Published in Children’s Voice, Volume 33, Number 2 by Carrie-Leigh Cloutier Chaves County CASA, based in southeastern New Mexico, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving children and youth who have been abused, neglected, trafficked, or are at risk. An umbrella agency for 28 programs in rural New Mexico, Chaves County CASA serves thousands of people
Published in Children’s Voice, Volume 33, Number 2 by Jorge Velázquez Jr., DBA Frontline child welfare and child protective service (CWS) supervisors and managers are recognized as the links between organizational leadership; the frontline caseworkers (social workers, case managers, etc.); and in many instances the children, youth, and families needing or seeking support (Hess et al., 2009;
The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, the tax bill that includes a small but significant expansion to the child tax credit, continues to be stalled in the Senate after passing the House in a 357-72 vote, a major win in a Congress that has not been marked by bipartisan agreement and has
Child Poverty Reduction Act On September 21, 2023, Representative Danny K. Davis (D-IL), Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA), Representative Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA), and U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced the Child Poverty Reduction Act of 2023 to commit the nation to cutting child poverty by half in 5 years and to
Published in Children’s Voice, Volume 32, Number 1 by Julius Mullen, Kiera McGillivray, and Mike McHugh Supervisors are an essential link between direct service and administration and governance, responsible for helping ensure that agencies and organizations fulfill their missions. This link is strongest when supervision reflects a mission-driven model of practice that is culturally and trauma-informed. This
Valuing and Retaining Staff: Being Trauma-Informed and Responsive Can Benefit Both Organizations and their Workforce Published in Children’s Voice, Volume 32, Number 1 By Kathleen McGowan, Alix Rivière, Audrey Smolkin, and Melissa Threadgill The Massachusetts Center on Child Wellbeing & Trauma’s (CCWT) mission is to support organizations in becoming more responsive to trauma and in reducing
Published in Children’s Voice, Volume 32, Number 1 by the CWLA Emerging Leaders Committee Whether someone is new to the work of child welfare or has been doing it for years, they likely have experienced the recent challenges related to agencies building and maintaining a stable workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation along with efforts
Published in Children’s Voice, Volume 32, Number 1 by Elaine Arsenault Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs) are volunteers designated to make special education decisions for students in the custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) or students whose parents are unknown or unable to participate in the special education decision-making process according to state
Celebrating Families!: Embracing, Empowering, and Guiding Families by Rosemary Tisch When dealing with substance use disorders, traditionally, the focus is on the adult who is using and possibly on their partner. But what services are offered to their children? Children living with an adult dealing with addiction often experience chronic trauma, now recognized as an
Keeping SCHORE: UPD Consulting Helps Connect Baltimore Students to Affordable Housing Published in Children’s Voice Volume 30, Number 1 by Ann Willemssen At the end of most school days, Joe Manko, the principal of Liberty Elementary School in West Baltimore, would place students into taxis waiting to drive them to their temporary resting spots across the city.