NH DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive And Relative Resource Care NewsCONNECTOR

NH Department of Health and Human Services — Division for Children, Youth and Families Fall 2018

The

14th Annual Youth Summit Focuses on Success, Life Skills

On August 2, Granite State College, the NH Youth Voices Advisory Board, and the DCYF Adolescent Program hosted the 14th annual DCYF NH Youth Voices Summit at Plymouth State University. This year’s theme, determined by youth, was “Foster to Famous,” in recognition of the many former foster youth who have achieved success in their adult lives.

DCYF Director Joseph Ribsam provided some opening remarks and reminded youth of the theme of the day: that your past does not need to define you. That was also the message from keynote speaker Chadwick Sapenter, a former foster kid from Texas, entrepreneur, best- selling author, and motivational speaker.

Mr. Sapenter shared his personal story of having to raise and care for his two younger siblings at an early age after the death of his father,

who struggled with substance misuse, and his mother’s inability to parent. He described doing whatever he could to protect his siblings, despite violence and drugs all around them. He recounted multiple suicide attempts and eventually being placed in foster care with his siblings when he was 15. Feeling nothing but despair and hopelessness at the time, it was a visit from his Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) that Sapenter said literally changed his life. The CASA told him he believed in him and that he could accomplish anything he wanted. That was the first time anyone had ever told him that and from then on, he began to believe it, too.

Mr. Sapenter challenged the youth to believe in themselves and encouraged staff to remember that their support can make all the difference for the youth they serve. Throughout the day, attendees participated in workshops where they learned real-life skills, such as how to begin the college selection process, how to rent an apartment, managing money, and how to start a business. The workshops were led by subject matter experts in partnership with former youth in care.

After lunch, participants had an opportunity to enjoy some traditional fair food, as well as activities that included a bungee run, velcro wall, photo booth, dunk tank, and more. The fair provides youth a time to connect with old friends, make new ones and just be themselves. In the afternoon, the group reconvened to attend a town hall-style meeting with DCYF Director Ribsam. The youth had a chance to ask questions and share their thoughts and ideas as to what might make their DCYF experience even more beneficial. “I was impressed that someone took the time to listen to the kids that were saying things like ‘this is my situation’ and ‘how can we make it better?’,” said Becky T.

Youth Summitcontinued on page 2

The Connector: DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive, and Relative Resource Care News Fall 2018

NH Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families2

Message from the Director

By the time you receive this issue of the Connector, school will have started for your children. Back to school time can be both exciting and challenging for kids and parents, and I am hopeful that the transition from summer to more of a scheduled routine goes well for your family.

The Division has been very busy over the past couple of months. Members of the legislative oversight committee traveled with me to New Jersey to see firsthand the operation of its child welfare system and gather information and ideas on what could be successful here in New Hampshire. We worked collaboratively with the legislature for a significant increase to our

foster care rates and will be adding staff that will focus on foster care. The Child Welfare Systems Transformation teams have been hard at work, with the ultimate goal of strengthening the child-serving and family support systems in every community. We received our final Adequacy and Enhancement Assessment Report, which assessed our capacity to provide services to youth in placement and in their communities. We will use the recommendations in that report to guide our future work.

Thank you to those of you who participate in DCYF projects. Your input and feedback are important and essential as we continue to transform our child welfare system

and improve the health and well-being of the children and families we serve.

Thank you for all you do. Enjoy the transition to fall!

Be well, Joe

New Hampshire State Senator Kevin Avard shared his own story of having been in foster care. Senator Avard offered a message of hope and resilience and encouraged youth not to let anyone tell them they were not capable of doing something. The “Singing Senator,” as he is known, played a few songs on his guitar, including the NH Capital Song that he wrote himself. A talent show rounded out the day, and kids showed off their abilities, including telling jokes, singing songs, reciting their own poems and rap songs, and even doing one

armed pushups. The winner rocked the crowd with some serious guitar shredding!

An awards ceremony at the end of the day recognized youth, staff, and community members who had, by action and example, improved the lives of current or former foster youth.

Youth response to the summit was overwhelmingly positive. “This year was my first time helping to facilitate the youth summit,” said Angie G. “Being able to watch the kids that are currently in group

homes and foster homes be so happy and have a good memorable day just made me so happy. This year’s message was so powerful and meaningful and I took away so much from the keynote speaker. I am excited to help again next year!”

