Second GAL Classes of 2019 E newsletter ThirdQuarterD9Newsletter.p… · • janet moore • terri...
Transcript of Second GAL Classes of 2019 E newsletter ThirdQuarterD9Newsletter.p… · • janet moore • terri...
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Ted Talk Recommendation ……...2
Ribbon Cutting ........................ 2
Upcoming Court Dates ............ 2
CASA Conference .................... 3
Addiction Treatment …………….3
Birthdays ................................ 4
Unmotivated Students ........... 4
News You Can Use ................. 5
Mileage .................................. 6
Changes in Region .................. 6
Upcoming Training ............... 6
Online Offering ...................... 5
Two Cents ................................ 7
Contacts .................................. 7
NC Judicial District 9 E newsletter
Third Quarter 2019 Second GAL Classes of 2019
Two classes of D9 Advocates took their oaths in courtrooms in both Vance and Person Counties in May. The Honorable District Court Judge Ben Hunter presided over oaths in Franklin County Court on Thurs-day, May 30th for Franklin advo-cates: Christy Doi, Nancy Stephens, Emily Farrington and Yolanda Jackson. Judge Caroline Burnette adminis-tered oaths to new Person County GALs Carla Stovall, Rhonda Haynes and Mary Towell on Monday, June 3rd, 2019. We welcome our new D9 volunteers and look forward to working with them in securing safety and perma-nence to the children we serve. Our next training begins on Tues-day, July 9th . If you know of any interested friends or contacts, please spread the word! www.volunteerforgal.com
Left to right: (Christy Doi, Nancy Stephens, Judge Hunter, Emily Farrington, Yolanda Jackson
Left to right: Rhonda Haynes; Judge Caroline Bur-nette; Carla Stovall; Nancy Wagstaff and Julie Ramsey, Attorney Advocate.
Do you Know Someone
who could and would
serve as a GAL?
Please consider reaching
out to them with your
story of service!
TED Talk
Recommendation
Bryan Stevenson is the
founder and Executive Director of the Equal Jus-tice Initiative and one of the most acclaimed and respected lawyers in the nation. His memoir, Just Mercy, is the story of a young lawyer fighting on the frontlines of a country in thrall to extreme punish-ments and careless jus-tice. It is an inspiring sto-ry of unbreakable human-ity in the most desperate circumstances, and a powerful indictment of our broken justice system and the twisted values that allow it to continue. Mr. Stevenson spoke at our recent National CASA conference. Reminding us that our best is “good enough” and that we must continue our efforts to reach out to others in need. He states “proximity is key!”
https://www.ted.com/talks/
bry-
an_stevenson_we_need_to
_talk_about_an_injustice?
language=en
2
UPCOMING JULY and AUGUST COURT DATES
3
On May 20th, 2019, the Granville County Chamber of Commerce hosted a
Ribbon Cutting for the new Guardian ad Litem offices in Oxford, NC. A num-
ber of media outlets, local dignitaries and GAL attended the reception that
included a tour and refreshments.
The opening of this office has been long time coming and opens up a number
of opportunities for our program to be more involved in Granville County.
Kudos are necessary for District Administrative, Mary Jo Van Horne. With-
out her vision and dedication to this project it would have never come to frui-
tion.
Franklin Vance Warren Granville Person
Jul. 25 Jul. 3 & 17 Jul. 23 Jul. 11 Jul. 1, 15 &
29
Aug. 29 Aug. 7 & 21 Aug. 28 Aug. 15 Aug. 5,19 &
30
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National CASA Conference ’19
D9 was fortunate to have one staff mem-
ber selected to attend the National Casa
Conference in Atlanta during the first
week of June.
Melanie Griggs, Program Supervisor,
attended the four day conference which
included a number of speakers, includ-
ing Mr. and Mrs. James Comey and for-
mer National Teacher of the year, Ron
Clark.
Small group sessions included infor-
mation about the impact of migration of
CASA/GAL cases, working with families
touched by addition and families with
incarcerated parents.
Approximately twenty GAL staff and
volunteers from North Carolina attend-
ed the conference.
