AdvOCAcy : your child welfare update, 2019 November

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 1

Recap of #TheSummit2019:

Georgia's Child Welfare Conference

With over 600 attendees, Georgia's Annual Child Welfare Conference was held at The Hotel at Avalon in Alpharetta on November 13-15, 2019. For the third year in a row, the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate was pleased to partner with the Administrative Office of the Courts and the Division of Family and Children Services for this year's statewide conference. #TheSummit2019 brought together stakeholders from diverse fields to discuss challenges in our practice, to highlight breakthroughs, to learn from one another, and to affirm our commitment to this challenging but critically important work.

Georgia Supreme Court Presiding Justice David E. Nahmias kicked off The Summit with a focus on the concept of prevention and the significant opportunities that the federal Family First Prevention Services Act could bring to our state in preventing child Georgia Supreme Court Presiding abuse and neglect. Justice Nahmias also invited attendees to cel- Justice David E. Nahmias ebrate their work, especially the DFCS employees on the front welcoming over 600 attendees. line and encouraged attendees to submit nominations for the 2020 Chief Justice P. Harris Hines Award.

The keynote speaker during the opening plenary session, Judge

Scott Bernstein of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida, shed

Judge Scott Bernstein of Florida's Eleventh Judicial Circuit bringing light to implicit bias in practice.

light on what implicit bias/explicit justice is, how it impacts our brains and behaviors, and what it may look like in practice. This engaging session fostered a safe place for attendees to engage in

conversations at every table on how implicit bias has or may impact our decisions.

On the second day of The Summit, Professor Carol Campbell Edwards of Florida State University's College of Social Work gave an inspiring message of hope and resilience for the attendees with the understanding that the work may often involve high stress situations that FSU Professor Carol Campbell Edcould lead to compassion fatigue, burnout, and high turnover. By providing tools and prac- wards providing attendees with tools
to build resilience and optimism.
tices to build resilience and optimism, Professor Edwards gave attendees ways to increase
See SUMMIT, Page 4
YOUTH VOICE The unedited voices ofTyhoeuunngedpitedopvoleices who have beeonf yinoucnagrpeeople who have been in care:

As part of The Summit: Georgia's Child Welfare Conference, youth in foster care participated in The Summit's Youth Art Contest with the theme "This is ME". Through art, youth expressed what makes them who they are, who they are becoming, or who they want to be. The youth's artwork were displayed at The Summit and inspired the hundreds of child welfare and child protection professionals in attendance. Congratulations to our overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners! All of the powerful artwork of our youth in foster care are featured throughout the newsletter!

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 2

Trauma: A Public Health Issue

By Jansen Head

Troup County Juvenile Court Judge Michael

OCA Deputy Key invited Dr. Stan Sonu (pictured right) to speak in

Director

his courtroom on the impact of trauma on physical

health. The presentation was entitled "Trauma as a Public Health

Issue and Systemic Empathy as an Effective Remedy". Dr. Sonu is the associate

director of the Emory J. Willis Hurst International Medicine Residency Program

at Emory University School of Medicine, with a focus primarily at Grady Hospi-

tal. Dr. Sonu spoke about the adverse childhood experiences study (ACES) and

how the study suggests that trauma whether it occurred recently or years

ago creates a long-lasting impact on a person's life. The study asks a person

about abuse, neglect, and household stress. Some of the study's findings show that ACE factors are common, affect

health and wellbeing negatively, and change our lifespan. The findings also show that the most devastating ACE factor

appears to be emotional neglect. Dr. Sonu emphasized the importance of understanding what is going on at home and

to approach the healing of people with "what has happened to you" rather than "what is wrong with you". Dr. Sonu also

explained that the human stress response system can produce temporary stress and chronic stress, with the latter leav-

ing a life-long impact on a child with regard to brain development, architec-

ture, function, and growth. The key, as emphasized by Dr. Sonu, to revert

chronic (toxic) stress to normal stress is resilience which is built through nur-

turing relationships that are strong and stable with a caregiver adult for the

long-term. "Whether I'm caring for adults or children, I see the devastating

effects of trauma daily in my practice, and the connections between educa-

tion, our justice system, and health are undeniable." Dr. Sonu. Click here to

watch Dr. Sonu speak about the science of adversity on Tedx Talks.

