2016-10-15 General Membership Mtg

Membership Meeting Minutes Mulberry, Fl. October 15, 2016 Type of Meeting: Quarterly Membership Meeting Meeting Called to Order by Harriett Wynn, President A motion to approve the minutes from 9/08/2016 with changes if needed was made by Charles Parker.  Seconded by Dorothy Alvarez, with no further discussion a vote was called.  Motion Carried The attendees were given a detailed layout of the new RVP’s organizational chart. Chris Purche – discussed fire safety, explained the difference between types of extinguishers and the fires they extinguish. Monthly inspection is important. Smoke detectors over 10 years old should be replaced. Sabrina Gonzales- talked about teens aging out of the system and the effect of life in foster care is affecting young adults. At 11:30am all remaining ballots from members at the meeting were collected.  Curtis asked for two volunteers, Linda Gauntt and Ennis Clements volunteered.   Ballots were opened and sorted and counted by Linda and Ennis.  Curtis and Trudy separately tallied the counts three times to be sure all the numbers agreed.  The election results were announced to the general membership. President Harriett Wynn and Treasurer Denise Sasiain.  The other nominees were thanked for participating in the election process. Trish Allen – discussed Normalcy and how it impacts our children. Jonathan – explained the partnership between All Pro Dads and DCF to recruit new foster parents and bring about awareness around the state. A motion was made by Dorothy Alvarez to adjourn the meeting, it was seconded.     With no discussion a vote was called for. Motion Carried       Respectfully Submitted by Curtis Byrd Secretary

Florida’s GAL Program Receives $250,000 Grant

[Tallahassee, Florida] – Alan Abramowitz, Executive Director of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem office, announced today that the Florida Guardian ad Litem(GAL) Program will receive a 2016 National Court Appointed Special Advocate (National CASA) Association State Growth Grant in the amount of $250,000.   The purpose of the 2016 National CASA Association State Growth Grant is to support statewide initiatives to significantly increase the number of CASA/GAL volunteers who advocate for Florida’s abused and neglected children in the foster care system that have experienced abuse or neglect. National CASA’s vision is that every abused or neglected child is given the opportunity to thrive in a safe and loving home and this investment in Florida’s program helps to move closer to that vision.    With the National CASA State Growth Grant, the Florida GAL Program will relaunch the “I am for the Child” campaign – statewide; in each of its twenty local programs; in every community; and in every city. “Over the past nine months we have worked very closely with the National CASA Association in preparing the Florida GAL Program for the relaunch of the “I am for the Child” campaign. The simple yet powerful statement – I am for the Child – supports the mission of the Florida GAL Program and informs everything we do. We look forward to more volunteers joining us in our efforts to be a voice for all of Florida’s abused and neglected children. We are grateful to National CASA for this incredible opportunity to share our mutual vision in a coordinated way across the state,” said Alan Abramowitz. “Volunteer Florida congratulates Florida Guardian ad Litem for securing this grant to serve more at-risk young people in Florida,” said Chester W. Spellman, CEO of Volunteer Florida. “We look forward to working with GAL to encourage Floridians to volunteer with GAL and demonstrate that our state is ‘For the Child.’”   In 2011, National CASA launched the “I am for the Child” campaign with print, web and social media. Through materials and support from National CASA, states across the nation supported and promoted the “I am for the Child” campaign to grow their volunteer base and expand their services to more of America’s most vulnerable children. Florida, via its statewide program and its twenty local programs, also embraced the campaign that resulted in substantial volunteer growth. That growth has continued over the last four years. In fact, the Florida Guardian ad Litem (GAL) Program has over 10,000 volunteers giving a voice to Florida’s abused and neglected children.   “The Florida GAL Program’s track record of growth and plan to serve more children with the “I am for the Child” campaign made them a clear choice for National CASA’s largest grant award,” said National CASA Chief Executive Officer Tara Perry. “The continuous growth of our volunteer base is a critical element of National CASA’s goal to serve every child in foster care or court system who has experienced abuse or neglect nationwide. Florida is a strong partner in our work to ensure that every one of these children has a trained and caring volunteer advocating on his or her behalf rather than going it alone in the system.” To learn more about the Guardian ad Litem Program or to become a volunteer visit www.GuardianadLitem.org or call 1-866-341-1GAL.