At our recent CASA Conference, Brad Lander PhD, LICDC from the Addiction Medicine Center at The Ohio
State University presented the follow information:
When the brain is in distress, the most intricate and sophisticated areas of the brain are affected first includ-
ing the Prefrontal cortex
With the loss of Prefrontal cortex functioning comes:
• Fatigue • Unbalanced sugar levels • Stress • Pain • Illness • Alcohol / drug use
Goals of Treatment:
• Cessation and abstinence from all dopamine-surging chemicals
• Brain/body stabilization
• Empowerment to steer behavior with the Prefrontal cortex
• Eliminate/reduce environmental triggers
• Enhance neuroadaptation to recovery
Necessary Environmental Management:
• Establish a healthy life space
• Immersion into sober activities with sober people
• 12-step activity
CURRENT THOUGHT OF ADDICTION TREATMENT
Scholarly articles from a psychologi-
cal perspective often attempt to spec-
ulate about the issues behind unmo-
tivated students. It is often hypothe-
sized that many students who have
bad behavior or who give up are cov-
ering their concerns about being per-
ceived as stupid. They are protecting themselves from the
embarrassment of looking dumb in the eyes of their class-
mates, parents, and selves. Some students find power and
control in their refusals to work. They are often competent
and capable, but their need to be in control is so strong that
they employ a self-defeating strategy to exert their independ-
ent.
Depression among children as young as preschoolers is often
overlooked as a cause of poor school motivation. When de-
pressions is adequately diagnosed, treatment through coun-
seling and drug therapy can often be effective. Whether for
competence or autonomy, last of motivation is a protective
mechanism that must be respectfully challenged in order to
helps students make better choices.
When working with children, it is our responsibility to reach
out to those that who seem not to care. When such children
perceive that those around them have given up on them, they
may escalate their behaviors and become more hurtful, dan-
gerous and costly. (Solution-Tree.com)
Edutopia.com sites “Young people must believe they are capa-
ble of succeeding. Many students never realized that this was
possible, but if adults take baby steps, the teacher can sell
"the idea of success" to them. Like Peter Pan, a teacher has to
help students believe that success is possible and then give
them the skills to succeed. The younger they experience suc-
cess, the more likely it will continue.”
“Children perform for people that they care about. They care
about people who care about them. As a result, if an adult
takes time to discover what difficulties a child might be facing
and what needs the child has, that child is much more likely
to open up.”
BIRTHDAYS
JULY
• KIMBERLY LAMBERT
• ROBERTA FREEMAN
• JUDY GENTRY
• SHERI MINCEY
• JANET MOORE
• TERRI REYNOLDS
• SHERRI HOLLIMAN
• BONNIE BUCHANAN
• JAYNE BREMER
AUGUST
• PATRICK JACQUES
• SANDRA P. TREACY
• JESSICA MUNDAY
• SUSAN JACQUES
• CONNIE RYMAN
• KAY BLACKARD
• CAROLYN STOKLAS
• ALMICE FLOYD-GILL
• BERNADETTE WORTHAM
• DORIS SWANN
• KELLI LONDON
SEPTEMBER
• GARY MORGAN
• KERRY MACINTOSH
• ROBIN SCRUGGS
• MARY VAUGHN
• CAROLYN ROY
• GAIL BIRDSONG
• MARY KUGA
• MELISSA THOMAS
• LAURA HALL
• KAREN YOUNG
• AMBER WILLIAMS
• BETTY CURRIN
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Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world.
For, indeed, that's all who ever have. ― Margaret Mead
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News Y ou ca n U se: How Are F ost er Parent s
Re cr uite d and Tr a ine d?
The process of becoming a foster parent in North Caro-
lina involves a thorough assessment and mutual selec-
tion process that includes home visits, interviews, and
criminal background checks. North Carolina law re-
quires that foster parents are licensed by the NC Divi-
sion of Social Services with families working through
their local county DSS or a licensed private agency.
In North Carolina families who desire to become li-
censed foster parents are required to complete TIPS-
MAPP (Trauma Informed Partnering for Safety and Permanence – Model Approach to
Partnerships in Parenting) or an equivalent training and assessment process. This is a
minimum 30 hour course designed to inform participants about the child welfare system,
the role of foster and adoptive parents, develop participants’ skills to become successful
foster or adoptive parents and assess families to determine if fostering or adopting is the
best fit for their family. TIPS-MAPP is mandatory for foster parent licensure.
In an effort to guide families through this process, below are specific steps to get you started.
Foster Parenting Steps:
• Watch the mandatory Foster Parent Orientation video
• Choose an agency, local DSS or private foster care placing agency.
• Attend an orientation.
• Complete TIPS-MAPP course.
