UNITE Magazine Fall/Winter 2015-2016

A Wyoming Foster Care Publication

FALL/WINTER 2015-2016

UNITE A Foster Home For Teens Laramie couple opens their hearts and home to Wyoming Teens. PAGE 10 Five tips to reduce trauma when a child is placed in your home.

PAGE 6

Three questions children are asking through their behavior. PAGE 12 Bryon Lee & Katie Hogarty of Laramie, WY

Letter from the Director ... by

steve corsi

Welcome to Unite RESOURCE PARENTS Jeanni Jones Lisa Reeves Danielle Wagner Jennifer Walker (add your name here!)

DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES Jordan Dempsey Brandy Edlund Carol Gooden-Rice Briana Montoya D’Ann Nelson CONSULTANTS Linda Finnerty Wyoming Inc. ADMINISTRATION Steve Corsi, PhD, Director Marty Nelson, PhD, Social Services & Clinical Division Administrator Debra Hibbard, Social Services Policy & Program Manager Dana Ward, Foster Care Program Manager, Editor WEBSITE wyomingfostercare.org JOIN US To join the editorial staff, submit articles, make suggestions for content or if you have other questions or comments, please contact Dana Ward at (307) 352-2509, dana.ward@wyo.gov or wyomingfostercare@wyo.gov

2

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

Hello, Wyoming foster parents. The Department of Family Services is pleased to welcome you to the first-ever issue of Unite, a magazine dedicated to keeping our foster care community informed and connected.

We all realize how challenging and rewarding it can be helping our children and families succeed. Each child who comes into the world of foster care brings his or her own unique set of skills and needs. The opportunities this presents are boundless, and so are the potential difficulties.

It is true, however that while no one foster parent has seen everything, together we possess an extraordinary amount of knowledge and experience. We hope this magazine can be a forum for exchanging that information and providing better support for our dedicated volunteers.

Steve Corsi, Director Wyoming Department of Family Services.

Unite also caps a year-long effort to attract more foster parents around Wyoming.

You may have noticed the billboards, posters, brochures, radio and television messages promoting foster care in your home town. We sincerely hope that by expanding our foster parent network across Wyoming, we can help reduce the numbers of kids in congregate care and help alleviate the stress on our foster parents by providing more respite care, or allowing more time for training. This next year, we also intend to revise our core pre-service training for families and provide more quality instruction in areas that can be identified by our foster parents. We invite you to keep your local foster care coordinators informed about topics that interest you.

We hope you enjoy the magazine, and thank you for the difference you make in your community!

Sincerely,

Steve Corsi, Director

Department of Family Services The Department of Family Services’ mission is to promote the safety, well-being and self-sufficiency of families through community partnerships. Local DFS offices can help qualifying families with supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP), child support enforcement, child care assistance and other needed services in their communities.

Our goal is to connect people with time-limited resources that promote healthy, safe, self-sufficient families so they can contribute to their communities.

Foster Care Foster care is the temporary arrangement in which adults provide for the care of a child or children whose birth parents are unable to care for them. The goal for a child in foster care is usually reunification with his or her birth family when it is in the child’s best interest.

4 Foster Poem “Where I am from” 5 Starfish “I made a difference for that one.”

6 Unfamiliar Places Help with settling in.

8 Rights for Wyoming Foster Youth

10 Foster Parent Interview 16 Wednesday’s Child Foster children who with Bryon Lee and are waiting for an Katie Hogarty adoptive home 12 Children’s Behaviors 18 Wyoming Vendor Understanding their Management Form natural responses to Have you moved or their trauma are you planning 14 Education And Training to move?

Voucher Program (ETV)

Our Wyoming foster families play an important role in the lives of the children they work with, and the Wyoming Department of Family Services is committed to providing the best experience possible for our foster families. We are here as a resource for you. We encourage each of you to contact your local Foster Care Coordinator should you have any questions or concerns.

3

By Tristyn R. Palmero-Reeves

Where I’m From I am from paperwork, from court files and legal documents.

I am from a connection between two families, (Loving, with passionate feelings from both sides.)

I am from crossed hearts, the people whose hopes were raised and lost because of me, as were my own.

I’m from frolicking through the years and exploring the unknown with a smile, from belly laughter and tears of joy.