Election Results: Sasiain & Wynn Win

FSFAPA’s election results are in: Harriett Wynn will be returning as President Denise Sasiain will be assuming the position of Treasurer Congratulation to both

Hurricane Matthew Forces Mini Conference to be rescheduled

PLEASE NOTE THAT DUE TO THE UPCOMING STORM TO OUR AREA. THE STATE MINI CONFERENCE HAS BEEN REASCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 15, 2016. ALL DETAILS WILL REMAIN THE SAME, LOCATION, DAYCARE, HOTEL, ETC.   https://floridafapa.org/event/miniconference-mulberry/

Segur named Eckerd Kids ‘Director of the Year’

Laurallyn Segur, Director of Licensing for Eckerd Community Alternatives Pinellas-Pasco (Circuit 6 CBC) and the CBC Liaison for FSFAPA, was recently named Director of the Year at Eckerd Kids annual director’s retreat. During the same retreat, ECA Pinellas-Pasco was also honored by being named Program of the Year. Congratulations to Laurallyn on her much deserved award and to all of ECA for being named the Program of the Year.

Update from Step Up For Students

Below is the recent newsletter from Step Up For Students, who oversee the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (for low-income families with K-12 schoolchildren) and the Gardiner Scholarship (for families with PreK-12 schoolchildren with certain special needs) — among other things. Summer 2016 Quarterly Newsletter Dear Partner, The 2016-17 school year has officially kicked off and we’re excited to announce Step Up For Students is already having its biggest year yet. Enrollment isn’t even complete and we already have about 91,500 Florida Tax Credit students enrolled into the schools of their choice. Another 5,800 Gardiner Scholarships have been awarded, and the applications for both scholarships keep rolling in. We expect to have a combined total of more than 100,000 Florida students using one of Step Up’s scholarships this year.  “We’re elated to be able to offer learning options to this many Florida students who need it most,” said Step Up For Students President Doug Tuthill. Each one of these scholars has an amazing story to tell. And many will be able to look back after they graduate from high school, like Lacey Nowling, who graduated in 2015 from Faith Christian Academy in Jay, Fla., and have wonderful tales to tell about college and beyond. This wouldn’t be possible without our parents who want more for their children, the teachers who guide them, the donors who make it all possible, and our community’s support. Thanks to each and every one of you, we’re confident that the 2016-17 school year will be one of excitement and success. We look forward to sharing the journey with you, and once again, we thank you for your unwavering support. Please enjoy the stories in this quarterly newsletter. Fondly, Your friends at Step Up For Students New Year Kicks Off With the final Florida schools kicking off the 2016-17 school year in the coming days, Step Up For Students team members have been busily working on applications for both the Florida Tax Credit (income-based) scholarship and the Gardiner Scholarship for children with certain special needs. For the income-based scholarship, Step Up expects to have more than 92,000 students enrolled for the new year, and another several thousand more using the Gardiner to customize their learning. Click here to learn more. Lawsuit Dismissed A unanimous three-judge panel dismissed a lawsuit challenging the nation’s largest private school choice program on August 16. The First District Court of Appeal ruled the statewide teachers union and other groups did not have legal standing to challenge Florida tax credit scholarships because they “failed to allege any concrete harm whatsoever” caused by the program, which is expected to provide scholarships to more than 90,000 low-income children in the coming school year. Click here for additional court ruling details. Student Spotlight As early as sixth grade, Lacey Nowling knew her love for children was calling her to become a pediatrician. Living in the tiny town of Jay, Fla., in the far northwestern reaches of the panhandle, she had a clear vision of her future. But certainty turned to doubt as her school work got harder and harder in ninth grade. “She had bad grades,” Lacey’s mom, Elizabeth Nowling, recalled. “She was running D’s and F’s most of the school year. She was just barely making it by the skin of her teeth. Click here to learn more about Lacey. Southern Pledges $125 Million Step Up For Students and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits (Southern Glazer’s), the nation’s leading wine and spirits distributor, announced on August 10th that Southern Glazer’s has committed $125 million to the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program for the 2016-17 school year. Southern Glazer’s contribution – the largest in the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program’s 15-year history – will fund more than 20,000 scholarships in the 2016-17 school year. This is Southern Glazer’s seventh consecutive year of participating in the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program, bringing the company’s total to a record-breaking $315 million since 2010. Click here to learn more about Southern Glazer’s contributions. FTC Students Make Gains Florida’s tax credit scholarship program continues to enroll some of the most disadvantaged students from among the state’s lowest-performing public schools, according to the latest evaluation of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program. After they receive scholarships and enroll in private schools, they keep academic pace with all students nationally, based on their standardized test results. The report is the eighth annual evaluation of the test score progress, and the second conducted by researchers at the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University. Researchers examined the reading and math scores of 34,469 students in 1,285 private schools during the 2014-15 school year. Scholarship students in grades 3-10 have been required to take a state-approved nationally norm-referenced since 2006. Click here to learn more. Coming Soon… This year is the 15th anniversary of the creation of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship. Please watch for details on how you can join in the celebration. Would you like Step Up fliers? If you would like to have fliers mailed to you, please contact Melissa or Stephanie. Fliers are free of charge, are two-sided (English/Spanish) and provide scholarship information, eligibility requirements and how to apply for both the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (for low-income families with K-12 schoolchildren) and the Gardiner Scholarship (for families with PreK-12 schoolchildren with certain special needs).   Thank you for sharing information on our two scholarship programs with the families you serve. Melissa Jaramillo Community Outreach Manager (904) 595-6814 mjaramillo@SUFS.org Stephanie Love Community Outreach Manager (904) 352-2250 slove@SUFS.org Step Up For Students | Website | Blog STAY CONNECTED:        A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION (CH-14609) AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-435-7352 WITHIN THE STATE OR ON THEIR WEBSITE WWW.800HELPFLA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

