Rockdale County Foster Parent Association presents
2009 Rockdale Community Resource Fair
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
Conyers First United Methodist Church
921 N Main St NW
Conyers, Georgia 30012
Executive Board Members
President – EJ Dailey
Vice-President – Michelle Williams
Secretary – Erin White
The Rockdale County Foster Parent Association is proud to announce the Rockdale Community Resource Fair training and education conference.
We are proud to serve on the executive board of the association. We appreciate the opportunity to establish partnerships with those community resources that serve our needs as foster and adoptive parents. We welcome those partners to the conference this year and applaud you for agreeing to participate in our effort. It is a pleasure to see our community parents, foster parents, adoptive parents, and community resources come together in a setting where we can learn and benefit from each other. Without each of you, we could not meet the needs of the children in our communities. Thank You for your desire to assist OTHERS and know that as you make an effort to meet the needs of others you are graced with the ability to do so.
It is our hope that this community resource fair will take us to a new level of understanding of the resources available to us in our immediate community and elsewhere. Many of the presentations and workshops are centered on topics pertinent to foster and adoptive parents, but you will find that these topics also are informative for parents who do not foster. Our presenters have donated their time and attention to providing you with tools necessary to assist in providing quality homes for the children in Georgia. It is with great pleasure that the Rockdale County Foster Parent Association welcomes you to participate in this journey with us.
2009 Rockdale Community Resource Fair Information
The following pages contain a list of workshops being offered during each workshop session. Descriptions of the workshops follow these pages. Please choose 3 selections for each workshop. Record the workshop numbers in the order you prefer for each class selection. Be sure to record second and third choices in case your first selection is full.
Remember to Register Early for the Best Selection. Class Size is Limited.
Example:
Workshop 1 1st Choice 110 2nd Choice 116 3rd Choice Open Forum
If you attend all sessions, including the Opening Session and all workshops it is possible to obtain a total of 5 hours of training.
Housekeeping Rules:
The rules are designed to make your experience more enjoyable. Please be respectful to presenters and attendees by following the guidelines.
· You must stay for the entire class time to receive credit for the class.
· If you arrive more than 10 minutes late for the class you will not be admitted to the class. Please be courteous to other attendees and arrive at your class on time.
· Turn off all cell phones, or set them to silent.
· No children will be admitted to any class.
· If you must leave the classroom, do so as quietly as possible.
· Keep all aisles clear and clean for safety.
· No food or drinks allowed in classrooms.
No Children Will Be Allowed In Any Workshops
The workshops are designed for adults only. Childcare will be provided for all attending at no charge. Please respect the presenters and the other attendees by utilizing our childcare facilities.
2009 Rockdale Community Resource Fair
Pre-Registration Form
September 26, 2009
Conyers, GA
Use Separate Form for each person registering!
Name: ______Email:______
Address: ______
City: Zip: County: ______
Phone: (______)______
Foster/Adoptive Parent: DFCS Staff: Other:_____
Require Childcare? Y or N (if yes please provide children’s names, ages, and special needs in space provided below)
Name Age Needs
______
______
______
______
______
______
Workshop Selections:
Workshop 1 1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice ______
Workshop 2 1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice ______
Workshop 3 1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice ______
Workshop 4 1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice ______
Workshop 5 1st Choice 2nd Choice 3rd Choice ______
Pre-registrations must be postmarked by September 15, 2009. First 50 registrants will receive a community resource fair bag with goodies!
