specialists' characteristics (age, length of time in current position, years of human service experience, and years of business experience), the authors determined that the employment specialists trained in the Conceptual Selling® method had more job development contacts per employer, leading to more effective job placements for employers contacted, than the control group.
If I knew then what I know now: Highlighting Project Lessons Learned
(2023-05-25) Mariscal, E. Susana; Victor, Bryan G.; Ames, Janie; Chandler, Christina
"If I knew then, what I know now" includes an overview of Strengthening Indiana Families strategies, challenges and achievements and highlights lessons learned through the implementation of our macro, mezzo, and micro system approaches. It was presented at the Community Collaborations to Strengthen and Preserve Families Annual Grantee Meeting in Baltimore, MD, May 25. 2023
Interpersonal Victimization of Latino Youth: a Latent Class Analysis
(Springer, 2021-01) Mariscal, E. Susana; Sabina, Chiara; Cuevas, Carlos A.; School of Social Work
This study identifies latent classes of interpersonal victimization among Latino youth using a national sample and then compares these latent classes on demographic characteristics, mental health (depression, anxiety, and hostility), and delinquency. We used data from the Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents (DAVILA) study that surveyed 1525 Latino teens and their caregivers across the USA, by phone, from September 2011 to February 2012. Participants completed modified versions of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and the Conflict Tactics Scales 2- Short Form. Latent class analysis examined victimization types and relationship to perpetrators. We compared latent classes on demographics, mental health, and delinquency via multinomial logistic regression. A six-class solution was found. The six classes were Multiform Victimization by Multiple Perpetrators (n = 184, 12.1%), Psychological Dating Violence Victimization (n = 99, 6.5%), Psychological Victimization by Peers (n = 236, 15.5%), Physical Victimization by Peers (n = 127, 8.3%), Physical Violence Victimization by Juvenile Family Members (n = 93, 6.1%) and Uninvolved (n = 786; 51.5%). Classes differed on some demographic variables, hostility scores, and the rate of delinquency. Our findings provide further evidence regarding the heterogeneity of victimization experiences among Latino youth. LCA results also suggest that victimization occurs across a range of perpetrators, both inside and outside of the home. Hostility and delinquency were central to differentiating the classes, indicating their relevance among poly-victimized Latino youth. This analysis provides further understanding of the various ways Latino youth experience victimization and what factors may differentiate the various groupings of victimization profiles.
Introduction to Susana Mariscal & Her Work
(Center for Translating Research Into Practice, IU Indianapolis, 2023-10) Mariscal, Susana
In this video, Dr. Susana Mariscal describes her translational research. Indiana is part of the nationwide shift toward prevention through community collaborations using a strengths-based approach, integrating various efforts, tailoring responses to needs, using digital campaigns, aligning funding, and gaining champions’ support. The Strengthening Indiana Families project, funded by the Children’s Bureau, has strengthened cross-system collaborations at the state and local levels in Indiana and has garnered buy-in from leaders and policymakers, leading to funding alignment and increased financial support.
MSW Student Concerns about Addressing Clients’ Substance Use and Misuse
(Informa UK Limited, 2022) McCarthy, Katherine M.; Mariscal, E. Susana; Wahler, Elizabeth A.; School of Social Work
Social work educators must prioritize effective preparation of MSW students for the pivotal roles they will play in supporting clients struggling with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). Understanding what concerns MSW students have about working in the substance use field can highlight student training needs and inform learner-centered curricula. This qualitative study explored anticipated concerns held by MSW students in the mental health and addiction focus area of a Midwest university. Thirty-four MSW students beginning their final year of training answered an open-ended survey question regarding their concerns about addressing substance use in their future careers. Findings indicated that students were largely concerned about having sufficient competence, knowledge, and skills to effectively assist clients, particularly considering client self-determination. Students recognized the emotional demands of the work, especially for those who have had personal substance use experiences, and the need for self-care. Students were also concerned about demands specific to these clients and systemic barriers in the substance use field. Recommendations are presented for preparing students to manage these challenges.

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