Duffles4Kids Update

Hello Duffels4Kids friends! We can’t believe that it’s already August because it seems as if just yesterday it was May! Where did the summer go? As we get ready to usher in a new season — and school year — we wanted to take a moment of your time to recap our awesome summer. Duffels4Kids Walk We held a very successful Duffels4Kids Walk in Jacksonville on May 21. This would not have been possible without the great support from our sponsors (such as Family Support Services of North Florida), individual donors and our walkers. We welcomed almost 300 attendees to the Jacksonville Zoo to “walk for the kids.” Check out the website at www.duffels4kids.org to see the logos of our sponsors and you can also view photos from the walk HERE. Florida State Foster/Adoptive Parent Association Conference On June 11, Duffels4Kids distributed 129 duffels and more than 100 pajamas to foster parents attending FSFAPA’s annual conference in Orlando. We love having a table at events catered to foster kids and foster parents because everyone can see actual results of supporting a program like ours. (By the way, we sold out of our amazing handmade bracelets supporting kids in foster care!) We had more requests than duffels during the conference but as of today, all requests have been processed and duffels were shipped directly to the children throughout the state. Foster Youth Graduation Present In early June, Duffels4Kids provided large wheeled duffels to 80 foster youth graduating in Miami-Dade County. Each duffel included a spiral-bound Foster Care Transition Toolkit, which was developed by the U.S. Department of Education to help foster youth succeed beyond high school graduation. Duffels4Kids will provide additional support to those youth entering college for the first time, gifting them with care packages and other items as needed. Medtronic Philanthropy Event Duffels4Kids was awarded $20,000 to facilitate a philanthropy project for Medtronic and on June 14, Medtronic employees stuffed 500 duffels for children in foster care at the Hilton Diplomat in Hollywood. Each volunteer wrote an encouraging note for the kids — a small gesture that will surely bring big smiles to the recipients. View our photos from this event HERE. School Backpacks We secured 200 backpacks for organizations hosting back-to-school giveaways for August. Helping K-12 students start school on the right foot is a big priority for us too!Florida Department of Children & Families Distribution On August 5, we distributed 200 duffels to the Jacksonville office of DCF. Investigators were at the office to pick up the duffels, which they will have on hand to give when a child is removed from his/her home. Our goal: #NoMoreTrashBags for foster kids transitioning from home to home. So there’s our summer in a nutshell (as always you can check our blog for more details on each event). What’s planned for the next four months? Celebrations4Kids (birthday parties for teens in group homes), more duffel distributions and a holiday partnership with Biaggi Luggage! Stay tuned as we strive to change the culture of foster care, one duffel at a time.Warm regards,T. LaShaun Wallace Recognition Family Support Services of North Florida A HUGE thanks goes to our lead sponsor for the 2016 walk: Family Support Services of North Florida. FSS was very supportive of our efforts to host the walk in Jacksonville and their staff worked tirelessly to make this year’s walk a success. Lee Kaywork (CEO of FSS) and his family also participated in the walk with us, showing the community that foster kids are a priority from the top to bottom in his organization. Thank you FSS for believing in our vision! Youth Volunteers Duffels4Kids has several events throughout the year where volunteers are heavily needed. We are proud of our youth volunteers who step in to help their peers in foster care. They are proving that they are ready to make the world a better place. Copyright © 2016 Duffels4Kids, All rights reserved.  

