WWU

'Amazing' Teaming Success

I had to show you all this amazing example of "teaming" that occurred in Hamilton County.  This young girl is deaf and has had "behavior problems" most likely contributed to the fact that she has been placed in homes where the foster parents haven't been able to communicate with her.  She was actually last placed at Valley Hospital (Acute) for crisis stabilization.  There weren't any DCS or agency foster homes with parents who knew sign language; this made it very frustrating and difficult for this young girl because the only way she could communicate with the foster parents was by writing things down on paper!!  There was talk of sending her off to a residential program in Florida, because reportedly "outstayed her welcome" at the School for the Deaf, here in Tennessee.  That's when this case was presented at our Well-Being unit meeting/reviews (a few weeks ago), which was the first I had heard about this case.  We actually had the Program Coordinator and the FSW come to our meeting to present the dynamics of this case.  Needless to say, we were all very concerned.

From that point on, things started to change.  The people in this region, ON THEIR OWN, pulled together like you wouldn't believe.  They diligently worked on finding placement options and resources for this young girl.  This case was then presented at the Community Advisory Board and our community partners got involved, as well!!

I am SO AMAZED at this wonderful work they have done; they all "teamed" together on their own!  I have to say that watching this has been something else;  I honestly don't think I would've seen this 2 years ago, when I first started here.  Sometimes we may feel like we have so many changes that need to be made that we don't realize how far we've come; this is a perfect example of how much progress this region has made!!

I'm sorry for rambling , but I really passionately believe that this case can serve as a model for our region, in showing folks what effective "teaming" really looks like, with a case that most of them already know about (as opposed to a fake case for training purposes).  I asked this team for permission to present this to the RLT so we can brainstorm on ways to utilize this case as a model for the region.   

Hope this makes your days like it made mine!!=}

Caroline Mariash

Let Me Be Perfectly Clear: Going Back Is Not A Possibility

Following Commissioner Miller’s recent visit to Shelby, she got this e-mail from a team coordinator, who wanted the commissioner to be absolutely sure about a point that the TC had been trying to make in a meeting:

“. . . What I was trying to convey is that we understand that there has been a paradigm shift at the Department. Gone are the days that we allow children to languish in foster care on the pretense of protecting them. 

“There was an organizational change in the way we do business.  Families became important.  We now realize the urgency in what we do, and we have a guiding coalition that powers the change that needed to be made.  We have a vision and a strategy to accomplish that vision and are now able to communicate that vision to everyone that we come in contact with. 

“We now know how to eliminate barriers to what we want to do by broadening our base of action in including the families and the community.  We get it that we must generate short-term wins (improvements) and reward people who contribute so that we can continually move toward the vision. 

“We also recognize that these short term wins will move us to creating more change that will benefit the Department -- and that these changes bring about new behaviors and processes and Departmental successes.

“I wanted you to know that we understand and that we see what our embracing the change has done for our families and that we understand that going back is not a possibility.”

Glenda Taylor
Team Coordinator

Shout Out for Mr. C. Funk

Yesterday morning I heard an interview being conducted on a local radio station, in reference to foster parent recruitment and training.  Clifton Funk, Foster Parent Recruitment Staff for Mid Cumberland, was being interviewed. Mr. Funk was very informative  on the process of becoming a foster parent and also shared the drastic need of foster parents.  The story of the Blue Ribbon was also shared with the listeners to recognize April as Prevent Child Abuse Month.  He was extremely  professional, enthusiastic, positive and an excellent  proponent for the Department of Children's Services.

Listening to him speak made me proud of this department and the work we do.  It was wonderful to hear a positive, encouraging discussion on what this department is about.

Utilizing the media is a wonderful tool to promote what we do and how much DCS staff care for the youth we serve.

It was a pleasure to hear the energy and encouragement he portrayed.

Venus Singleton

CFTM Cools Hot Tempers

I wanted to let you know about a situation that happened in my office yesterday.  That QSR came in to play for me.  We had a CPS family who we had been in two or three cftm's with (all being horrible experiences due to anger, etc.)  We had moved this families kids into three different safety placements and as of last night we had ran out of safety placements and knew we were looking at foster care.

