Tips for Dealing with Trauma in Response to South Florida School Tragedy

We have added a “Dealing with Trauma” section to our resources page (replicated below) with links to PDFs provided via Sunshine Health.  This page will be updated as additional resources are made available. Message to FSFAPA From Sunshine Health VP Neiko Shea In response to the horrific tragedy that occurred … at Stoneman Douglas High School, Sunshine Health would like to offer our support for your foster and adoptive parents who may have been impacted by this traumatic event. Attached are some excellent resource tip sheets from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) for caregivers to help children and teens deal with traumatic grief, community violence, and coping with death. Please feel free to share with foster parents and caregivers for any children who may have been impacted by the horrific tragedy in Parkland. We can also can offer the support of our trauma specialized trainers to provide free training on trauma response, helping children cope with trauma, or other trainings on vicarious and complex trauma/violence. These trainings can be provided at any location and we are flexible on times and dates. Just let us know if you are interested. Dealing with Trauma Helping Teens with Traumatic Grief (for Caregivers) Helping Youth After Community Violence (Tips for Educators) – useful for caregivers, too! Helping Children Cope with Death or Tragedy (These links all permanently added to the FloridaFAPA.org Resource Page)  

Family-Match Brings Online Dating Tech to Match Process

Family-Match, an adoption matching technology, presented by the Selfless Love Foundation, is launching a statewide initiative with CBC’s and providers to reduce the time to adoption placement and improve the quality of matches. With a compatibility assessment designed by the former lead researcher from eHarmony, approved families will get an unprecedented opportunity to be identified by child welfare workers across the state. Prospective adoptive families can begin on boarding themselves (at no cost) starting on Feb 15th, case workers will be trained and begin registering children in May and June, and the matching functionality will be fully activated by Summer 2018. For more information visit: selflesslovefoundation.org/family-match  

Gov. Scott Declares Feb. 12-18 “Florida Foster Family Appreciation Week”

FLORIDA FOSTER FAMILY APPRECIATION WEEK WHEREAS, foster families provide a unique opportunity to impact children’s lives by providing care for children until they can be reunified with their families, or find a forever family; and WHEREAS, children in foster care need and deserve a loving, supportive, nurturing, and quality foster family; and WHEREAS, approximately 5,272 foster families are currently licensed throughout the State of Florida; and WHEREAS, the Governor’s Office of Adoption and Child Protection, Florida Department of Children and Families, community-based care lead agencies, Florida Foster and Adoptive Parent Association, state and local agencies, and communities join together to raise awareness of the need for quality foster families in Florida; and WHEREAS, approximately 7,184 children in Florida live with foster families; and WHEREAS, Florida Statutes designates the second week of February as Florida Foster Family Appreciation Week, to recognize the enduring and invaluable contributions foster parents provide to children in their care; and WHEREAS, families and children across the great State of Florida will celebrate the impact that foster families have on children and families; and NOW, THEREFORE, I, Rick Scott, Governor of the State of Florida, do hereby extend greetings and best wishes to all observing February 12-18, 2018, as Florida Foster Family Appreciation Week and encourage all Floridians to consider opening their hearts and homes to children in this state who Florida Foster Family Appreciation Week proclamation are in need of a quality foster family. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD PDF

Internship Opportunity for Current, Former Foster Youth

The Fostering Success Program is a one year internship that provides paid, part time employment in a Florida state government agency making $10 per hour. The internship is open to current or former foster youth ages 18 to 26. The program strives to support the intern in increasing their professional and lifeskills for future employment opportunities. Openings now in the current internship year at four different agencies, and scheduling for training and internships starting July, 2018. To learn more or to apply, email Abigail Phelps at Abigail.Phelps@MyFLFamilies.com