Lead by Example
We're thankful that Associate Commissioner Jerry Milner, David Kelly, and Jeremy Long with the Children's Bureau took time during #TheSummit2019 to sit down and chat with members of Georgia's Parent Advisory Council, in addition to youth with lived experience. Hearing directly from those the system serves - about their experiences, insights, and ideas - helps us better support system improvement. Thank you to all that participated in these conversations!

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 3

Mediate Don't Litigate:

Georgia Children's Cabinet

Why

Dependency

Media-

The Georgia Children's Cabinet met this month at the Governor's Mansion to work on the Cabinet's strategic

tion is the Better Option
By: Lynn H. Goldman, Attorney Claiborne Fox Bradley Goldman LLC

plan. The Cabinet's Honorary Chair is Georgia's First Lady Marty Kemp, and co-Chairs are Joy Hawkins (Director of the Governor's Office of Student Achievement) and Amy Jacobs (Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Early

What is Mediation?

Care and Learning). The Cabinet's mission

Dependency Mediation is an opportunity for the parties is to support a sustain-

involved in a dependency matter, to have a confidential able and comprehen-

discussion about the issues in the case with a neutral im- sive system of educa-

partial party mediator, to determine if the parties are able tion and care to best

to reach an agreement.

serve children and

What are the advantages of using mediation?

families throughout the state.

Mediation allows the parties to discuss the issues and con-

cerns that have arisen in the case. Unlike in court where

parties are often restricted from having a back and forth

exchange of information and discussion, this is regularly

done in mediation. This helps all parties to develop a great-

er understanding of the family's and specifically the child's

needs. Sitting down having a discussion to exchange information versus parties being on a witness stand testifying,

Governor Kemp Proclaims November

helps preserve working relationships between the parties

as Adoption Awareness Month

so everyone can work as a team toward permanency.

Since mediation allows all parties to learn each party's concerns in the case and help develop a negotiated agreement, the parties are the decision makers versus a judge. Studies around the country have shown that when parties are able to reach an agreement that they participated in crafting they are more likely to comply with the agreement.

Charlotte, Texas, California and Nevada studies showed

that cases that were mediated achieved permanency

(whether it be reunification or another permanency plan)

In the proclamation, Governor Kemp stated that all

sooner. This cuts down on foster care costs, court costs and children deserve to grow up in a safe and loving home,

time out of school or work for parents and children attend- complete with a nurturing and supportive family, and that

ing hearings. A Georgia juvenile courtroom costs approxi- the State of Georgia is committed to educating its citizens

mately between $5,000-7,000 a day to operate. If a case about the need for adoptive parents. Click here for details.

takes a full day to litigate this is significantly more expensive than mediating the case for See MEDIATE, Page 8

Interested in adoption? Click here to learn more.

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 4

The Summit Continued...

Georgia's Child Welfare Conference

their professional and personal quality of life while serving others.

During the closing plenary session, Dr. Jerry Milner (Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Children's Bureau) encouraged attendees with this video to imagine the child welfare system operating differently so as to focus more on preventing the need to remove a child and treating causes as opposed to effects. Following his remarks, he invited panelists to discuss their experiences, insights, and ideas for improvements for the child welfare system.

This year, "Courageous Conversations" rocked the rooms with discussions led by thoughtful leaders and advocates in the profession to address some of the toughest challenges experienced in our field. Those conversations were led by an assortment of juvenile court judges, state agency directors, members of various councils for youth and parents, and advocates in the courtroom and legislative hearings. The workshop offer- Jerry Milner, Associate Commissioner of ings included a wide range of topics, such as the "Art of Engaging Families in Child Wel- the federal Children's Bureau. fare Cases", "Human Trafficking for Child Welfare Professionals", "2019 Case Law Review", "Youth Suicide in Georgia", "Understanding Substance Use Disorder", "Father Engagement", "Plans of Safe Care", and much more.

In addition to the workshops, "brain breaks"-- alternatives to traditional workshops designed to encourage more networking and cultivate habits that contribute to our mental and physical health and resilience -- were also offered. Attendees encountered multiple options to promote their own self-care, as well as have a little fun. Another highlight of The Summit were videos showcasing a variety of positive outcomes achieved through collaborative efforts of many working hands. Click here to view the videos from #TheSummit2019.

