Child Welfare League of America

Workshop Session B

B-1 Wealth and Emancipation: The Missing Link

The objectives of this workshop are to examine alternative approaches to address the wealth issue, sensitize caregivers and policymakers to this damaging outcome, examine some of the wealth-building options not generally taught in schools or in Independent Living Skills Classes, expose participants to some technological opportunities to help remedy some of these challenges, and assist presentday foster youth to live a life beyond the current statistics of those who have aged out of the system.
Presenters: Berkley Harris, Program Manager, Families in Transition Community Services Inc., Upland, CA; and Mary Mayfield, CEO and Entrepreneur, The Mayfields, Upland, CA

B-2 Stop, Look, F.L.O.W.: Planning and Managing Emergency and Crisis

This workshop addresses four key phases of crisis management: prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. Successful emergency/disaster preparedness focuses on planning, preparation, and practice. Human dynamics, environmental factors, and organizational processes are each targeted. This workshop offers opportunities to collaborate and begin to develop and review specific working plans.
Presenter: Jody C. Layton, Certified Trauma and Loss Specialist, Consultant, Trainer, and Advocate, Best-SelfCoachTM, Upper Montclair, NJ

B-3 Learning from Youth Voices in Foster Care

Youth in Progress (YIP) is the voice for youth in foster care in New York State. YIP's formation, impact on policy, and best practices are the focus of this youth, mentor, and staff presentation. The workshop shows how YIP provided the impetus for foster care youth voice partnerships supported and implemented through the state, counties, agencies, and the Adolescent Services Resource Network. Products produced through the partnership are showcased, which include three YIP-partnered videos.
Presenters: Susan Tournour, Senior Trainer, Center for Development of Human Services, Adolescent Services Resource Network, Buffalo, NY; Tyrus Gross,Youth Presenter; and Aimee Cox-Gibbs, Mentor, St. Joseph's Villa, Rochester, NY

B-4 Pathways to Success

In a world where children are exposed to violence and trauma, educators must construct an emotionally responsive learning environment for all their students, while simultaneously meeting the standards set by states for cognitive development and assessment. Based on evidence from brain research and child development, Pathways to Success examines effective solutions to this difficult challenge.
Presenters: Jeanine K. Fitzgerald, Certified Human Behavior Consultant and Owner, Better Behavior Bureau, Hubbardston, MA

B-5 A Community Model for Student Success

This workshop gives a brief history of Hillside Work- Scholarship Connection, the target population served, the core components of the model, key community stakeholders involved, outcomes, barriers and challenges, and how the model works. The objective of this workshop is to provide participants with an understanding of the core components of a successful youth development model that helps youth stay in school, graduate, learn transferable work skills, and prepare for life after high school. The material will touch upon how Hillside Work- Scholarship Connection has used the success of the model to gain and build a community model and community support.
Presenter: Annette L. Gantt, Executive Director, Hillside Work- Scholarship Connection, Rochester, NY

B-6 Children Separated from Families Across International Borders: Options, Services, and Factors Affecting Their Best Interests

The goal of this workshop is to understand ways in which children become separated from their families across international borders, options available to them, and factors that influence best interest/permanency determinations.
Presenters: Julie Gilbert Rosicky, Executive Director; Carlos Miguel Molina Rosales, Director of Policy and Program Development; and Susan A. Oslund, Social Worker; International Social Service, United States of America Branch Inc., Baltimore, MD

B-7 Sibling Camp: Making and Keeping "Kinnections"

This workshop focuses on using overnight camp as a vehicle for promoting and supporting sibling relationships for youth in care separated from a brother or sister. Camp Connect, Maryland's overnight camping experience, is designed to promote sibling bonds between and among brothers and sisters who are living apart by offering an opportunity to reconnect and build relationships that will last a lifetime. The goal of this workshop is to offer participants an overview of the sibling camp, and to share the nuts and bolts of planning and implementation. Some of our campers will also participate in the workshop to share their own experiences and respond to questions from workshop attendees.
Presenter: Judith M. Schagrin, Assistant Director for Children's Services, Baltimore County Department of Social Services, Baltimore, MD

B-8 Improving Communication Between Families and the Child Welfare System

This workshop details what communication and education policies and practices have worked in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, to help turn their child welfare system into a national model. Direct community involvement through town meetings, community events, the distribution of service-related brochures, and access to service- oriented Internet tools reduce the tendency toward division between service providers and consumers.
Presenters: Karen Blumen, Deputy Director, and Dan Robinson, Manager, DAL, Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Pittsburgh, PA

B-9 Play Behaviors and Social Skills Among Maltreated Foster Children: Implications for Assessment and Treatment Intervention

This workshop presents findings from a research study that examined the impact of child maltreatment on social competence and social/cognitive aspects of play. The social skills and free play behaviors of 44 maltreated and nonmaltreated children between 5 and 12 years old were compared. The findings support the importance of early assessment and treatment for children with abuse/neglect histories and the need for interventions addressing children's deficits in social skills and efforts to promote more positive interpersonal relationships.
Presenter: Carmen Y. Veloz, PhD, Director, Mental Health Services, Family Permanency Planning Services, Graham Windham Services for Families and Children, Bronx, NY

B-10 Findings from a Pilot Study Measuring Standardized Outcomes in a Community-Based Residential Treatment Program

This presentation reviews the rationale, process, challenges, and findings of a pilot project measuring outcomes in a decentralized community-based residential treatment program. Clinical and research findings are presented along with a discussion of the challenges inherent in implementing such a project. Sample specifics, treatment components, standardized measures, and processes used are clearly defined. This presentation seeks to provide an authentic example of both the pitfalls and good decisions made in an effort to implement a valid data-gathering process in a clinically focused, nonacademic, nonresearchbased residential treatment setting.
Presenters: Linda Butler, Director of Research and Special Projects, and Liza Little, Associate Director of Clinical Services, Spurwink, Portland, ME


Close window