Ware Children’s Initiative, Inc.
Minutes
February 19, 2015
The Ware Children’s Initiative met on Thursday, February 19, 2015 at 8:30 in Room 210 at Coastal Pines Technical College.
In attendance:Sandra Osburn, Ware County Board of Education; Haylee Metts, student, Connie Miss, student, Sherlina Thomas, Social Work Department ,Albany State University; John McCrae, McKinney Medical Center; Viva Steed, Glyn Thomas, Misty Burchett, Unison Behavioral Health; Stacey Robertson, Lt. Kellie Cantrell, Salvation Army; Sherry Barnes, Concerted Services; Shelli Tyre, Concerted Services Head Start, Jodi Kemp, Children’s Medical Services; Samantha Carrino, Mary Beth Kennedy, Beverly Medlin, Derek Jones, Southeast Health District; Julie Prestenbach, Southeast Health District Children First; Kathy George, Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross; Cindy Hitt, Ware County Ferst Foundation; Misty Mercer, DJJ; Lynne Sroczynski, Ginger Peagler,HEARTS for Families; Stephanie Bell, Bree Sinclair, Pierce County Family Connection; Brooke Russell, Satilla Advocacy Services; Kim Bennett Callahan, Ware County High School; Rev Nathaniel Anderson, Boys to Men and Ware Children’s Initiative Board member; Jaki Johnson, Coastal Pines Technical College; Joshua McCarthy, Blackshear Family Practice/Mayo Clinic Health System, Amy Fitzgerald, teacher and students Quin Adamson, Brooklyn Copeland, Philip Suess, Waycross Middle School; and Gail Seifert, Coordinator.
Rev. Nathaniel Anderson opened the meeting with a prayer for children.
- January Minutes
Members reviewed the January minutes and a motion was made by Kellie Cantrell and seconded by Julie Prestenbach to approve the December minutes as presented. The motion was unanimously approved by collaborative members.
- Children’s Initiative Financials
Gail reviewed the Januaryfinancials stating that there a fund balance of $29,675.85 as of January 31, 2015. She also reported that the questions regarding the restricted fund balances had been resolved and distributed appropriately.
- Waycross Middle School literacy project
Amy Fitzgerald and three students from Waycross Middle School addressed the collaborative regarding an effort that had taken on to collect books for children in Haiti. There is a limit to the number of books that can be sent to Haiti. The response had been so great that they were requesting that collaborative members take the additional books that had been contributed for use in their agencies and organizations. Members agreed and were impressed with the student project.
- Community Assessment/Annual Plan
Gail Seifert reported that committee members continue to work on and discuss the annual plan (1st draft due March 20th) which is due to the Georgia Family Connection Partnership on April 15th.
The senior social work students at Albany State College are working on the community assessment under the direction of Annalease Gibson. They will begin distributing the surveys on February 22. They have targeted the Housing Authority projects, the SGSC campus and the Mall in Waycross as distribution points. The assessment does not have to be submitted with the Annual Plan allowing for more time for focus groups and further distribution.
- Board of Directors update
Gail reported that Brian Blount had resigned as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Ware Children’s Initiative. She announced that Brian is retiring from the Department of Juvenile Justice and that a reception would be held for him on Friday, February 27th at the DJJ offices on Old Reynolds Street.
Gail then introduced Dr. Glyn Thomas who has agreed to act as interim board chair. She thanked Glyn for his commitment and pointed out that there was an updated board contact list in the agenda packet.
- Autism Awareness Day
Gail announced the local Autism Awareness Day is being held on April 18, 2015 from 8:30 Am – Noon at the Pierce County Middle School. She commented that it was great to see that this event is a partnership between Ware and Pierce Counties.
Gail then asked the collaborative members to consider support of “Ava’s Law” which advocates for autism insurance coverage for Georgia families. Currently, more than 2 million Georgians have state-regulated health plans that do not include coverage for evidence-based autism treatment. The bill (SB1) has passed the senate and is currently held up in the house insurance committee.
UPDATE as of March 3, 2014: SB 1 (Sen. Charlie Bethel, 54th) strengthens and expands current law on insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorders.
Status: The bill was passed by the Senate on Jan. 29. The House Insurance Committee held a hearing on the bill on Feb. 25, but no vote was taken. Committee Chairman Richard Smith stated that the Committee will hold another hearing on the bill, though committee members voiced strong opposition to the legislation at the Feb. 25 hearing.
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- Displaced Families Coalition
Gail reported the Displaced Families Coalition had two new members – Viva Steed, Unison Behavioral Health and Jim Seifert, Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross. Ongoing efforts continue.
- Mentor Workgroup
Gail asked for 5 members of the collaborative to join the Mentor Workgroup. To date Sandy Osburn has stepped up to volunteer. We need 3 or 4 more people.
IX: Dr. Josh McCarthy
Gail introduced Dr. John McCarthy to the members. Dr. McCarthy is currently in the residency program at Mayo Clinic Health System in Waycross and will join Blackshear Family Practice upon his graduation in the spring.
X. Presentation by MSACD
Wendy Jefferson, M.A.Ed.,Health Educator,Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,Emory University School of Medicine presented the community educational and support opportunities that are available through the Maternal substance Abuse and Child Development (MSACD) prevention program. MSACD serves as the state expert on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and other drug related birth defects. They are dedicated to the prevention of prenatal exposures and negative consequences of maternal substance use and/or abuse by providing a range of prevention services to agencies, communities and families across the state of Georgia.
