Alameda County Department of Children & Family Services
Resource, Development & Support (RDS) Workgroup Minutes
April 13, 2006
Taken by: Mia Buckner-Preston & Prepared by: Faith M. Battles
Present: Gwen Evans-McWilliams, Katherine Richard, Vanessa Cormier, Mia Buckner-Preston, Rosalind McMillan, Elvira Aguirre, Pamela Ng, Manny Velez, Megan McQuaid, Delilah Duenas, Tina Hughes, Nicole Doyle, Patsy Ambers, Gloria Riley, Anne Loyola, Thomas Harris & Faith M. Battles, Sandra Black & Amba Johnson.
- Announcements and/or Concerns
For organization purposes, our meeting agendas will be reorganized to focus on the 3 topics of the RDS workgroup; recruitment, development & support. Hopefully this will give the meeting a sort of “flow” and direction in planning.
In an effort to maximize our time, we will use the 1st hour of the RDS workgroup to discuss plans and share information with all the members. The 2nd hour of the group will be used to break into smaller subcommittees to work on actual tasks that folks are interested in.
Due to the change in the way the RDS workgroup is structured, we have not been able to consistently take and distribute minutes. To resolve that issue during each RDS workgroup we will debrief work that has happened the previous week in the smaller committees so minutes can be generated and distributed.
We are very excited to welcome new additions to the RDS workgroup: Nicole Doyle, Patsy Ambers, Megan McQuaid, Gloria Riley,
Amba Johnson & Sandra Black!!
The Bay Area Heart Gallery will have its opening exhibit on April 24, 2006 at the Rotunda in Oakland! The gala is scheduled for April 28, 2006. If you expressed interest in assisting with setting up, etc. you should received an email or phone call requesting your involvement. Stay posted!
Chabot College is sponsoring an all day workshop that will detail how to effectively deal with the issues of children with special needs on May 6, 2006 from 9:00am to 3:30pm. A second workshop will be held shortly on taking care of one’s self with caring for the children of another. Information on both workshops will be mailed out to current Resource Parents.
Las Positas will be sponsoring a basic training for our current Resource Parents on sexual abuse on June 3, 2006 from 10:00am to 2:00pm, which is a Saturday. Due to space limitations we are working toward identifying a location and date for a weekday training as well. Childcare will be provided.
Gerry Hauser and Gloria Riley have graciously agreed to co-facilitate the Resource Parent and Adoptive Parent Orientations! Ms. Gerry will join us for the Hayward orientations (3rd Thursdays of the month at 6:30pm) and Ms. Gloria will join us for the Oakland orientations (1st Thursdays of the month at 6:30pm). HURRAY! ;-)
The Department has approved Resource Parents to attend the National Foster Parent Association Conference in San Antonio, Texas in May 2006. Those who have been selected are expected to provide a summary of the workshops or seminars they attended at the conference during one of the RDS workgroup meetings. The procedure for selecting Resource Parents to attend conferences and trainings will be revised and made into policy in the coming year in an attempt to include ALL licensed Resource Parents in the process. Resource Parents will be included in this process….stay posted!
II. Workgroup strategy recommendations update
PRIDE Birthday Party; the recommendation was approved to host an informational meeting on PRIDE and the licensing of Resource Parents and Adoptive Parents during the Department’s Brown Bag series on May 16, 2006 and May 18, 2006. Favors have been approved for purchase which will include stress balls, pens, pencils, personal fans and business card holders with “Recruitment is Everybody’s Business” engraved on each.
Foster Parent Mentoring Program: the recommendation and draft have been submitted and we are awaiting feedback that will likely include several questions and revisions.
II.Speaker’s Bureau Update
The Department has decided to create and institute a Speakers’ Bureau to accommodate the various inquiries from the community requesting someone from the Department come to their organization and provide information about foster parenting and adopting. The intent of the Speakers’ Bureau is to formalize a presentation with a consistent message delivered by a representative group of people including by not limited to; foster parents, adoptive parents, community partners, foster youth (current and former) and Department staff.
