Fall 2012 - Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services

Cuyahoga County
Division of Children & Family Services
Fall 2012
News Notes
ADOPTION MONTH KICK OFF EVENT 2012
The first major effort to promote awareness of the need for adoptive families for children in foster care
occurred in Massachusetts in 1976 when Governor Mike Dukakis announced an Adoption Week. The
idea grew in popularity and spread nationwide. Later that year, President Gerald Ford proclaimed the
first National Adoption Week, and in 1990, the week was expanded to the entire month of November.
Now every year a Presidential Proclamation launches activities and celebrations to help build
awareness of adoption throughout the nation. Thousands of community organizations arrange and
host programs, events, and activities to share positive adoption stories, challenge the myths, and draw
attention to the thousands of children in foster care who are waiting for permanent families.
Every year Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) joins in the national celebration, and this year we held
our Adoption Month Kick-Off Event on Thursday November 1, 2012. There are approximately 1,797 children currently in the custody of
Cuyahoga County DCFS. Of those children, 617 will never be able to return to their biological parents and for a variety of reasons; over
250 of these youth are still waiting for an adoptive family. These children need and deserve a permanent family to love and guide them
to adulthood.
Last year Cuyahoga County DCFS placed 144 children in adoptive homes and finalized the adoptions of 136 children. However, there are
still many more children who continue to wait for their forever family.
During the Kick-Off Event, we had the pleasure of having State Senator Nina Turner and Danita Harris from WEWS Channel 5 speak about
the importance of “Forever Families” and Permanent Connections in the lives of our children. We also had Judge Laura Gallagher and
Magistrate Roseanne Hilow from the Cuyahoga County Probate Court finalize three adoptions during the event. Each adoptive family
received a celebratory adoption decree. It was a joyous and beautiful occasion for all!
There were four adoptive families recognized for their outstanding commitment and dedication to their adoptive children, and two
adoption staff were recognized for their hard work and commitment to finding permanency for the children of Cuyahoga County. We
had the pleasure of retiring the Heart Gallery photos of two youth who have now been adopted.
Inside this issue:
Director’s Corner
2
Improving the Odds 3
Adoption Month Kick Off Photos4
“The HeartBeat” Awards
5
SAVE THE DATE
6
THE HEART GALLERY SPOTLIGHT 7
Recognition & Recruitment Month 7
S.T.A.R.T. Department Celebrates 8
“Thinking Outside the Closet”
9
Bullying – An American Dilemma 10
Giving Tree 2012
11
Continuity, Friendships, Promises 12
Suggested Reading 13
Why Do We Care About
Adolescent Permanency?
14
OH Resource Families as Partners 16
Halloween Party at CCDCFS!
18
A special thank you to all of our agency staff and community partners who work diligently to provide
support, safety, and a sense of belonging to our most vulnerable citizens.
Recruitment Efforts:
As members of the Ohio Adoption Planning Group and the Public
Children Services Association of Ohio, Cuyahoga County Adoption Staff
will participate in the Ohio Adoption Advocacy Day “Filling Family
Portraits” at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio on Wednesday,
November 14, 2012. Framed pictures of children waiting to be adopted
from Cuyahoga County will be displayed alongside waiting children
from other counties throughout the state. Adoption advocates from
across Ohio will rally at the state capital to celebrate Adoption Awareness
Month and to raise awareness of the 3,000 Ohio foster children waiting for
permanent families.
Throughout November, Dave’s Supermarkets has graciously agreed
to display and pass out our Adoption Month Calendars at all of their
locations to help spread the word about the need for foster and
adoptive families in Cuyahoga County. We thank Dave’s Supermarkets
for their support!
...Continued on page 4.
Director’s
Corner
Patricia Rideout
“We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is
abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life. Many of the
things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his
bones are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are
being developed…” -- Gabriela Mistral
So begins one of my favorite poems; many staff have heard me
quote it over the years. It never ceases to touch me, because
it articulates so perfectly the second of our two primary goals in
child welfare: permanency. (The first, of course, is safety.) There
was a time, when the child welfare field was young, in which our
intense focus on rescuing children from harm often clouded our
attention to ensuring that, once safe, each child quickly resumed
life within a family. The result was “foster care drift,” evidenced by
large numbers of kids who spent years – or entire childhoods – in
out of home care.
return to agencies like ours to seek help in the years immediately
after emancipation, very few of them do so in our county.
It is because of these realities that we at DCFS are working so hard,
on dual paths, to change the experience of our older foster youth.
First, we are dedicating ourselves to expanding our knowledge of
and engagement with every child’s extended family as soon as we
become involved with them. Our “family tree” initiative is already
bearing fruit, as many more maternal and paternal relatives are
identified, documented, and approached early on. New software
called Accurint is now available to all staff to assist in searching for
children’s extended family, and staff are benefiting from enhanced
family engagement training, both traditional and web-based, so
that once identified, we can be more successful at connecting with
family members who may not even be aware that children related
to them need their support. Preventing children in our care from
getting stuck there is the first crucial strategy we must pursue.
But while we improve our practice, we must also focus on those
youth who still hope to secure a permanent, lifelong family. Several
major efforts are underway, both to tackle individual youths’ family
finding challenges and to create broad, systemic change as well:
• In follow up to our Permanency Roundtable effort of 2011,
our Case Review facilitators now lead discussions focused on
achieving specific “permanency milestones” in all staffings and
SARs.
Today those numbers have decreased, as have our overall numbers •
of children in foster care, both in Cuyahoga County and in the
nation. Federal and state law now require us to find permanent
families for children within prescribed timeframes, or to justify to
the Court why we haven’t. Locally, thanks to initiatives such as
Adopt Cuyahoga’s Kids, which led to a reduction in waiting children
(those youth with no identified permanent family) from 1000 (2003)
to 228 (November, 2012), the number of children and youth who are
•
legally free for adoption but still awaiting a family has shrunk.
The Case Review facilitators have also conducted reviews of
their meeting records on 53 children and youth who had been
in care for over 10 years, to learn more about how these kids
slipped through the cracks despite continual team assessment
over the years. One result has been the renewal of Case
Review’s commitment to a single “family facilitator” approach
in all the meetings it hosts.
A large number of agency managers, from director to chiefs,
are currently conducting file reviews of the 78 young people
currently in custody who have been with us for over 10 years.
We plan to identify opportunities to intervene in new and
effective ways on behalf of these youth, and also to prevent any
child from growing up with only the system as his/her parent.
And yet 229 young people over the age of 15 remain in DCFS’s
permanent custody, and another 96 are in PPLA (planned permanent
living arrangement) status; most are unlikely to find a forever family
before they age out of the system at 18 or shortly after. In fact, as
of November 28th, there were 78 young people in our custody who
had been in care for over 10 years – more than half their childhood. • We will soon have enhancements to our existing resources
targeted at finding families for our waiting kids. In addition to
What a painful statistic that is.
the Child Centered Recruitment staff led by Paul Fowler and
Public policy, the law, and common sense dictate that we take steps
our Family Search and Engagement unit under the leadership
to prepare these older youth for their transition to adulthood, and
of Lois Roberts, we’ll soon have 6 Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
so we offer specialized services and staff focusing on independent
recruiters assigned to our agency. And our colleagues at The
living skill development. Led by Senior Supervisor Joe Jackson
Village Network have received grant funding to provide Family
and his dedicated team, our older youth participate in a wealth of
Finding using the proven Kevin Campbell model with our
learning activities, where they gain knowledge in areas as diverse
waiting kids. We are confident that these efforts will connect
as job hunting and nutrition, college financial aid and check writing.
more of our children and older youth with families.