Jerry Milner, Associate Commissioner of the federal Children's Bureau, lead- Attendees were also invited to review the distributed copies of

ing discussion on improving the child welfare experience with the panel of the state's new Family Time Practice Guide to start the conver-

advocates and professionals.

sation about best practices in family time for children and par-

ents in dependency cases. This guide is the result of a significant amount of work in the last year. For more information

on this practice guide, please contact Peter Faile at peter.faile@georgiacourts.gov.

Many thanks to the staff, exhibitors, presenters, attendees, and others who made #TheSummit2019 a success! Your feedback is extremely helpful and appreciated as we look forward to #TheSummit2020 next year where we hope to join with each of you again to elevate our collective work in the child welfare system. Until then, thank you for participating and thank you for all the work you do every day to help achieve and improve outcomes for our children and families in Georgia!

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 5

#TheSummit2019 Congratulations to our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners of the youth art contest!



"My work shows me being trapped by 4 things: rules, expectations, love, and family. The family web is slightly torn to represent my distance from family and to show one can never truly be free." - J.G. (Age: 17)

1st Place

"Red Flower Design" - N.T. (Age: 15)

2nd Place

3rd Place

"Sunset with crosses." - K.H. (Age: 14)

3rd Place

"Jeremiah is watching Paw Patrol." - J.W. (Age: 7)

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 6

Reflecting on Down Syndrome Awareness Month

By Megan Kade, In the United States, October is recognized as OCA Administrator "National Down Syndrome Awareness Month." It's
important to take this opportunity to promote acceptance of people living with Down Syndrome or other developmental disabilities. My youngest brother has Down Syndrome. Now 21 years old, he takes part in a day program for young adults with developmental disabilities, has a part-time job, and several close friends. The opportunities available to young adults with Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities are much more expansive than they once were, but the role of family and community support cannot be understated in determining the outcomes for disabled youth. Here are a few of the ways we can all practice acceptance of people with Down Syndrome and other disabilities every day:

1. Reject the R-word

Megan's youngest brother, Corbett, and his friend Abbey.

Although once a common cultural and clinical phrase for intellectually disabled folks, the term "mental retardation" is long outdated, and using the r-word to refer to any person is now considered unacceptable hate speech. If describing a youth's support needs, it's appropriate to simply state that they have Down Syndrome.

See ACCEPTANCE, Page 11

#TheSummit2019 Featuring Youth Artwork: "This is ME"

"Winnie the Pooh and Piglet" - C.S. (Age: 16)

Office of the Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children
November 2019

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update
Page 7

As part of The Summit: Georgia's Child Welfare Conference, OCA invited state agencies and attendees of #TheSummit2019 to donate new or gently used children's books to help share the gift of reading with our youth in foster care. We are very thankful for the 250+ children's books that we received and have already distributed to the DFCS Regional Directors to share within their regions across the state! Special thanks to our fellow state agencies for their partnership in supporting Georgia's children: Governor's Office of Student Achievement, Georgia Department of Education, and Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning. Thank you!

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 8

MEDIATE, CONT'D...

Updating Georgia's 1993 CANPP

approximately $300. Further, for those counties with an

The Prevention and Community Support Section of

approved court program, ADR funds may be available to DFCS, in partnership with Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, is

cover or offset the cost of mediation, decreasing or elimi- leading the update of our state's Child Abuse and Neglect

nating the burden on a juvenile court budget. Agreements Prevention Plan (CANPP) which was initially drafted and

reached in mediation are more detailed and specific than approved in 1993! This month, a group of state partners in

most court orders. For example mediated agreements can prevention attended the CANPP Champions' Retreat at

include: detailed graduated visitation plans, specific steps

Georgia Tech's

and goals individually tailored to the family and a plan of

Conference Center

how relative options will be explored.

to review the out-

Also when parties are part of the discussion and decision

put of the 14 DFCS

making they have a better understanding of the court pro-

regional meetings,

cess, the case manager, CASA and child attorney's roles,

develop state-level

and most importantly what is expected of them moving

objectives and

forward in the case.

strategies, and compile this information into a comprehen-

How is mediation different from a Family Team Meeting or sive state plan draft. Click here to see the original (and cur-

a Citizen Panel Review?

rent) 1993 CANPP. Stay tuned for the draft plan!