August is Child Safety Awareness Month

RELEASE FROM DCF & DHSMV Children are precious cargo – motorists must take responsibility to ensure children arrive alive TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – This month, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) is reminding motorists to focus on child safety in vehicles as well as on and around Florida roads. DHSMV is partnering with the Florida Department of Children and Families, Florida Department of Education, Florida Department of Health, Florida Sheriffs Association, Florida Police Chiefs Association and the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to recognize August 2016 as Child Safety Awareness Month. “Children are our most precious cargo and it’s critical for all motorists to take extra caution when a child is in or around a motor vehicle, even in your own driveway,” said DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes. “In the heat of the Florida summer, when more children will be out on the road preparing for the start of school, it is very important to remember that whether driving through a school zone or taking a family trip, motorists must do everything possible to ensure our children arrive alive.” Throughout the month of August, the department will be educating the public regarding all aspects of child safety on Florida roads, including: occupant protection and proper seat restraints, not leaving children in hot cars and safety in and around school zones and school buses. Preliminarily in 2015, there were 66,091 crashes in Florida involving children under the age of 18, resulting in 25,992 injuries and 149 fatalities, a 25 percent increase in fatalities from 2013. DHSMV data shows the following: Crashes involving children <18 2013 – 56, 084 2014 – 60,659 2015* – 66,091 Injuries involving children <18 2013 – 22,578 2014 – 23,949 2015* – 25,992 Fatalities involving children <18 2013 – 120 2014 – 121 2015* – 149 *Source: Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles preliminary data as of June 13, 2016. “It is critically important to ensure the safety of our children in vehicles as they travel our state’s roadways. That means properly restraining children according to their age, size and weight,” said Colonel Gene S. Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). “FHP encourages everyone in the vehicle to buckle up, including passengers in the back seat. Remember, as the caregivers for these young lives, it’s your responsibility to ensure they are safe.” Preliminary numbers show that in 2015, 1,165 children were injured wearing no safety restraint in a vehicle and law enforcement issued more than 21,000 citations to motorists for not properly securing children in a vehicle. Florida law requires that all drivers and all passengers under the age of 18 wear a safety belt. More than 200 children under the age of six were injured in crashes not wearing any type of seat restraint. FHP has several members that are car seat certified who can help identify the best child seat to fit a child, can ensure the seat is properly fitted in a car and can check that the seat is being used correctly every time. Starting Friday, August 5, FHP will begin offering free car seat checks and installations for motorists who bring their current car seat to local FHP Troop stations on the first Friday of every month. A full list of locations and contacts to make an appointment can be found on the department website. The department and its partners are also reminding motorists to never leave a child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle. It is extremely hot, especially during the Florida summer, and leaving a child in a car can result in the child’s injury or death. “We are proud to partner with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in Child Safety Awareness Month as many child injuries and deaths reported to the department are preventable through education and awareness,” said Florida DCF Secretary Mike Carroll. “This campaign represents one of the most effective ways to protect children, at the community level with neighbors sharing information and looking out for each other.” “Student safety is our top priority,” said Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. “As the new school year approaches, it is especially important that we do everything we can to keep children safe, whether they are walking to school, while at the bus stop or riding the school bus. The Department of Education is proud to partner with DHSMV to promote Child Safety Awareness Month.” State Surgeon General and Secretary Dr. Celeste Philip said, “Heat-related tragedies are entirely preventable, and during these summer months when our vehicles trap extreme amounts of heat, I encourage families in Florida to always check on infants and children to ensure they aren’t left behind or at risk of these situations.” “One of the goals of the Florida Sheriffs Association is to protect Florida’s future through programs focused on the safety of the youth in our state,” said Sheriff Jerry L. Demings, President of the Florida Sheriffs Association. “On behalf of our Florida Sheriffs, I fully endorse and support the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s Child Safety Awareness campaign this August.” “Every single thing we can do to emphasize child safety to Floridians is critical. Too often, we get calls about tragedies that could be prevented with better awareness,” said Winter Park Police Chief Brett Railey, President of the Florida Police Chiefs Association. “Anyone driving with a child in their vehicle should always make sure the child is safely restrained and never – NEVER – leave a child unattended in a vehicle.” “FCAAP is looking forward to working with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to help protect children by raising awareness about the proper use of child safety restraints,” said Tommy Schechtmen, President of the Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. DHSMV offers additional safety tips for parents and all motorists to keep kids safe in and around vehicles: Children under age four must be in a car seat and as of January 1,

