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STATE LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITIES
• Janet Snyder asked to serve on Child Placement Act Task Force
• Rep. Clack to form Child Services Subcommittee
• DCH says Governor’s budget recommendations would help address STDs and protect public health
• Senate passes school early intervention model bill
• House Appropriations Subcommittee on DHS is told state won’t meet federal work requirements
• House passes penalties for human trafficking
• House Judiciary Committee hears report of prisoner mental health pilot program
• Health behaviors targeted by Medicaid program
• Senate clears gang control legislation
• DHS reports to legislators; focus on safety, well-being and permanency
• Legislature approves enhanced driver’s license bills

STATE JUDICIAL/EXECUTIVE/ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES
• DHS hosts meeting of residential treatment providers

MEMBER NEWS
• Welcome, St. Peter’s Home for Boys!—The Federation Board of Directors has voted unanimously to accept St. Peter’s Home for Boys as a full member of the Federation. St. Peter’s is led by Executive Director Gregory Everett and is located in Detroit. St. Peter’s Home for Boys is accredited by the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools and provides education services, residential treatment, substance abuse services and volunteer programs (learn more at http://www.sphb.org). We are so pleased to add this agency’s voice and expertise to those of others in Michigan committed to improving the lives of our most vulnerable populations.

• Individual memberships—The list is growing! We now have 73 Individual members of the Federation! Just in the last two weeks, the following individuals supported the Federation in this way:
New members:
• Randy Copas, VP of Residential Services, Starr Commonwealth
• Vince Coraci, MSU School of Social Work student
• Chuck Jackson, VP of Community Based and Alternative Services, Starr Commonwealth
• Ann Marie Lesniak, Director, Childhelp
• James Longhurst, VP of Clinical and Psychiatric Services, Starr Commonwealth
• Sharon Loughridge, Executive Director, D.A. Blodgett for Children
• Tom Tate, VP Research, Evaluation and Training, Starr Commonwealth
• Gary Tester, Vice President of Advocacy, Holy Cross Children’s Services.
Renewing members:
• James Haveman, President, Haveman Group
• Herman McCall, VP/COO, Starr Commonwealth
• Martin Mitchell, President/CEO, Starr Commonwealth
• Chris Smith, VP/CFO, Starr Commonwealth

For the full list of Individual members click here.

FEDERATION ACTIVITIES
• Summary of meetings and calendar of meetings for Federation now through June

ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Celebrate retirement with Maryjane Peck
• Memorial service held in honor of Ouida Cash

MEMBERS IN THE NEWS
• Burmese refugees relocating in West Michigan (Bethany Christian Services)

OTHER MEDIA COVERAGE

Attached below is the RFP for workshops for the Supporting Families with Young Children Conference to be held November 11-13, 2008 at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme, Michigan.

Conference tracks include:

• TRACK 1: PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS FOR WORKING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AND FAMILIES The presentations in this track offer opportunities for staff and providers who work with parents, infants, and young children to build their skills and competencies.  These workshops are designed to assist direct service staff in multiple settings in their delivery of high quality services to families through practical applications of the latest research and philosophies of family support.  Proposals should reflect strength-based practices and a relationship approach.
• TRACK 2: PARENT LEADERSHIP, SUPPORT AND EDUCATION This track offers topics that will appeal to parents and on personal aspects of parenthood, from family involvement and family activities to advocacy.
• TRACK 3: PROMISING PROGRAM STRATEGIES The presentations in this track illustrate the variety of programs that have been created and implemented to strengthen families and support developing relationships.
• TRACK 4: LEADERSHIP AND CAPACITY BUILDING Presentations in this track are designed to provide effective strategies in the broad categories of leadership, fund development, and strategic planning.
• TRACK 5: RESEARCH, KNOWLEDGE AND EVALUATION Presentations in this track will focus on research and evaluation.  Proposals for research workshops should include the research questions, methodology and results targeting families with young children.

Click here to download: Call for Proposal

Click here to download:  Conference Tracks Definitions

Michigan Heart Gallery 2008 Exhibit Kicks Off in Lansing
Public to view professional portraits of Michigan foster children
who are waiting to be adopted.

Contact:  Maureen Sorbet (517) 373-7394

The grand opening of the 2008 Michigan Heart Gallery. There are more
than 4,000 children in Michigan waiting to be adopted. More than 60 of
these children will be featured in a heart-warming photographic exhibit
called the Michigan Heart Gallery.

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Guidelines for Achieving Permanency in Child Protective Proceedings: Using the “Yellow Book” to Improve Practice Program Description and Objectives

This free one-day regional training is designed to improve the skills of private agency and DHS child welfare caseworkers in using the Guidelines for Achieving Permanency in Child Protective Proceedings (Yellow Book).

One-day regional trainings will be held on:
March 13, 2008 at Bethany Christian Services in Grand Rapids
April 17, 2008 at Michigan Hall of Justice in Lansing
May 2, 2008 at the University Center in Gaylord
May 27, 2008 at VisTaTech Center, Schoolcraft College in Livonia
At the end of this training, attendees will be able to use the Yellow Book to:
• Identify the purpose of each hearing within a child protective proceeding
• Identify the roles, responsibilities, and interrelationships of each participant in each hearing within a child protective proceeding including:
• Court/Jurists
• Children’s Protective Services Workers
• Foster Care Workers
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)
• Child Welfare Agency Attorney (Prosecuting Attorney, Attorney General)
• Respondent’s Attorney/Attorney for the Parents
• Lawyer-Guardian ad Litem
• Identify key questions caseworkers should be prepared to answer in each hearing within a child protective proceeding

An application to offer Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for LMSWs AND LBSWs has been submitted and approval is pending.

Download the brochure to register for this training:

Yellow Book Training Brochure

Michigan Department of Human Services News Release

Contact: Daniel Piepszowski (313) 689-0171
Michigan Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity

Maureen Sorbet (517) 373-7394
Michigan Department of Human Services

Poverty forums upcoming in Detroit and Flint;
Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity hold events that,
in part, lead to upcoming poverty summit

Feb. 8, 2008

Michigan Commission on Community Action and Economic Opportunity will hold
forums in Detroit and Flint in February to hear directly from Michigan
individuals and families who are living in poverty. They are part of a
series of six forums to be held across the state that will lead to
Michigan’s first poverty summit in November 2008. The forums will be held:

–Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church,
23 East Adams in Detroit.

–Tuesday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at Genesee County Community Action,
601 N. Saginaw St., Flint.
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