The RDS unit met with Michael Sanders from the Casey Foundation on April 10, 2006 at the Assessment Center from 9:00am to 11:30am to begin planning how to create and implement the Speakers’ Bureau. The history of the Speakers’ Bureau in Cleveland and New York city, the various components, planning stages, etc. was reviewed. New York State initially began using a Speakers’ Bureau for targeted recruitment of families for teenagers, who happen to represent approximately 50% of their children/youth in placement. Cleveland initially began their Speakers’ Bureau for educational purposes in hopes of bettering their reputation in the community and providing much needed “what we do” information.
One does not have to be trained in public speaking to be on the Speakers’ Bureau as training will be provided by the Department. One should know and be able to impart the Department’s mission and goal in recruiting Resource Families and Adoptive Families. Any person who is considered a partner to the Department can possibly participate on the Speakers Bureau including foster youth, Resource Parents, birth parents, adoptive parents, Department staff, doctors, teachers, pastors, law enforcement, etc.
Discussion was had in the RDS workgroup around the logistics of coordinating the Speakers’ Bureau including the mission, message and method. It was discussed that the responsibility of those on the Speakers’ Bureau would be to provide accurate, consistent information about what it is that the Department needs from Resource Families and Adoptive Families considering the types of children/youth and families we serve.
In an effort to provide assistance with the Faith Based Effort, which would likely utilize the Speakers’ Bureau greatly, we could poll Department staff and licensed Resource Parents to discover who belongs to what faith based organization or church. We could possibly solicit those identified staff and Resource Parents to participate on the Speakers’ Bureau when it comes to their congregation or faith based organization. We would need to provide an orientation that would offer those interested persons information on what the Speakers’ Bureau is and how they can become involved. We would be able to have interested persons complete an Interest Form and those staff who are in the Department must be in good standing with a “meets expectations” employee evaluation and the Resource Parents must not have an active allegation or history of non-compliance with Department. We should consider offering a $50 stipend for each Speakers’ Bureau presentation. If a youth is selected we should partner them with an adult who could help facilitate their presentation by asking relevant questions to keep the discussion focused (transportation should be provided for the youth). We could consider having persons sign up for months or weeks at a time on a rotating basis according to their availability. We would need to provide ongoing training or debriefing sessions to be able to process how the Speakers’ Bureau is going.
We could field inquiries from the community by providing a cover letter and Speakers’ Bureau Request Form to community organizations in Alameda County that may be interested in hosting the Speakers’ Bureau. All inquiries should be processed immediately and someone sent to the organization to speak within 30 days. We would be able to provide those who are on the Speakers’ Bureau with a 10 day notice of their event. We can also have an “on call” list of interested persons who would be able to participate on a last minute type of notice.
What should the mission of the Speakers’ Bureau be?
Recruiting community partners who will actually foster the types of children/youth we have (i.e., siblings, teen moms & their babies, teenagers, severely emotionally disturbed youth, gay and lesbian youth, etc.). Educating the community about what the role is of Alameda County Department of Children & Family Services in the community. Also, bridging the gap between Resource Parents and Department staff as we partner in this effort.
What is the method of delivering this information via the Speakers’ Bureau?
15-30 minute speaking presentations that outline salient points regarding foster care, Resource Parenting, etc. Personal stories are the most powerful in getting listeners connected to the information. Powerpoint may be appropriate in various settings as well. Handouts can be distributed with licensing process information, orientation dates and times and contact information.
What is to be the message of the Speakers’ Bureau?
Informing the community of the importance that children and youth that have been abused and neglected having the right to safety, permanence and well-being in a family like setting when they are not able to remain in the care of their parents or caretakers. Reminding the community of the importance of children and youth who must be placed out-of-home being placed in their own communities. Placing value on permanency for foster youth through reunification, adoption, legal guardianship and if necessary, through a life long adult connection. Reinforcing that message by providing information about the five outcomes for foster youth who do not have permanence established while in care; homelessness, incarceration, under employment, early parenting and poverty.
There were no small committee meetings as the majority of the meeting
was spent updating the group on the happenings
and brainstorming about the Speakers Bureau.
NEXT RDS WORKGROUP MEETING SCHEDULED FOR
THURSDAY, APRIL 27, 2006
10AM TO 12PM AT THE ASSESSMENT CENTER
RDS WORKGROUP MEETS EVERY
2ND AND 4TH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH FROM 10AM-12PM
SAME TIME, SAME PLACE
REMEMBER...STAY CONCERNED! ;-)
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