They may take advantage of opportunities relating to leadership
development, public speaking, and legislative advocacy; the lucky • Finally, through internal initiatives such as our new LGBTQ
(lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning) work
ones may be matched with an adult mentor to support them on
group and the “Lending a Hand” staff advisory board, we are
their journey to independence.
strengthening our agency’s communication and coordination
What our older youth, an average of 16 of whom age out of the
efforts to ensure that ALL of us support, in whatever way we can,
system every month, do NOT typically have is a parent or an extended
providing strong families for all our kids before they leave us.
family network to provide personal, natural, individualized support,
in the context of everyday living – the sort of low key but critical It will take all of us to transform our system and to create the
nudging and coaching that the rest of us tend to take for granted. conditions that will allow all children to grow up in a family, under
And as a result, young people who leave the child welfare system whose guidance they will learn how to be an adult. This work is
without a family safety net often fare poorly on their own. And even urgent; the need is dire. In the words which conclude the poem
though, as a result of federal legislation such as the 1999 Foster Care by Mistral which opened this essay: “To him we cannot answer
Independence Act (Chaffee), former foster youth have the right to ‘Tomorrow.’ His name is ‘Today.’”
2
Fall 2012
UPDATE
Article from Rise magazine, Issue No. 20, Fall 2011, Page 3
Improving the Odds
Reprinted from Rise, a magazine by and for
parents affected by the child welfare system:
www.risemagazine.org.
Policies and practices that help addicted parents also help children and families.
BY PIAZADORA FOOTMAN
But high-quality programs can make
a difference. Research has repeatedly shown that the most effective
programs help parents improve their
parenting skills, find jobs, get mental
health treatment, and rebuild family
ties. One study published in 2008
found that parents provided with high
levels of family, education or employment services were about twice as
likely to reunify with their children
in foster care as those offered low
levels of those services. But a 2007
report on mental health and drug
treatment programs found that only
27% of programs followed the guidelines for effective treatment.
Racism and and bias are part of the
reason addicts are more likely to get
“Too many parents are put in
the position of having to choose
between treatment and their children,” explains Ms. Ketteringham.
“Years of research suggest that legal
threats do not bring about longlasting change in a person, and the
threat of losing their children drives
parents away from the very services
that would most benefit them and
their families.”
N
Parents need ongoing support when
they leave treatment if they are going
to break the cycle of relapse and
recovery. “If you want to minimize
the likelihood or the negative impact
of a relapse, you have to ask whether
parents are going to meetings, do
they have family supports, are they
receiving mental health services? They
have to have something, because
they just can’t do it alone,” says
Debra Schnall, a psychotherapist
who works with addicted mothers and their babies.
EG
A
1) Addicts Need High-Quality
Treatment, Not Punishment
Our country talks a lot about getting
tough on drugs, but when it comes
to providing addicts with treatment that really works, it doesn’t do
enough. About 95% of drug-related
government spending is used for
law enforcement, child welfare and
health care for addicts, while only
3% of funds are used for rehab and
prevention, according to Columbia
University’s Center for Addiction and
Substance Abuse.
3) Child Welfare Needs
to Respond Differently to
Relapse
The child welfare system expects
addicts to get clean immediately
and stay clean without relapsing but
relapse is a normal part of recovery.
DE
Here’s what we found:
But harsh policies don’t guarantee
that kids will grow up safe and strong.
In fact, a study by the University of
Florida found that placing cocaineexposed babies in foster care harms
them more than allowing them to
stay with their parents, especially
if those parents are receiving proper treatment. In the
study, babies placed in their
mother’s care did better
on all the usual measures
of infant development, like
rolling over, sitting up and
reaching out, than the babies
in foster care.
are only about 100 family-treatment
centers in the country.
2) Parents Need to Be
Able to Ask for Help
Without Fear
Studies have found that addicted parents often don’t seek help because
they are afraid of being locked up
or losing their children. In part that’s
because it’s often the subjective
judgment of an individual judge or
caseworker that determines whether
parents lose their children. “You can
have a judge who is very in favor of
mother-child programs or one who
is not. There are many child welfare
workers who have a depth of understanding about addiction, and ones
who always want to take children
out of the home right away,” explains
Emma Ketteringham, director of legal
advocacy for National Advocates for
Pregnant Women.
It’s also because family-treatment
centers, where parents live with their
children during treatment, can be
expensive to run. As a result, there
TH
We talked with addiction professionals about the policies that wind up
punishing parents for their addiction
and further hurting children, and
those that would help reduce the
trauma that addiction causes families.
punishment than high-quality treatment. After all, get-tough-on-drugs
policies always fall hardest on poor
people and people of color. One
study in Florida found that black
moms were 10 times more likely to
be reported for prenatal drug use
than white moms, even though black
moms are no more likely to use
drugs while pregnant!
BE
When the Rise staff first met to discuss this issue, we talked about the
loss and trauma of having addiction
in the family. We also discussed how,
too often, government policies and
practices seem to be out of step with
what both families and professionals
know about the nature of addiction
and recovery.
T
US
ILL
RA
N
TI O
BY
IZ
EL
A
Child welfare officials should
also understand that one relapse
does not mean that a parent’s
recovery is doomed. “The constant threats of terminating visits
because of a relapse plays into an
addict’s already negative self-image”
and can make long-term recovery
less likely, explains Ms. Schnall.
That’s why, last January, the American
College of Obstetricians and
Gynecology released a statement
urging members to oppose state laws
that require doctors to test pregnant
women for drug use and report drug
users to child welfare authorities.
Instead they called for a system of
early screening and education.
I know that from experience. When
my first child was about to be taken
from me, I thought, “I can’t stay clean
for 15 minutes. How am I going
to make it for 24 hours?” When I
messed up and visits were reduced
or cancelled, I felt like a failure, which
gave me yet another reason to get
high.
And earlier this year, President
Obama’s director of drug policy, Gil
Kerlikowske, publicly recognized the
damage separation can do to families.
He said he hoped that treatment
programs that allow families to stay
together, whether in a treatment
facility or through intensive services
for families in their own homes,
would serve as a national model.
Ms. Ketteringham suggests it makes
more sense to ask: “‘How can we
minimize the harm that a relapse
might have on a child? For instance,
can we have another adult come
live with the family and be an extra
source of support while the parent
addresses the underlying issues?’
There are lots of creative ways of
supporting parents in recovery while
keeping children safe in their homes.”
Fall
2012
Rise
/ FALL
2011
33
Adoption Month Kick Off Event Pictures
4
Fall 2012
...Continued from article on page 1.
Taken from THE HeartBeat, The Newsletter of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio,
HeartBeat
THE
Autumn - Issue 2, 2012
The Newsletter of the Public Children Services Association of Ohio
http://www.pcsao.org/2012HeartBeat/Issue2_2012ConferenceEdition.pdf
P
2012 Conference “By the Numbers”
This edition of The HeartBeat will help you catch up on anything you
missed and celebrate this year’s amazing award winners.
•
CSAO celebrated its largest and most successful state
conference in recent memory Oct. 24-25. Conference attendees
benefited from stellar speakers and presenters on a range of
topics, including keynote speaker Dianna Walter of the Jim Casey
Youth Opportunities Initiative. A former foster youth herself, Dianna
gave a moving and data-packed presentation on how many foster
youth miss critical developmental stages in brain development, and
how trauma-informed intervention – even up to age 22 for females
and 30 for males – can heal the damage done to their development.
Outstanding Child Advocate of the Year
L
isa Dickson, Foster Care Alumni of America, Ohio Chapter
Lisa has been a driving force in Ohio to elevate and include the
voices of foster youth. This extraordinary woman – a children’s
librarian with a passion for foster youth – has left an impact on Ohio’s
child welfare system by investing countless volunteer hours. Lisa
finds every open door and manages to persuade folks to open doors
that are closed. She graciously makes everyone feel appreciated and
special for their contributions, but is tenacious and unwavering when
it comes to securing resources for transitioning youth. Among her
successes are the Ohio Youth Advisory Board, the Connecting the
Dots conference, and the OhioReach Initiative. While foster youth do
an admirable job of speaking for themselves – embodying the phrase
“Nothing about us without us” – it is Lisa who continually demands
that the state and county agencies include transitioning youth in each
and every forum. It is Lisa who creates and defends opportunities for
Rising Up and Moving On Awards
Autumn - Issue 2, 2012
2012 PCSAO Conference helped child welfare professionals “Master the Code”
•
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600 attendees
50 qualified presenters
36 sponsoring exhibitors
30 up-to-date workshops
19 award winners
1 fantastic keynote
$124 raised at the corn hole tournament to support
My Very Own Blanket
and a score of outstanding volunteers!
