MED Project Launch

The MED Center is a comprehensive Pediatric Primary Care site located at Berrien Elementary School.

The MED uses an Integrated Student System of Care (ISSC) that incorporates a broad array of service integration, continuity of care, and data exchange strategies that include, but are not limited to: family-centered case management services; family/student health and wellness education services; academic support services; and school nursing services.

ISSC is an integrative medicine approach that provides team-based, collaborative care for students.

Courtroom Advocacy Training for Volunteers

Georgia CASA will be presenting the first Courtroom Advocacy Training for
Volunteers on August 17th in Tifton. There will be a hot, dinner buffet
prior to the training (beginning at 5:00) for everyone attending. The
Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association is helping to offset the cost of
dinner, so that we can provide more than light refreshments. I am asking
that you RSVP me by August 10th.

The training will be held at the Hilton Garden Inn Tifton, off I-75.
Directions are included at the bottom of this email. I look forward to
hearing from you.

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Thanks for all you do!!!
Elaine Grice



Strengthening Courtroom Advocacy Series

Georgia CASA Presents:

Courtroom Advocacy Training for Volunteers

The purpose of this training is for volunteers to feel more confident in
their advocacy role and to maximize their understanding of courtroom
dynamics. This workshop covers appropriate interactions between the CASA
and child, judge, and attorneys; preparing persuasive written and verbal
recommendations; courtroom etiquette and procedure; and testifying tips.

Presented by Angela Tyner,
Director of Advocacy & Program Development
Georgia CASA

When:
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
5:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Where:
Hilton Garden Inn Tifton
201 Boo Drive, Tifton, Georgia 31793

A hot, dinner buffer will be provided beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Sponsored in part by The Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association

PLEASE RSVP ME BY AUGUST 10TH

Attendance is open to all CASA staff and volunteers.



Directions to Hilton Garden Inn Tifton:

>From North:
Exit 62 off I-75. Make a left off the exit and head west to the next light
at McCormick Drive. Make a left onto McCormick Drive, travel 200 yards and
make a left onto Boo Drive, the hotel will be on the left.

>From South:
Exit 62 off I-75. Make a left off the exit and head west to the next light
at McCormick Drive. Make a left onto McCormick Drive, travel 200 yards and
make a left onto Boo Drive, the hotel will be on the left.

>From West:
Follow US 82 to the light at McCormick Drive. Make a right onto McCormick
Drive, travel 200 yards and make a left onto Boo Drive, the hotel will be
on the left.

>From East:
Pass under I-75. Follow US 82 to the light at McCormick Drive. Make a left
onto McCormick Drive, travel 200 yards and make a left onto Boo Drive, the
hotel will be on the left.

2009 CASA Annual Survey Reports Now Online

Results of the 2009 local and state annual surveys are now posted on
CASAforChildren.org. Highlights of 2009 findings are as follows:

- The number of children served nationwide was 237,095.
- The number of volunteers in service was 70,919.
- The number of new volunteers trained was 23,753.

Thank you to all CASA/GAL staff who took the time to respond to our annual
survey. The results can be helpful to all of our programs in our
fundraising and public awareness efforts.

http://www.casaforchildren.org/site/c.mtJSJ7MPIsE/b.5466423/k.16B4/Data_Collection_and_Evaluation.htm

Alapaha Judicial Circuit Justice for Children Summit – July 29, 2010

Your attendance is requested for the Alapaha Judicial Circuit Justice for Children Summit to be held on July 29, 2010 from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the Berrien County Extension Office (516A County Farm Road, Nashville, GA 31619, (229)686-5431). Continental Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m.

This summit is sponsored by the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Committee on Justice for Children (J4C) in partnership with the Office of the Child Advocate (OCA) and the Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS). Staff from the Supreme Court of Georgia’s Committee on Justice for Children will review and compare statistical information pertaining to our court and agency work on deprivation matters and help us to identify our strengths and challenges. All juvenile court stakeholders involved with issues of child abuse and neglect are needed to assist in identification of goals for our court and the development of action plans to achieve those goals.

Please RSVP to Ms. Regina Roberts by email at regina.roberts@gaaoc.us or by phone at 404-561-2724 no later than July 23, 2010 with the following information: name, e-mail address, phone number, and your role or job title. Breakfast, Lunch and snack items will be provided. If you have special dietary needs, please inform Ms. Roberts when confirming your attendance. I look forward to seeing you at the summit.