The mother of the children had been horrible to deal with . . . She had been calling our office the entire day multiple times. Her temper was so escalated that we thought we were going to need to have the CFTM at the police station.   So finally after multiple calls she landed on my voice mail.... I got the greatest opportunity to demonstrate the practice wheel and the skills I have learned in QSR.

I called her and I let her say what she needed to say without interruption.  I answered any of her questions and I took time to explain every detail of our process. . . I didn't raise my voice at her and I encouraged her.. I helped her come to the conclusion (HERSELF)  that foster care right now was probably the best thing for her and her children and that this process could be very quick and helpful.  By the end of our conversation she thanked me for listening to her and believing in her..Then she called the staff she had been cursing all day and apologized to them.. she came to the meeting last night and she said what she wanted to happen for her children so she felt empowered.   

So today ALL of the people who had been in three other meetings with her and was dreading the entire ordeal came in to say I don't know what you put in her cool aid but she was so wonderful to work with last night..I then told each one of them, I used the skills I had learned in QSR...Listening and not Judging..Then explaining in a calm way the process to the people we talk to... I told them that was the practice wheel in motion...so I was really excited that my staff got to see this and know how it can change their jobs. 

Crystal Guess
Team Coordinator
Sumner County Department of Children's Services

Family Connections

Antoinette Murphy, who works in Post Adoption Services in the Cordell Hull Building, was surprised with flowers and a card from an adoptee and his birth mother. The two of them came by the office on Friday, December 15, 2006 just to express their appreciation and to say “thanks” to Antoinette and other members of the Post Adoption Staff, Karen Harper, Carolyn Jones and Teresa Parrish, for the way they handled the long process for re-uniting her and her birth son.

Upper Cumberland: Teamwork makes for a touching reunion and new beginning

Through the caring and teamwork of several Upper Cumberland staff, C., a child in foster care was able to see his father for a visit that may aid in closure for the boy.  His father was able to come to Tennessee from California this past weekend to surrender his parental rights to C. and have a very meaningful visit with him and meet his prospective adoptive family.

Mike Wiggins, Fiscal Director and Amy Wilson, ASA 4 in the Fiscal unit, helped with making all the perfect arrangements. There was only one small snag, over which the Upper Cumberland had no control...it was very small...there was a 45 minute unexpected layover due to the weather.  Everyone was where they were suppose to be at the appropriate time, and all the pieces came together smoothly.  The transportation pieces, the motel, Judge Larry Ross who graciously agreed to meet the father on Saturday to accept the surrender all came together perfectly.

Cheryl McGuire, Team Leader and Jennifer Stephenson, Family Service Worker, gave up some of their weekend to help get C. one step closer to permanency.

C.'s father was very, very thankful for everyone's efforts. He wants to continue to be a part of his son's life in whatever way that will benefit the boy. He surrendered because he thought that C. and his half sister, A., should always be together. He indicated he plans to continue sending C. financial assistance on a regular basis.

The experience was also a positive experience for the foster/adoptive home where C. was placed.  Although understandably nervous about the visit, the Wilsons were quite surprised at the caring and emotions that the boy's father demonstrated. 

The entire experience was very touching and makes us step back and realize that we are doing something worthwhile in taking extra, extraordinary steps sometimes to do our difficult and stressful jobs.

Hats off to all of you that played a part in thinking outside the box and making IT work!

Stephanie Craven

Thank You From A Foster Family

To Department of Children's Services:

My husband & I are foster parents with the department. Over the last year we have had a few foster children in our home. I myself have watched on endless accounts how all of this works. Do I understand all of it? Well, no, I don't. But I very much want to learn more through the years.

The reason for my letter is to bring attention to someone who has captured a very special place in our hearts. That person is Sparka Perry. There is something so special about her. She is wonderful at what she does.

Ms. Perry as you know is the caseworker for 2 of my foster children and they are so blessed to have her on their team. She really cares about what happens to HER kids. We think that if there was ever someone that deserved special recognition for a job well done at all times it would be her.

This world could use many more Sparkas. She is truly, a child’s gift from God.