ODJFS to support. It is Lisa who inspires department staff
to invest personal as well as professional time. PCSAO’s
Executive Director Crystal Ward Allen and ODJFS Director
Michael Colbert jointly presented the Child Advocate of
the Year award to Lisa – who in true fashion turned her
acceptance speech into an opportunity for foster alums to
make a statement about the inclusion of youth voice!
Special 2012 Conference Edition
In This Edition
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2012 PCSAO conference helped child welfare
professionals “Master the Code”
Outstanding Child Advocate of the Year
Rising Up and Moving On Awards
Family of the Year Awards
Outstanding Journalist of the Year
Dan Schneider Leadership in Training
Outstanding Legislators of the Year
PCSAO Staff Farewell
Outstanding Child Protection Supervisor of the Year
Outstanding Child Protection Caseworker of the Year
Outstanding Child Protection Support Staff of the Year
Thank you
The Heartbeat Editor:
Jeed Jitprasert
510 E. Mound St., Suite 200 • Columbus, OH 43215
P: 614.224.5802 • F: 614.228.5150 • www.pcsao.org
Yaritza, 19, Cuyahoga County
Born in the Dominican Republic and sent at age 9 along with a sister to live with their
father in the United States, Yaritza arrived in this country speaking little English and
desperately missing the only family she had ever known. TheAmerican dream her mother
thought she was giving Yaritza turned into a nightmare. She faced abuse, neglect, and
trauma that resulted in removal from her father's home two years ago. During her three
placements, Yaritza was separated from her sister and forced to adjust to new schools,
communities, and caregivers.As testament to her resourcefulness and resiliency,Yaritza
completed two summers of culinary school, graduated high school seventh in her class,
delivered the commencement speech, and was admitted to Baldwin Wallace College.
She mentors at-risk Hispanic youth, runs track, and continues to provide support and
guidance to her sister.
Outstanding Journalist of the Year
Danita Harris, News Channel 5, Cleveland
After Danita became an adoptive parent through Cuyahoga County Division
of Children and Family Services, she felt frustrated that the agency received
only negative publicity. She decided to use her professional platform as a
local news anchor to balance the scales by oering positive features. With
four stories aired and more in the works, Danita has helped viewers think
about the issues that bring a family to the agency’s attention and what role
the community should play in the protection of children. After reporting on
the agency’s mentoring program, Danita volunteered to become a mentor
herself. Thanks to her broadcasts, Danita has begun to change the community
dialogue about child welfare.
Outstanding Legislator of the Year
Senator Nina Turner
Senator Nina Turner represents the 25th Senate District, which includes parts
of Cuyahoga County and she serves in leadership as the Senate Minority
Whip and Co-chair of the newly formed Children’s Caucus. She has been a
strong voice in the legislature on a number of issues important to children in
our care. First, she made certain that no child in foster care would be labeled
or singled out for having mental illness and helped defeat a proposal that
would have used sex oender type registration and community notication for
all youth in therapeutic foster care. In addition, she provided leadership to the
Human Tracking legislation, understanding that this is an issue that needed to
be addressed by all public systems including child welfare. She is a champion
for necessary treatment dollars for mental illness and addiction services not
only for our children and youth but for their parents as well. And thankfully,
she never lets us forget that we need to continuously work to decrease the
disparities and over representation of minority children and youth in both the
child welfare and juvenile justice systems.
Fall 2012
5
CU
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OH
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OH
COUNTY
GA
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COUNTY
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SAVE THE DATE
Event:
Career Workshop for Independent Living Teens
Hosted By:
The Independent Living Department of Cuyahoga County’s
Division of Children and Family Services
Employment Connection Youth Program
Tri-C Advanced Technology Academy
College Now Greater Cleveland
Baldwin-Wallace Scholars
Ohio State 4-H Extension
When:
January 8 - 31 , 2013 (Four Week Class)
Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30 - 5 P.M.
th
st
Where:
Employment Connection
1020 Bolivar Road, Youth Resource Center (Room 211)
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
How Do I Sign Up?
Let your IL Worker know you’re interested
Your IL Worker can RSVP and confirm your attendance by December 14th, 2012
by contacting Candace James via email at [email protected]/(216) 698-2510
Who Should Attend:
• CCDCFS IL teens placed in Cuyahoga County
• CCDCFS IL teens placed in nearby counties
• IL teens placed in Cuyahoga by other counties
• IL staff and youth service providers
Reasons to Participate:
• To meet important resource people who can
help you reach your goals
• To learn how to interview and write a resume
• To learn how to pick the right career based on
your interests, skills, and personality
• To learn how to pay for college
• To learn how to pick the right college/vocational
school based on your needs and preferences
• To meet with real employers and get their
perspective
ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES WILL BE AVAILABLE
6
Fall 2012
THE HEART GALLERY SPOTLIGHT
The Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (CCDCFS) and Adoption Network
Cleveland have partnered to bring our community a photographic exhibit to draw attention to the
children in Cuyahoga County who are still waiting to be adopted. The Moving Hearts Gallery is a
traveling exhibit with beautiful photographs of these great kids. The following child is just one of the
many children featured in the Moving Hearts Gallery.
Maria
Maria is a pretty typical active twelve year old. She is friendly and full of energy. She has bright
smile and a certain twinkle that lights up her eyes. She loves to sing and dance and just enjoys
having fun in whatever form it may take. Maria enjoys school and is a good student. Maria is
always eager to talk and share her feelings. Sometimes if she is anxious, it is difficult for her to control her emotions.
Maria came into custody as a baby and was adopted by the time she was a year old. Maria was the youngest of six siblings in
permanent custody. At four years of age, Maria’s adoption disrupted and thus began a series of foster home placements. Maria has
been in a stable placement since 2010; however, she still needs an adoptive home. She has a Permanent Custody Worker and a Child
Centered Recruitment Worker who are searching for a family that can meet Maria’s moderate to severe emotional and behavioral
needs. Maria has been featured in the Moving Hearts Gallery, participated in Adoption Mixers, filmed a Digital Me, is registered on
Adopt Us Kids website, and has been presented at the Northeast Ohio Resource Exchange and Statewide Matching Conferences.
Most recently, Maria has been matched with a mentor from Adoption Network, who spends time with her in social and community
activities outside the home. Maria is looking forward to having an adoptive home, but also has strong loyalties to her siblings.
Therefore any adoptive home would need to be open to sibling contact.
Please help Maria find a forever family!
Adoption Recognition and Recruitment Month
A Message from OFC Deputy Director Jennifer Justice
November marks the start of the
holiday season. For most of us, the
next two months will include lots
of shopping, food, celebration and
especially family. We’ll trade family
stories — good and bad — with our
coworkers, and think of being with our
loved ones for the holidays. Of course,
we also are thinking of the families and children who are separated
during this time, as well as the children who still wait to find a forever
family. On behalf of these 3,000-plus Ohio children who are waiting
to be adopted, Governor Kasich has proclaimed November 2012 to
be Adoption Recognition and Recruitment Month.
This dual focus encourages everyone to celebrate the generous
and caring adults who open their hearts and homes to waiting
children; more than 1,300 adoptions were finalized between June
2011 and July 2012. Adoption is a rewarding, lifetime gift to both
the children and adults, but it is not always without challenges. We
need to learn more about how best to provide the preparation and
support that these newly forming families need for a successful
transition.
At the same time, we must remember children who still are waiting
for a permanent home. The Office of Families and Children (OFC)
has made a commitment to refocus and enhance Ohio’s efforts.
Our work with the child-focused recruiters at Wendy’s Wonderful
Kids and the new training opportunities throughout the state can
help us rethink the term “unadoptable.” And because more than
1,000 of Ohio’s waiting children are over 9 years old, it is critical
that our efforts not be constrained by age.
At a recent meeting with probate court colleagues, Magistrate
James Henderson of the Clermont County Probate-Juvenile Court
reported on the finalization of the adoption of two teenagers who
had been in permanent custody of Clermont County Children
Services. Magistrate Henderson expressed hope that such
heartening adoptions of older children will become more common,
thanks to the efforts of the recruiter ODJFS recently hired as part
of the Wendy’s Wonderful Kids initiative. The initiative’s childfocused recruitment should serve as a valuable enhancement to
the department’s goal of locating more forever homes for older
children in its permanent custody.
