More Kinship Care Events

As you will see by some of the events taking place listed below there is a lot of information available for grandparents and other relatives as kinship caregivers. These are timely. If you are in the regional area and interested in a particular program, act quickly to get the best benefit. Many of these programs and newsletters are a model for what can be done anywhere. I hope you check them out.

OHIO
“Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Seminar Presented by: Sr. Suzette Fisher, SND, Ed.S., Double ARC The is Program approved for 1 CEU in Counseling and/or Social Work. Thursday, April 30, 2009, 8:15—9:30 a.m. at the Margaret Hunt Senior Center, Toledo, Ohio 2121 Garden Lake Parkway RSVP to Lorri Esper, Administrative Assistant, 419-725-7042

ILLINOIS
Representative Eddie Washington (Waukegan/Lake County) will be sponsoring a town hall meeting for relatives raising children Monday, May 4, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Waukegan Park Place Senior Center 414 South Lewis Avenue Waukegan, Il 60085Representative Washington will facilitate the discussion, share information concerning his proposed legislation to assist kinship families and be available to hear your concerns.Representatives from DHS, DCFS and the Dept. on Aging will be available to answer questions and discuss resources. This event is open to relatives raising children as well as providers. Please feel free to contact Barb Schwartz at 217/524-5327 or by email Barb.Schwartz@illinois.gov for further information on the event.

MAINE for all Relative Caregivers
The University of Maine Center on Aging RAPP is conducting a survey of kinship caregivers in rural areas. This survey will be used to help develop a RAPP manual that will help agencies that are starting new RAPP services in rural areas or seeking to expand RAPP services to rural caregivers. The manual will also provide fresh ideas to existing RAPP programs in rural areas. To date, we have gathered feedback from professionals and experts in the field. Now we need help tapping another group of experts - rural caregivers. Please consider assisting with the development of this manual by passing out a survey to your support group members to help us gather information about their rural caregiving experience. The survey can be done individually or as a group. Please contact Melissa Adle at melissa.adle@umit.maine.edu melissa.adle@umit.maine.edu or call (207) 262-7931 and leave a message to participate.Melissa can e-mail a packet that includes an informed consent and information sheet, instructions for group/individual participation, a survey form, and raffle sheet, which you can print. “I appreciate your assistance, and hope you will help us to document the strengths of rural grandfamilies and challenges they face so programs can develop strategies to best meet their needs.”
MICHIGAN
Statewide Kinship Care Professionals Conference Friday, May 29th, 2009, 9:30 a.m.—2:00 p.m., Hannah Community Center, E. Lansing, MI
Registration Due: Mon., May 8th, 2009. Seating is limited
Cost: Free for agency contracting with an Area Agency on Aging; $25.00 for general public. Call 517-355-9600 or e-mail us at kinship@msu.edu to register!
Also: Nominate a candidate for the “Outstanding Kinship Leadership
Award” and prize by Tuesday, May 1. Nominees can include a kinship director, coordinator, and or a support group leader. To nominate a candidate, please e-mail or mail us a half-page paragraph of your nominee’s name, agency, title, years of service, services provided, and why they deserve this recognition . The award will be presented during the Statewide Kinship Service Provider’s Meeting.

NEWSLETTERS
For a good example of Kinship Care communications check out these two:

MICHIGAN
The Spring edition of the kinship Kinnections newsletter for Michigan from Michigan State University School of Social Work, www.kinship.msu.edu this is an excellent form of communication with state wide programs. For more information contact kinship@msu.edu

OHIO
May Kinship News from Area Office on Aging on-line at www.areaofficeonaging.com or contact Judy Paschalis jpaschalis@areaofficeonaging.com

Thank you to all who send information to info@chicagoroadpublishing.com or inquire about the book, A Kinship Guide to Rescuing Children for Grandparents and Other Relatives As Parents, (www.chicagoroadpublishing.com or Amazon.com).
Enjoy the birds,
love,
Tita