Florida Guardian Ad Litem wins high court victory for abused children

[Tallahassee, Florida] –  The Florida Guardian ad Litem Program has won a resounding legal victory in the United States Supreme Court – upholding the principle that a child’s best interests are paramount in contested paternity proceedings. The victory came on Dec. 11, 2017, when the high court rejected the 11th-hour claims of a Florida man, M.L., who asserted he was the biological father of J.L., who was born addicted to cocaine in 2015. The Department of Children and Families had removed the newborn from his biological mother and soon placed him with the foster parents who want to adopt the child. On the eve of the termination of rights hearing, the father – who had previously shown little interest in the child – tried to prevent the court from making J.L. legally free for adoption by his foster parents. This would have had the effect of removing him from the family he has come to know as his own. “The child’s parents had basically abandoned him,” said Guardian ad Litem Executive Director Alan Abramowitz. “But he was in a loving, stable foster home, and it was in his best interests to have a forever family.” The Guardian ad Litem Program fought to prevent the last-minute disruption – all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. At J.L.’s shelter hearing in January 2015, DCF advised the court the mother was married, but estranged from her husband, who had no interest in the child. The mother identified M.L. as the biological father. He later claimed to have been present at J.L.’s birth and was named on the birth certificate. However, under Florida law, the mother’s husband was J.L.’s legal father. Court records show that the mother, husband and M.L. all attended a subsequent hearing, and M.L. was advised on how to establish paternity. The mother, her husband and M.L. were referred for DNA testing in March 2015. Yet M.L. “waited a year and a half to establish his paternity, until after DCF filed its termination petition, and he still did not have DNA confirmation that he was the child’s biological father.” M.L. v. Dep’t of Children & Fams., 227 So. 3d 142, 146 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017). Despite M.L.’s lengthy delay, the trial court entertained his emergency motion to intervene and to stay the pending termination trial. After the court denied the motion, it still permitted M.L. to file an amended motion to intervene. The court even continued the trial, admonishing the parties to complete anything they needed to prior to the trial. The court heard and denied M.L.’s amended motion, conducted the termination trial, and entered an order terminating the rights of the mother and her husband. GAL was the lone voice fighting for the child. On Monday, the high court declined to review a ruling by the Fourth District Court of Appeal that M.L. had waited too long to assert his rights. “I was thrilled to advocate in the United States Supreme Court for the legal rights of this child,” said GAL appellate attorney Thomasina Moore. “He’s been scheduled to be adopted, and it’s been postponed. The court’s ruling affirms that children’s interests must come first in dependency proceedings.” Thanks to the high court ruling, J.L.’s adoption was finalized on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017.   Release by Florida GAL; contact Margie Menzel (850) 922-7287 for more information.  

2017 BOD Minutes

2017-09-25 BOD Minutes 2017-08-28 BOD Minutes 2017-07-31 BOD Minutes 2017-06-15 BOD Minutes 2017-05-22 BOD Minutes 2017-04-24 BOD Minutes 2017-02-11 BOD Minutes 2017-01-30 BOD Minutes

2017-08-30 General Membership Meeting

Florida State Foster Adoptive Parent Association General Meeting August 30, 2017 Type of Meeting: General Membership Meeting Meeting Facilitator: Chris Johnson Call to order – Chris Johnson called the meeting to order at 11:41 am Approval of Minutes from: 6/17/2017 Chris call for a motion to except minutes with adjustments. Orlando said yes he agreed, seconded by Gerald.  Motion carries Update on upcoming events October Mini Conference update Lynda is taking the lead and we should have a save the date flyer soon. Chris reminded everyon e about the State Park Passes and encouraged everyone to take advantage of them. Spring Mini Conference update Trudy reported that the spring mini was shaping up.  Trudy will have save the date soon. Rally in Tally The dates for Rally in Tally are Decemberr 4-6, 2017, Trudy is asking for a list of people of is attending? III.     Election Ballots will go out Sept. 5, 2018, paid members by the conference last June will receive ballots.  There is a list if anyone has a question if they paid or not. Introduce any DCF staff who comes in. Chris introduced the attending DCF Staff and thanked them for their support. NFPA/FSFAPA conference 2018 Trudy and Kara relayed some information on the 2018 conference; The dates are 6-28 thru 7/1. More information will follow as it is available.  Adjournment: A motion to adjourn was proposed and Seconded, a call for votes was taken and meeting closed at 12:30 pm.  Motion Carried Respectfully Submitted by Curtis Byrd

2017-06-17 General Membership Meeting

Florida State Foster Adoptive Parent Association, Inc. Quarterly Membership Meeting, Orlando, Fl. Saturday, June 17, 2017   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 Harriett introduced Kylie McCracken and welcomed her to the board. Harriett announced that the Chair person for the combined NFPA / FSFAPA 2018 Conference will be Kara Elliott- Jordan. Harriett gave the floor to Denise Sasiain, Treasurer, who presented the 2016 Year End Report to membership.  After discussion a Motion was made to accept the Report. It was properly seconded and a vote was called. Motion passed Harriett then yielded the floor to Thomas Croom, Nomination Chair. Thomas then opened the floor for nominations and announced the candidates previously submitted. Exec. Vice President: Kara Elliott-Jordan, and Christopher Johnson; Vice President: Kara Elliott-Jordan, and Orlando Avila. Secretary: Curtis Byrd, and Christina Nunez. Thomas 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.  When nominees were ask if they accepted the nomination, Kara Elliott-Jordan declined the nominations. With this decision Exec. Vice President and Vice President will run unopposed. Harriett then introduced Trudy Petkovich, Executive Director Trudy announced the upcoming October Mini Conference & Quarterly Meeting Quarterly Meeting and Mini Conference Date:  Saturday, October 14, 2017 Location:  Hilton Melbourne Rialto Place 200 Rialto Place Melbourne, Fl. 32901 1-321-768-0200 Rate:  $124 a night Time:  10 am – 3 pm Topic:  QPI FAST – Foster Allegation Support Team FSFAPA Quarterly Meeting & Election Sponsored by FSFAPA and Alachua County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association   Harriett introduced Thomas Croom and enlightened everyone on the past legislative session and the plans for the 2018 Legislative session. Harriett and Gay Frizzell then presented the 2016 Awards. Harriett introduced Lora Diaz who update dated everyone what was happening with Just in Time Training and thanked everyone for the support. 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  

