Welcome Plenary Session: Keynote (8:30-9:45am)
Helping Children in Foster Care Grow into Successful, Independent Young Adults
As foster parents and professionals in the lives of children in the foster kids, we all want the same thing: to see them happy, self-confident and ultimately capable of thriving in the adult world. In this keynote address, Joshua will share practical tools that we as the caring adults in their lives can use to help make that a reality. This talk will address how to:
- Build Strong & Supportive Relationships
- Get Them to Both “Listen Up” and “Open up”
- Help Them Learn From Mistakes & Adversity
- Help Them Get on the Path to Adulthood & Independence
Keynote Speaker: Joshua Wayne, MA (Nationally Certified Counselor with the National Board of Certified Counselors)
Morning Breakout Sessions (9:55-11:25am)
1A - Understanding Implicit Bias: Starting the Conversation (Part 1)
Note: This session is near capacity and may not appear on your session selection form.
[Participants who select this session should also select Session 2A.]
In this two-part series, participants will learn to recognize implicit bias and how unintended biases affect attitudes, understanding, and decision making. Data will be presented demonstrating racial disparities in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and educational systems. Participants will learn best practices for addressing individual bias, be introduced to skills for neutralizing the impact of implicit bias on decision making and learn how to apply a racial lens to policies and practices to remove the potential for bias.
Presenter: Edward Palmer (National Coalition for Juvenile Justice, Chair; State Interagency Council's Standing Committee on Racial and Ethnic Disparity, Chair; Sign of the Dove Church, Senior Pastor)
1B - Self-Care: Preserving the Well-Being of Child Welfare Advocates
[This session will also be repeated in the afternoon.]
This session will explore the impact of secondary trauma exposure on those working in a helping capacity within the child welfare system. Participants will learn why self-care is important – both for the advocate and the children and families served by the advocate – and how to assess one’s own level of burnout, self-care effectiveness, and secondary trauma. In the hectic routine of life, self-care can easily be put on the back burner. This session will provide concrete tools and strategies for proactively addressing self-care.
Presenter: Dr. Kimberly Mudd-Fegett (Campbellsville University, Assistant Professor of Social Work; Silverleaf Sexual Trauma Recovery Center, Forensic Interviewer)
1C - Taking Your CASA Program to the Next Level: Join the Discussion on How to Make Your CASA Program GREAT!
CASA program directors and board members are tasked with a huge range of responsibilities when developing and overseeing the daily operations of a CASA program. From hiring staff, developing policies and procedures, fundraising, managing finances, adhering to National CASA program standards, and much more – the variety of expertise and skillsets needed is immense. Award-winning representatives from Kentucky’s local programs will facilitate a dialogue on the ins and outs of developing and maintaining a highly effective CASA program. Participants should be prepared to join the discussion with their own ideas and expertise.
Who should attend: Board members and program directors; highly recommended for new and transitioning programs
Moderator: Della Justice, J.D. (Kentucky CASA Network, Deputy Director)
Roundtable members:
- Charlotte Burton (CASA of the Ohio Valley, Board Treasurer; 2019 National CASA Board Member of the Year)
- Josh Heffinger (CASA of South Central Kentucky, Board President; 2018 Kentucky CASA Network Board Member of the Year)
- Melynda Jamison (CASA of Lexington, Executive Director; 2018 Kappa Alpha Theta Program Director of the Year)
- Cheryl McGruder (CASA Program for Bullitt County, Volunteer; 2018 Kentucky CASA Network Volunteer of the Year)
- Norma Thomas (CASA of Knox and Laurel Counties, Board Member; 2019 Kentucky CASA Network Pioneer Award Winner)
1D - CFCRB State Board Meeting
[CFCRB State Board Members must attend this session.]
The State Citizen Foster Care Review Board meeting is the statutorily mandated annual meeting of the State Citizen Foster Care Review Board (CFCRB) members. The State CFCRB is comprised of all local chairs. At the annual meeting, the State CFCRB members establish and approve training programs for the local boards, review the data compiled in the program’s annual report; evaluate and make annual recommendations to the Supreme Court, Governor, and the Child Welfare Oversight and Advisory Committee regarding laws, practices, policies and procedures within the Commonwealth affecting permanence for children in out-of-home care; these recommendations include the findings from the local CFCRB community forums.
1E - Supporting Youth in Overcoming Physical, Emotional and Educational Challenges
Note: This session has reached capacity and will not appear on your session selection form.
Children and youth impacted by abuse and neglect face a number of challenges, which can be further compounded when there are additional physical, emotional or educational obstacles. Panelists in this session hold expertise in physical health, behavioral health, and educational advocacy and will discuss the unique barriers children encounter in these three areas. This session will explore the specialized needs of children impacted by these types of challenges and panelists will offer strategies, resources, and best practices for effective advocacy.
Moderator: Tiffany Yahr (DCBS, Assistant Counsel; Kentucky CASA Network, Board Secretary)
Panelists:
- LeAnn Magre (WellCare Health Plans, Kentucky, Sr. Manager, Foster Care, Adoption and Adult Guardianship)
- Dr. Lionel Phelps (River Valley Behavioral Health, Vice President of Continuous Quality Improvement)
- Audrey Raiche (CASA of Lexington, Volunteer)
Afternoon Breakout Sessions (1:15-2:45pm)
2A - Understanding Implicit Bias: Starting the Conversation (Part 2)
Note: This session is near capacity and may not appear on your session selection form.