I’m from the easy goers, and the strict minds, from play hard and work hard.

I’m from my imagination with endless possibilities and ideas I can’t believe myself.

I’m from beautifully crafted words and capturing melodies, from furry friends and the great outdoors, from the salvation of the Lord who died upon the Cross, the pain suffered for me.

Within my life is a collection filled with memories, both sad and happy with a unique twist.

I am from these recollections— shaped by my influences— another role player in life’s endless performance.

The original poem was written by George Ella Lyon http://www.georgeellalyon.com/where.html and is widely used by students to create their own poems.

4

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

By Linda Martineau • Foster/Adoptive Parent

“I made a difference for that one.”

I’ve always loved the story of the Starfish by Loren Eisley. It describes so perfectly my thoughts on being a foster parent.

Starfish by Loren Eisley One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it back into the ocean.

Approaching the boy he asked, “What are you doing?”

The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

“Son,” the man said, “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish. You can’t possibly make a difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf.

Then, smiling at the man he said, “I made a difference for that one.”

Being a foster parent allows our family to make a difference to “that one”.

We recently adopted one of our foster children that lived in our home. My husband and I are in our 50’s and some people have questioned our sanity in starting over when

our own 6 children were grown and we had only one teenager and a college student left at home. Sometimes I worry about our age, but then I think of all the grandparents our age who are raising their grandchildren and I know it will be okay.

I love being a mother! Nothing has brought me more happiness than the joy I feel in caring for and loving my family. I hope I’m never too old to do something good. We did “make a difference for that one”! And we made a difference to all the foster children who have lived in our home over the years, whether it has been in just providing a safe landing while things got sorted out, or help in meeting developmental milestones, or in giving kids good role models and an example of how a family can work together.

Being a foster family has really blessed our lives. It has made us so grateful for all that we have, and it is our chance to give back to our community. We love doing foster care!

There are times that are rough and it is always hard to let go, but doing foster care has had such a positive impact on our family. Our oldest son and his wife are in the process of becoming foster parents now too. It is a wonderful legacy to pass on. Children are the future and there are so many children out there who need the love and care that maybe only you can give! Be the one that makes a difference! It’s never too late to do something good!

5

By Brandy Edlund, MS, NCC, LPC • Clinical Program Specialist • Foster/Adoptive Parent

Unfamiliar Places Imagine what it would be like to lose your entire world in an instant. Close your eyes and imagine being taken by someone you don’t know and being told you can’t go home. You are taken from the house, parents, siblings, and the life you know. You are now placed in a home with people you don’t know, rules you are not familiar with, and traditions that are different than those of your family. You are told you have no choice in the matter, that this is your new “home.” For a foster child, this is more than just something to be imagined, this is their reality. In an instant, the life of a foster child is dramatically changed. While the move may be necessary for the safety of the child, the traumatic impact on the child could be long-lasting. This move can mean many losses for that child, including moving from schools with familiar faces and friends, leaving homes and neighborhoods, and losing extended family, pets, and possessions. While the move into the foster care system is traumatic for our children, there are some things we can do to help lessen the anxiety and stress of the new situation.

For foster children, small things can make all the difference.

For example, children can be comforted by viewing a Welcome Book containing pictures of the new foster home, including pictures of the house, family members, pets, and activities enjoyed in the home. Another great idea to help a child process through the new situation is the use of a Lifebook, a book containing items to remind a child of things that are important to them.

Working on a Lifebook with your child can help the child process through the situation and incorporate memories of their family, as well as new memories made while living with the foster family. Above all remember to be patient

6

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

with your children as their behaviors are indicators that there is much more going on within them. Our newly placed children wonder if they are going to be safe and if they can trust their new foster family to meet their needs.

The following are great ideas to help reduce trauma when a new child is placed in your home:

Trauma Informed Practice Strategies (T.I.P.S.) for Foster Parents Product of “Reducing the Trauma of Investigation, Removal and Initial Out-of-Home Placement Project” (2008-09) conducted by Portland State University, Center for Improvement of Child and Family Services, funded through the Children’s Justice Act Task Force at the Oregon Department of Human Services. For more information contact Angela Rodgers at rodgersa@pdx.edu, or 503-725-8022 1. Provide sensory comfort, familiarity, help with settling in.

