The Partnership for Safe Families & Communities of Ventura County,
The Designated Child Abuse Prevention Council
General Partnership Meeting Minutes
May 4, 2011
10am - 12 noon
Child Development Resources of Ventura County,
221 Ventura Blvd., Rooms A & B, Ventura
ATTENDEES
I. WELCOME/Announcements (Ernesto Duran)
· All attendees were welcomed to the General Partnership Meeting.
· May is Mental Health Awareness and Foster Care Awareness Month.
II. HOUSE KEEPING (Elaine Martinez Curry)
Announcement: The Contact Meeting Distribution lists are located on the front sign-in table. Attendees not on the list will be added by filling out the sign-in sheet with their contact information. New members and attendees were welcomed. New attendees were asked to fill out their contact information on the sign-in sheet and to complete a temporary name placard. A permanent placard will be made for future meetings. Attendees will find Partnership membership information on the sign-in table. The attendees were asked to give their resource materials to The Partnership for their resource table at the Violence and Victimization workshop on May 6, 2011 at CLU, Thousand Oaks. The Partnership newsletter goes out each month, attendees were asked to send their submissions by May 5th. The Partnership is having a no cost, half day Mandated Reporter Workshop: Preventing Abuse and Protecting Our Families, on June 17th from 8:30am-12:30pm, at Ventura County Human Services Agency, Children and Family Services, 855 Partridge Rd., Peppertree Room, Ventura. The training is for professionals who are mandated reporters needing training or a refresher on how to recognize, report, respond to and report child, dependent adult, elder abuse and gain knowledge of violence prevention resources in our community. Flyers were distributed and registration is due by June 15th.
III. BRIEF INTRODUCTIONS BY PARTICIPANTS
The attendees did a round of introductions.
IV. REVIEW/APPROVE APRIL MINUTES
The minutes were reviewed. Any changes send to the PSF staff.
V. TREASURERS REPORT ( David Friedlander)
The Partnership is doing well on funds. The financial statement was made available to the attendees.
VI. PRESENTATIONS
PRESENTER INFORMATION:
See Presenter Bio’s at the end of the minutes.
PRESENTATION INFORMATION: David Swanson-Hollinger, Ventura County Behavioral Health
A. State of Prevention & Early Intervention Services David Swanson-Hollinger
Broadening the Vision
Public mental health system historically focused on individuals with serious mental illness
Prevention & Early Intervention (PEI):
n An opportunity to address mental health issues before they become severe
n Opportunity to expand on VCBH’s increasing partnerships with the community
n Funded by the Mental Health Services Act
– 1% tax on personal income over $1 million
– Funds services promoting “prevention, early intervention and recovery
– Emphasis on community partnership and outcomes
Prevention and Early Intervention
· Reduce risk factors and increase protective factors to prevent mental illness
· Provide short term early intervention to individuals with emerging signs of mental illness
· Increase access to care and reduce stigma and discrimination
· Increase community awareness of mental illness
· Delivered in natural community settings
o Schools, health care clinics, faith based sites, etc.
· Funding allocation is equal to 25% the amount for Community Services & Supports
PEI programs:
n Community coalitions
n Primary care-based services
n School-based/Parenting services
n Early Psychosis
n Early Supportive Services
Total FY10/11 Approved PEI Program Budget: $7.0M
Community Coalitions
Grassroots prevention projects addressing specific needs of target communities.
n Awards will be announced by end of FY 10/11
n Coalition projects expected to begin July 2011
n Total Funding available: $745,000 /year
Special projects:
n Deaf and hard of hearing community
n Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning community
n Children’s outreach and engagement
– Santa Paula, Fillmore, Oxnard
Primary Care Project
Partnership with primary health care clinics
n HCA Ambulatory Care Clinics - Serving 9 clinics
n Clinicas del Camino Real - Serving 2 clinics
Triple P Parenting
· Mental health clinicians and medical clinic staff trained in care management for individuals with early signs of depression.