Mediation is different from a Family Team Meeting in three ways. First, mediation is facilitated by a neutral mediator that is not a party. Family Team Meetings are conducted by the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS). DFCS is not neutral and has a specific motivation in a case. Second, Family Team Meetings usually are held to develop a case plan, whereas any issue can be addressed in a mediation (adjudication, non-reunification, TPR, review hearings). Third, attorneys are not usually involved in a Family Team Meeting. However, in mediation all parties have the right to have their attorney present.

#TheSummit2019 Featuring Youth Artwork: "This is ME"

A Citizen Panel Review (Panel) is very different from mediation as well. A Panel Review is where a group of community volunteers hears the facts and updates on a case and makes a recommendation to the Court. Whereas, in mediation the mediator helps to facilitate the discussion and works with the Parties to come up with an agreement on the issues.

Who are the mediators and what are their roles?
Mediators who handle dependency mediations must be registered with the Georgia Office of See MEDIATE, Page 10

"Things that I enjoy and are a part of my personality." - D.K. (Age: 16)

Office of the Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children
November 2019

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update
Page 9

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 10

MEDIATE, CONT'D...
Dispute Resolution. A registered dependency mediation must have specific training in general mediation, delinquency mediation, and dependency mediation. Georgia's list of registered mediators is professionally diverse and includes individuals in the fields of law, mental health, child welfare, education, business, etc.... The complete requirements for mediator registration can be found in the Supreme Court ADR Rules, Appendix B.
When is mediation used in a case? Mediation can be used at any time during the case, including at TPR.
What are typical topics discussed in a mediation?
Typical topics that are discussed in mediation include: visitation plans, placement options, case plan goals or issues, guardianship termination, TPR.
Who should attend mediation?
All parties should attend mediation. Sometimes it is helpful for others to attend mediation that are not a party. However, if a non-legal party attends mediation, the legal parties must all be in agreement on whether the non-legal party may participate or attend the mediation.
Can the child participate in mediation?
Absolutely! A child is a party and has the right to attend and participate in the mediation. A child may participate in a manner that is age appropriate and helpful for them. Sometimes a child will draw a picture or write a letter to give to the parties in a mediation. If a child attends a mediation in person, it is recommended that their attorney be present for the mediation.
How long does mediation take?
The average length of time for a dependency mediation is 3 hours.
What does mediation cost?
Mediation is free for the parties.
What types of agreements are there? The parties may reach any of the See MEDIATE, Page 12

November is Military Family Appreciation Month
#TheSummit2019 Featuring Youth Artwork: "This is ME"
"Game System Pigeon." - A.B. (Age: 18)

Office of the Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children
November 2019
#TheSummit2019 Featuring Youth Artwork: "This is ME"

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update
Page 11

"The art represents what I like and what I like to do." - P.S. (Age: 13)
ACCEPTANCE, CONT'D... 2. Take Action Against Ableism
Ableism is discrimination against disabled people and can take many forms. Practice Down Syndrome and disability acceptance by taking a stand against ableism when you hear or see others engaging in all forms of discrimination against disabled people. Support people with Down Syndrome in having a voice in their lives and decisions that affect them, and protect their rights, access to opportunities, and self-determination.
3. Support Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care
Children with disabilities are at least three times as likely to experience abuse or neglect than their non-disabled peers (Jones et al., as cited in Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2018). These youth are also 1.9 times more likely to experience foster care. When youth with disabilities in foster care age out, they often face increased risk of financial instability, homelessness, institutionalization, and unemployment (Children's Rights, 2006).
The support of family and community can serve as significant protective factors against these risks. Ensure that youth with disabilities in foster care are placed with encouraging, supportive families and are connected to developmentally appropriate services and community resources.
By supporting the developmentally disabled community, we can create a more equitable world for everyone!
Resources: Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2018). The risk and prevention of maltreatment of children with disabilities. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children's Bureau; Children's Rights. (2006). Forgotten children: A case for youth and children with disabilities in foster care. Retrieved from online here.

