Michigan Federation for Children and Families • FYI • February 10, 2012 • No. 3 • Page 1 of 4

320 N. Washington Square, Suite 100 • Lansing MI 48933 • Ph (517) 485-8552 • Fax (517) 485-6680 • www.michfed.org

Janet Reynolds Snyder, MBA • Executive Director • janet@michfed.org Jenny Crichton • Office Manager • jenny@michfed.org

Rose Homa • Member Services & Operations Manager • rose@michfed.org Kadi Janssen, LLMSW • Policy Analyst • kadi@michfed.org

FYI • February 10, 2012 • No. 3 The next FYI bulletin will be issued February 24, 2012

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK

• Governor releases FY 2013 Budget—In a joint hearing of the House and Senate Appropriations

Committees Thursday, February 9, 2012, Governor Rick Snyder delivered his second Executive Budget Presentation, with the support of Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley and Budget Director John Nixon. Federation Policy Analyst Kadi Janssen emailed a summary and highlight document to Federation executive directors on Thursday, but in case you missed it or would like to access it, visit:

http://www.michfed.org/2012_executive_budget_presentation • Residential Contract Work Group meeting set—The private agency work group that had been

meeting regularly with DHS leadership for more than a year regarding a new residential contract and rate structure is set to resume meeting with DHS staff on February 13 at the offices of the Federation.

• Hands Across the Water brings Federation service provider members to 46!—The Board has unanimously approved Hands Across the Water’s full membership application. Based in Ann Arbor, HATW is COA and Hague accredited to provide adoption and foster care services. While the agency primarily serves Washtenaw, Wayne, Monroe, Jackson and Livingston counties, it serves families from all of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula as well as numerous other states and other countries for international services. Welcome to Kathleen Nelson, founder and executive director of Hands Across the Water. To learn more about HATW, visit www.hatw.org; Kathi can be reached at (734) 477-0135 or hatw.nelson@att.net.

EXECUTIVE/ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES • MiTeam Newsletter issued—In a special newsletter emailed just yesterday, DHS Director Maura

Corrigan announced implementation of MiTEAM, a child welfare practice model in Michigan. MiTEAM (Michigan Teaming, Engagement, Assessment, Mentoring) provides a guide for how staff, children, families, stakeholders and community partners work together to achieve outcomes that focus on safety, stability, well-being and permanency of children and their families. This particular newsletter focused on practice tips for Policy 722-6 Relative Search and lists training phases to be implemented, and backgrounds of the five MiTEAM consultants leading this effort.

• Updated foster care policy re psychotropic medications—In a February 3 email, DHS provided to the field updated policy related to psychotropic medications for children in foster care: overview, oversight, and informed consent. The new policy is effective immediately.

• More sponsors needed to run summer food programs—The Michigan Department of Education is looking for community sponsors to run summer food programs to prevent more than 552,000 children in Michigan from going hungry when school lunchrooms close for the summer. Last year, only 15 percent of eligible children were served the free meals or snacks at approved summer meal sites in their neighborhoods. Sponsors receive federal payments for both the meals served to children and the administrative costs of serving the meals. New sponsors will receive free training and technical

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assistance from MDE. The Summer Food Service Program serves nutritious meals to children up to age 18 living in low-income areas (where 50 percent or more of the students qualify for free or reduced price school meals). Sponsors can be public school districts or nonprofit private schools; public or private nonprofit residential summer camps; local, county or state government agencies; colleges or universities; or private nonprofit organizations. To sponsor the program this summer, organizations need to contact MDE by March 31, 2012. Applications and sponsor information may be obtained from MDE’s Grants Coordination and School Support office, Summer Food Service Program, 608 W. Allegan Street, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909, 517-373-3347; or on the MDE website at: www.michigan.gov/sfsp.

• Celebration of Margaret Warner’s 44 years of services—Wayne County Children’s Services Administration invites you to attend a retirement open house reception in honor of Margaret Warner, celebrating 44 years of service with the State of Michigan. The event will be held March 29, 2012, 3:00-7:00 PM, with a presentation at 4:30 PM at U of M Dearborn, Fairlane Center South, Dining Room D, 19000 Hubbard Drive, Dearborn. Cost is $25 per person and includes hors d’oeuvres and gift. RSVP by March 1 to Nancy Murray, 313.456.1235, MurrayN@michigan.gov. Make checks payable to Nancy Murray and send to 2350 S. Trenton Drive, Trenton, MI 48183.

MEMBER NEWS • Individual Member renewals—Federation staff are pleased to announce Individual Member renewals:

Alan Brown, Executive Director, Midland County Council on Aging Jim Longhurst, Senior VP for Clinical Research, Starr Commonwealth

FEDERATION ACTIVITIES • Save the date of May 9 for the Annual Spring HR Training Day—Federation Corporate Sponsor BHS

Insurance Agency will once again provide the expert presenters for this year’s annual Spring HR Training Day to be held in Lansing. Watch www.michfed.org for details and registration info coming soon!

