Bright Connections is creating a coordinated response to an often-overlooked Adverse Childhood Experience

When a child’s life is upended by a traumatic event, it is critical that the adults around them respond quickly to help them feel safe, secure, and cared for.

For some events, such as the death of a caregiver or a serious health diagnosis, established practices, institutions, and systems support children and families through these consequential moments. Other events, however, do not prompt the same coordinated response – even when the potential repercussions are just as severe.

Parental incarceration can profoundly disrupt a child’s life. It may mean sudden separation from a beloved caregiver, emotional distress and uncertainty, or an abrupt change in where and with whom they live. For the adults who step in to care for the child, it can also bring significant financial and emotional challenges. With the right resources, these caregivers can mitigate the traumatic effects of the experience on the child. Yet families currently have no clear place to turn for support.

With a grant from the John T. Gorman Foundation, Bright Connections is beginning to build that coordinated response in Maine.

‘We’re trying to safeguard and amplify that connection’

In 2023, 6% of Maine children had experienced the incarceration of a parent or guardian at some point in their lives – the highest rate in New England.

“I think a lot of people are surprised by how many Maine families are impacted by parental incarceration,” said MaineHealth Behavioral Health Senior Program Manager Aurora Smaldone. “We have high numbers of kids who are undergoing this known Adverse Childhood Experience which comes with many potential negative life outcomes.”

Yet there are “virtually no” services or resources in Maine specifically designed to support children or their caregivers during this complicated and disruptive experience, Smaldone said.

To address this need, MaineHealth Behavioral Health designed Bright Connections to provide coordinated support to families experiencing the incarceration of a parent who plays a significant role in a child’s life. The program focuses on strengthening the capacity of the adults who step in to care and provide for the child – such as a second parent, kinship caregiver, or foster family.

Bright Connections grew out of MaineHealth Behavioral Health’s work with the Maine Department of Corrections to support the parenting of incarcerated mothers. Through barrier removal, policy changes, and facilitation, that effort sought to increase the frequency and quality of child visits to the correctional facility. The work underscored the economic, emotional, and stigmatizing challenges families face – as well as the importance of the relationship between a child and their primary caregiver.

Helping caregivers build and strengthen that bond is at the heart of Bright Connections.

“We know what a significant protective factor it is for kids undergoing adversity to have that strong, loving, supportive relationship,” Smaldone said. “We’re trying to safeguard and amplify that connection by relieving some of the burdens that come with that experience and making sure they’re equipped to be a source of care for the child under extraordinary circumstances.”

Over the last year, Bright Connections has built the infrastructure to deliver those supports. An advisory council comprised of representatives from state agencies, nonprofit service providers, and caregivers with lived experience is helping to shape the program. Bright Connections has also established referral connections with the Department of Corrections, Department of Health and Human Services, courts, and legal providers.

The program has two Family Systems Navigators, whose work with families is now underway. Navigators build relationships with caregivers, assess family needs, and connect them to supports ranging from housing and transportation assistance to help navigating education and justice systems. They also support caregivers’ ability to meet children’s emotional needs through education, age-appropriate materials, and referrals to mental health providers.

Navigators support caregivers’ own mental health as well. In time, Bright Connections plans to hold caregiver support groups where families can connect, discuss their challenges, and reduce the stigma surrounding their experiences.

Potential Beyond Maine

Bright Connections plans to offer resources to about 200 families over the next two years, while providing intensive support to those with identified needs. By closely tracking data, the team and Foundation will examine several questions, including how child and caregiver well-being changes over the course of their engagement with the program.

Because Maine is not alone in lacking support for families experiencing incarceration, Smaldone believes Bright Connections could serve as a demonstration project with national applicability.

“I would like parental incarceration to be seen as a public health issue, like any other, in terms of how we respond to it as a state and community – a non-stigmatizing coordinated response,” Smaldone said. “Right now, this is an unaddressed, if not taboo, topic. There is extraordinary ground to cover in helping people understand the prevalence of parental incarceration, how impactful it is to families, and what their role can be to mitigate the effects.”

Visit Bright Connections’ website for more information.