Child Welfare in the News

Child Welfare in the News AR: Volunteers sought to aid child welfare  The Sentinel-Record – July 25, 2016 About 40 percent of children in Arkansas’ child welfare system don’t receive the assistance they need, according to Justin Buck, executive director of Garland County Court Appointed Special Advocates. http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jul/25/volunteers-sought-to-aid-child-welfare-/?f=news-arkansas AZ: Restored KidsCare Program Taking Applications (Includes audio) Public News Service – July 26, 2016 The reinstated KidsCare program provides health insurance at low or no cost to as many as 30,000 Arizona children. http://www.publicnewsservice.org/2016-07-26/childrens-issues/az/a53206-1 CA: The death of a grandchild and how Child Protective Services restricts vital information (Opinion) Sacramento Bee – July 24, 2016 This journey, from the devastation of learning about the death of my grandson to outrage over the recent effort by the California Department of Social Services to restrict the ability of the public to have access to important information, began in January 1999. http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/california-forum/article91298532.html CA: ‘This is a safe haven’: Stockton group home for LGBT foster youth is Valley’s first Recordnet.com – July 23, 2016 “My mom said she didn’t want me living with her anymore,” said the girl, who cannot be identified publicly because she is a juvenile and is in the foster-care system. “She didn’t want me to live there anymore because I’m 17 and she’s tired of taking care of me. So I’m here.” But the girl’s story, as wrenching as it is, carries with it an extra layer of complexity. Someday, the girl said last week, she wants to be a man. Someday she plans to transition. So when it came time to find the right group home, the task was especially challenging. http://www.recordnet.com/news/20160723/this-is-safe-haven-stockton-group-home-for-lgbt-foster-youth-is-valleys-first?rssfeed=true CA: New Monterey County director of child welfare: conversation has to change Monterey Herald – July 23, 2016 There are several challenges facing the department of child welfare in Monterey County, including difficulty filling vacant social worker positions and finding families who want to become foster parents. Lori Medina, who recently took over as director of the Family and Children’s Services Branch of the Monterey County Department of Social Services, wants to change the way the department is perceived besides addressing those issues. http://www.montereyherald.com/social-affairs/20160723/new-monterey-county-director-of-child-welfare-conversation-has-to-change FL: Heroin’s toll seen as rolls of foster children grow News Chief – July 23, 2016 An unprecedented number of children in Manatee County are being removed from their homes by the Department of Children and Families, largely because of the spike in heroin- and opiate-related abuse in the area. http://www.newschief.com/article/20160723/NEWS/160729775/-1/news300?Title=Heroin-s-toll-seen-as-rolls-of-foster-children-grow GA: After years of cutbacks, state of Georgia hiring again Atlanta Journal And Constitution – July 25, 2016 Agency officials say the new staffers are designed to help cut down on long lines at driver’s license offices, to reduce backlogs at crime labs, to cut caseloads for overworked child protective services staffers, to give the state the manpower to investigate police shootings, to provide more teachers in schools with growing enrollment, and to improve the system of signing up Georgians for government benefits. http://www.ajc.com/news/news/state-regional-govt-politics/after-years-of-cutbacks-state-of-georgia-hiring-ag/nr4kT/ IN: Background checks weed out bad teachers Lafayette Journal