· Targeting all ages
· Evidenced based treatment for depression, trauma exposure and anxiety
For more information contact:
KerryAnn SchuetteManager, Prevention and Early Intervention
Ventura County Behavioral Health Department
(805) 981-8463
/ David Swanson Hollinger
Manager, MHSA Oversight and Implementation
Ventura County Behavioral Health Department
(805) 981-8496
B. FOSTER AWARENESS MONTH PANEL PRESENTATION- PANEL
PRESENTATION INFORMATION:
Rosemary Fields, Recruiter Ventura County Foster Care Program
Every May the Human Services Agency has a Foster Parent Appreciation celebration at the government Center to show appreciation to all the foster parents. At past celebrations there were 1200 foster parents with hundreds of children and caregivers that attended.
What is Ventura County’s Need for Foster Homes?
Some 210,00 children live in Ventura County. There were 8,559 reports of suspected child abuse and neglect made to the county hotline last year. Of those suspected child abuse and neglect reports, 5,880 required investigations. In 2010, approximately 363 children were removed from their homes.
On average 30 children per month need a temporary home to ensure their physical and emotional well-being. Many of the children removed from their homes receive care form relatives or family friends. However, approximately one third needs a foster family who can provide the love and understanding that brings hope for a better future.
Who are Ventura County’s Children in Foster Care?
Children welcomed into foster homes range in age from newborn to age 18 and are from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups. They have often been abused, neglected or deserted, or their parents may be ill or incarcerated. With the help of foster parents, there is hope for a better like. At any given time, some 700 children in the county are in and out of home care; approximately 50-60% of court-dependent children are living with their parents when their child welfare case closes.
Resources for Foster Parents.
· Financial Assistance, Child care, respite care programs, training programs, relative caregiver support
Further Information: If you are interested in becoming a foster parent or a resource family, please call (805) 654-3456, or visit www.vchsa.org
AB 12 Fact Sheet
· Assembly Bill 12 (AB12), the California Fostering Connections Act, was signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on September 30, 2010. This bill takes advantage of several components of the federal Fostering Connection to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 to provide federal funding for California’s existing Kinship guardian assistance program (Kin-Gap) and extend foster care benefits of age 21.
Extension of Foster Care Benefits to Age 21
· Under AB 12, foster care benefits will be extended to youth until they reach the age of 21. Implementation of this provision is challenging from both a fiscal and caseload perspective and will take place over a period of three years for eligible youth.
· In order to receive benefits after the age of 18, youth must agree to reside in an eligible, supervised foster care placement and must follow certain guidelines.
· Foster youth opting to remain in extended care will have several options for placement.
Q. Why are there so many foster children in Oxnard?
A. Probably because Oxnard is such a large population.
Kris Bennett- Aspiranet
Aspiranet is an adoption agency that is also looking for foster parents. Aspiranet has many programs within its agency one being a multi-dimensional Foster Care program. The Multi Dimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC) Program uses a unique teamwork approach to treatment with the ultimate goal of reuniting teens with a permanent family (birth relative or foster) within in a short period of time. The foster parent works with the child everyday. The child gets points on achievements reinforced for actual achievements.
A good MTFC parent is:
· Task-oriented, process-driven, organized and timely
· Comfortable defining and delivering consequences
· Calm, non-reactive and doesn’t take things personally
· Has a good sense of humor
· Someone who has previously been a foster parent or has worked in a group home
· Someone who prefers a structured environment
· A person who knows that life’s biggest rewards often come from life’s greatest challenges!
MTFC teens require:
· Close attention
· Fair and consistent limits
· Predictable reward and sanctions for following or breaking rules
· A supportive relationship with at least one mentoring adult
· Reduced exposure to delinquent peers
· Emphasis on school performance
· Someone who believes in them!
Q. is there training involved!
A. Yes there is the pride training and 12 hour training for Multi-Dimensional Foster Parents.
Q. Does the child have to be referred by a social worker?
A. Yes
David Friedlander- Kids and Families Together
The system of care has gone up a lot over the years. The different organizations work closely together providing specialized services.
Kids and Families Provides:
· Services to kids in out of the home care and a range of services
· Peer education trainers and gives support to newer foster parents
· Support education and training programs through VC College/ HSA and psycho educational services to kids.
· Clinical case management- federal funded clinical issues with kids
· EPSDT medical children therapy
· Kinship care program
· Provide information and support services
· Family Fun Day
Patty Hunt- Heart to Heart
As a member of Heart to Heart you enjoy:
· Free New and Gently Used Clothing and Comfort items for your Foster Children with appointment at Heart to Heart
· Free Classes and Training Hours
· Free baby-sitting for association meetings
· Free small gift sign-up
· Free information on being a successful Foster Parent
· Free website and Newsletter
· Free Referral Services for Social, medical, psychological, and Financial Support
· Free duffle bag full of essentials for your foster child at time of placement from the care bag program.