Data show sobering outcomes for youth who do not find
permanent, lifetime connections. For professionals such as
ourselves, who have been fortunate to meet and learn from many
of Ohio’s current and former foster youth, this picture of the future
seems at odds with the bright, ambitious and thoughtful young
people we know. It is our responsibility to provide those in our care
with the essential tools to succeed as adults, including permanent
connections. At OFC, we are beginning to build the framework to
support this goal.
Jennifer Justice is the Deputy Director of the Office of Families and Children
(OFC). Through partnership with public and private agencies, the OFC
supports the delivery of services to improve outcomes that promote safety
and well-being of abused and neglected children and adults.
Fall 2012
7
S.T.A.R.T. Department
Celebrates National Recovery Month
By Christopher Cabot and Dawnia Flonnoy
In celebration of National Recovery Month, the Cuyahoga County’s
Division of Children and Family Services’ Sobriety, Treatment and
Recovery Team (S.T.A.R.T) Department hosted the 2012 Chemical
Dependency Fair on September 26, 2012 in the Atrium of the Jane
Edna Hunter Social Services building.
Over one dozen Provider exhibitors representing substance abuse
treatment agencies from across Cuyahoga County and Ohio were
in attendance, making this year’s fair a huge success. The Provider
exhibitors were on hand to share and discuss the vast array of
services they make available to our community and to the families
with which we work. Substance abuse services highlighted at the
fair included detox services, intensive outpatient services, Hispanic
chemical dependency services, adolescent chemical dependency
services, dual diagnosis services and many more.
You missed the event! Not a problem. Substance abuse provider
information is available on the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental
Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County website at
http://adamhscc.org/en-US/provider-directory.aspx.
The ADAMHS Board of Cuyahoga County is responsible for the
planning, funding and monitoring of public mental health and
alcohol and other drug addiction services delivered to the residents
of Cuyahoga County. The Board has the legal responsibility
and authority for the provision of mental health and addiction
treatment services and contracts with provider agencies to deliver
services that assist consumers and clients on the road to recovery.
Drug use by the families and children with which we work severely
hinders their opportunities for success in school, employment, and
especially in their relationships. We must continue to emphasize
prevention and treatment in an ongoing effort to break the
cycle of drug use and reduce its negative consequences in our
County. The S.T.A.R.T. Department is always here as a resource of
information and support for agency staff as you work with clients
who are battling alcohol or substance abuse issues. If you have
any questions or would like a S.T.A.R.T. representative to attend
a meeting or home visit, please contact Christopher Cabot at
(216) 881-4396 any time.
The S.T.A.R.T. Department would also like to take this opportunity
to remind everyone that the Holiday season between
Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is one of the deadliest and
most dangerous times on America’s roads and highways due
to an increase in impaired driving. For the past 30 years, every
President of the United States has demonstrated the commitment
to prevent impaired driving by proclaiming December as National
Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Keeping in line with previous
proclamations, a significant increase in enforcement efforts
combined with aggressive marketing on the annual Drunk Driving
crackdown, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, will occur throughout
the state of Ohio in December.
8
Fall 2012
We all know the devastating and life changing consequences
drunk driving can have, but did you also know…..
• O
ne out of every eight Americans driving on a weekend night
test positive for an illicit drug (NHTSA).
• O
f the 16.3% of drivers who test positive for drugs, 11.3% were
positive for illegal drugs, 3.9% for medications, and 1.1% for
both illegal drugs and medications. The most common illegal
drugs were Cannabis (8.6%), Cocaine (3.9%), and Crystal Meth
(1.3%) (NHTSA).
• A
ccording to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS),
one in three (33%) of all drivers with known drug-test results
who were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2009 tested
positive for drugs (NHTSA).
• F ARS data also showed the involvement of drugs in fatal
accidents has increased by five percentage points over the
past five years, even as the overall number of drivers killed
in motor vehicle accidents in the United States has declined
(NHTSA).
As family and friends join together to celebrate the Holiday Season,
now is a great time to raise community awareness (families on your
case load, your own friends and family, other professionals, etc.) on
the consequences of driving while impaired by alcohol or other
drugs. You may want to include in any message, preventative
measures that can be taken during the Holiday Season like:
• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
• I f you are impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family
member, or use public transportation to insure you get home
safely;
• I f you happen to see an impaired driver on the road, do not
hesitate to contact your local law enforcement
Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk! If you know
someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and
help them make other arrangements to arrive at their destination
safely.
Sources:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at:
http://www.nhtsa.gov/.
“Thinking Outside the Closet”:
Permanency Planning for and with GLBTQI Youth
by Pam Reid, ACSW, LISW-S
“Working together collaboratively”
is an often-used phrase to remind
child welfare professionals to bring
together all those who have an
interest in a child. While it sounds
wonderful and offers a strengthbased approach to practice, this is
particularly challenging when dealing
with youth who identify as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender,
Questioning, and Intersexual (GLBTQI). A critical issue which confronts child welfare professionals is
dealing with the particular value systems that workers, youth,
potential foster or adoptive parents and child welfare agencies
all bring to the table. As we consider how to plan, we need to be
aware of how each participant’s particular set of values impacts
the decision-making process.
For example, we may believe that because youth identify
as GLBTQI, they may also be comfortable with their sexual
orientation or gender identity. This is not necessarily the case;
often these young people struggle with accepting this aspect of
themselves. Many families have ostracized these young people
because of the values held by the family. As we know, children
in the child welfare system often suffer many losses during the
course of their involvement. GLBTQI youth may not readily share
sensitive information with another person or family who might
also reject them; the rejection of another seemingly caring adult
is one more potential loss.
As decision-makers, we must keep in mind the need to minimize
separation and loss for these children. Part of the planning
process involves open and direct communication. Don’t be
afraid to put the GLBTQI issue into the discussion. It is important
for all participants in the planning process to communicate with
one another about values and attitudes and how to effectively
meet the needs of this group of young people.
Are you comfortable with different expressions of someone’s
sexual orientation and/or gender identity? If you are a child
welfare professional, explore your knowledge and values about
this group of people. If you are so uncomfortable that you
cannot effectively discuss these issues, then be proactive in
providing a resource person for the young person to talk openly
and candidly about the feelings they are experiencing.
The other struggle that many young people--including GLBTQI-experience is not always having a positive or healthy support
system. As the child welfare system moves toward permanence
for a child, we need to consider what resources might be
available for this person-including those which may be outside
the “normal” services we ordinarily might utilize.
As part of the process, we may reach out to the larger GLBTQI
community, including local community centers, support groups
and churches that are open and affirming. These are resources
that have been left untapped by many workers because the
local child welfare agency may not see them as viable options
due to the values and perceptions held by their community.
Communities and agencies struggle with the issues of sexual
orientation and gender identity because of mores, stereotypes
and misinformation. One part of good permanency planning
for our young people is educating the community that will be
receiving them.
It is important for the child welfare system to educate workers,
foster or adoptive parents, youth and child welfare agencies.
Does our practice support and acknowledge the unique issues
presented by GLBTQI youth? How are we demonstrating this? Before we can talk about permanency for our GLBTQI youth,
we must acknowledge the institutional homophobia that exists
within the child welfare system and which cause barriers for our
youth. Does a GLBTQI youth know that your agency, the foster or
adoptive parents, the worker, and the system itself, are accepting
of them? How would they know this? If I am a young person, or
for that matter an adult, how do I know you will accept me, that
it will be safe to reveal my true self to you? Do you have pictures
or posters that show GLBTQI as a healthy lifestyle? It is impossible to do permanency planning for GLBTQI youth if
any one part of the system does not see them as persons of value
and worth. We cannot effectively plan when there is resistance
to the child because of perceived stigma or values by another.