Courier Online – July 23, 2016 When a background check company conducted rechecks for an Indiana school with about 1,000 employees, more than 40 teachers had criminal histories, including four with drug or theft felonies. Also: New law requires deeper background checks for new school hires: http://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/new-law-requires-deeper-background-checks-for-new-school-hires/article_aae8b41e-b32a-5551-9236-75d8f941cbe5.html http://www.jconline.com/story/news/education/2016/07/23/background-checks-weed-out-bad-teachers/86599558/ KS: Contractor has begun review after sexual harassment lawsuit Associated Press – July 25, 2016 A Kansas foster care and family preservation contractor said it has begun an internal review of allegations raised in a federal lawsuit that one of its caseworkers sexually harassed and coerced a mother seeking to regain custody of her children. http://ksnt.com/2016/07/25/kansas-contractor-has-begun-review-after-sexual-harassment-lawsuit/ KY: We should protect foster kids’ religious freedom (Opinion) Lexington Herald-Leader – July 25, 2016 The Bevin administration is re-embroiling the state in a court fight that was triggered 18 years ago when Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children fired an employee because she posed with her lesbian partner in a photo exhibit at the state fair. The employee’s discrimination complaint was dismissed early on. But the state, the Baptist-supported agency that was renamed Sunrise Children’s Services and three Kentucky taxpayer plaintiffs have been arguing ever since in federal court about how to safeguard children in taxpayer-supported foster care from religious coercion and proselytizing. http://www.kentucky.com/opinion/editorials/article91798782.html MD: Building Trust and Support for Homeless Youth in OST Programs Youth Today – July 25, 2016 At the after-school coaching programs run by the Orange Duffel Bag Initiative, the staff never shines a spotlight on the fact that many of their participants are homeless. Often the moment comes when the participants draw their chairs into a circle after a day of trust-building exercises. They talk about experiencing homeless, the foster care system or deep poverty. http://youthtoday.org/2016/07/building-trust-and-support-for-homeless-youth-in-ost-programs/ MI: The Orphanage: Part 1 – The Past (Includes video) TV 6 – July 25, 2016 Just over a hundred years ago, the Holy Family Orphanage opened its doors to Upper Michigan children, and for roughly 50 years, 15 nuns looked after about 150 children, at any given time. http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/content/news/The-Orphanage—Part-1-The-Past-388196152.html OR: Social Workers Say What It’s Like To Deal With Foster Kids Living In The Office  Oregon Public Broadcasting – July 25, 2016 “Sometimes we’ll have babies that will come in, and you know, luckily there are a lot of people who want to hold babies. But if you have a super fussy baby it makes it hard for everybody to work. Because there’s babies crying or toddlers crying. Or they’re trying to run away and do things that really aren’t safe,” she said. http://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-foster-care-social-workers-in-office/ US: Bogus ‘sex offender’ labels are ruining lives (Opinion) New York Post – July 25, 2016 The US Bureau of Justice reports: “The single age with the greatest number of offenders from the perspective of law enforcement was age 14.” http://nypost.com/2016/07/25/bogus-sex-offender-labels-are-ruining-lives/ US: Child Welfare Ideas from the Experts, #1: Federal Runaway Prevention Regulations in Foster Home Licensing  Chronicle of Social Change – July 25, 2016 Washington wants to amend a recently signed federal law to “restrict the renewal of a foster