Child Welfare League of America

Workshop Session B and Leadership Encounter 2

B1 The Journey from Data to Service Integration and Best Practice

Outcome measurement has become a national focus via the Building Bridges Summit as an essential component for measuring effectiveness. Outcomes can be used to correct deficiencies and enhance strengths. In order to accomplish these goals, outcomes must be meaningful, diverse, systematic, and comparable between both service providers and the services provided. Outcomes must be available in a format that enables easy analysis for specific program improvement. The IARCCA Outcome Measurement Project fulfills all of these requirements, especially when a report card format is used to compose specific agency program results with a relevant benchmark.
Presenters: John Link, Executive Director, Crossroad/Ft. Wayne Children's Home, Ft. Wayne, IN; and Monique Busch, Outcome Project Coordinator, IARCCA, Indianapolis, IN

B2 Challenges and Rewards of Trauma-Informed Treatment

This presentation explores the joys and struggles of implementing and providing trauma-informed, relationship- based treatment through Risking Connection, training, and the Restorative Approach model. It includes methods, common concerns and responses, indicators of trauma-informed care, and agency/management strategies. Trauma-informed treatment provides better outcomes for children and better working environments for staff.
Presenter: Patricia Wilcox, Vice President of Strategic Development, Klingberg Family Centers, New Britain, CT

B3 Family Connections: A Model for Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect

This workshop introduces child welfare practitioners to the replication successes of the University of Maryland Baltimore's Family Connections Model. The workshop will demonstrate the model's effectiveness in reducing out-of-home placements among Detroit's high-risk populations.
Presenters: Kenyatta Stephens, Chief Operating Officer, Black Family Development Inc., Detroit, MI; Cynthia Williams, Project Director; Mary Siefert, Program Manager; and Tana Bridge, Program Evaluator, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, MI

B4 A Holistic and Reflective Approach to Enhancing Permanency Solutions for Adolescents

This workshop will provide participants with an overview of Supervisory Training for Enhancing Permanency Solutions (STEPS) designed for child welfare supervisors in Massachusetts. STEPS offers supervisors strengthbased approaches to responding to the permanency needs of adolescents in care. A key element in this program is participant self-reflection about unconscious associations that may impact practice with adolescents. Workshop participants will have an opportunity to experience an Implicit Association Test and discuss implications for practice.
Presenters: Gretchen Hall, Project Director, and Kathy Muhr, Research Coordinator, Center for Adoption Research, University of MA Medical School, Shrewsbury, MA; and Leo Farley, Director of Adoption Support Services, Massachusetts Department of Social Services, Boston, MA

B5 When Young Children Are Homeless

Of the more than 1.35 million homeless children in our country, half are under the age of 6. In this session, participants explore what life is like for these children and how their development is impacted by homelessness. The outcomes of a long-term study of the HHC's Community Children's Centers illustrate an effective program model that can be replicated to create supportive environments for homeless young children.
Sue Heilman, Executive Director, Horizons for Homeless Children, Roxbury, MA

B6 Improving Outcomes for Infants and Toddlers in Foster Care

This workshop highlights the developmental needs of infants and toddlers, and especially the unique challenges faced by children in foster care. Strategies and services that improve their chances for success are discussed.
Presenters: Lucy Hudson, Project Director; Nancy Seibel, Director of Training Services; Kim Diamond-Berry, Writer/ Training Specialist; and Jennifer Simpson, Former Project Director, Zero to Three, Washington, DC

B7 State Policies That Support Children in Kinship Care

This workshop will include information on how to access up to date information, resources, and technical assistance regarding the creation and implementation of effective model state policies that support children being raised by grandparents or other relatives.
Presenters: Jaia Peterson Lent, Public Policy and Outreach Director, Generations United, Washington, DC; and Heidi Redlich Epstein, Assistant Director of State Projects, American Bar Association Center for Children and the Law, Washington, DC

B8 Addressing Inequality Through Intersystem Collaboration

This workshop explores a case study in reducing disproportionate minority contact by increasing intersystem collaboration and communication. The Franklin County Juvenile Justice Community Planning Initiative-the collaborative in Columbus, Ohio, focused on reducing DMC-began looking at probation-violation data. Noting the role that inconsistent applications of sanctions for addressing violations was having in contributing to DMC, as based on the data, the Initiative developed a sanctions grid and risk-level analysis for use by the Probation Department to promote greater consistency in addressing violations of probation. The sanctions grid and risk-level analysis are being used and monitored by the Franklin County Juvenile Court to determine how these tools are reducing DMC.
Presenter: Subha Lembach, Juvenile Justice Project Coordinator, United Way of Central Ohio, Columbus, OH