• June 19-20, 2012, Michigan Teen Conference registration is open!—Workers, now is the time to begin talking with foster youth, caregivers and caseworkers about attending the 2012 Michigan Teen Conference Take Charge of Your Journey! Youth In Transition funds can be used to cover costs for youth attending and a portion of the chaperone costs. Get requests for the funds in early and save $$! The Teen Conference will be held at Ferris State University in Big Rapids. Find the announcement and registration form at www.miched.org PLUS a special flier offering Sponsor Options. Sign up today!

• Save the dates of September 12-14 for the MichFed Annual Senior Management Conference—Please mark your calendars for the Federation’s Annual Senior Management Conference, which will be held Wednesday-Friday, September 12-14, at Shanty Creek Resorts’ Cedar River Village. A Conference Planning Committee has been formed to assist staff with developing this year’s event. Stay tuned.

• Calendar of events at the Federation office in Lansing, unless otherwise noted. o March 8, 1:00-3:30 PM: Federation Board of Directors meeting (lunch served at noon) o March 14, 11:30-1:00 PM: HR Lunch & Learn o March 14, 1:00-2:30 PM: HR MIN o April 18: Adoption/Licensing/Foster Care/Independent Living/Homeless Youth MINs o May 9: Annual Spring HR Training Day at Michigan Chamber of Commerce in Lansing o June 19-20: Michigan Teen Conference at Ferris State University o September 12-14: Michigan Federation Annual Senior Management Conference at Shanty Creek Resorts

REPORTS and RESOURCES • Kids Count: Growing poverty threatens children’s health—According to the latest (2011) Kids Count in

Michigan Data Book, child abuse and neglect in Michigan jumped 34 percent over the past decade, while nearly half of public school children statewide now qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. This year’s report, Health Matters, focuses on child health and the role that the social and economic factors in children’s lives play in good health. The report ranks counties on 16 indicators of child well-being (with #1 being the best), though data are not available to rank smaller counties on all 16. Trends over time are available for 15 indicators, with nine indicators improving and six worsening. Statewide, the biggest improvements were in the area of education—with fewer students considered

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not proficient in math, and among adolescents—with fewer births to teens, fewer teen deaths and fewer high school dropouts. Michigan saw a small improvement in infant mortality between 2000 and 2009, although African American infants have triple the risk of mortality than that of white infants. There was also a 25 percent improvement in the rate of child deaths over the decade, with 318 children (ages 1-14) dying in 2009, down from 471 in 2000. Worsening trends included the rate of children confirmed as victims of abuse and neglect, which rose 34 percent statewide over the decade. In 2010, 32,500 Michigan children were confirmed victims, with four out of every five suffering from neglect. Find more details about the overall report, county profiles and local press releases at http://www.milhs.org/kids-count/mi-data-book-2011

• Global Trends in Intercountry Adoption: 2001-2010—The National Council for Adoption has released its bulletin Adoption Advocate #44: Global Trends in Intercountry Adoption: 2001-2010. The bulletin notes the decreasing number of intercountry adoptions to the U.S. is an issue of great concern. In this bulletin, Dr. Peter Selman of Newcastle University explores both the rise and recent decline in the number of intercountry adoptions in a global context, presenting data from 23 separate receiving states. Find the bulletin here: http://e2.ma/message/045h/0cc02

TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENTS and REMINDERS • February 17: 10th Annual Michigan Fatherhood Conference—It’s not too late to register for this 10th annual

event, themed “Creating a Legacy…the Smallest Moments Make the Biggest Impact.” A sensational line-up of faculty includes award-winning actor, singer and writer Daniel Beaty performing his “Spoken Word.” Daniel will also be presenting a workshop titled “Pain to Power—One Man’s Journey.” A complete list of presenters, workshop descriptions, and registration information can be found at www.michfed.org or email michiganfatherhoodconference@gmail.com with questions.

• February 24-26: Trauma Training & Certification—The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (a program of Starr Commonwealth) in collaboration with the Child Trauma Assessment Center at Western Michigan University, is offering certification courses and new trauma-informed assessment training February 24-26 in San Antonio, TX. Courses include: Structured Sensory Interventions (1 day), Trauma-Informed Assessment (2 days), and After the School Crisis (2 days). Trauma-Informed Assessment Specialist Certification participants will walk away with defined competencies in the use of several assessment tools. Find details here: http://www.starrtraining.org/trauma-training-san-antonio

• March 7-10: $100 coupon for 4-day Healing the Inside Child train-the-trainer boot camp—Only six slots are still available for this special four-day train-the-trainer event on March 7-10, 2012, in Ann Arbor. Completion of this training will earn Instructor Certification by the National Institute for Healing and Wellness, certifying you to assist parents and professionals and educators struggling with the most difficult behaviors displayed by children with trauma histories. This boot camp will review components of groundbreaking approaches and provide tools to assist you in instructing successful classes. This intensive training utilizes proven brain-based wellness approaches with stressed and traumatized children, adolescents and adults by implementing a revolutionary and non-traditional method that incorporates body/mind research, neuro-relational research, resilience approaches and trauma-informed care. This training qualifies for social work CEs and for DHS-required Child Welfare In-Service Training hours. Visit http://www.healingtheinsidechild.com/bootcamp.php for details and find your $100 coupon at www.michfed.org.

