Guardian Ad Litem – Circuit 4

Melinda Brown, Circuit Director Fourth Judicial Circuit 214 N. Hogan Street, 6th Floor, Suite 6400 Jacksonville, Florida 32202 Clay, Duval, Nassau Phone: 904-255-8440 Fax: 904-255-8356

Guardian Ad Litem – Circuit 3

Linda Dedge, Circuit Director Third Judicial Circuit 213 E Howard St. East Live Oak, Florida 32064 Columbia, Dixie, Hamilton, Lafayette, Madison, Suwannee, Taylor 386-364-7720 / 386-758-1170 (alternate)

Guardian Ad Litem – Circuit 2

Deborah Moore, Circuit Director Second Judicial Circuit Leon Court Annex 1920 Thomasville Road, Suite 208 Tallahassee, Florida 32303 Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla

Guardian Ad Litem – Circuit 1

Bryan Carter, Circuit Director First Judicial Circuit 1800 West St. Mary Ave. Box 3 Pensacola, FL 32501 Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton 850-595-3728

2016-06-09 BOD Minutes

Florida State Foster Adoptive Parent Association, Inc. Board of Directors Face to Face Meeting Thursday, June 9, 2016   Respectfully submitted for approval by FSFAPA Secretary Curtis Byrd The monthly meeting was called to order at 1:15 pm by President Harriett Wynn Secretary Curtis Byrd took Roll:  Attendance attached. May Minutes were not available so they were tabled.  Motion was made to table the minutes until our next meeting was made by Maria Bond and Seconded by Lillie Blackshear. Motion Carried. Open business Melanie Stimell: Melanie goes over everyone assignments, and answers questions. Monitors will meet in the Hospitality Room to receive assignments.  Curtis asks that all the board members at least monitor one training session. Christopher and Orlando: RVP Training: RVP’s should be promoting the FAST Program every opportunity they have. Summit there will be an additional training – in depth for all the RVP’s and it will be mandatory – we will hold that meeting on Wednesday, September 7th from 10 – noon.  Trudy will make arrangements with Amy for that and the Quarterly Membership to be at lunch on Thursday at the Summit. Maria suggested that each time we meet there be in depth trainings for the RVP on specific subjects.  Trudy will send her some suggestions, possibly the United Way can help with trainers. Trudy Petkovich: Executive Board meeting Tuesday night September 6th at 8 pm Fall Quarterly meeting will be on October 8th.  TLC volunteered they have put together support for funding, child care and everything is in Heartland area.  This was approved by the Executive Board to move forward. Mulberry Christian Academy Church of God 200 Dean St. Mulberry, 33860 Limited Childcare 0-12 cost $5.00 per child Conference will start at 9:00am to 4:00pm.  Lunch will be served. The Hotel will be announced later.  Lori Decker will be handling registration, Phone 813-892-3016 or email: She also reminded everyone that they should wear their Red Shirts. Curtis Byrd: Discussed the upcoming elections:  Informed every one of the names that had been sent to him for nominations, President: Harriett Wynn, Chris Johnson Treasurer: Denise Sasiain, and Paul Vernon. Curtis informed every one that we printed a letter to be distributed to the Conference goers and post it on the website and send it out through Constant Contact. Motion to adjourn made by Thomas Croom and seconded by Melanie Stimmell, the motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 2:30pm.