• Ask children about their favorite foods, their bedtime routines, hobbies and favorite things to do.

• Have a welcome basket for new children when they arrive.

• Babies and very young children (e.g. preverbal) need physical soothing, maybe a snack when they first arrive.

• Cooking kids’ favorite foods can provide soothing sensory stimulation which has an effect on the brain,

relieving stress and anxiety.

• Show them around the house when they arrive.

• Show them their room and what is theirs.

• Ask them if they’re hungry or thirsty.

• Show them where there are snacks that they can have whenever they want. For younger children, have a snack

drawer that they can reach.

• Ask them what they would like to do.

• Ask if they take any medications.

• If they come in the middle of the night, offer to rub their back (probably best only for younger children - be sure to ask if it’s OK before touching or hugging), stay with them for a while if they want, play soothing CD’s, have stuffed animals, be available if they need anything.

• If they mention something they didn’t bring with them or that they wished they had, ask the caseworker if he or she can get it.

2. Empathize, connect, try to understand the child’s perspective, but don’t probe.

• Be open to listening if they want to talk, but don’t probe or grill them.

• Acknowledge their feelings and the difficulty of what they are going through.

• Assure them that they are safe and will be cared for.

3. Support child’s relationships and family connections • Honor the relationship between children and their parents. Acknowledge their love for their parents and their parents’ love for them. Realize that, despite abuse or neglect, the child is experiencing grief and loss at being separated from their parents (and siblings if in a different placement).

• Support contact with siblings.

• Support visits with parents.

• Provide the parent with information on how the child is doing, what their routines are and what it’s like in your house (e.g. at the beginning of visits if transporting the child, at icebreakers, family meetings, etc.). Parents may convey worry to the child if they don’t know where they are or what it’s like where they are.

• If there is an opportunity (e.g. to attend an icebreaker) ask the parents about the child’s routines, what is soothing to the child, likes and dislikes, medical conditions, allergies, etc. (especially important for babies and very young children).

• Children benefit and feel reassured when they see all the adults (foster parents, parents, caseworkers, school staff, etc.) working together to resolve issues, to make a good plan and to make things better.

4. Provide structure, control, inclusion, predictability • Create a positive environment in the home.

• Keep the menu kid friendly, include them in making dinner.

• Talk to them about their likes and dislikes and honor those during the first few weeks, or even days.

• Older children – talk to them. Let them know what to expect around your house.

• Gradually introduce them to rules.

• Ask them if there’s anything they need or would like to happen for them to feel safe and comfortable.

5. Advocate for the child by advocating for personal support and training.

• Seek ongoing education and training. Additional training and feelings of competency in the foster parent can help relieve stress for you and the child.

• Ask the caseworker if you need assistance with a child.

• Seek clarity with regards to policy and case specifics around contact between siblings or other family members.

7

Submitted By Dana Ward • Social Services Program Analyst

Rights for Wyoming Foster Youth While the rights listed in this article apply to all children and youth in the Department of Family Services’ custody, caseworkers and Guardian ad Litems (GAL) will be meeting with youth ages 14 and older over the next several months to review and discuss the rights listed below. Foster care alumni and advocates have been working on these rights for the past two years and are excited to see them implemented! Some of the rights were included with the passage of the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act which was enacted last September. Please talk to your Foster Care Coordinator if you have any questions regarding these rights.

The following list of rights shall be given to and read/explained to all youth entering care in the State of Wyoming. This list shall also be given to foster parents and other providers to help support their efforts in addition to supporting youth while in their home/facility.

All youth in the State of Wyoming’s custody have the following rights: 1. The right to receive services without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, religion and/or disability.

2.

The right to live in a safe and secure home with appropriate clothing and food and to have a place to store his/her personal belongings.

3.

The right to be informed of the names and phone numbers and addresses of his/her assigned attorney and caseworker; and allow for confidential contact with assigned attorney and caseworker.

4. The right to attend educational meetings.

8

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

5.

The right to participate in the creation of his/her case plan, permanency plan, and transition plan; to be informed by the caseworker and/or the attorney about any changes in the case plan; to be told about changes in placement by his/her caseworker; to provide information for all multidisciplinary and family team meetings; the right to be informed of, attend, and speak at his/her court hearings; to advise the court of his/her desired outcome; to have legal representation; to review and receive a copy of the court reports and case plan; and to have his/her juvenile records kept confidential.