As an organization, plan how you will overcome the institutional
and personal barriers to working with this particular group of
young people. Reach out to the local Pride Center or the Diversity
Center which are both wonderful resources in the Cleveland
area. Tap into the OCWTP Regional training program for specific
trainings on working with the GLBTQI population. Other
suggestions include developing resources, education, exposure,
and getting to know people who are GLBTQI. These suggestions
may be just a beginning to developing or strengthening
resources that support GLBTQI youth and permanency.
Pam Reid, ACSW, LISW-S, has been in practice for more than 35 years having
spent 24 years as a line worker and supervisor at Summit County Children
Services from where she retired in November 2010. She is an adjunct professor
at the University of Akron and Cleveland State University where she teaches
in the Social Work Department, including the University Partnership Program
curriculum. Ms. Reid is also an approved trainer for the Ohio Child Welfare
Training Program specializing in the areas of Ethics, Neglect, Assessing Dirty
Homes, and Working with LGBTQ Persons.
Fall 2012
9
Bullying – An American Dilemma
by Dr. Eugene Smiley, Professional Clinical Counselor
Most individuals can remember a
time as a child, adolescent, or even
as an adult, in which they have had to
deal with a bully. Bullying behavior
is universal and has existed since the
beginning of recorded history. It is
present in most cultures.
Bullying has a number of faces ranging from emotional and verbal
intimidation to physical altercations, serious injury, and in some
cases, suicide. Bullying can take place at home, in the community
– almost anywhere. Being bullied is not just an unpleasant rite
of passage through childhood; it is a public health problem that
merits much attention.
The impact of bullying on children and teens
Children who are bullied are at increased risk for depression,
anxiety, social, emotional, and academic problems. Being bullied
increases school absenteeism and creates negative attitudes
about school. Bullying can have serious, long-term ramifications,
often affecting a child’s development into adulthood. Bullying
can result in depression, anxiety, physical illness, post-traumatic
stress disorder symptoms, and even suicide.
The victims of bullying include foster children
The most likely teen bullying victims are girls, homosexuals, and
those with disabilities. Children who are new to a school and
susceptible – including youth in foster care since they switch
schools so frequently- are also most likely to be bullied.
In America there has been a growing concern for school bullying
and its impact on a child’s sense of safety during the school day.
Victims of school bullying often fear school and consider it an
unsafe and unhappy place to be. Victims will often stay home
“sick” rather than go to school, wait at the bus stop, or travel on
the school bus.
In a recent informal survey of former foster youth, fifty percent of
respondents reported being bullied for being in foster care. Several
victims said bullying had happened at group homes or in foster
homes. Many respondents thought foster youth made “good
targets” for bullying because peers noticed they weren’t dressed in
brand-named clothes. A few victims became bullies themselves.
It is estimated that as many as 160,000 elementary and high
school students missed school due to bullying every day. Bullying
at school can take place on playgrounds, in lunchrooms, in
restrooms, on sports teams, in unsupervised halls, and on school
buses to and from school. While bullying can happen at any grade
level, it appears that middle school is the prime time for bullying
in our culture.
Is your child being bullied?
Usually children who are being bullied will exhibit a cluster of signs
rather than just one. The most common signs and symptoms of
bully victimization include the following:
• Unexplained injuries
• School avoidance
• Lost or destroyed items of clothing
• Change in eating habits, like coming home from school
hungry
• Frequent aches and pains
• Consistently upset after being on the phone/internet
• Sleep or disturbances in sleep like nightmares
• Declining grades
• Loss of friends
• Moody or withdrawn at home
• Decreased self-esteem
• Self-destructive behavior, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and
running away
Once the king of the playground, today’s modern bully can
extend his abusive campaign through cyberspace into the victim’s
bedroom. During the last decade there has been an explosion
in hi-tech bullying which started off with anonymous phone
calls, evolved into abusive text messaging, to harassment on the
internet – often by instant messaging.
What can a foster parent do to help protect foster children
from a bullying situation?
In addition to reporting potential bullying to the child’s school and
social welfare agency officials, Stopbullying.gov suggests:
• Talk with your child about bullying. Try to arm him with
tools he can use when being bullied such as using humor to
diffuse the situation or to walk away.
• Help identify those he can talk to at school. Help your child
to identify a teacher that he can go to when being confronted
in a way he feels is bullying.
• Come up with a story. Help your foster child come up with a
cover story to protect his status as a foster child or as a victim
of abuse.
10
Fall 2012
Giving Tree 2012
Since its inception in 1990, the Giving Tree Project is one of
the most successful charitable initiatives at the Cuyahoga
County Department of Children and Family Services
(CCDCFS). We have over 1,800 children who will receive
holiday gifts this year bringing them joy and uplifting their
spirits at this festive time.
• A
sk Questions. Ask your child specific questions about how
his day went at school, specific meaning ask about lunch,
his walk home from school, the bus, and recess. Know his
friends.
• Know your child. Most kids do not report abuse, so the
caregiver will need to keep an eye on their foster child’s
attitude and other signs of bullying.
• Seek professional help, if needed. If the child continues
to be depressed, and especially if the child exhibits selfdestructive or self-harming behaviors.
Preventing Bullying
Schools and school staff can set the stage for meaningful parent
and youth involvement and can do a great deal to prevent bullying
and protect students. Research shows that school administrators,
such as principals, can play a powerful role in bullying prevention.
They can inspire others and maintain a climate of respect and
inclusion, but principals can not do it alone. Parents and youth
also have a role to play in preventing bullying at school. Parents
and youth need to feel valued and be given opportunities to
contribute their expertise. One mechanism for engaging parents
and youth, a school safety committee, can bring the community
together to keep bullying prevention at school active and focused.
The Giving Tree receives support through various retailers,
major corporations, athletic associations and community
providers. All community organizations will receive their
tags beginning October 1, 2012. Gifts will be returned
during the week of December 7, 2012.
This year’s annual Fox 8 Operation Giving Tree will take
place on Wednesday, November 21, 2012. This is the first
year holding the event the day before Thanksgiving.
Volunteers will be collecting gifts outside the FOX 8 station
from 6:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Dress down days to support the giving tree project started
Wednesday October 3, 2012 and continue through the end
of December. Every Wednesday and Friday employees
may pay $3.00 to dress down with all proceeds benefiting
the Giving Tree Project. Starting the second week in
November, staff will be allowed to take a giving tree tag
and purchase a gift for that child. By doing so, staff will
be allowed to dress down for free on Wednesdays and
Fridays.
If you have any questions, ideas, want to volunteer, or
know of any companies that may want to donate gifts
please contact Sabrina Green, Giving Tree Coordinator, at
(216) 881-4775 or via e-mail at [email protected]
Thank you for your continued support of the Giving Tree Project!
When parents and youth are involved in the solutions, students
feel safer and can focus on learning, parents worry less, teachers
and staff can focus on their work, and school climate improves
because students are engaged in taking action to stop bullying.
Parents can also support schools’ messages about bullying at
home.
For more information on bullying, please visit the following
websites: www.stopbullying.gov, www.kidpower.org, and
www.bullying.org.
Dr. Eugene Smiley is a Professional Clinical Counselor, social worker, family
mediator, adoption assessor, parent educator, foster parent/adoption
trainer, and a practicing mental health clinician. He has provided counseling
and educational services to families and individuals in child protective court
and foster care/adoption venues for more than twenty years.
Fall 2012
11
Continuity, Friendships and Promises Kept
Adoption Network Cleveland’s Permanency Champion Mentoring Program
by Amy Lomis, Youth Connections Coordinator, Adoption Network Cleveland
It’s been said that local kids who
have no permanent family belong
to all of us. Before they age out, we
have the opportunity and, yes, the
obligation to help them connect with
one person – at least one person who will be in their life forever. That
is the idea behind Adoption Network
Cleveland’s Permanency Champion Mentoring Program.
Started as a part of the multi-faceted Adopt Cuyahoga’s Kids
Initiative, the program is designed to serve 50 youth at a time
with stable, adult mentors. Adoption Network Cleveland connects
youth in care to Permanency Champions during a time in their
lives when they are least likely to want to connect with any adult;
however, as we all know, it is also the time they are most in need of
having a stable adult in their life.
Trust is a key. When a child’s heart has been broken by adults over
and over again, walls are put up around the ability to trust and
there is resistance in building a new relationship with a mentor.
