On June 4 and 5, the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy hosted its 8th national symposium, Shared Child Welfare Decision Making: Partnering with Families and Children at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. In partnership with the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services, NCALP welcomed 36 presenters and panelists from across the country to present on topics that both examined the respective roles of all child welfare stakeholders and empowered families to participate in decision making opportunities at all points from intake through court intervention.

The symposium attracted practitioners from many disciplines, including law and social work, as well as law and social work students. Two insightful family and practitioner panels opened the conference by sharing with participants:

(1) The challenges families involved with child welfare systems have faced and the
      successes they have experienced, not only within their own family units but in
      collaboration with other child welfare partners; and
(2) Promising aspects of shared permanency decision-making models, with practitioner
      insights as to challenges that can impede the use of such models, and potential
      responses to those challenges.

One of the highlights of the conference was a session by Dr. Vincent J. Felitti, Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego, California. Dr. Felitti led participants through a dynamic exercise and discussion on “The Relationship of Adverse Childhood Experiences to Adult Medical Disease, Psychiatric Disorders, and Sexual Behavior.” The conference also featured Norma Ginther, MSW, LISW, former coordinator of the Center for Culture and Diversity at the Institute for Human Services, as the keynote speaker.

View the full conference agenda and information on guest speakers here. Many sessions were recorded and may be available for viewing at a later date. Please contact NCALP should you be interested in viewing one of the presentations.

Pictured above from left to right: (1) Opening multidisciplinary practitioner panel Michael Arsham , Executive Director, Child Welfare Organizing Project; Kara Hatfield, CWLS, Lead Attorney at Sacramento Child Advocates, Inc.; and Vincent J. Felitti, MD; not pictured: Sheila Ferguson, M.Ed., L.S.W., Manager, Case Review Department Lucas County Children Services; (2) welcome signs; (3) Keynote Luncheon Speaker Norma Ginther , MSW, LISW; (4) Child and Family Services Assistant Director Mattie L. Satterfield, MSW, LCSW-C of Norfolk, VA Department of Human Services asks a question during a panel session; Mattie also presented an afternoon session on “Strategies for Inclusion of Kinship Caregivers and Extended Family Members”

First Ever Interdisciplinary Child Welfare Institute Draws Professionals, Graduate-Level Students

Capital University Law School, in conjunction with the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy, hosted the first Interdisciplinary Child Welfare Institute (ICWI) from May 18th to 22nd. This intensive one-week, two-credit course provided opportunities for law students and graduate level social work students to engage in interdisciplinary learning and gain a mutual understanding of the legal and sociological principles central to child welfare practice. In its first year, ICWI attracted 36 students, 13 of whom were from law schools outside of Capital University Law School. Three licensed social workers also attended, taking advantage of the CEU credit available for course attendance. Co-taught by Angela Upchurch, Academic Director of the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy and Associate Professor of Law at Capital University, and Carla Carpenter, MSSW and Associate Director of the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy, participants tackled topics such as: constitutional rights of parents and children involves with child protections systems; ethical and professional considerations for interdisciplinary practice; and preparing for trials and providing expert testimony. Guest lecturers during the week included: Norma Ginther, Child Welfare Consultant; Honorable Denise Navarre Cubbon, Lucas County Juvenile Court; Magistrate Linda Sorah, Mediation Coordinator, Lucas County Juvenile Court; and Sheila Ferguson, Lucas County Children Services, and Denise St. Clair, Executive Director of the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy. As part of the Institute, participants had the opportunity to network with professionals during a special luncheon during which guest attorneys and social work professionals shared their insights with students in an informal setting. Students also met Capital Law School faculty and staff and learned more about the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy during a Center-sponsored open house early in the week. Learn more about the Interdisciplinary Child Welfare Institute here. Pictured above from left to right: (1) 2009 ICWI Class; (2) ICWI logo; (3) Lucas County Juvenile Court Magistrate Linda Sorah; Lucas County Children Services Case Review Manager Sheila Ferguson; and Lucas County Juvenile Court Administrative Judge Denise Navarre Cubbon.

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News Briefs

Adoption & Child Welfare Law Fellow Graduates from Capital Law

Lucy Chandler , inaugural Adoption & Child Welfare Law Fellow, showing her certificate of recognition from the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy during our April Open House and Graduation Reception.

 

 

 

 

At the close of our tenth anniversary year, we also reached a new milestone with the graduation of Lucy Chandler, the first Adoption & Child Welfare Law Fellow at Capital University Law School, who graduated cum laude with concentrations in Children & Family Law and Dispute Resolution. During her law school years, Lucy has proven to be a great ambassador for NCALP’s Adoption & Child Welfare Law Fellowship Program.

Prior to beginning law school, Lucy was a child welfare caseworker for Franklin County Children Services, where she worked with abused, neglected, and dependent children and their families to ensure their safe and healthy development. At Capital, Lucy was heavily involved in scholarly and academic-oriented activities, from serving as a teaching assistant for the legal writing department to providing research assistance to Professors Angela Upchurch and Susan Gilles. Lucy was named to the law review in her second year and became associate editor in her third year. She also coordinated the highly successful 2009 Wells Conference on Adoption Law for academicians and practitioners.

In addition to her academic contributions, Lucy gained valuable experience through her internship with Judge Kim A. Browne at the Franklin County Juvenile Court and has since served as a Law Clerk at the Juvenile Division of the Franklin County Public Defender. Lucy also was active with NCALP while in law school, assisting with program implementation and information services.

Congratulations, Lucy, and good luck on the Ohio Bar Examination!

Tenth Anniversary Year Review

In our 10th anniversary year, the National Center for Adoption Law & Policy has been quite productive! Below, we recap a few of our 2008-2009 highlights not mentioned above:

Awards and Invitations
     • Named 2008 Angel in Adoption by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute in
       August.
     • Invited to participate in the White House Obama Administration Budget "Housing and
       Homelessness Call" in May.

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NCALP STAFF

Denise St. Clair
Executive Director
dstclair@law.capital.edu

Jenifer Thompson
Staff Attorney
jthompson2@law.capital.edu

Angela Upchurch
Real Living™ Academic Director
aupchurch@law.capital.edu

Dawn Viggiano
Staff Attorney
dviggiano@law.capital.edu

Christine Morris
Assistant Director of Information Services
cmorris@law.capital.edu

Carla Carpenter
Associate Director
ccarpenter@law.capital.edu

Fawn Gadel
Staff Attorney
fgadel@law.capital.edu

Jackie Martin
Administrative Coordinator
jmartin@law.capital.edu

Maureen McCann
Administrative Assistant
mmccann@law.capital.edu