2016-05-31 BOD Minutes

FSFAPA Board of Directors Meeting May 31, 2016 Monthly Conference Call   Welcome Harriett Wynn Reminder the Board call is the last Monday of the month for the entire Board. Roll Call – Absent Maria Bond, Dorothy Alvarez, Coleen LaCosta – on a plane.  Melanie Stimmell Minutes – motion to accept the minutes with changes Chris Johnson, Thomas Croom seconded motion carried RVP Report – Chris Johnson, nothing at this time.  All  RVP reports are due today or tomorrow before the conference.  We will go over all the RVP changes at the Board meeting at the Conference. Kara – their area is drowning with capacity concerns – homes over capped are stunning, trying to get to the root of the issues.  All local FAPA’s are coming together at the conference to discuss concerns. Thomas, last few months several requests to assist with 501C3’s and bylaws to discuss how we can facilitate these things – at the conference some training will be welcome.  Chris acknowledged we have that on the table and will discuss next week. Conference request for exhibitor – Melanie was going to try and reach out to the new association in Panama City, to reach Judith.  Chris explained the concern that they want their teens to sell items at the conference..  Harriet asked for Chris to please contact her before the conference.  Thomas will send a phone number if he has one. Suggestions of giveaways at the Summit: mouse pads, jelly bracelets, send to Trudy. Silent Auction – Lillie reported that she does have baskets and a couple of associations have contacted me.  It always works out and I don’t worry about it she announced. Harriett announced that she appointed Anne Whiteside as the RVP over the southwest region.  Anne was welcomed by the Board, she is looking forward to meeting everyone next week. Conference hotel contract for 2017 – Melanie and Chris said the hotel has been great to work with for the 2016 conference.  They are completely pleased with how everything at the hotel is working this year.  Trudy reported we signed a contract for the Renaissance at Sea World in 2017.  2018 will be a joint conference with NFPA and will probably be at the Caribe Royale as NFPA has a long standing relationship with the Caribe. At the Dependency Summit the FSFAPA Quarterly Membership Meeting will be held at lunchtime on Thursday.  The Board of Directors meeting will be held on Wednesday morning at 10 am at the Summit.  We will primarily be discussing the new RVP positions. October 8, 2016 will be the Quarterly Membership meeting and Mini Conference.  Hosted by TLC in Mulberry. 2016 Conference – Executive Board Wednesday at 8 pm, Thursday the Board of Directors is at 1 pm not noon in the Zander Room.  The Membership meeting will be on Saturday morning during breakfast.  The QPI meeting is on Thursday. Conference discussion – Harriett asked about the meals and Chris gave her a run down of the meals and the luncheon and breakfast speakers.  Children’s meals are similar but child friendly.  Meeting on Thursday we will not have access to our training so Friday morning is when we will set up the rooms.  Kara asked do we have any spots for childcare, teens or adults.  No scholarships left but we can take any additional families.  The hotel is full so we have some option for an overflow hotel in the area.  Stuff the conference bags on Thursday.  Chain will go up on Friday. Amanda Nex Gen update need some volunteers, food speaker and surfing set.  There are three waivers she will be contacting the foster parents of  teens registered. Lauralyn, concurred that there are high levels of kids all around the state at this time. Due to the fact Trudy now has a position at DCF Southern Region, so Curtis will now be the Contract Manager moving forward.  Harry wants to know where to bring the Chain on the 8th.  Chris said to text him. Orlando needed a rundown of the meeting schedule for the Board and a review of the support schedule. Anne Whiteside has a question, state holding a focus group on June 28th for foster parents CFSR Stakeholder and Focus Groups.  State and Federal doing focus groups, so there is not a lot of information at this time. A motion to adjourn by Chris Johnson and seconded, no discussion and motion carried. Respectfully Submitted Cutis Byrd

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

2016-06-11 General Membership Mtg

Florida State Foster Adoptive Parent Association, Inc. Quarterly Membership Meeting, Orlando, Fl. Saturday, June 8, 2016   The Quarterly Membership Meeting of FSFAPA was called to order at 7:30 am by Harriett Wynn, President. A motion was made by Orlando Avila to accept the minutes as corrected, seconded by Thomas Croom.  Motion passed   Open business Harriett introduced Lynda Thompson, Bylaws Chair Lynda discussed the changes to the Bylaws and fielded any questions from the floor.  After discussion on the Bylaws, Lynda asked everyone to mark their green voting card Yes or No to approve the Bylaws.  Once all green voting cards were collected they were counted.  The final vote was 61 Yes and 0 No, so the changes to the Bylaws passed. Harriett then yielded the floor to Orlando Avila, who was standing in for Curtis Byrd, Nomination Chair. Orlando then opened the floor for nominations and announced the candidates previously submitted. President: Harriett Wynn, and Christopher Johnson; Treasurer: Denise Sasiain, and Paul Vernon. Orlando asked for nominations from the floor.  If no further nominations are brought forward nominations will be closed at the end of the Quarterly Membership Meeting. Harriett then introduced Trudy Petkovich, Executive Director Trudy announced the upcoming October Mini Conference & Quarterly Meeting   T.L.C. Association, Inc will be hosting the Quarterly Membership Meeting & Mini Conference October 8, 2016 at Mulberry Christian Academy Church of God 200 Dean St. Mulberry, 33860  Limited Childcare 0-12 cost $5.00 per child Conference will start at 9:00am to 4:00pm.  Lunch will be served. The Hotel will be announced later. Lori Decker will be handling registration, Phone 813-892-3016 or email:  loriadeckertlc@gmail.com Harriett and Gay Frizzell then presented the 2016 Award Winners: Caring Heart Award/Foster – Marcia and Stephens Croom Dee Wilson/Adoption – Reyna Alvarez Partner in Caring – Holly Torres Leadership through Example – Eckerd Community Alternatives/Pasco & Pinellas Counties Harriett thanked everyone for coming. Motion to adjourn made by Thomas Croom and seconded by Stephen Rollo, the motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 9:30 am. Respectfully submitted for approval by FSFAPA Secretary Curtis Byrd