For example: My first foster child was J. When she first came into custody she was very hard, cold and hated adults. People couldn't warm up to her no matter how hard they tried. I was not sure what in the world to do with this child. Between our parenting skills and the help of Idris Harper & Ms. Perry we made it.  

J. is now a wonderful young lady with manners and respect for others. She is someone you can love and she loves back. Her heart is very tender and hurts easy. She very much wants to be loved, accepted and her love is unconditional. We are attached to her. I thank God for the chance to know and be a part of raising her.  It is truly a special honor.

She deserves the best that we can give. I promise to do just that. But, most important is that Ms. Perry has made a forever differences in J's life. Ms. Perry believed in J. and told her that, time and time again. Ms. Perry was always straight forward with J. during good and bad times. Therefore, J. built a trust with her and the relationship has just grown from there. She NEVER gave up on J.

I myself started seeing into J.'s heart and not just looking at the tough person she seems to be on the outside. That was something that Ms. Perry and I shared as we both got to know this young lady. I look for J. to stay with us and do great.

Thank you DCS and Ms. Perry for helping my niece as well as my other foster child baby Hayes who is such a precious little girl. Your team has and will continue to make a difference in these two children’s lives. This letter has been written for a couple of weeks. Just yesterday, August 10th was a court hearing for J.'s family. We have custody of J. Yea!

We are excited and a little scared. That comes with just being a parent of a teen. We expected that things will be fine. J. came out of the state’s custody with many good memories of a special person who really loved her and watched out for her. That person of course is Ms. Perry.

So we want to say “Thank You” from the bottom of our hearts for everything.

Sincerely,
Wendy & Dave Eyrich

'An extended forever family'

I would like to share a wonderful experience we recently had at a Child and Family Team meeting.  This CFTM was conducted to select an adoptive family for an 18-month-old little girl named Brianna.  Brianna’s foster parents had decided that they could not adopt her.  They told us that they desired Brianna to have a younger family, and they hoped they could remain a part of Brianna’s life as grandparent figures.  The foster parents attended the CFT to give us information on Brianna and to share their thoughts on what it would take to parent her….

I know working for the Department can sometimes cause tears for various reasons.  On the day of this CFT, however, there were tears shed……….for the right reasons.  The foster mother began by holding up an 8X10 picture of Brianna, which she continued to hold through the entire meeting.   The foster mother gave such a touching speech, as she relayed her hopes for Brianna’s future.  Everyone in the meeting was fighting to hold back the tears.  Just when we thought we had successfully suppressed our tremendous need to cry…..the foster father started to speak.  The foster father related to us how he had been in a serious accident at work that caused him severe pain on a daily basis.  He told us how becoming a foster parent has helped him so greatly that he has been able to reduce the medication he takes for his daily pain.  He says that having the children to focus on and care for takes his attention away from his physical problems and causes him to feel better.  The foster father told us of his love for Brianna and his hopes for her future.  After he was finished, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place.  The foster parents, case workers, team leaders, team coordinators, and even our deputy regional administrator were overcome with emotion.  These foster parents so eloquently expressed their feelings about Brianna and the family that would make the best forever family for her. 

I truly hope that every one that works for the Department has the opportunity to experience this kind of emotion at some point in their career……the emotion that lets you know we are making a difference for children and that there are people who are genuinely dedicated to doing what is best for them.  These foster parents should be commended for the wonderful job they did, and I have expressed my appreciation to them for their most beneficial participation in this CFT.  I am also happy to report that Brianna is thriving in her adoptive placement.  The adoptive parents are thankful for the foster parents who worked so diligently to make a smooth transition for Brianna.  The adoptive parents and foster parents remain in contact and the foster parents will continue to be a part of Brianna’s life…………..I guess you’d call that an extended forever family.

Donna Kirby
Team Leader
Adoptions/Recruitment Retention
Southeast Region

'The Most Happiest Ending'

Commissioner Miller:

I thought you might get a kick out of reading the speech my daughter (Mary, age 12) wrote. 

She delivered it to perfection at a local resource parent recruitment event we hosted in Pegram a few weeks ago, and then again at our church.  She has been highly motivated to "take action" and help find more foster homes for kids - I'm so proud of her!