That resistance comes from a place of protecting their feelings
– and their heart. Little by little, by following through; having
honest and open discussions; keeping promises; and by having
an unconditional focus on caring, our mentors help bring trust
back into the lives of our most vulnerable youth. These mentoring
relationships are sometimes the first time in a long time that an
adult is volunteering to be in their life and it’s often the point when
the youth begins to be open to the idea of connecting with others
again. Peggy, a Permanency Champion Mentor for two years, tells
of her relationship with her mentee, “We treat each other with
respect, and I try to provide continuity. I keep my promises and let
her know that she is important to me. I speak to her future so she
realizes my intent to still be in her life in the foreseeable future.”
Throughout the years there have been many more stories of
how these mentoring relationships have helped older youth in
care see the value in connecting with caring adults while they
are journeying through the adoption or aging out process. (The
names of the following youth have been changed.)
Alisha was a 13-year-old youth in care in 2007 when she met Pat, the
woman who would become her Permanency Champion Mentor.
During their first conversation, Alisha said to Pat, “Adults don’t
think teenagers have anything to say.” Pat realized then that it was
going to be very important to be in the moment with and listen
to Alisha. Today, five years later, their relationship is going strong
and Alisha is attending college at the University of Akron. Pat has
been there continually to encourage her successful transition. As
a testimony to their continued connection, Pat visited Alisha on
the day after Alisha moved in, jumping at the chance to bring her
some requested snacks.
12
Fall 2012
Sometimes having a Permanency Champion in the child’s life is
serious business. Aron, a mentor for Andre, a 16-year-old, recently
attended a team meeting with Andre’s foster mom, his county
social worker, and other professionals to address the youth’s
behavior in the foster home and to prevent disruption in that
home. Aron and Andre agreed to meet every other Friday and Aron
agreed to attend sibling visits with Andre to offer support during
the visitation and to get to know his family more. Aron says that his
relationship with Andre’s foster mother has strengthened and he
has consistent dialogue with her regarding Andre. Through these
conversations, he has learned that Andre’s attitude has improved
tremendously and he is working on transitioning back into public
school.
Several years ago, a 13-year-old foster youth Daisy was connected
with school teacher and Permanency Champion Mentor Michelle.
They enjoyed simple times together, like shopping, going to the
movies, baking and scrapbooking. Through time, they became
very close, and Daisy who prior to meeting Michelle had never
had any interest in adoption, asked Michelle to adopt her. Michelle
wasn’t in a place to do that, but through many conversations,
Michelle encouraged Daisy to still be open to the idea of being
adopted. Eventually, Daisy was adopted by her foster family.
Michelle was very happy to have helped open Daisy’s eyes and her
heart to the possibility of having a forever family. Today, Daisy and
Michelle are still closely connected and are welcomed as family in
each other’s lives. Daisy is a college freshman in Michigan, on a fullride academic scholarship. Michelle sends her care packages and
they text and talk regularly. Daisy is “Auntie Daisy” to Michelle’s
young daughter.
Being a champion for permanency is at the core of Adoption
Network Cleveland’s mentoring program. These mentors have
proven time after time that through consistency, respect and trust
building, they are tearing down a major barrier to permanency –
the youth’s willingness to connect to caring adults.
Adoption Network Cleveland needs caring adults to serve as
Permanency Champion Mentors. If you know anyone who might be
interested, please contact Amy Lomis at (216) 482-2339 or via email at
[email protected].
Suggested Reading for Social Work Practitioners
The Mystery of the Multiple Mothers: A Cub County Caper by Regina Kupecky and James Breig - This cozy
mystery combines quirky Midwestern characters including a harried social worker, troubled waitress, retired
teacher, computer geek, elderly citizens, adoption support group members and an ambitious politician in
a county where everyone (well, almost everyone) wants to help solve a murder. Cub County, Ohio, holds
secrets that help unlock the puzzle of Who killed the lady in the cave? Adoption is an underlying theme as
an adult adoptee struggles to find the birth mother who placed her many years ago. The search uncovers a
scandalous affair that could impact a major election. Could her search have led to death instead of discovery?
Did the questions she asked result in a murder rather than reunion? Margaret Mae McGallegher, Miss Smark
and a private eye with an unusual name and a taste for butterscotch lead readers on a breathless adventure
as they follow clues to find the truth amidst a murky world of closed adoptions, sealed records and whirling
emotions. The adoption triad of adoptive parents, adoptee and birth parents entangles people who would
otherwise never have come in contact with one another. When death is added to the mix, the lesson might
be that some stones should be left unturned.
Who Would Have Thunk It ! The First Adventures of the Fraser Foster Kids by George Fraser and Emma
Fraser-Pendelton – This is the story of Emma, George and Joseph Fraser, three siblings who were placed
in the foster care system after their mother became mentally ill and their father could no longer care for
them. Based on fact, the story follows the trio as they bounce from one home to another looking for a family
to call their own. George C. Fraser, founder and CEO of FraserNet was recently inducted to the Minority
Business Hall of Fame and Museum, and his sister, Emma Fraser Pendleton, former Assistant Superintendent
of Schools and graduate of Harvard University, have written a ground breaking children’s book based on
their 14 years in foster care. Who Would Have Thunk It!: The First Adventures of the Fraser Foster Kids, is
the first major children’s book written about foster care by foster children. This unique retelling of their
experiences, although based on their lives, is autobiographical fiction of how they wished it could have been
– and never really was…
Brothers and Sisters in Adoption by Arleta James - When experienced parents decide to adopt an older child
or a sibling group, they jump through all kinds of bureaucratic hoops background checks, interviews, group
meetings, reading assignments, classes, etc. But most often, the typically developing children these adults are
already parenting (whether through birth or adoption) are left out of the process, are informed that a new
kid is coming, and are simply expected to adjust to the addition of a sibling. Adding a child with a history of
neglect or trauma cannot be a seamless transition. The expectations of everyone involved from parents, new
siblings, and, yes, the professionals facilitating the adoption must be realistic. Taking into account the new child
will need special attention and services that may take away time and attention from the already resident kids,
family life is likely to be turned topsy- turvy until appropriate counseling and support are in place and that
relationships will change. Therapist Arleta James is certainly not the first person to recognize this, but she is
the first to do something about it. Brothers and Sisters and Adoption offers insights and examples and sturdy,
practical, proven tools for helping newly configured families prepare, accept, react, and mobilize to become
a new and different family meeting the practical, physical and emotional needs of all its members. These well
prepared and supported families are the ones who thrive!
What About the Dads? Child Welfare Agencies’ Efforts to Identify, Locate, and Involve Nonresident
Fathers by The Urban Institute and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) - Most foster
children are not living with their fathers at the time they are removed from their homes. Once in foster care,
these children may experience even less contact with their nonresident fathers. However, few studies have
examined nonresident fathers as placement resources for their children and there is no previous research
about child-father visitation or research on the effects of involving nonresident fathers in the lives of children
being served by child welfare agencies. This study documents that nonresident fathers of children in foster
care are not often involved in case planning efforts and nearly half are never contacted by the child welfare
agency during their child’s stay in foster care. By not reaching out to fathers, caseworkers may overlook
potential social connections and resources that could help to achieve permanency for the child. The study
was conducted by The Urban Institute and the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) under contract
to ASPE and in partnership with the Administration for Children and Families. A copy of the full report is
available at: http://aspe.hhs.gov/hsp/06/CW-involve-dads/report.pdf.
Fall 2012
13
Why Do We Care About Adolescent Permanency?
by Charlotte Osterman
Most child welfare professionals who have ever worked with youth in foster care, even for a short period of time, eventually come to
realize that all youth transitioning from foster care to independent living need permanent lifelong connections, life skills that support
relationship development and the opportunity to participate in planning for their own futures. Regrettably, many of our adolescents
in care fail to establish permanency connections or make a successful transition to independent living on their 18th or even 21st
birthday. In fact data supports that many older adolescents face dire consequences and unfavorable outcomes when they exit the
child welfare system. Their quest for self-sufficiency is often met with significant challenges in the areas of education, employment,
housing, and health. They may also experience incarceration, homelessness, premature parenthood, mental health challenges, and
more.