[Participants must select Session 1A in order to attend this session.]
In this two-part series, participants will learn to recognize implicit bias and how unintended biases affect attitudes, understanding, and decision making. Data will be presented demonstrating racial disparities in the child welfare, juvenile justice, and educational systems. Participants will learn best practices for addressing individual bias, be introduced to skills for neutralizing the impact of implicit bias on decision making and learn how to apply a racial lens to policies and practices to remove the potential for bias.
Presenter: Edward Palmer (National Coalition for Juvenile Justice, Chair; State Interagency Council's Standing Committee on Racial and Ethnic Disparity, Chair; Sign of the Dove Church, Senior Pastor)
2B - Self-Care: Preserving the Well-Being of Child Welfare Advocates
[Repeat of morning session.]
This session will explore the impact of secondary trauma exposure on those working in a helping capacity within the child welfare system. Participants will learn why self-care is important – both for the advocate and the children and families served by the advocate – and how to assess one’s own level of burnout, self-care effectiveness, and secondary trauma. In the hectic routine of life, self-care can easily be put on the back burner. This session will provide concrete tools and strategies for proactively addressing self-care.
Presenter: Dr. Kimberly Mudd-Fegett (Campbellsville University, Assistant Professor of Social Work; Silverleaf Sexual Trauma Recovery Center, Forensic Interviewer)
2C - Panel of Experienced Volunteers
Note: This session is near capacity and may not appear on your session selection form.
This session will feature a panel of experienced advocate volunteers, including CASA volunteers and Citizen Foster Care Review Board members. These dedicated volunteers will share their experiences as advocates within Kentucky’s child welfare system, highlighting challenges and noting trends they have observed in the cases they encountered. The volunteers will offer their suggestions for advocacy best practices and tips for working to achieve the best outcomes for Kentucky’s children.
Moderator: Margaret McGladrey, Ph.D. (Kentucky CASA Network, Director of Program Capacity and Support)
Panelists:
- Linnea Caldon (State Citizen Foster Care Review Board Treasurer and CFCRB representative on the Child Fatality and Near Fatality Review Panel, Kenton County)
- Cletus Poat (State Citizen Foster Care Review Board Vice-Chair, McCracken County)
- Sandy Rogers (CASA Volunteer, CASA of Graves County & Southwest KY)
- Vicki Schmidt (CASA Volunteer, CASA of the Heartland [serving Hardin County])
2D - Recognizing Economic Bias in Child Advocacy
Poverty is both a significant risk factor for abuse and a major stressor in the lives of many families involved in the child welfare system. Child welfare advocates must truly understand the circumstances and dynamics surrounding poverty to provide culturally sensitive advocacy and to objectively distinguish between poverty and abuse/neglect. This session will provide an overview of poverty and minimum sufficient level of care in light of the trauma associated with a child’s removal from the family of origin.
Presenters:
- Della Justice, J.D. (Kentucky CASA Network, Deputy Director)
- Melissa Paris, MSSW (Kentucky CASA Network, Director of Training)
2E - A Crucial Partnership: Wisdom from DCBS Representatives
Note: This session is near capacity and may not appear on your session selection form.
The Department of Community Based Services provides an array of services and interventions for families impacted by the child welfare system. DCBS employees are perhaps some of the most crucial contacts for child welfare advocates. Participants will hear from some of these Cabinet representatives who work with children and families at various entry points to the system. Panelists will discuss available resources for system-involved youth, suggested best practices for achieving safety and permanency, and tips for partnering most effectively with local DCBS offices.
Moderator: Andrea Bruns (Kentucky CASA Network, State Director)
Panelists:
- Sarah Andrus, MSW (DCBS, Service Region Administrator Associate – The Lakes)
- Heather Byers (DCBS, Regional Permanency Branch Manager, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids)
- Kenya Miller (DCBS, Family Services Officer – Union County / Two Rivers)
- Sarah Pridemore (DCBS, Ongoing Supervisor – Bullitt County / Salt River Trail)
Closing Plenary Session (3:15-4:15pm)
Judges Panel: Q&A on Court Trends and Best Practices with Family Court Judges
This session will allow CASA and CFCRB volunteers, staff, and board members, as well as all other conference attendees, the opportunity to hear from a panel of Family Court Judges from throughout the state. Judges will discuss trends and issues currently present in their dependency, neglect and abuse dockets and factors that affect permanency for children involved in the child welfare system. Judges will also offer their insights on how child welfare advocates can have an impact on the cases in their courtrooms. Participants are invited to come prepared with questions for the judges and should note that specific cases will not be discussed.
Moderator: Judge Brandi Rogers (Crittenden, Union, and Webster Counties)
Panelists:
- Judge Julia Gordon (Daviess County)
- Judge Stephen Jones (Knox and Laurel Counties)
- Judge Derwin Webb (Jefferson County)
- Judge Susan Wesley McClure (Hopkins County)