Register Online at: www.RCFPA.com
or
Mail to:
Rockdale Community Resource Fair
C/o Michelle Williams
2031 Evergreen Dr SE
Conyers, GA 30013
/ Room 1 / Room 2 / Room 3 / Room 4 / Room 5 /Workshop 1
10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. / 101 - Joe Menchhofer – Unclaimed $$$$$ / 201 – R. Tom Hudgens - PCA - Managing Stress in the Family / 301 – Brenda Gillespie – Partnership Parenting 1 (part I) / 401 - Ceek to fulfill - Support Services for Foster Youth / 501 – Diane Mead – Educational Surrogate Training
Workshop 2
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. / 102 – Viola January – Committed 2 You / 202 – Rockdale Sherriff-s Dept – What’s Going On? / 302 – Brenda Gillespie – Partnership Parenting 1 (part II) / 402 – UGA – Safe Travel For Children / 502- DFCS – DFCS Roundtable
Workshop 3
1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. / 103 – Phillippia Faust – MATURE Project / 203 – Rockdale Sherriff-s Dept – What’s Going On? / 303 – Erin White – Fostering 101 / 403 – Megan Sayago - Autism / 503- Rockdale Fire Dept – Fire Safety
Workshop 4
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. / 104 – Viola January – Committed 2 You / 204 – Adenise Henry-Simmons – ODD / 304 – Erin White – Fostering 101 / 404 – Michelle Williams – Trans Racial Parenting / 504 – John Martin – The Law: DFACS Attorney Overview
Workshop 5
3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. / 105 – / 205 – Joe Menchhofer – Tax Tips / 305 – Erin White – Natural Helper / 405 - EJ Dailey, EMT-P, Educator, Foster Parent
Emergency Preparedness and You / 505 – Donita Frink – Child Protective Services: An Overview
Available Classes
· Autism - Recognizing Autism andWorking with Children who are Affected (403)
· Safe Travel For Children (402)
· Child Protective Services: An Overview (505)
· Committed 2 You (102, 104)
· DFCS Roundtable (502)
· Educational Surrogate Training (501)
· Emergency Preparedness and You (405)
· Fire Safety (503)
· Fostering 101 (303, 304)
· Managing Stress in the Family (201)
· Mature Project (103)
· Natural Helper (305)
· ODD (204)
· Partnership Parenting (Parts I & II) (301, 302)
· Support Services for Foster Youth (401)
· The Law: DFACS Attorney Overview (504)
· Trans Racial Parenting (404)
· Unclaimed $$$$$/Tax Tips (101, 205)
· What’s Going On? (202, 203)
Class Descriptions
Autism - Recognizing Autism andWorking with Children who are Affected - Megan Sayago,MS, Special Education Teacher
While the cause of Autism is still up for debate, research clearly shows that early interventionisextremely beneficial to the language andsocial development of children who are affected.Parents and caregivers may miss or misinterpretbehaviors of young children that are key indicators for this Autism. How to recognize the possible signs of Autism in young children will be discussed, as well ashelpful strategies forworking with children with Autism at home.
Child Protective Services: An Overview – Rockdale County Department of Family and Children Services
Ensuring the protection and safety of children is the ultimate goal of the Department of Family and Children Services. The agency implements this through a family centered approach. However, you may be asking yourself what constitutes abuse or neglect? What happens to a family once they become involved with the agency? This class will provide an overview of what really happens when DFCS becomes involved.
Committed 2 You
A champion of healthy relationship formation in preparation for long term committed relationships. Ms. January will share relationship skills that will assist in the sustaining of loving, lasting, nurturing relationship in a rapidly changing world. Ms. January will provide a listing of resources available through Committed2you that have successfully enhanced marital and family relationships worldwide.
DFCS Roundtable – Rockdale County DFCS
Join members of the department of family and children services as they answer questions in a roundtable format
Educational Surrogate Training, Diana Mead, Learning Support Director Rockdale County Schools
Surrogate parent training will provide a global outline of the due process procedures based on the federal and state laws, rules, and regulations. A surrogate parent will attend and actively participate in IEP meetings at least annually or as necessary to represent the child in all matters relating to - (a) The protection of the special education rights of the child; (b) The acquaintance with the disability of the child and the child's educational needs; and (c) The representation of the child in all matters relating to the provision of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) of the child without interfering or conflicting personal interests, including the identification, evaluation, and educational placement of the child.
Emergency Preparedness and You, Ej Dailey, EMT-P, Educator, Foster Parent
The possibility of public health emergencies arising in the United States concerns many people in the wake of recent hurricanes, tsunamis, acts of terrorism and the treat of pandemic influenza. Though some people feel it is impossible to be prepared for unexpected events, the truth is that taking preparedness actions helps people deal with disasters of all sorts much more effectively when they do occur. This session will take you through the steps of preparedness for yourself and your family – from starting your in-home kit, making a plan, being informed, understanding quarantine and isolation and maintaining a healthy state of mind.