Data supports that youth who have strong lifelong connections tend to have more favorable outcomes in independent living.
Consider the following data provided by the Chapin Hall working paper – The Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former
Foster Youth: Outcomes at Age 19:
The outcomes for youth leaving care are for the most part pretty bleak. 767 prior foster youth from
Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin were chosen at random and interviewed in 2003 and again in 2004 about
their experience while in foster care and since leaving care.
Education
• 37% had neither their high school diploma nor their GED
• 52% were not enrolled in any form of further education or vocational training program
Employment
• 40% were employed at the time of the interview
• 90% earned less than $10,000 per year
• 46% had savings or checking account
Government Assistance
• 37% were current recipients of worker’s compensation
• 68% were current recipients of food stamps
• 44% were current recipients of public housing/rental assistance
• 69% of the young adults living with at least one child were current recipients of low-income
family assistance (TANF)
• 69% of the females living with at least one child were current recipients of WIC
• 79% of the young women interviewed reported at least one pregnancy
Homelessness
There have been several studies that indicate anywhere from 25% to 40% of homeless adults had
some contact with the foster care system as a youth. One study conducted in Minneapolis found
that 39% of homeless adults had experienced foster care or institutional care as children. In New York
City, a study determined that between 25% and 50% of the young men in the homeless shelters were
former foster care wards. In Calgary, one study which consisted of interviews with “street kids” found
that 90% had been in foster care prior to living on the streets.
With these unfavorable statistics, is there any wonder why every child welfare professional should be concerned about the importance
of establishing lifelong connections for older youth?
In 2011, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) asked the National Resource Center for Youth Development (NRCYD)
to provide training and technical assistance to Ohio’s caseworkers as part of the state’s Program Improvement Plan (PIP) to address
challenges that interfere with a young adult’s ability to make a successful transition from foster care to independent living. The
Institute for Human Services (IHS), State Coordinator for The Ohio Child Welfare Program (OCWTP), later added foster caregivers to the
training audience.
14
Fall 2012
Kathy Sutter and Guadalupe (Lupe) Ortiz-Tovar, two NRCYD trainers with expertise in permanency
issues for youth, made several trips to Ohio from the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa between
2011 and 2012 to co-facilitate Trainings of Content to public and private Independent Living
coordinators, alumni of the foster care system, staff from the IHS/OCWTP, and ODJFS. Life Long
Connections, Youth Development: The Vital Link, and Transition Planning were the three training
classes presented. Kathy, a staff trainer, and Lupe, a foster care alum trainer, modeled how these
NRCYD trainings should be presented to casework staff and foster caregivers.
In June, 2012, OCWTP launched the NRCYD pilots. All eight Regional Training Centers are
supporting this ODJFS initiative. The Life Long Connections pilot was held at the North Central
Ohio Regional Training Center on October 12, 2012. Eight casework staff and four foster caregivers
participated in this joint workshop. Brian Lowery (social work trainer), and Jamole Callahan (foster
care alum trainer) co-facilitated the workshop. Feedback from the audience was overwhelmingly
favorable. Participants applauded the OCWTP for offering trainings that address the critical issues
and needs of lifelong connections for youth transitioning out of care. They found value in having
casework staff and foster caregivers participate together in the same workshop. They especially
found having a social work and foster care alum co-facilitate the training very beneficial.
NRCYD is a service of the
US Department of Health and
Human Services Children’s
Bureau, located at the
University of Oklahoma.
NRCYD’s overall goal is to build
the capacity of States and
Tribes to provide high quality
services to their youth in outof-home placements, former
foster youth and other youth in
at-risk situations.
Jamole Callahan, one of our newest foster care alum trainers has had the opportunity to co-facilitate
Life Long Connections with several staff trainers. He believes each of the three NRCYD trainings are
well overdue, and feels they would have been valuable to his caseworkers and foster caregivers
during his years in foster care.
Jamole entered foster care at age 13 and during the next 4 years, experienced placement in 9
different foster homes. At age 16, he settled into his final foster home where he remained until age
17 when he emancipated into independent living and graduated from high school that same year.
Jamole attended and graduated from Central State University with a major in music education.
Jamole Callahan, OCWTP
Foster Care Alum Trainer
Jamole has hosted dozens of banquets and youth events for Franklin County Children Services
over the years. He participated in the agency’s “All Kids Count” campaign, and has spoken at foster
parent trainings and workshops for graduating seniors. For the past 12 years, Jamole has trained
independently and has conducted speaking engagements to audiences touched by adoption and
foster care. In 2007, he started his own business: “90 Degree Entertainment,” managing artists in negotiating recording contracts.
Jamole married his college sweetheart seven years ago. They have four children: ages 1, 4, 6, and 8 years.
Through the NRCYD workshops, Jamole looks forward to becoming an active voice in the training system. He hopes to help caseworkers
and foster caregivers enhance their knowledge and practice skills to better facilitate lifelong connections and positive independent
living outcomes for transitioning youth.
Sources:
Life Long Connections: Permanency for Older Youth; Trainers Guide and Participant Manual, developed by the National Resource Center for Youth
Development, August, 2012
Permanency Pact: Life-long Kin-like Connections Between a Youth and A Supportive Adult; A free tool to support permanency for youth in foster
care; Foster Club; The National Network for Young People in Foster Care; www.fosterclub.org
Children’s Bureau: US Department of Health and Human Services, and Administration for Children and Families: Statistics and Research
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/stats_research/index.htm#afcars
Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth; Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago; Policy Research that Benefits Children,
Families and Their Communities; http://www.chapinhall.org/research/report/midwest-evaluation-adult-functioning-former-foster-youth
Charlotte Osterman, M.S.W., L.I.S.W., is a training coordinator for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP). She develops curricula
and content in foster care and adoption for training workshops, facilitates work teams and implements contract deliverables, and collaborates with state
partners concerning foster care and adoption issues. Ms. Osterman works closely with Foster Care Alumni of America and a state level youth advisory board
made up of adults who experienced foster care.
Fall 2012
15
Ohio Resource Families as Partners
by Marynell Townsend
It is hard to have any discussion about
permanency without considering the
resource families who provide the
lion’s share of adoptive placements.
Resource families are comprised of
foster, adoptive, kinship and respite
care providers. Nationally, foster
parents provided over half of the 2011
adoptive placements for children from the child welfare system,
and Ohio had over 75 % of adoptive placements provided by
foster families. Kinship adoptions last year were over 5 % in Ohio
and 30% nationally. These combined totals reflect the strong
commitment of resource families to permanency for children who
are the victims of abuse, neglect or dependency.
Governor Kasich, Attorney General Mike DeWine, and the
Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Michael
Colbert have provided strong leadership dedicated to improving
outcomes for Ohio children in care, their families of origin, and the
families who may provide temporary or permanent alternative
homes for these kids through foster care, kinship care or adoption.
These are exciting times as state leadership seeks to include the
voice of youth and families in positive and transformational ways.
The Ohio Family Care Association (OFCA) has been tasked with
helping identify the statewide needs and concerns of resource
families and ways to enhance agency recruitment and retention
of quality foster homes, as well as, to promote parent-to-parent
partnerships for shared supportive roles between foster families
and primary parents/birth parents whose children are temporarily
in out-of-home care.
Agency recruitment of resource families must utilize messages that
target and attract families who are committed to the value that
children grow best, whenever possible, in their families of origin.
Recruitment tools and trainings that emphasize the foster family’s
role in supporting a child’s family in crisis rather than only the
child in crisis keep resource families and agencies deeply focused
on family engagement and all the activities that will support this
critical area of practice.
The priority of building relationships intentionally between
caregivers and primary parents is a new and exciting endeavor.
Reviews of promising practice within Ohio and other national
programs, as well as interviews with resource parents and primary
parents are used to determine effective methods and what issues
are of importance to children and families from their collective
perspectives.
Primary parents in Ohio are in the process of establishing their own
state advisory council to help shape and positively inform child
welfare practice. Primary Parent Mentors from Cuyahoga County’s
Parent-to-Parent Model of Case Support, formerly contracted
through Beech Brook, are involved in leadership on this advisory
council, supported by OFCA.