Meeting Adjourned at 10:15.
Lynne Scroczynski, Recorder
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February 19, 2015 Organizational Reports
Department of Juvenile Justice
Misty Mercer
DJJ will be merging with the Department of Corrections and the Board of Pardons and Parole to create the Division of Community supervision sometime within the next year or two. All DFF community staff will be required to complete P.O.S.T. certification. This will initiate many changes within the department. I will keep the initiative updated with those changes as they emerge.
Head Start
Shelli Tyre
We are currently taking applications for the 2015-16 school year for Early Head Start (birth-3), Head Start (3-4), and Pre-K (4). Appointments can be made by contacting the Family Advocate offices (Early Head Start 912-490-0201, Head Start/Pre-K 912-284-0369).
We will be submitting a new grant application within the next several months. We would like to include letters of support with our application. If you would like to write a letter of support, (maybe your organization has partnered with us on a project, or you or one of your clients has benefitted from our services), please contact Shelli at 912-285-6083 or .
HEARTS for Families
Lynne Sroczynski
HEARTS will begin doing Focus Groups by community sectors in March starting with educators. The objective of the Focus Groups will be to determine the community’s knowledge of Administrative Sanctions rather than Criminal Penalties for underage alcohol violations. We want to know the community’s opinions and educate them as well on the reasoning behind the proposal.
The Positive Community Norms campaign at both middle schools is going really well and getting a lot of feedback from the students on the posters about the positive messages concerning the lack of alcohol usage among middle school students.
HEARTS would like to invite readers of this newsletter to check out our website: www: HEARTSforFamilies.org or like us on Facebook:
There is information on both links about ways to talk to youth about alcohol and other tips for parents.
If you have any questions or would like to participate in one of our Focus Groups please contact Lynne Sroczynski: or at 912.682.7019.
Southeast Health District
Samantha Carrino for Ambi Bess, Health Promotion Coordinator
The Ware County Health Department’s I.M.P.A.C.T. Teen Center and Satilla Advocacy Services is Presenting “Be Safe on Your Date” on Tuesday February 24, 2015 from 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM. The event is opened to youth from ages 12-19 and parents. Refreshments will be served and door prizes will be given. The topic that the event will focus on is Violence is Not Love especially with the upcoming Proms. The event will be held at the Ware County Health Department located at 604 Riverside Ave Waycross, GA.
The Office of Health Promotions, along with Satilla K.I.D.S. and the Ware Children’s Initiative is holding an Obesity Taskforce Meeting on April 23. It is open to all our school districts and will teach the staff on healthy eating policies and physical activity activities.
If you need to get into contact with the Office of Health Promotions, feel free to contact me at 912-338-5930 or .
Ware Ferst Foundation
Cindy Hitt
The Ware County Ferst Foundation is actively registering children to receive a free book delivered to their homes each month until the age of five. We currently have 54 children registered. All childcare facilities have been contacted and given registration materials. Headstart, DAFFODIL and the Ware County Schools also have materials. Mayo affiliated OB/GYNs and Pediatricians have registration materials and the Birthing Center is putting these materials in new mother packets and nurses are talking with new mothers about the importance of early literacy for future success. Donations have been received from many organizations/businesses in Waycross as well as many individuals. A few of those supporting so far include Waycross Rotary, Ware County Schools, Ware Middle School, Leadership Waycross, Mayo Health Systems, BYRT CPAs, LLC, Waycross Bank & Trust, Waycross Service League, and Waycross Kiwanis Club. Anyone interested in having a Ferst speaker at their organization or would like registration materials is encouraged to contact Cindy Hitt at . Ware County Ferst Foundation also actively seeks volunteers willing to help register children, to speak in the community, and to help raise funds. Anyone wishing to make a tax deductible contribution to help fund the project ($36.00/child/year) may send a check to Ware County Ferst Foundation, PO Box 1064, Waycross, 31502.
Our new website: will be up and running very soon.
Ware County High School
Kim Bennett Callahan
Ware County High School will host its annual CTAE Business Partners Dinner, February 24, 2015, 5:30 – 7:00 pm in the rotunda area at the high school. Please plan to join us and see what wonderful things are happening. Please RSVP via email to .
Unison Behavioral Health
Misty Burchett
Child and Family Behavioral Health Programs – Outpatient services: child and adolescent psychiatry, individual, group and family therapy, school based services, parenting education, afterschool services. Contact at 800-342-8168 or 449-7100.
Unison C & A began a conflict resolution group at the Harrell Learning Center on February 9th. The group meets every Monday from 11:00 – 12:00 and will continue for 8 weeks.
Unison C & A is beginning another All Stars program in April for middle school age students. The group will meet 2 times weekly for 1 hour sessions. For more information call 449-7150 Misty Burchett.
The Salvation Army
Lt. Kellie Cantrell and Stacey Robertson
Office hours Monday – Thursday 8:30 – 3:00. Currently assisting with:
Utility assistance – call on Monday morning starting at 8:30 for appointment
Food assistance – any day
Clothing assistance – emergency cases only – any day
Feeding – any day
Hygiene kits – any day
Shower facilities – any day
Emergency number – Lt. Kellie – 912-337-2474 (agency only - do not give to clients)
Office – 912-285-7237 – Stacey Robertson, Social worker
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