 

I'm going to be downtown this Thursday afternoon with the girls - around 2:30 - 3p.  Mary and her sister Jen are spending the afternoon with their former (and most fabulous!) caseworker, Kristy Timmerman (Ombudsman's office).  They've been wanting to see where she works - she has maintained a wonderful and special relationship with both of them!

 

I know you are so so busy, but I may pop by to see if any of you have a minute to meet them and give them one of your famous hugs.

I believe they are shining examples of why you all work so doggone hard for the families and children of TN!

 

                                                                                                                    Julie Bulger



Hi my name is Mary Katherine Bulger. I was a foster child from the time I was 3 years old until I was 8.  That means I was in foster care for five years.  I moved a total of six times. I was confused what was going on.  It was scary when my case worker would come and tell me that it was time to move again.  I was like, “Oh geez.  I just got unpacked.” I didn’t understand the reasons I had to move, but I didn’t like it.  I was always hoping I could be back with my birth parents because when I visited them, they promised me they would try and get me back and I took their word for it.  The best part about these visits was seeing my sister.  I missed her a lot.  I would ALWAYS wonder what she was thinking about, if she was thinking about me, and if she was okay where she was living.  We never got to live together... until now.

Being a foster kid wasn’t much fun, but I will always remember the homes that tried to make me feel happier.  I remember one foster family actually went on vacation but left me behind.  (Don’t do that, people!) That made me so mad!  I thought I was supposed to be part of their family!  I’ll never forget that.

One thing about being in foster care is that I did not want to trust anyone or get to know them because I knew at some point, they would say I was moving again.  One of the worst things about moving is that I had to go to different schools and meet different friends... it was very hard on me.   

Let’s talk about now.  One thing I want to talk about is that kids want to tell people their feelings and not keep it inside.  Kids want to know you are really listening.  When they want to talk about their past, let them.  That’s some advice I would give any foster parent.  Their past is important to them and they won’t forget their past foster family and definitely not their birth family. 

I moved into my house in November 2000 as a foster child.  We are getting ready to celebrate our Family Birthday on May 15th (the date my sis and I were adopted).  It will already be four years!

It’s nice to know that I’m going to stay with the same family and I never have to move again.  Kids love that feeling.  And I know that for a fact. 

I really love the family I am with now. I hope that every child can have that feeling. I think it is the most happiest ending I have ever heard.  It’s much better than that Cinderella story kids hear about! AMEN!!!

Blessed

I wanted to share a unique story with you all. My name is Elisabeth Cantwell (Betsy), I am a triplet. My sisters are Ellen and Kathleen (Katie). My sisters and I  were taken out of our home at the age of six months old. Child Protective Services entered our life at an early age. We were living with our birth mother and were neglected. We were soon placed in a foster home. After two foster homes, we were placed up for adoption.

My parents, Reenie and Rusty Cantwell adopted all three of us girls, and welcomed us into their home. My mom says she will always remember the day she got us. She said that the worker at the time had two pictures of babies. The pictures were slid across the table to my parents. My parents viewed the first picture of me, then of Katie. My mom looked at the worker and said, "Wow twins, I think we can handle that." Then the worker, slid the next picture of Ellen across the table and didn't say a word. My mom and dad took one look at the picture and decided to go home with all three of us. We are so blessed.

I wanted to share this unique story because now, 24 years later. Ellen, Betsy, and Katie are all working for the state of Tennessee. I work in Child Protective Services in Kingsport, Katie works for Child Protective Services in Bristol, and Ellen works for Child Protective Services in Rogersville. We all graduated with the same degree from ETSU and have all felt that working to help save children from abuse and also to bring families closer together has been our goal since we can remember.

We have wanted to work for DCS since we were in high school, and now we can say that our dream has come true. Also through the skills we have learned over the years, we have learned to have a relationship with our birth parents as well. Working for the state of Tennessee is just a plan for our lives, to share our story and help families in need. We are all so thankful for the opportunity.

Elisabeth Cantwell
Child Protective Services, Kingsport Unit
Blountville, TN 37617