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 12

MEDIATE, CONT'D...

Nominations are Open for the 2020

following:

Chief Justice P. Harris Hines Award

a full agreement on all the issues,
a partial agreement where they agreed on some issues and the remaining issues will be sent back to Court
impasse- where the parties could not reach an agreement on any of the issues
What if we don't reach an agreement in mediation?
Sometimes the parties are unable to reach an agreement in mediation. If this occurs, the case will be sent back to Court for the Judge to hold a hearing.
The majority of mediations reach either a full agreement or a partial agreement.
How do I get my case scheduled for a mediation?
Any party, at any time can ask the Court to schedule a case for mediation. The parties will need to agree to mediate the case and then ask the Judge to schedule a mediation.

Nominations are open for the 2020 Chief Justice P. Harris Hines Award for Outstanding Advocacy for Children in Dependency Proceedings! These awards are for individual performance and achievement, not for groups or organizations. Two of these awards will be given, one to a Georgia lawyer and one to a Division of Family and Children Services case manager, for outstanding work on behalf of children in dependency proceedings. The award is named in honor of the late Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice P. Harris Hines and is sponsored by the Supreme Court's Committee on Justice for Children and the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate. The award recipients will be recognized at the State Bar of Georgia's Annual Meeting in June 2020. A nomination packet must be submitted by February 28, 2020. Click here to nominate an attorney and here to nominate a case manager. Please contact Peter Faile at peter.faile@georgiacourts.gov for any questions.

For any questions regarding mediation, feel free to reach out to mediator and attorney Lynn Goldman 404-4426969 ext. 3. You can also find information on mediation in Georgia by visiting the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution at www.godr.org.

Share your photos on social media and use #TheSummit2019 to tag us!

Interested in joining the NACC? NACC is looking for an attorney to join their legal team as the Senior Training Attorney who will work to ensure legal professionals have the resources they need to provide excellent representation. This includes providing training, technical assistance, resource materials, consulting, and other outreach engagement strategies. NACC is based in Denver, Colorado with legal staff in Washington, DC. Remote applicants in all locations will be considered, with a preference for Denverbased or Washington, DC-based candidates. Click here for position description and application instructions. Applicants are encouraged to apply by December 2, 2019.

Office of the Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children
November 2019

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update
Page 13

Upcoming Events:
Dec. 4: Connections Matter training in Athens. More info here. Dec. 5-7: Teens R 4 Me Conference in Atlanta. More info here. Feb. 7: Mental Health Day at the State Capitol. More info here. Feb. 28: Deadline to submit a nomination for the Chief Justice Hines 2020
Awards for an attorney and a case manager of the year. More info here and here.

Office of the
Child Advocate
For Georgia's Children

AdvOCAcy
Your child welfare update

November 2019

Page 14

DFCS Secret Santa Program Helps Fulfill Holiday Wishes for Children in Foster Care

Each year, DFCS partners with Clark Howard to operate a program called "Secret Santa". The seasonal program helps to make the winter holidays a little better for children and youth in Georgia's foster care system. This year, requests have been received from more than 9,000 children in 126 counties in Georgia. Children participating in the program request three items with a cumulative value of no more than $150. Donations will allow DFCS to obtain gifts, get them to the distribution facility, and into the hands of the children on Christmas morning.
Any contribution made can get the program that much closer to meeting the goal of 3 gifts for 9,000+ children in Georgia's foster care system. Click here for more information on how you can help. Thank you to DFCS and supporters of the Secret Santa Program!

Georgia Correctional Industries

GA Dept. of Early Care and Learning

GA DECAL Audits and Compliance Division

Georgia Office of the Child Advocate for the Protection of Children Rachel Davidson, Director https://oca.georgia.gov 7 MLK Jr. Blvd, Ste. 347 Atlanta, GA 30334
For general inquiries, assistance, or to file a complaint: Phone: (404) 656-4200 Internet: https://oca.georgia.gov/
webform/request-oca-assistance-orinvestigation
To submit a photo/article for the newsletter, contact Deputy Director Jansen Head at jhead@oca.ga.gov.

Join us on Social Media!
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