We can’t do this without you. Please sign up as soon as possible. Association Dues are used to run the association and are $45.00 per year. Please visit www.vcfpa.com to register or at any association meeting.
Carry McAuliffe- Foster and Kinship Care Education Programs
· All programs collaborate together.
· FKCE provides 24 hours of classes that is state funded and meant to educate and support Foster Parents through Oxnard, Ventura and Moorpark Colleges. To check out the community colleges and register visit vcfpa.com
· We collaborate with many programs.
· Being a foster parent is probably one of the toughest jobs there is.
· Heart to Heart was created for foster parents because it’s hard enough to provide for foster children with the amount of money they receive.
· It’s important to collaborate so services are not duplicated.
John Franklin- Dark to Dawn
Dark to Dawn is a faith based organization based in Ventura County that:
· Holds a conference each year to bring together people to consider God’s mandate for the care of children who are in foster care or are orphaned; and, also invites agencies who work in the areas of international and domestic adoption, orphan care and foster care.
· Helps to sponsor several informal breakfast meetings during the year to bring together church leaders in Ventura County to share what areas of ministry (adoption, foster care, or orphan care) they are pursuing and to see how we can all work together to expand our impact.
· We also help provide graduation gifts for foster youth who are graduation from high school each June.
· To help raise awareness of the needs of local foster youth who have recently aged out of foster care to share their experiences and struggles and how people can get involved in helping them move along the path to independence.
· Check out our facebook page at www.facebook.com/darktodawn and our website at www.darktodawn.org
· Contact: Ashlee Harry, Founder and Executive Director- and John Franklin, Director, Foster Care Ministry-
XI. PROJECT UPDATES
· Ventura County Community Commission (CCVC) Project (Ernesto Duran)
The CCVC project looks at children exposed to domestic violence with an emphasis on the Mixteco population. A year and a half has been spent on this project interviewing 3 major agricultural organizations. Lots of information has been gathered and put into a report. It also includes bullying and cyber bullying and the connection of child abuse and neglect. Every thing that goes on is somehow connected. The project should be wrapped up within the next couple weeks.
XII. STANDING COMMITTEES
· CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT EDUCATION COMMITTEE (CANEC) (Elaine Curry Martinez)
The CANEC committee is reviewing the strategic plan for the next fiscal year and wrapping up this years activity. One project is training the WIC staff on recognizing maternal depression and resources available to start connecting the parents to all the different services.
· DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION COMMITTEE (Noel Lopez)
The next meeting is May 25th at 1:00pm at Interface Children and Family Services in Camarillo.
· SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION COMMITTEE
No Report
· YOUTH ENGAGMENT & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (Marilee Rust)
No Update
· FAITH NETWORK (Vacant- Jennifer)
No update
X. PARTNERS
· VENTURA COUNTY ADULT ABUSE PREVENTION COUNCIL(VCAAPC)
No Report.
· PARENTS WITH PURPOSE (PWP) (Anitta Talley)
Anitta will be attending the planning for the next National Parent Leadership Conference.
· COASTAL TRI-COUNTIES CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION COALITION (CTC-CAPC) (Elaine)
The CTC-CAPC put a proposal to the presenter at Child Abuse and Early Intervention Summit in San Diego in September. CTC-CAPC is hoping to present on the wide range of work the CAPC does
· OXNARD COMMUNITY PEACE PROJECT (Priscila Cisneros)
The pilot program to train parents and youth will be postponed. The training involves using the Family Activism approach, integrating new curriculum. Next training dates will be August 16th, September 20th, October 18th and December 6th, 2011. CEDC’s 30 year Celebration~ Pathways to Peace and Prosperity is scheduled for June 4th from 11am-4pm, at Plaza Park in Oxnard.
· OXNARD ALLIANCE FOR COMMUNITY STRENGTH (Barbara Marquez O’Neill)
The action plan has been approved. The Alliance will now be moving forward with the task force meetings and hoping to have Spanish and Deaf interpretation available.