B9 Pass or Fail? Teen Report Card on Adults

This workshop explores the Teen Report Card on Adults project, an annual survey of more than 1,000 American teens that asks youth to give A through F grades to adults impacting their lives. Presenters discuss the use and structure of follow-up teen focus groups, partnerships with the Chicago City Public Schools, The National Network for Runaway Youth, and collaborations with agencies in New York and Washington, DC. Presenters also review media preparation for the release of the grades.
Presenters: Joyce Johnson, Press Secretary, CWLA, Arlington, VA; Chevelle Bailey, Associate Director of ULEAD, Uhlich Children's Advantage Network, Chicago, IL; Krystal McKinney, Program Director for Youth Services, National Center for Children and Families, Bethesda, MD; and Maureen Blaha, Executive Director, National Runaway Switchboard, Chicago, IL

B10 The Neighbor-to-Family Experience: Sexually Safe Trauma Treatment-Based Foster Care Program

The current estimate of sexual abuse among children in foster care is 75-85%; it is imperative that foster care agencies systematically put into place programs that address the specialized needs of sexually traumatized children. This workshop describes the process Neighbor to Family undertook to implement trauma resolution and sexual safety.
Presenters: Wayne Duehn, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX; Adrianne Franklin, Executive Director, Neighbor To Family, Orlando and Daytona Beach, FL; Maritza LaSalle, Family Advocate and Foster Care Giver, Neighbor To Family, Daytona Beach, FL; and Gail Biro, Vice President, Neighbor To Family Policy and Program Development, Daytona Beach, FL

B11 Home Visiting Programs and Education Begins at Home: A Family Strengths-Based Approach

Home-visitation programs refer to a number of different model programs that provide in-home visits to targeted vulnerable new families. Annual data indicates that 40% of the nearly 900,000 children found to be abused and neglected never receive follow-up services. In some instances, home visitation could help address this need. Home-visiting legislation was introduced in the 108th Congress (2003-2004) and 109th Congress (2004-2005) and has been reintroduced in the 110th Congressional session. Representatives Danny Davis (D-IL) and Todd Platts (R-PA) sponsored House Bill 2343, and Senators Kit Bond (R-MO) and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) sponsored Senate Bill 667. Both bills have bipartisan support from both political parties in Congress. The workshop will call on Capitol Hill staff and home-visitation advocates to discuss the advantages of this program.
Presenters: Jeffrey S. Crowley, Senior Research Scholar, Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, DC; Ken Olson, Chair, Public Policy Committee, Foster Family-Based Treatment Association and Regional Director, KidsPeace National Centers, Portland, ME; Jen Beeson, Codirector, Government Affairs, Families USA, Washington, DC; Laura Weidner, Government Affairs Associate, CWLA, Arlington, VA; and additional speakers TBA

B12 Open Door Policy: Ensuring Access to Quality Health Care for Children in Foster Care

Children entering the child welfare system are at extremely high risk for both physical and mental health issues. Their separation from familial ties and the continued instability that often ensues as they travel through the system only exacerbate this vulnerability. Health needs tend to linger into adulthood for the 20,000-25,000 youth who age out of care each year. This workshop examines the programs currently in place to assist this population, the gaps that remain, and the actions Congress should take to improve the situation. The status of Medicaid and the Medicaid rehabilitative services and targeted casemanagement options and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) will be discussed, as well as more overarching concerns including foster children's mental health and the disproportionate lack of insurance for both children and foster care alumni.
Presenters: Jeffrey S. Crowley, Senior Research Scholar, Health Policy Institute, Georgetown University, Washington, DC; Ken Olson, Chairperson, Public Policy Committee, Foster Family-Based Treatment Association, and Regional Director, KidsPeace National Centers, Portland, ME; Jen Beeson, Codirector, Government Affairs, Families USA, Washington, DC; Laura Weidner, Government Affairs Associate, CWLA, Arlington, VA; and additional speakers TBA

Leadership Encounter 2

LE 2A Leadership When There's No One to Ask: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

(Executive leaders)

This workshop covers how to find your leadership compass when faced with decisions that have no obvious answers.
Facilitator: Keith Liederman, CEO, Kingsley House, New Orleans, LA

LE 2B Becoming a Leader

(Emerging leaders)

This session for emerging leaders focuses on the difference between managing and leading; identifying the skill and knowledge one needs to develop to become a leader; and how to prepare yourself to become a future leader.
Facilitator: Jeff Bormaster, Senior Consultant, CWLA, Palm Springs, CA


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