Robert Rodler, Administrator DCYF Adolescent Program

For more information on the DCYF Adolescent Program, please visit: https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcyf/adolescent.htm.

Youth Summit continued from page 1

The Connector: DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive, and Relative Resource Care News Fall 2018

NH Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families3

New Hampshire to Launch Adoption ExchangeNew Hampshire families will soon have a new resource to assist in finding permanent homes for children. Through a collaborative effort among DCYF, the Endowment for Health, and the Adoptive Families for Children Foundation (AFFC), we are preparing to launch New Hampshire’s first Adoption Resource Exchange - AdoptNH. This web-based platform will be used to assist families with an opportunity to adopt New Hampshire’s waiting children.

DCYF previously accessed the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange (MARE), which is a web based photo listing of children, along with brief biographical information and case worker contact information. Families with completed home studies had access to a website and could inquire about children waiting for adoption. This exposure helped DCYF find families for several children. However, due to a large influx of children seeking permanency in Massachusetts, MARE is no longer able to provide access in New Hampshire.

Last fall, AFFC saw the need for a matching and placement resource, and with grant funding from The Endowment for Health, assisted us in building and developing our own

exchange to help New Hampshire children find permanent homes. There are approximately 75 children in state custody waiting for a permanent family because they were removed from their home situations due to abuse and neglect – a number that has risen dramatically over the last three years. They are children that come from difficult places. These children are either in congregate, relative, or foster care settings. They have special developmental and physical needs and are usually part of a sibling group. AdoptNH will give our children more opportunity to make connections with potential family matches.

Karen Savage is the project manager for the AdoptNH, and meets regularly with DCYF, AFFC staff, and the AFFC Foundation Board of Directors. Both Karen and Adoption Program Supervisor Catherine Meister have been instrumental in the building, design and overall development of this resource.

Construction of the site is nearly complete, thanks to the photographs provided by volunteer photographers and The NH Professional Photographers Association.

Adoption resource exchanges also facilitate many events that may

be related to adoption, such as support groups and recreational opportunities for families to meet each other and the children who need them. Many matches are made between children and families at these adoption events. The ultimate goal is to have no children waiting for a permanent home in New Hampshire. Working together, we can achieve this goal.

Save the date!

DHHS Annual Adoption Celebration

November 15, 2018

NH State House

The Connector: DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive, and Relative Resource Care News Fall 2018

NH Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families4

Concord PD Hosts National Night OutOn August 7, the Concord Police Department hosted National Night Out at Rollins Park in Concord. The event is designed to improve community/police relations, provide education on local policing, and to provide a fun night out for local families.

DCYF and child placing agencies were invited to participate in the educational fun fair. DCYF staff teamed up with representatives from Ascentria Community Services and Child and Family

Services to recruit foster parents and to provide education about foster care services.

In keeping with the “fun fair” theme, the recruitment team dressed as fortune tellers, complete with a crystal ball and told fortunes to fair goers. All fortunes were the same: “Someday, you will be a fabulous foster parent!” The recruitment team talked with many interested parties about becoming involved in foster care.

Dawn Ghiorzi, Ascentria Care Alliance; Katie Cassidy, Child and Family Services; and Tina Poirier, DCYF, recruit foster families at Concord’s National Night Out.

RSA 126-U and how it affects youMany foster parents are unfamiliar with RSA 126-U, which limits the use of restraint and seclusion of children in schools and treatment facilities. It requires various levels of reporting when either is used on a child. This law is important for New Hampshire foster families since foster homes are included in the definition of facilities.

The use of corporal punishment of any kind, mechanical restraints and the use of medication, prescribed or not, to restrain a child’s behavior is prohibited for children in foster care.

The following definitions are used in this statute:Restraint refers to bodily physical restriction, mechanical devices, or any device that immobilizes a person or restricts the freedom of movement of the torso, head,

arms, or legs. It includes mechanical restraint, physical restraint, and medication restraint used to control behavior.

Seclusion is defined as the involuntary placement of a child alone in a place where no other person is present and from which the particular child is unable to exit, either due to physical manipulation

by a person, a lock, or other mechanical device or barrier.

There are exceptions to both restraint and seclusion in the law that cover most of what we would all consider normal parenting techniques, such as holding a child for safety reasons or for calm and comfort, and the appropriate use of time out. However, sometimes our children’s behaviors might create a safety concern requiring a parent to intervene physically.

