Notes from October 31, 2006 Foster Care Convening

Attendees

The following individuals attended the foster care convening on October 31st at the Las Vegas Country Club:

• Debbie Barter, AHEC of Southern Nevada
• Jessie Beaudoin, American Casino & Entertainment (on behalf of David Jadwin)
• Jennifer Bevacqua, Olive Crest
• Kathleen Boutin, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth
• Erin Cornelius, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada
• Adrienne Cox, Adrienne Cox Consulting
• Daniele Dreitzer, Henderson Allied Community Advocates
• Sharon Feeney, Adoption Exchange
• Flora Jackson, Southern Nevada Child Abuse Prevention Center
• Gard Jameson, Children’s Advocacy Alliance
• Hayley Jarolimek, Nevada Division of Child & Family Services
• Thomas Kelly, Center for Independent Living
• Fran Marshall, FACT of Southern Nevada
• Darryl Martin, Clark County
• Tom Morton, Clark County Department of Family Services
• Phyllis Murray, Camp to Belong (on behalf of Cristine Lindholm)
• Elizabeth Muto, Girls & Boys Town of Nevada (on behalf of Tom Waite)
• Connie Pectol, David Simon Foundation
• Bridgett Phillips, Clark County School District (on behalf of Walt Rulffes)
• Debbie Pingul, American Casino & Entertainment
• Ann Polakowski, Nevada Division of Child & Family Services (on behalf of Patty Merrifield)
• Scott Reynolds, Clark County School District
• T.J. Rosenberg, Nevada P.E.P.
• Mary Rosenthal, AHEC of Southern Nevada
• Wanda Scott, Nevada Division of Child & Family Services, Department of Human Resources
• Kevin Smedley, Assistance League of Southern Nevada
• Kristina Swallow, Junior League
• Chris Sutherland, Meeting Facilitator
• Karen Taycher, Nevada P.E.P.
• Melissa Urena, Southern Nevada Child Abuse Prevention Center
• LeLisa Watkins, Adoption Exchange
• Stacey Wedding, Philanthropic Consultant attending on behalf of Ritter Charitable Trust
• Susan Westbrook, Nevada Community Foundation
• Shania Weston, student of Kevin Smedley’s
• Sheila White, Olive Crest

Welcome & Introductions

Chris Sutherland welcomed attendees and thanked them for coming. Everyone introduced themselves. Chris reminded the group that at the August convening, they asked for more information on the various local coalitions or other working groups currently addressing work related to child welfare. She asked Stacey Wedding to present her findings.

Review of Research on Various Local Coalitions

Stacey Wedding updated the Task Force on her research and work to gather pertinent information on the various child welfare-related coalitions. Stacey shared a few of her overall findings:

• The majority of local existing working groups are mandated by legislation, government and/or governmental grants.
• Many people serving as members of these working groups are appointed by federal mandate, the Governor or Administrator of DCFS.
• When asked, many of the other working groups had a difficult time articulating their accomplishments, and most accomplishments centered on improving policies and procedures or creating annual plans (rather than tangible achievements)
• There is disconnection and/or duplication between most of the working groups.

Stacey distributed a summary Excel spreadsheet and a flowchart of her findings. Mary Rosenthal noted that the Ready for Life Initiative, Success by 6, and the Southern Nevada Gang Task Force needed to be added as community coalitions. Stacey said that she would make the additions and re-distribute via e-mail to the group.

Update on Small Group Meeting and Recommendations

Stacey explained that after the last Foster Care Task Force meeting in August, a small handful of participants met with Tom Morton to provide him with some historical background on the Foster Care Task Force, determine the level of interest from the County in staying involved, and learn more about his Safe Futures Plan. Nonprofit service providers and funders attending this meeting agreed that to mobilize action and honor the feedback received from the larger group, it was important to set up a meeting prior to the next Task Force to create some recommendations to be presented to the larger group. The small group met on October 11th to review the Task Force’s work to date and recommendations made in past convenings, and to determine the direction moving forward. Karen Taycher presented the group’s recommendations, which included:

1. Focus on concrete issues as well as some opportunities for bigger picture systems change.
2. Break the large group into work groups/committees focused on the following areas:

• Independent Living – building upon the work already done by the Task Force, creating a local transitional living program, looking at other resources and examples like the National Resource Center for Youth Development, etc.
• Family Support – including but not limited to respite care, parent-to-parent support, the creation of a strong, viable foster parent association, etc.
• Collaboration and Knowledge Management – mapping needed collaborations, building our existing 211 referral system, etc.
• Youth Involvement – involving youth in all of the above committees as well as involving foster youth and former foster youth in community service and recruitment of foster families to present a positive image of foster youth to counter some of the negative perceptions (recommendation made by a former foster youth).

In regards to the bigger picture discussion, it was agreed that the Task Force needs to explore what “system of care” means, what foster care means and what a system of care for children not living at home might look like.

The Task Force was supportive of the smaller group’s recommendations. The overall consensus was that a grandiose visioning process concentrating on abstractions isn’t necessary at this stage, but as appropriate, the Task Force should continue to talk about systems of care and other larger picture issues. The Task Force agreed that it can play an important role in attracting and engaging diverse members from the community (not only the corporate sector and funders but also faith-based groups) and keeping other committees/coalitions in the loop on our work by inviting them to our meetings. Tom Morton raised the question of the focus of the Task Force: is the Task Force interested in supporting children who are maltreated (after the fact) or providing supports to families to keep families together? Everyone agreed that a focus for the Task Force is important, and one attendee even noted that, at some level, foster care has an anti-family connotation.

The group confirmed that they would prefer to maintain a loose, informal structure that encourages greater participation rather than formalizing into an official group with Bylaws, Articles and other protocol. Susan Westbrook informed the group of the support the Nevada Community Foundation will provide through www.meetup.com, a website where work groups and the Task Force can communicate with one another, post agendas and minutes, etc.

Next Steps

• Everyone agreed that the Task Force as a whole should meet twice a year and should identify (from the work groups’ recommendations and plans) a major issue to support through advocacy, legislation or whatever is most appropriate, as determined by the Task Force. The Task Force agreed that it is important they have a unified voice on one issue if they want to make a major impact.
• The work groups will meet (in person, via phone or virtually) prior to the next large group meeting in March.
• Each work group will be responsible for identifying an informal leader of that group, modest resources they may need to support their efforts, and creating a work/action plan to present at the March Task Force meeting.
• Stacey Wedding will work on compiling a list of who populates each coalition (outlined on the spreadsheet) as well as who appoints these members. This will be e-mailed to the Task Force prior to the next large group meeting.
• Stacey will contact each of the work groups to orchestrate the logistics of next steps.
• The Nevada Community Foundation and/or Stacey will send the group minutes from this meeting, a revised flowchart and Excel spreadsheet with the additions mentioned, sign-up sheets as well as contact information for Stacey in case questions arise.
• Once sign-up is completed for each work group, Susan will send everyone information on how to join www.meetup.com.