6. The right to be free from physical, sexual or emotional abuse; and/or corporal punishment for any reason.

7. The right to appropriate and reasonable health care and medical treatment including but not limited to seeing a doctor, dentist, eye doctor, or counselor if needed; and to be informed of the treatment plan.

8. The right to access information contained in medical, dental and educational records held by the Department of Family Services (DFS), as well as personal documents such as social security card, birth certificate, and green card. When attaining the age of majority, youth are entitled to copies of medical, dental, educational, and court records held by the Department of Family Services as well as personal documents such as social security card, birth certificate, Medicaid card and green card.

10. At age fourteen (14) and older (while in DFS custody), the right to be provided a copy of his/her credit report annually.

11. The right to have family relationships recognized and respected. The right to consistent and regular contact with the youth’s family when no safety issues exist; to be informed of siblings’ life and changes, if not placed with sibling; and the right to know what the expectations are for continued contact when a sibling is adopted or placed in a guardianship or placement away from the youth.

12. The right to receive a quality education with minimal disruption; to retention in the youth’s school; to referral for an evaluation when necessary; to special educational services when indicated; to the sharing of necessary information between the school, the Department, and other juvenile court stakeholders, including information on attendance and educational progress; and to participate in extracurricular, cultural, and personal enrichment activities.

These rights are set forth herein to more specifically highlight youth rights. Youth continue to have all the rights provided to them pursuant to federal, state and local laws and regulations. Enforcement and implementation of these rights shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations as currently promulgated and as they may be amended.

ran

dy &

nd

The right to receive assistance in acquiring life skills and assessments which may include: education, financial literacy, driver’s education, career guidance to accomplish personal goals, preparation for the future, be informed of the post-secondary educational and employment supports available to youth in foster care, and community resources to include contact with Independent Living Coordinators and attend Independent Living meetings.

B

9.

Brittan

lu y Ed

Q&A

By Brandy Edlund, MS, NCC, LPC • Clinical Program Specialist • Foster/Adoptive Parent Brittany is my daughter. She was adopted in 2009 after several years in foster care and inpatient treatment centers.

She agreed to answer some questions about her experience in the system.

What would you like others to know about your experience through the foster care system?

BRITTANY: It was hard to go through because I was bounced around from place to place. It was tough because I would start to get attached and they would move me again. When I did find a home it was hard to trust and open up because I was worried I would get attached and have to move again.

It was tough because I never knew if the home was a permanent place for me.

Is there anything you would have changed?

BRITTANY: When I was 13 I would have wanted to be able to tell the Judge I wanted to live with my mom. Looking back now I wouldn’t change anything because in the end I found my adoptive mom and I realize I did not have control over the decisions that were made by others in the past.

What would you tell a foster family who is thinking about taking a teen?

BRITTANY: I would tell them to hang in there with the teen.

They are going to push you away and are going to go through bad and good times but it’s not all their fault. They have been taught through experience that they can’t trust and that if they get attached they will get let down. They have to know you care and will be next to them through the tough times too.

What advice would you have for foster parents?

BRITTANY: I would tell them to make sure it is a commitment they can keep before taking foster kids because it is going to be hard but it is worth it.

What advice would you have for other foster kiddos?

BRITTANY: I would tell them to give the family a chance.

While it seems like everyone you trust leaves there are those that care and want to love you and help you. I would tell them they are not alone.

9

By Briana Montoya, MSW • Foster Care Coordinator (Albany County) based on an interview with Bryon Lee and Katie Hogarty, Foster Parents

While teens may be difficult to place, they are not difficult to love.

Adolescents in the foster care system are generally considered “hard to place”. These youth, like all youth in care, benefit greatly from a loving, structured environment that provides guidance, support, and consistent care.

However, due to their age, they often find themselves in group homes, experiencing multiple transitions, and “aging out” of the foster care system without any sense of permanence. Finding homes willing to take in teens can be a challenge. Parenting teens can be a difficult task, especially teens that have experienced trauma. As difficult as it can be, it can also be very rewarding.

One family that can attest to the life changing experience of fostering teens is Bryon Lee and Katie Hogarty of Laramie. Highly involved in their community, Bryon and Katie are advocates both in their professional lives and personal endeavors.