Resource families are deeply invested in the lives of children in
their care yet often report feeling isolated and alienated from
direct access to decision makers in the child’s case. Foster parents
and kinship providers fear that safety issues may be overlooked,
discounted or simply not communicated to those with authority
over the case. When caregivers try to work through proper channels
to bring issues forward, they may be labeled as trouble makers or
attempting to thwart reunification efforts simply because they
hope to adopt the child in their care rather than having their safety
concerns carefully considered.
Ohio Law provides the opportunity for foster parents, relative
caregivers and prospective adoptive parents to provide evidence
in hearings involving foster children. This is found in Ohio Revised
Code 2151.424. The adults caring for children in out-of-home
placement have the most current, comprehensive contact and dayto-day knowledge of the child. These caregivers may sometimes
have the most contact with biological families as well. Courts
benefit from hearing the caregiver’s unique perspective as those
with authority contemplate critical decisions that have lifelong
and generational consequences for children and those they love.
Concurrent permanency planning continues to be challenging
for agencies and families. Strong agency alliances with foster
families provide opportunities to collaborate in developing family
genograms, identifying adults with which the child reports having
a strong and positive relationship or simply helping foster families
partner with primary families for support. Whenever possible these
biological and social kinship alternatives should be identified and
exhausted from the beginning of the case so children and families
may develop and deepen relationships with all appropriate kin for
ongoing support and possible placement.
It is difficult for everyone when a reunification plan fails two years
into the case and the secondary plan of adoption by the foster
family is changed by the unexpected emergence of kin unknown
to the child. Obviously this will happen at times but should be the
exception rather than the rule. By engaging kin sooner and better,
children and resource families won’t have to suffer the grief and
stress that may inhibit the child’s bond with prospective kinship
placements and result in yet another move and loss for the child.
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Fall 2012
The tenets of differential response naturally demand the provision
of more supports and services to families up front. Traditionally
tracked cases also benefit from a focus on immediate supports and
services. These do not have to be high cost offerings, but could
be services like orienting families to the mechanics of what to
expect and how cases progress, or pairing families with a mentor
for support. States and regions that have adopted aggressive
visitation schedules and intense family engagement find lengths
of stay dramatically reduced and lasting relationships between
caregivers and birth families enhanced to the child and family‘s
long term benefit (Office of Justice Grant No.2006-MU-MU-0065).
Finally, we must recognize that families need systems of
support that continue once the case is closed. These supports
can be services, financial assistance and opportunities to gain
employment skills, or other tools needed to become more selfreliant. An investment in the ongoing stability of placements is
sure to reap financial, statistical and most importantly, increase
positive parent-child relational dividends. Foster families can be
enlisted to partner and help provide a safety net of support and
concern for reunified families.
In the case of adoption; post supportive adoptive services,
subsidies and tax incentives are also vital. Families are asked to
make a lifetime commitment to children, often with tremendous
and important needs that will extend well beyond age 18. These
parents need ongoing support and compassion to help them
succeed in caring for their families built through child welfare
adoption.
Resources:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for
Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families,
Children’s Bureau, www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb.
Court-Based Child Welfare Reforms: Improved Child/Family Outcomes
and Potential Cost Savings,” SPARC and the American Bar Association’s
Center on Children and the Law. by Liz Thornton, Staff Attorney for the
ABA Center on Children and the Law, 2012. http://childwelfaresparc.
com/2012/08/08/new-policy-brief-court-based-child-welfare-reformsimproved-childfamily-outcomes-and-potential-cost-savings/
2151.424 Notice and opportunity to present evidence to foster caregiver,
relative, or prospective adoptive parent.
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/2151.424
Office of Justice Grant No.2006-MU-MU-0065. http://www.zerotothree.
org/maltreatment/safe-babies-court-team/safe-babies-court-teamproven-solution.html
Family Interaction: The expressway to permanency-Facilitating successful
visitation (Training), by Norma M. Ginther, M.S.W., L.I.S.W., Jeffrey D. Ginther,
J.D., The Institute for Human Services.
Marynell Townsend is Executive Director of Ohio Family Care
Association (OFCA), a non profit organization providing support,
advocacy and education for foster, adoptive, kinship and respite care
providers across the state of Ohio. Ms. Townsend herself is a public
agency foster and adoptive parent, an adoptee, and was a kinship
provider to her younger sibling. For more information about OFCA visit
www.ofcaonline.org.
In summary foster, adoptive and kinship families provide an
excellent resource to agencies:
• Resource parents must be embraced as integral members of
the agency team.
• Agency recruitment should target resource families who
understand that children grow best, whenever possible, in
their families of origin.
• Resource families and primary parents who have successfully
reunified provide strong potential supports to families with
open child protective service cases before removal, during
out-of-home care, and upon reunification.
• ORC 2151.424 provides an important mechanism for resource
families to bring their unique and vital perspectives before
the judge or magistrate.
• Resource families can be strong allies in identifying alternative
kin supports and placements.
• Resource families represent the largest pool of potential
adoptive families and need agency support and compassion
when they commit to adopt special needs children.
As social workers, caregivers, and courts continue to make
permanency decisions regarding children in care, keeping the
points made above and throughout this article will go a long way
in minimizing the trauma encountered by children in care.
Fall 2012
17
13th Annual Halloween Party at CCDCFS!
On Wednesday, October 31st, 2012, the Jane Edna Hunter Building
and our satellite offices were invaded by ghosts, goblins and
ghouls for the afternoon. Organized by the Wellness Committee
and with the help of agency staff, our 13th annual agency
Halloween party for our foster children was a big success.
An instant hit from its inception in 1999 with kids and staff
alike, this year’s party was no exception. Costumed characters
filled all three floors at the Jane Edna Hunter Building and our
satellite offices as the transformation from agency to haunted fun
houses provided safe environments with treats, laughter, and an
occasional “boo!”
In similar fashion to previous Halloween events, staff went all out
and awards were given for the best decorations and costumes.
The creative decorations, scary costumes, and abundant treats
created an atmosphere where our kids and staff could just be kids
for the afternoon.
The Wellness Committee would like to thank all staff and
volunteers for getting into the spirit of the day. Whether
decorating, appearing in costume, donating candy or handing
out treats, your efforts made this a special day that our children
will long remember!
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Fall 2012
Winners for this year’s event were:
Best Costumes:
0 -5 year olds:
1st Place: Steve Urkel
2nd Place: Cupcake Child
3rd Place: Angel
6 -12 year olds:
1st Place: Old Woman
2nd Place: Barbie in the Box
3rd Place: Boxing Champ
13 - older:
1st Place: Disco Man
2nd Place: OMG Girl
3rd Place: Ninja
Best Decorated Unit
1st Place:Charlie Brown Theme
Elsa Popchak /Vikki Csornok
2nd Place:Jail Theme
Title IV-E Department
3rd Place:The Cat and the Hat Theme
MIU/SIU Departments
Thanks to all who participated, and special thanks to the Judges!
Fall 2012
19
CU
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Cuyahoga County
Division of Children and Family Services
Patricia Rideout, Director
3955 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
216-431-4500
Ohio Relay Service 711
MISSION:
To assure that children at risk of abuse or neglect
are protected and nurtured within a family and with
support of the community.
The Division of Children and Family Services
embraces the philosophy that children grow better
in families and support this by keeping children
close to their families whenever possible through
neighborhood foster care. Their programs have the
goal of stabilizing and reuniting families that have
been weakened through poverty, illness or crisis,
resulting in neglect or abuse to children.
News Notes...
News Notes, the newsletter of the
Cuyahoga County Division of Children
and Family Services, is published
quarterly. The New Notes committee
consists of Mark A. McMillian (coeditor), Edwin Lebrón (co-editor), Sonya
McLoyd, and Luke Owens, Jr. Most
photographs are by Luke Owens, Jr. with
additional photographs taken by Edwin
Lebrón and others. We will be glad to
publish contributions from readers (on a
space-available basis). All submissions
are subject to editing. Please send
contributions via e-mail to Edwin Lebrón
at [email protected].