• Completion of Mutual Home Assessment for foster home licensing.
• The training agency must complete a Foster Home Application and submit it
to the NC Division of Social Services for review and licensure.
• Once licensed by the NC Division of Social Services, placements may begin
based on the family’s parenting abilities and preferences.
• Re-licensure of foster parents is required every 2 years.
For more information contact with local DSS or link to https://www.ncdhhs.gov/
divisions/social-services/nc-kids-adoption-and-foster-care-network/how-foster-and-or-
adopt
Mileage Reimbursement for GAL Staff is aware that children placed out of county create challenges–including financial-for GAL advocates. GAL Administrator Cindy Bizzell has announced availability from grant funds to approve mileage reimburse-ment (.25¢/mile) for monthly child vis-its (for as long as the grant funding is available). Please talk with your super-
visor about this reimbursement. If you decide to pursue it, an IRS W-9 form will have to be completed as well as mileage reimbursement forms. There is also a limited provision for re-imbursement for out-of-state travel. When the distance to be traveled warrants an overnight stay, the regional administrator for the region will be consulted regarding funding for hotel and per diam expenses. Talk to your supervisor.
GAL Guide Friday, July 19th from 9:00 – 12:30 at the VGCC Franklin Co campus, you have the opportunity to attend the third offering in 2019 of the 3-hour GAL practicum on the Guardian ad Litem Guide. This is a great opportunity to stay sharp. The sessions offered last summer in Kittrell and earlier this year in Oxford and Roxboro received positive feedback. It is a great way to spend non-court time with your peers. This will continue to be offered through the year with the intent of having every D9 GAL advocate attend. (GAL are encouraged to wait until two months after starting their first case.) Staff strive to offer rele-vant continuing education to assist you in meeting the 12-hour requirement.
CHANGES –2019 has been filled with change. Started the year with Person County merging with
Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren Counties and changes in the district’s staff responsibilities.
Since the last newsletter, GAL Regional Administrator, Cy Gurney has retired leaving a legacy of
strong GAL districts with individuals who work tirelessly to achieve the mission. Cy is in pursuit of
being a master gardener and enjoying time with her husband.
The revised GAL preservice training has been launched with a much needed specific unit addressing
trauma. (Anyone up for retraining?)
Starting July 1st, the State GAL Regions increase to 4. We welcome Geoffrey Farmer as he steps in as
the Regional Administrator of the new Northern Central Region—the new region that D9 is part of.
Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment
The Recognizing and Responding to Suspicions of Child Maltreatment Training offered through
Prevent Child Abuse NC is designed for professionals and volunteers working with children and
families and any NC citizen concerned with child well-being. This on-line training takes approxi-
mately two hours to complete.
https://preventchildabusenc-lms.org/courses/rrcourse/
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR’S TWO CENTS
Summer is here bringing the end to the fiscal year. I enjoy
looking back as much as planning for the future. Looking at the
statistics, 129 Guardians ad Litem represented 376 chil-
dren. There were 1,142 completed hearings in the district. 30
new GAL took their oaths. There were 141 new petitions and
235 child clients attained permanence.
Substance misuse and dependence is significantly present in petitions. Advocates participated
in conversations and meetings, testified and presented evidence in court that assured
thoughtfulness in decisions. Always keeping that important question at the forefront, “How is
this in the best interest of my child client?”
Practicing persistence, respecting the child’s sense of time in all of the work. Celebrating the
reunifications, awarding of custody and adoptions. Assuring those young adults that turn 18
without permanence have the resources for the best chance of succeeding. Being the Voice for
the Children in Our Community is exactly what GAL advocates make sure happens every day
in D9.
How fortunate the 5 counties of D9 are to have individuals who step up to be part of the solu-
tion in addressing child abuse and neglect. Staff member are grateful to have these incredible
individuals serving as Guardian ad Litem.
Mary Jo
Guardian Ad Litem Offices
Franklin County Office Granville County Office
P.O. Box 673 1001 College St.
Hobgood Courthouse Annex Oxford, NC 27565
113 S. Main St. (919) 690-4924
Louisburg, NC 27549
(919) 497-4244
Vance County Office Person County Office
P.O. Box 722 Person County Courthouse
Vance County Courthouse 105 S. Main St.
156 Church St. Roxboro, NC 27573
Henderson, NC 27536 (336) 503-5265
(252) 430-5121
www.volunteerfor gal.com