Governor Scott’s Securing Florida’s Future Budget Invests More Than $3B to Protect Families

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Governor Rick Scott’s Securing Florida’s Future budget proposes $3.1 billion for the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to continue carrying out the agency’s mission to keep vulnerable children and families safe, support adoptive families, and expand and improve community behavioral health services. This funding will also support Florida’s response to the national opioid crisis impacting families and communities across the state. Governor Scott said, “The safety of Florida’s families has always been a top priority in our state and these investments included in the Securing Florida’s Future Budget will continue to enhance support for the services DCF provides to Floridians and communities. We are making critical investments to support those struggling with opioid addiction. The individuals struggling with drug use are sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends, and it is crucial that we remain committed to doing all we can to ensure they have the support and services they need. The investments in this year’s budget also serve to further strengthen our commitment to protecting children by helping with retention and workload of Florida’s Child Protective Investigators and Florida Abuse Hotline counselors. I look forward to working with the Legislature to support this funding as we continue to work together to keep vulnerable children safe.” DCF Secretary Mike Carroll said, “Protecting the vulnerable is the core of our mission. DCF works diligently with our partners to promote strong and healthy families. Governor Scott’s proposed budget shows his commitment to Florida’s most vulnerable citizens and the importance of providing resources to allow DCF to ensure the health and safety of Florida’s families. It only takes one caring adult to change the life of a child and investing in our children today creates a hopeful and prosperous tomorrow.” Governor Scott’s Securing Florida’s Future budget includes: $10 million investment for an additional 130 Child Protective Investigator (CPI) positions and Florida Abuse Hotline counselors within the Florida Department of Children and Families. This investment will address retention and workload statewide as these individuals continue to focus on keeping vulnerable children safe; $10.4 million for the Community-Based Care Lead Agencies to maintain funding for dependency case management positions to support increasing out-of-home care caseloads of case managers; $2.2 million to expand the existing continuum of care for victims of human trafficking; $2.2 million for maintenance adoption subsidies, which provides funding for the families of children who are adopted from foster care to receive the services they need. This is an increase over current year funding, resulting in a nearly $200 million investment; $27 million for year two of the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grant for medication-assisted treatment and support and prevention services; $15 million to enhance substance abuse service capacity statewide, including increasing outpatient, aftercare, recovery support, residential, and medication-assisted treatment; $2.8 million to create three new Forensic Multidisciplinary Teams to serve individuals with mental illnesses who are charged with non-violent felony offenses or are at-risk of being charged with a non-violent felony offense; $2.2 million to implement Coordinated Specialty Care treatment programs targeting youth and young adults ages 15-30 with early serious mental illness. Jessica Pryce, Director, Florida Institute of Child Welfare, said, “We are continually grateful that the Governor puts the interests and safety of Florida’s children at the forefront of Florida’s priorities. This budget will facilitate an increase in essential services to vulnerable children and adoptive families, including vital support to the child protection workforce.” Mark Fontaine, Executive Director of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, said, “I applaud Governor Scott for his efforts in the proposed budget to provide additional resources to expand substance abuse treatment and recovery support services. This funding is critical to combat the devastating impact of the widespread opioid epidemic affecting individuals, families, and communities across our state. Melanie Brown-Woofter, Interim President of the Florida Council for Community Mental Health, said, “Early intervention and treatment for mental illnesses is crucial in meeting the behavioral health needs of communities. Governor Scott’s budget reflects the need for these services, further demonstrating his commitment to Florida’s families.” Kurt Kelly, CEO, Florida Coalition for Children said, “The Governor has put forth a budget that strives toward a brighter future for all Floridians. The agencies and individuals charged with caring for Florida’s children and youth look forward to working with the Governor and the Florida Legislature to ensure our system of care has what it needs to protect children and families in Florida.” For more information on the Florida Department of Children and Families, visit www.MyFLFamilies.com.