Alapaha Judicial Circuit

Supreme Court of Georgia

Justice for Children Summit

July 29, 2010

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome Remarks by the Honorable Carol W. Hunstein,

Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia; The Honorable P. Harris Hines, Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia; The Honorable Clayton Tomlinson, Judge of the Juvenile Court of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit

9:15 – 9:30 Introductions & Overview of Summit Curriculum

9:30 – 9:45 Video: “Multiple Transitions: A Young Child’s Point of View on Foster Care and Adoption”

9:45 – 10:30 Strengths and Challenges

10:30 – 10:45 Break

10:45 – 11:45 “The Path to Permanency” - presented by Ms. Melissa Carter, Esq. Director of the Georgia Office of the Child Advocate and Mr. Bobby Cagle, Georgia Division of Family and Children Services

11:45– 12:15 “Ground Truth: Using Data to Explore What is Really Happening at the Local Level” - presented by Mr. Christopher Church, Esq., Managing Attorney, Committee on Justice for Children

12:15 – 12:45 Lunch

12:45 – 1:40 “Ground Truth” – continued

1:40 – 2:10 “Through Our Eyes” – presented by Georgia EmpowerMEnt Group

2:10 – 2:25 Break

2:25 – 3:00 Action Planning

3:00 – 3:45 Group Discussion of Action Plans

3:45 ­– 4:00 Closing, Q & A, Next Steps

CHRISTMAS IN JULY AT DFCS

During the month of July, The Berrien County Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) will be sponsoring “Christmas in July” in support of the foster children of Berrien County. DFCS will be accepting donations which will be directed towards buying school supplies and school clothes for foster children. According to Director Mary Lynn Bracewell, there are approximately 20 children in foster care in Berrien County. Many of these children are school age. The State of Georgia does not provide any additional money for foster parents to buy school supplies and school clothes for the children they keep in their home.

There are many ways that the community can help. People can request specific sizes and ages of the foster children, and then purchase items themselves to bring to the DFCS office, or they can make a monetary donation which will be used to buy the needed items. For more information, contact Bracewell or Kayse Layfield at 686-5568.

CASA DAY at Atlanta Braves Game

Affiliate CASA Programs, Affiliate Program Board Chairs/Supervisors, and Georgia CASA Board:

"CASA Day" at the Atlanta Braves game on Saturday, August 14th is quickly approaching! Don't forget to purchase your group rate tickets now!

The Saturday game will be the Braves vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. (The game is currently scheduled for 7:10 p.m., but subject to change to an earlier time based on TV airings. We will know 2 weeks in advance if the game time changes.)

CASA has blocked a group of seats in the upper level box section of the infield (sections 407/409 - the same seating section as CASA Day at the Braves game in Sept. 2009). If you are interested in purchasing tickets, you can receive the CASA group rate of $13 per ticket. (This is a higher rate than last year since it is a premium game - on a Friday/Saturday.) Please contact Stacey Nicely with the Atlanta Braves directly at 404.614.1325 or stacey.nicely@braves.com to purchase tickets. Affiliate CASA programs may wish to coordinate on a group ticket purchase. The event is a great way to show appreciation to CASA volunteers for the work they do.

We are encouraging all CASA attendees to wear white shirts to the game so we can stand out in the stadium. There will be a CASA public service announcement (PSA) featuring Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson aired on the big screen at the game. There will also be a CASA exhibit booth at the entrance to Turner Field and a 50/50 raffle with 25% of the proceeds going to CASA.

CASA of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit

Program Briefing

The CASA of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit is now a reality. The Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) has been in existance for over 30 years and has been in Georgia for the past 20 years. This program is designed to focus recruiting and training volunteer advocates for our abused and neglected children that are going through our DFCS and Court systems.

Planning for this program started over 2 years ago when Representative Penny Houston and Judge Jody Steedley met with a CASA representative Angela Tanzella to discuss the possibilities of starting a CASA program for our Judicial Circuit. After this very pressing meeting with Representative Houston and Judge Steedly, Angela met with the Family Connection Coordinators, Communities In Schools Executive Directors, and Drug Free Coalition members from Atkinson, Berrien, Cook, Lanier, and Clinch Counties to form a steering committee.

The steering committee was constructed to design a strategic implementation plan for the CASA of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit program. The CASA of the Alapaha Judicial Circuit hired Elaine Douglas-RIce as a full-time CASA Director and started recruiting and training volunteers in February 2009. Judge Clay Tomlinson was appointed to the Alapaha Judicial Court and has work diligently to establish the CASA program.

Since inception in January 2009, CASA of the Alapaha has trained and sworn in 28 volunteers and has worked with over 36 children in each of the five counties. The CASA Advisory Board was also formed and has developed several strategies to support CASA throughout the area.

If you or someone you may know is interested in advocating for a child or would like to know more about, please go to www.casaajc.blogspot.com or contact Elaine Douglas-Rice at 229-686-6576.