 Our CANS Lotería series is getting an expansion pack! In honor of Día de los Muertos approaching this fall, we’re taking a look at Coco Loteria and using some of its unique cards to explore the Culture domain of the CANS. The CANS Cultural Factors Domain asks us to consider 4 areas:
These 4 items remind us that culture isn’t simply about where someone is from. It can influence how families communicate, practice traditions, navigate their environments, and understand one another. So let’s deal the cards …  Card #1: La Bisabuela (The Great Grandmother) - Language At first glance, La Bisabuela might seem like a card about family. But let’s use it to think about how culture and language are passed between generations. Language can be a source of connection. Stories shared with grandparents, songs, sayings, jokes, or conversations that carry meaning within a family. But language can also create barriers when families are trying to access services. The Cultural Factors Domain asks us to consider whether a family has difficulty obtaining resources, supports, or accommodations because of written, spoken or signed language needs. CANS Lens: Are we communicating with the family or simply communicating at them? A culturally responsive approach means considering whether interpretation, translated materials, ASL, or other communication accommodation is needed for the family to meaningfully participate in treatment. Card #2: La Flores de Cempasúchil (Marigolds) – Traditions and Rituals Marigold flowers are part of Día de los Muertos traditions. But here’s where we can go deeper with the CANS: Does the family have access to participate in the traditions and rituals that are meaningful to them? These traditions extend far beyond Día de los Muertos, encompassing whatever unique practices help a family feel connected and grounded. The Cultural Factors Domain specifically includes daily activities too. So we’re not only talking about major celebrations. It might be:
And sometimes the barrier isn’t that the family doesn’t value the tradition. They may simply not have access to participate. CANS Lens: Is something getting in the way of this child or family participating in the traditions and activities that matter to them? Card #3: El Mundo de Los Muertos (The World of the Dead) – Cultural Stress This card gives us an opportunity to talk about something we don’t always associate with "culture:" The environment. The Cultural Factors Domain asks us to consider whether a child or family experiences hostility or other problems in their environment related to racism, discrimination, or other cultural stressors. So instead of only asking: “What cultural backgrounds does this family have?” We can also ask: “What is this family experiencing because of their culture, identity, language or differences?” A child may experience discrimination at school. A caregiver may experience racism in their community. A family may avoid certain spaces because they don’t feel welcome or safe. These experiences aren’t simply “cultural background.” They are cultural stressors. CANS Lens: What is happening around the is happening around the child and family – not just within them? Card #4: La Abuela (The Grandmother) – Cultural Differences within the Family Culture doesn’t always mean everyone in the family shares the same values, traditions, or identity. Different generations may have different expectations. A child may feel differently about a tradition than their caregiver. Family members may have different levels of acculturation. Adoptions, mixed-race families, immigration experiences, and generational differences can all contribute to differences in identity and values. The CANS asks us to consider: Do those cultural differences create disagreements or conflict within the family? And that’s an important distinction. Having different cultural identities isn’t automatically a problem. CANS Lens: The concern isn’t that the difference exists. The concern is when those differences create conflict or interfere with family functioning. Bonus card: La Ofrenda (The Offering) An ofrenda can look very different from family to family. Some families may create one; others may not. Some may observe Día de los Muertos in other ways, while others don’t participate at all. And that’s actually the point. We shouldn’t assume; we should ask. Instead of: “Does this family celebrate Día de los Muertos?” We can ask: “What traditions or rituals are meaningful to you and your family?” Instead of: “What language does this family speak?” We can ask: “What communication supports does this family need to have full access to services?” Instead of: “What is this family’s culture?” We can ask: “Are there cultural experiences, differences, or stressors that are affecting this child or family?” We hope this edition inspires new ways to dig deeper into the Cultural Domain—using tools like Lotería and Coco to spark meaningful connections with the families you serve! 
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Want to get more out of the CANS? Here are a few practical ways to make the tool more collaborative, useful, and connected to care planning. When used well, the CANS can support shared understanding, stronger care planning, and more meaningful conversations with youth, families, and teams.  Collaborate with youth/family and teams. Check your understanding and elevate youth/family voice by engaging youth/family and teams in conversations about where action would be most helpful.
Get creative with engagement. Use art, play, CANS cards, Lotería cards, and other tools to surface information about actionable needs and strengths to build.
Bring the CANS into natural meeting spaces. Add the CANS as a standing agenda item in meetings such as Child and Family Team Meetings. [See article SF CYF T.I.P.s: “Meaningful Use of the CANS Video Training”]
Utilize CANS narratives to provide context. Increase team communication and understanding by expanding upon action levels as helpful.
[Sourced from Seneca Family of Agencies' Tips & Tricks]
 Our TCOM partners in San Francisco have shared a number of helpful resources to increase meaningful, collaborative use of the CANS, including in Child and Family Team Meetings. Check out their videos! Topic highlights:
 Q1: Isn’t the CANS just more paperwork? A1: Not at all. The CANS is a conversation tool, not a checklist. CANS helps us all understand what we’re doing together and what youth and families need. Families say it helps them feel heard because it focuses on what matters most, and then the supports they receive actually make a difference. Q2: My caseload is high, and I don’t know how CANS can help me. A2: CANS cuts through noise by highlighting the needs that matter most right now. It keeps teams focused and prevents kids from getting lost in the shuffle. It helps you identify the highest needs and prioritize so you can be effective when you only have so many hours in your week. Q3: How can I explain to families why they should care about the CANS and how it benefits them? A3: The CANS turns conversations into concrete plans and offers clarity, making it easier for families to see what’s happening and what support is coming next. CANS directly shapes the services a child receives. Higher needs mean more support, and strengths mean more opportunities. It’s a tool that can turn a family’s story into real resources.  |
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