A BEST INTERESTS PARTNERSHIP A BEST INTERESTS PARTNERSHIP WHEN : : - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

A BEST INTERESTS PARTNERSHIP A BEST INTERESTS PARTNERSHIP

WHEN WHEN:

May : May 4, 4, 2012 2012

WHY WHY:

To Improve To Improve Communication, Communication, Collaboration and Collaboration and Cooperation Cooperation

WHO WHO:

GAL Staff AL Staff and Volunteers and Volunteers DCM Staff DCM Staff

• Networking

Networking

• Stakeholders

Stakeholders

• Attending Court Hearings

Attending Court Hearings

• Becoming Overwhelmed, Emotional,

Becoming Overwhelmed, Emotional, Frustrated and Disappointed Frustrated and Disappointed

• Passion for Children

Passion for Children

• Child Advocacy

Child Advocacy

• Best Interests of Children and Parents

Best Interests of Children and Parents

• Child Visitations

Child Visitations

DCMs and GALs Are on Opposite Sides DCMs and GALs Are on Opposite Sides

• DCMs:

DCMs:

Are Unapproachable Are Unapproachable Have Unlimited Funding Have Unlimited Funding Visit Once a Week Visit Once a Week Do Placements Do Placements

• GALs

GALs

Aren’t Required to Do Monthly Visits Aren’t Required to Do Monthly Visits

• Receive 8

Receive 8 weeks of weeks of training – training – class and lass and fieldwork fieldwork

• A case load of

A case load of 20 20

• Three primary professional priorities

Three primary professional priorities

1.

• 1. Seeing the children every 30

Seeing the children every 30 days days 2.

• 2. Writing Court Documents (Judicial Reviews,

Writing Court Documents (Judicial Reviews, Case Plans, Assessments, and Family Risk Case Plans, Assessments, and Family Risk Assessmen Assessments for case file) s for case file) 3.

• 3. Transport Children to appointments (not

Transport Children to appointments (not normalcy activities) normalcy activities)

• To Become a GAL

To Become a GAL

Application, Personal References and Interview Process Application, Personal References and Interview Process 30 Hours of Training 30 Hours of Training Finger Printing and Finger Printing and Background Check Background Check Employment Reference Check Employment Reference Check

• Assigned to cases to which the GAL Program is

Assigned to cases to which the GAL Program is court appointed court appointed

• Caseload Average of 1 to 3 Cases

Caseload Average of 1 to 3 Cases

• Annual Re-Certification: 12

Annual Re-Certification: 12 Hours Hours

• Gathers Information from Bi

Gathers Information from Biological Family, Foster

• logical Family, Foster

Parents, Teachers, Therapists, Physicians, etc. Parents, Teachers, Therapists, Physicians, etc.

• Visits Monthly and Writes Visitation Reports

Visits Monthly and Writes Visitation Reports

• Assures/Facilitates Receipt of Needed Support

Assures/Facilitates Receipt of Needed Support Services Services

• Monitors Case

Monitors Case

• Advocates for Best Interests

Advocates for Best Interests of the Child in Court

• f the Child in Court

Proceedings Proceedings

(Makes Independent Recommenda (Makes Independent Recommendatio tions Based on Informa s Based on Informatio ion n Gathered and/or Communicates Child’s Wishes) Gathered and/or Communicates Child’s Wishes)

• Transports Child/Children for Normalc

Transports Child/Children for Normalcy Activities Activities

(Must be Authorized by (Must be Authorized by the Program) the Program)

• Writes Judicial Review Reports for the Court

Writes Judicial Review Reports for the Court

DOES NOT DOES NOT

• Provide Direct Services

Provide Direct Services

• Supervise Visits

Supervise Visits

• Helps Train New Volunteers

Helps Train New Volunteers

• Notifies Volunteer of Hearings

Notifies Volunteer of Hearings

• Attends Permanency/Independent Living Staffings

Attends Permanency/Independent Living Staffings

• Guides/Coaches Volunteers —

Guides/Coaches Volunteers — especially newly specially newly certified voluntee certified volunteers rs

• Reviews Monthly Visitation Reports and Court

Reviews Monthly Visitation Reports and Court Reports: Edits and Files Reports: Edits and Files

• Accompanies GAL in Court

Accompanies GAL in Court

• Serves as the Liaison betwee

Serves as the Liaison between the GAL and GAL n the GAL and GAL Attorney Attorney

• Staffs Cases with GAL Volunteer and GAL Attorney

Staffs Cases with GAL Volunteer and GAL Attorney for Judicial Reviews and at other times as needed for Judicial Reviews and at other times as needed

• Last minute calls for information

Last minute calls for information

• Unrealistic expectations of DCM

Unrealistic expectations of DCM abilities, bilities, responsibilities and authority responsibilities and authority

• Not being notified of the name of the assigned GAL

Not being notified of the name of the assigned GAL and being told it cannot be obtained from the GAL and being told it cannot be obtained from the GAL Office because of confidentiality issues Office because of confidentiality issues

• Not receiving GAL Reports and being surprised in

Not receiving GAL Reports and being surprised in court by requests for changes or information court by requests for changes or information

• Less access than GALs to school, medical and other

Less access than GALs to school, medical and other pertinent information because of the GAL court pertinent information because of the GAL court

• rdered access to relevant documents
• rdered access to relevant documents

• Frequent delays receiving

Frequent delays receiving return calls or responses return calls or responses to emails to emails

• Not being notified of important changes, e.g.,

Not being notified of important changes, e.g., placement, the assignme placement, the assignment of a new DCM, or nt of a new DCM, or medications medications

• Feeling of being Left Out or of being a Pest

Feeling of being Left Out or of being a Pest

• Feeling that having an opinion which differs from

Feeling that having an opinion which differs from that of other professionals involv that of other professionals involved in the case is ed in the case is not acceptable not acceptable

• Better, more frequen

Better, more frequent communications from GAL communications from GAL Volunteer Volunteer

• Take the lead on commu

Take the lead on communicating with DCM nicating with DCM

• GAL involvement in Permanency Staffings

GAL involvement in Permanency Staffings

• Coordinating information gathering; sharing

Coordinating information gathering; sharing records and information records and information

• Notify DCM of observations made during visita

Notify DCM of observations made during visitations tions

• Address problems before court proceedings

Address problems before court proceedings

• Communic

Communicate via email where possible te via email where possible

• Maintain a positive approac

Maintain a positive approach; do not demand ; do not demand

• GAL Program to provide DCMs with GAL Reports

GAL Program to provide DCMs with GAL Reports

• GAL Program to inform DCMs of GAL

GAL Program to inform DCMs of GAL appointment and facilitate the connection appointment and facilitate the connection

• Be available for consultation

Be available for consultation

• Get to know GAL

Get to know GAL

• Include GAL in case

Include GAL in case

• Inform GAL of changes, upcoming meetings,

Inform GAL of changes, upcoming meetings, staffings, etc. staffings, etc.

• Keep communication open

Keep communication open

• Accompany GAL on a visit

Accompany GAL on a visit

• Meet again in six (6)

Meet again in six (6) months to review progress months to review progress

• Panel Leaders (Kim Harvey

Panel Leaders (Kim Harvey and Leigh Merritt) to and Leigh Merritt) to dissemina disseminate information te information gained to panel gained to panel partic participants and to top management ipants and to top management

• Decide how to utilize/teac

Decide how to utilize/teach h information in individual information in individual (or combined) inter-agency trainings, new GAL (or combined) inter-agency trainings, new GAL volunteer class trainings, continuing education volunteer class trainings, continuing education workshops, etc. workshops, etc.