Fire Safety – Rockdale County Fire Department
Do you and your family have a fire safety plan? Learn tips on fire safety and how to protect your family and your homes and much more in this session.
Fostering 101 – Erin White, EMBRACE Liaison, Foster Parent
This session is a guide for foster parents in their first year of service. This course will outline DFCS policies and procedures related to foster care; including the forms that foster parents utilize. It will also provide participants with a working knowledge of the Foster Parent Manual and familiarize them with the resources in the community that will help them as they foster.
Managing Stress in the Family – R. Tom Hudgens, retired Licensed Professional Counselor (Counseling practice focused on Marriage and Family Therapy and Domestic Violence Intervention; Adjunct Instructor of Psychology, Georgia Perimeter College)- Offered through Prevent Child Abuse Rockdale
This seminar will introduce the topic of stress and how it impacts parenting. A case will be made for taking care of the caregiver so that we minimize the impact of stress on our parenting decisions.
1) The What and How of Stress
2) Understanding Anger
3) Managing Stress and Anger
Mature Project – Phillipia Faust, Rockdale Medical Canter
Please join the MATURE Project as weprovidecommunication skills and tools needed to form and sustain healthyrelationships.
Natural Helper – Erin White, EMBRACE Liaison, Foster Parent
Wish you could go on a date and leave your foster child with your best friend or relative? Confused about the difference between "Occasional Care" and "Routine Care?" Natural Helpers are informal supports for foster families. These supports may be relatives or friends that foster families would "naturally" call upon. Natural Helpersprovide un-reimbursed substitute routine care for foster children as a support service for foster families.
This webinar will outline the basic requirements for Natural Helpers and how they can be useful to foster parents.
ODD - When I say "no" you say "yes" - Adenise Henry-Simmons, LCSW
This workshop will help you gain a better understanding about:
· What is “Oppositional Defiant Behavior"?
· What are the signs of Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
· How does it affect the children you care for?
· How can foster parents help the child?
Partnership Parenting (Parts I & II) – Brenda Gillespie
This workshop will provide an overview of the new IMPACT Pre-Service module on Partnership Parenting. We will review the module’s learning objectives; discuss partnership parenting and potential expectations for foster parents and their interactions with birth parents in support of reunification.
Safe Travel for Children – Maryann Robinson, UGA Traffic Injury Prevention Institute
Are you sure you are transporting children correctly? We will discuss and have on exhibit the different types of child safety seats. Georgia law concerning children in vehicles will be addressed. GTIPI educational opportunities for teen driving will also be addressed.
Support Services for Foster Youth – Evelyn Cooksey, Ceek To Fulfill, Adoptive and Foster Parent and Relative Caregiver
Come learn about support services for youth ages 14 – 21 who
· Are reading below grade level
· Have dropped out of school
· Want to obtain GED or high school diploma
· Are considering higher education
· Need job readiness skills
· Need employment
· Need life skills
Tax Tips - Joe Menchhofer, Enrolled Agent, Master Tax Advisor
12 years experience with H&R Block, Master tax advisor, specializing in individual tax returns for foster parents andin complex returns, master of deductions, multiple year returns, audit representation and assistance at federal and state level. Discussion will include ways and strategies to lower the amount of taxes you will have to pay. Taxes are a puzzle, take the mystery out. Let Joe show you how to make taxes your friend.
The Law: DFACS Attorney – John Martin
Learn as the DFACS attorney gives an overview of his role, the juvenile court judge’s role, and DFACS’ role in the CPS (child protective service) and fostering process.
Trans Racial Parenting - Michelle Williams, RCFPA Vice-president and foster/adoptive/birth parent
Have you thought about the potential issues involved with parenting a child of another race? Hair issues, identity issues, and society’s issues often affect you and your family when fostering or adopting across racial lines. This session will address some of the issues that parents have faced and how they overcame them.
Tax Tips - Joe Menchhofer, Enrolled Agent, Master Tax Advisor