• New online course through TLC: Grief Support Group for Schools—The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children, an arm of Starr Commonwealth’s Institute for Training, is offering a new online course that will help school counselors, social workers and private counselors who work with schools to establish a successful, ongoing support group to help students who have experienced a devastating loss in their lives. The goal is to provide a safe place for grieving students to meet and share their losses as well as learn strategies for a healthy, productive and resilient life. Find all the details at http://tlcinstituteonline.org/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=23&products_id=307.

• April 11-12: Pathways to Permanency: Achieving Positive Outcomes for Older Youth, at Kellogg Center—Older youth in foster care face different barriers to permanency than their younger counterparts. The unique needs of older youth require that child welfare professionals have the knowledge and tools necessary to engage and support them throughout the process of finding permanency. The conference will explore specialized case planning, educational issues and outcomes, youth participation in court proceedings, issues of cultural significance, and many other topics. The conference will also provide child welfare professionals with information and resources regarding secondary trauma, testifying in court, and understanding the new MiTeam case practice model.

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Mark your calendars now for this two-day conference, which is funded by the Governor’s Task Force on Children’s Justice and administered through SCAO’s Child Welfare Services division. There is no charge for registration but pre-registration will be required and available beginning in February.

• Child Welfare In-Service Training: Jan-Aug 2012: FREE—MSU School of Social Work, in conjunction with the other six Michigan graduate Schools of Social Work and the support of the Michigan DHS, has announced FREE training for DHS CPS, Foster Care, and Adoption Workers and DHS-contracted private agencies’ foster care and adoption workers. Multiple human service, health, and education professionals who also serve the families involved with the child welfare system may find the workshops of interest; many of the workshop topics will have applicability beyond child welfare practice, thus a LIMITED number of FOR CHARGE spaces are available for interested professionals who work outside of DHS and the contracted private agencies. All courses offered are eligible for Social Work CECHs. Early registration is encouraged. Registrations are nontransferable; if you register but are unable to attend, please contact the appropriate University at your earliest convenience so they might offer your unused space to someone else. To learn more specifically about the MSU CW In-Service Training programs, you may view descriptions, objectives, faculty information, location, and pricing as well as registration instructions and tools by visiting: https://socialwork.msu.edu/ceu/catalog.php. Programs are listed under Child Welfare In-Service trainings. A catalog of all courses available statewide can be downloaded from www.michfed.org

• MSU SSW CE Spring 2012 Catalog available—The MSU School of Social Work Continuing Education Spring 2012 Catalog has been issued, featuring courses related to:

Adoption Certificate Program • Advocacy/Leadership/Social Justice • Aging • Children, Youth, & Families • Clinical Practice • Ethics • Mental Health • Pain Management •

Online Programs • Supervision in Child & Family Services Certificate • School Social Work Competency Series

We would like to draw your attention to the April 26 session, "Helping the Judge Make the Right Decision: Effective Courtroom Testimony," which will be held in Grand Rapids, led by attorneys Joe Kozakiewicz and Delanie Pope of MSU's Chance at Childhood program. Also of note, numerous experts from within MichFed member agencies are among the presenters of the 26 in-person course offerings: • Jean Niemann, national training director at Spaulding for Children, leading "Family Assessment &

Preparation for Adoption Professionals" • Kevin Roach, CEO of Whaley Children's Center, leading "Identifying & Leading Change within Your

Organization" • Sarah Bretz, clinical supervisor at Judson Center, presenting "Understanding Autism: Beyond the Basics" • Emily Besecker, behavior services supervisor at Judson Center, presenting "Behavioral Supports &

Interventions for Individuals with an ASD" • Michael Reiffer, clinical social worker at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, presents "Motivational

Intereviewing with At-Risk Youth & Families & Substance Abuse" • Sean deFour, COO at Judson Center, leading "Supervision Certificate #6: Recruiting & Selecting the Right

Staff" The Spring 2012 CE Catalog can be downloaded from www.michfed.org or from http://socialwork.msu.edu/ceu

Additional training events and notices are posted at www.michfed.org:

March 16: Self-Care for Child Welfare Professionals: Avoiding Burnout March 24: Based on a True Story: Best Practice for Child Welfare Professionals

JOB POSTINGS at www.michfed.org Current listings include position openings at Sunny Crest Youth Ranch, Child & Family Services of NW Michigan, Lutheran Adoption Services, Matrix Human Services, Lutheran Social Services, Starr Commonwealth, and Whaley Children’s Center.

The Federation is grateful for the support of its Sponsors! Accreditation Guru, Inc. • www.accreditationguru.com Berends Hendricks Stuit Insurance Agency • www.bhsins.com Michigan Specialty Insurance Agency • www.mispecialtyins.com Public Affairs Associates • www.paaonline.com

SPAN Corporation • www.spancorp.com