They expanded their positive impact on the community in 2013 when they decided to begin fostering a young man in need of a place to call home.

Bryon, who was coaching football for a local school, became aware of the student’s situation while dropping him off at the crisis shelter after practice. Bryon inquired how long the teen had been staying at the crisis center and the answer shocked him. It had been seven months since the young man had a place to call home. After discussing the situation with Katie, the couple decided to become certified foster parents.

Parenting teens can be a difficult task, especially teens that have experienced trauma. As difficult as it can be, it can also be very rewarding.

10

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

Following their initial placement, the couple was unsure about fostering other youth. Naturally, the couple had fears about becoming foster parents, and fostering teenagers. Katie explained that her greatest fear was, “failing at being a foster parent.” She acknowledged that many teens in the child welfare system have already experienced a lot of disappointment and turmoil. “I didn’t want to be another let down for these kids,” she explained. The couple took the time to talk with the agency workers, gather information, and meet with potential placements.

Since their first placement, they have fostered two other teenagers.

One of the things the couple enjoys most about fostering teenagers is they can remain active and continue to be involved in the community.

The teens are able to join them for outdoor adventures, sporting events, and local events. The couples’ friends have been open to the youth in their home and strive to include them as part of their community.

Bryon inquired how long the teen had been staying at the crisis center and the answer shocked him.

All teens can be difficult, as they are developmentally growing, exploring, testing boundaries, and learning how they fit into the world. The couple talked about the importance of understanding that youth will come into their home with years of their own experiences, behaviors, ideas, and understanding of the environment. Katie stated, “It’s important to know you’re not just going to change them.” The couple talked about accepting the teens where they are and being open to them as people. They do their best to be nonjudgmental and open to getting to know the teen. They achieve this by asking questions, listening, not

discouraging their interests, and learning about the world they come from.

Another key to successful fostering, according to Katie and Bryon, is good communication. Communication is important with team members, their foster youth, and as a couple. Prior to placement, throughout the placement, and even after a placement, Bryon and Katie check in with team members, give progress reports, discuss issues, and stay involved – this creates good, healthy working relationships with team members. Communication with their teens include setting up rules and boundaries, working through disagreements, compromising, discussing natural and logical consequences, and taking advantage of teaching moments. When it comes to one another, they make sure to approach situations as a united front. Between placements, Bryon explained they make sure to “take time to get back to center and reconnect with one another.”

They realize that the best way to provide for the youth in their home is to be in a good place themselves.

Teens aren’t necessarily looking for parents, but rather a safe place with structure and acceptance.

Bryon stated, “It pushes me to be a better person. For example, I can’t teach a kid about following through with things, if I don’t follow through with them myself.”

Above all, Bryon and Katie recognize the importance of being strong, positive role models for the teens in their home. Teens aren’t necessarily looking for parents, but rather a safe place with structure and acceptance. Many still have strong ties to their biological families or struggle to trust parental figures. Bryon stated, “It pushes me to be a better person. For example, I can’t teach a kid about following through with things, if I don’t follow through with them myself.” The couple agreed that fostering has made them better people.

Even though some of the teens’ placements haven’t ended in the most ideal situations, all of the teens stay in touch with Bryon and Katie. They often reach out to the couple, as well as the couple’s friends. Teens don’t always show immediate gratitude, but it will eventually reveal itself in time. Some rewards of fostering teens are seen immediately, and others come over time. While teens may be difficult to place, they are not difficult to love. Fostering a teen fosters a future.

11

By Jordan Dempsey • Foster Care Coordinator (Johnson and Sheridan Counties)

The behaviors children show are normal, natural responses to their trauma…

I recently attended the Foster Family-based Treatment Association annual conference in Denver, Colorado. The engaging keynote address was given by Amelia Franck Meyer and was titled, “Are they Better Off ? Understanding the Cycle of Systemic Re-traumatization.”

Understanding the psychological impacts of out-of-home care is critical to being able to implement compassionate interventions that promote healing and thriving.

The URGENT message she gave to us all - childhood is brief and the opportunity to create change is short.

What children are asking us through their behavior is • Am I safe?

• Am I loveable?

• Can I trust you to meet my needs?

Diagnosing, medicating and treating our youth hasn’t worked overall and we spend $129 billion/ year on it. The US uses more anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medications than any other nation.

