Progressive Partners

Action Team Meeting Minutes

Date / April 12, 2010
Meeting Location / IDCFS, 6201 S. Emerald, Chicago, IL
Co-conveners / James Bracey and Kelly Presley
Attendees / James Bracey (DCFS), Kelly Presley (Attorney/GAL), Prudence Browne (UIC), Elise Worrell (DCFS/LAN Liaison), Quan Williams (IAAFC), Tamara Hill (DCFS), Ramina Velez (DCFS), Ron Wynne (DCFS), Kisha Jones (OPG)
Time / 2:00pm
Agenda Items
I. / Welcome and Introduction
  • Welcome and introductions.

Action Steps:
  • Not Applicable.

II. / Minutes
  • The Action Team reviewed the minutes from the March 8, 2011 meeting minutes.

Action Steps:
  • Correction to the first outreach notes.
  • See Kendal Marlow, the Department’s Communication spokesperson for all matters that need DCFS PR approval.

III. / Action Steps
Objectives #1/ Definition of family Survey
The IRB is meeting today to review the recent submission by the IAAFC on behalf of the Progressive Partners Action Team. James Bracey will be kept posted of the progress and present update at the May Action Team meeting.
Objectives #2 and 3/ Programs and Services
Is there a way to isolate data on families information in each of the Progressive Partners’ LAN areas?
Next Steps:
  • Not Applicable.

IV. / Outreach/ Elise Worrell, LAN 77 Liaison
Outreach and recruiting efforts should help the Team further the Team’s Action Plan. Recruitment should be centered and strategic not focused on merely increasing the numbers.
  • The Action Team need to have a range of partners at the table, especially important to have members whose participation is not based on a contract with DCFS. Having the Action Team meeting in the middle of the day and at the DCFS office is a major challenge to having more community and family participation. To resolve this the Action Team is interested in holding meetings and or conduction workshops in the community, which will draw other community members to the table. But before inviting more members to the table the Action Team has to determine what role they will play.
  • The Action Team is interested in hosting a workshop on the Permanency topic of Remain Home. The workshop will highlight the work of the Action Team and Kelly Presley can talk about the GAL Office’s role in helping children to Remain Home. At this event the regional Administrator and or the director can present on DCFS’s focus on services and prevention.
  • Mrs. Worrell shared PPAT meeting information at the recent LAN Steering committee meeting. Outreach to this group should not be a one-time effort, but consistent and regular.
  • LANs (the Local Area Network) geographically correlating with specific zipcodes. LANs Steering Committee meetings occurs monthly to deal with issue in their communities. The committee is comprised of representatives from service providers, schools, police and other first responders agencies. LAN co-conveners are usually CCBYS, chosen by DCFS and help to manage the funds (Wrap and Flex) to deal with family services. Membership of LAN Committee meetings also fluctuate according to DCFS funding.
  • PPAT’s core group is the force that drives the Action Team and the Team needs to continue to partner with the LAN Liaison to help identify and make introduction to a local agencies and community trends.
  • Outreach efforts should target Jerry Stesso of LAN 84 and 85 as well as the SOS Village.
  • PPAT’s Flyers should indicate communities and the correlating LAN ( Englewood, Back of the Yard, et al and LAN 77,79,84 and 85) areas. Caution not to over saturate the flyer with information that is not pertinent to potential members reading and becoming interested in the Action Team.

Next Steps:
  • Mrs. Worrell will invite Project Safe Start (Englewood and west Englewood) to join the Progressive Partner’s Action Team.
  • Prudence Browne will send the electronic flyer out to all PPAT members.
  • Mrs. Worrell will send flyers to two service providers collaboration of Healthy Chicago Lawn and Family Focus Englewood
  • James Bracey will invite Michael Byrd of St. Sabina, Strengthening Families and IAAFC and Mr. Mike Burns,who works with the LANs to attend the Action Team meetings.

NEXT MEETING:

May10, 2011, 2pm
IDCFS, 6201 S. Emerald Street.

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