We’ve got to get to the trauma, loss and grief these children have and are going through.

12

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

The most stressful event for a child is the death of a parent and the second is being separated from a parent. That’s the first thing that happens with our children coming into care.

We don’t know how to grieve for our foster children. It’s disenfranchised, unseen and unheard and ends up being turned into blame and stigmatization of foster children. Their loss is ambiguous with no verification or certainty and then they have secondary losses such as their school, pets, smells, birth order, roles and traditions.

The behaviors children show are normal, natural responses to their trauma.

We expect kids to share their feelings with everyone and when they don’t, we call them oppositional and defiant. Children don’t “talk” grief, they “do” it with their behaviors and responses. Then, when children start to show grief, we say no, wait until therapy on Tuesday at 2pm. We can’t continue to shame, treat and medicate and say these children are manipulative, disrespectful and rude. They need sanctuary with safe and secure attachment in order to thrive.

The normal healthy brain diminishes its ability to connect after multiple unresolved losses. Grief work must be done in relationship. Isolation is fatal. One secure and nurturing attachment can make the difference. Be the ONE or find the ONE that can!!

Children don’t “talk” grief, they “do” it with their behaviors and responses.

13

By Stacey Dunlay • Social Services Program Analyst

Education & Training Voucher Program (ETV) What is ETV?

Deadlines for Applications

ETV is a federally funded, state administered initiative that helps foster youth and alumni attend post-secondary education. Eligible students may receive up to $5000.00 each year to pay for their cost of attendance as determined by the school’s financial aid department. ETV is available to students that attend either full or part time.

Fall semester: July 1, Spring Semester: November 15, Summer: May 15

Who is eligible?

Youth are eligible if: • They meet one of the following criteria: 1. Youth were in foster care for 12 months after his/her 14 year birthday; 2. Youth were adopted or placed in guardianship from foster care on or after his/her 16 year birthday; or 3. Youth have left care after his/her 18 year birthday; and • Youth has a high school diploma or GED; and • Youth attend an accredited school that: 1. Awards a Bachelor’s degree or not less than a two (2) year program that provides credit towards a degree; 2. Provides no less than one (1) year of training towards gainful employment; and/or 3. Is a vocational program which provides training for gainful employment and the employer has been in existence for at least two (2) years.

• Youth has not yet reached the age of 21.

Is there an application? Where can I get more information? Who can assist me with the application process?

Each county in Wyoming has an independent living coordinator who can assist youth and alumni complete and submit the application. Coordinator information is available using the link below. The application, along with more details, is also located on the DFS website. https://sites.google.com/a/wyo.gov/dfsweb/social-services/ independent-living-program

14

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

Any other questions? Just ask!

Please contact Stacey Dunlay, Program Analyst 2300 Capitol Ave, 3rd Floor, Cheyenne WY 82002 307-777-6684 stacey.dunlay@wyo.gov

ETV help foster youth and alumni attend post-secondary education.

15

By Rose Fry • Foster Care Coordinator (Natrona County)

Wednesday’s Child The Department of Family Services together with K2TV and two Wyoming adoption recruiters have begun featuring news stories of foster children who are waiting for an adoptive home. Stories of waiting children are broadcast at the beginning of each month with a news segment about adoption presented mid-month. These stories reach communities all over Wyoming.

Brittney Moore, the reporter from K2TV, has a special ability to bring out the positive attributes in each child.

Brittney and her news team are informed about the child’s interests. The venue is set up according to that child’s personality by K2TV and the filming takes place.

Many of these children travel across Wyoming to be part of this opportunity.

Each child profiled is free for adoption and is waiting for a permanent home.

See the general segment about foster care: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lx2fERa5ZbI If interested in more information, please feel free to contact Rose Fry at 307-473-3924 or rose.fry@wyo.gov.

Meet Tommy

Meet Skylar

Meet Brian

July’s Wednesday’s Child www.youtube.com/watch?v= brw4NVEJrzk

August’s Wednesday’s Child www.youtube.com/watch?v= HIPF9sK1CgY

September’s Wednesday’s Child: www.youtube.com/watch?v= C4HWNcNnINs&feature=youtu.be

Each child profiled is free for adoption and is waiting for a permanent home. Look forward to future e-mails with information about youth who are in search of a forever family to call their own.

16

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

WE ARE: NOT TWICE THE BURDEN — NOT TOO OLD —

I AM NOT: A TROUBLE MAKER — JUST A NUMBER —

UNL OV AB LE

If you would like to get credit for 1.5 hours of training, click here to take our survey or visit http://goo.gl/forms/DokNdEG9Av.

17

By Carol Gooden-Rice • Foster Care Coordinator (Converse, Goshen, Niobrara & Platte Counties)

Have you moved or are you planning to move?

If you want to get payments on time – please read!

The State will not forward checks if they are sent to the wrong address, so submit a new Wyoming Vendor Management Form and W9 for every adult in the home who may receive any type of payment from the State. Additionally, the Wyoming State Auditor has implemented new procedures and forms to help combat Identity theft and Imposter Fraud, so it is critical to use the current forms and follow all of the instructions EXACTLY. Access the most current forms and instructions by clicking on the Vendor Management Packet under Vendor Resources on the Wyoming State Auditor’s Office website: http://sao.wyo.gov/ vendor-resources If you have any questions on how to complete the forms or need more information please contact the fiscal staff or foster care coordinator at your local DFS office.

18

UNITE Fall/Winter 2015-2016

Foster Care Resources Resources worth taking a look at!

FOCUS on Foster Families Developed by the UCLA Nathanson Family Resilience Center, the FOCUS on Foster Families App is designed to support foster and kinship children, youth, and their caregivers. Through video interviews and online tools, FOCUS on Foster Families helps users improve their skills related to communication, emotional regulation, problem solving and goal setting. Download it from the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. Free! https://nfrc.ucla.edu/focus-on-foster-families Understood One of the most useful websites ever if you are struggling with, or want to learn more about, how to help children with learning and attention issues. Check out all of the great resources on their website. Better yet, create a profile and get personalized recommendations for you and your child by e-mail. Be sure to LIKE them on Facebook for great information and strategies you can put to use right away! www.understood.org/en Foster Parent College Online courses for foster, adoptive, and kinship parents available 24/7. No cost to you - just let your foster care coordinator know you want to take a class and they will set you up with an account and units to take the classes you want! www.fosterparentcollege.com/

A few DFS programs which may be able to help you or the families you are working with.

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Also known as POWER in Wyoming, helps needy families achieve self-sufficiency. This is done through a block grant states get to build and run programs, which help needy families. TANF support helps many parents reduce their dependency on government benefits by helping them find and enroll in career training programs while promoting work and marriage and preventing out-of-wedlock pregnancies.

All of that encourages the formation and maintenance of (TANF) two-parent families. If you are a relative who is raising a child of a family member, this program may be able to provide you with some cash assistance to help raise the child. https://sites.google.com/a/wyo.gov/dfsweb/ economic-assistance/tanf Low Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP) LIEAP is a state and federally-funded program that helps people pay home heating bills November through June.

The program is open to homeowners and renters. It helps cover the costs of electricity, natural gas, propane, wood, diesel heating oil, coal and pellets when these are used for heating a home. 1-800-246-4221 https://sites.google.com/a/wyo.gov/dfsweb/ economic-assistance/lieap Visit the DFS website to learn about other programs: https://sites.google.com/a/wyo.gov/dfsweb/

Check out our website at www.wyomingfostercare.org for links to pages with more great resources!

19

FOSTER A CHILD

and create your own story

IN THEIR WORDS

“We knew we had room in our hearts for a foster child.”

We have a busy family. We are a working couple and have two kids who are involved in sports and other activities. Even though our days are filled with work, and our evenings are filled with activities for the kids, we knew we had room in our hearts for a foster child. Our first placement was a 13 year old boy named Jonah. His dad had gotten into some trouble, and his mom wasn’t around.

Between school and activities, shuttling Jonah kept my husband busy on his days off. Jonah joined the city baseball league with our son Marty.

Helping him pick out his first ball and bat was a special experience for us.

He never had much of his own, and this was something he could take home with him when the time was right.

Jonah eventually returned home to his dad. It was hard to see him leave, but we were happy to hear that he will continue to play baseball and best of all, we will get to see him on game days.

WYOMING FOSTER CARE A program of the Wyoming Department of Family Services.

wyomingfostercare.org