Those incidents must be reported and tracked for the NH Legislature. Contact your child’s worker as soon as possible if it is necessary for you to exceed “normal” behavior management techniques in order to maintain the safety of a child in your home. You must report immediately if a child is ever injured in your home.

The Connector: DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive, and Relative Resource Care News Fall 2018

NH Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families5

Waiting Kids

Meet Abby and Kaylee

Seacoast News

Abby, 13, and Kaylee, 11, are sisters who hope to find an adoptive home where they can grow up together.

Abby is a funny, sweet, and caring girl who can be very engaging. Abby likes science, math, and reading. She enjoys attending church, swimming, coloring, and camping. Abby knows what kinds of activities she enjoys and needs support to try new things. Abby loves dogs but is allergic to cats. Her favorite food is pizza and she loves the color red.

Kaylee is a bubbly, resilient, and friendly girl. She has many interests and likes to try new things. She is easy going and outgoing. Kaylee enjoys bike riding, swimming, sledding, swinging, arts and crafts, and coloring. She also likes to be outside and enjoys hiking. Kaylee is a good eater and likes all kinds of foods including pizza, vegetables, apples and bananas.

Both Abby and Kaylee love to give and receive affection and would appreciate a family who can offer this kind of nurturing care. They would do best in a quiet family who tend to not raise their voices. The girls are active and like to keep busy and hope to find a family who will support their interests. Abby and Kaylee currently live in the country and they prefer to remain in a rural

environment. The ideal family for the girls would have no younger children so that they can receive the amount of attention they need and deserve. They would do well in a home with older siblings. Both girls would prefer a Christian family with whom they can attend church. They both prefer a two parent home, and ideally they wish for a mom and a dad. Abby and Kaylee have a wonderful relationship with their current foster parents and hope to remain connected with them when they are matched with an adoptive family.

The girls have had a lot of trauma, grief and loss in their young lives and will need a family who can be patient and supportive as they receive the supports they need in order to thrive.

The Seacoast District Office welcomes new staff members that filled our vacant assessment and family service positions. They are currently in training and will be ready for the field soon. When they are in the office, they are shadowing experienced workers and getting a feel for the work we do. They are eager to learn their roles and get into the field.

We have also established mentorship programs for the Seacoast foster families and children in care. Several seasoned families offer support to new foster families once they have placement. Not everyone is able to attend our monthly support groups, so this helps new families navigate the world of a new placement. We are also setting up a mentor/visiting

resource program for our youth in residential care, where foster moms will visit youth on a monthly basis.

If anyone in the Seacoast area is interested in participating in this program, please reach out to Lisa.Belmonte@dhhs.nh.gov.

The Connector: DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive, and Relative Resource Care News Fall 2018

NH Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families6

Dear Auntie Ann:We recently welcomed a new foster child and although she came with some clothes, she didn’t have very much else. We purchased some necessities such as underwear, socks and pajamas, but we also bought her some toys and books. We were told we could submit receipts to be reimbursed $50, as this is the child’s initial placement. But the payment shows that we were only reimbursed for part of the $50 – why is that? - Wondering Wanda

Dear Wanda: It sounds like there was a bit of confusion around what that $50 can be used for. The reimbursement is specifically for clothing purchased for a child’s initial placement. So if you spent $30 on clothing and the rest on other supplies, you will only be reimbursed for the clothing. Additionally, it is a one-time payment, so if the child was previously in foster care or was used in another foster home prior to yours, it cannot be used again.

Dear Auntie Ann:We are foster parents to a terrific teenager who will be a junior in high school. He is looking forward to going to college once he graduates and we want to make sure we are doing what we can to support him through the process. What are some things we should know? - Proud Paul

Dear Paul: So happy to hear that the young man in your home is planning for college! During his junior year he may be expected to take the SAT or the ACT – standardized testing to help determine a student’s preparedness for college. Kids who are in DCYF custody or guardianship are able to have the fee for the testing waived. It’s not unusual for a teen to take the SAT or ACT during Senior year, too. Visit www.collegeboard.org to get valuable information on testing, careers, funding, and college options. The New Hampshire Higher Education Assistance Foundation, www.nhheaf.org, can also assist with information on applying to college, scholarships, financial aid and workshops. Planning some trips to visit colleges in the area can be a great way to help determine if the school is a good fit. You should also plan to connect with the adolescent worker in your local DCYF office for additional guidance, and to explore other opportunities available.

Dear Auntie Ann:We just received a letter notifying us that our foster care license is due to expire. Relicensing paperwork, including a training log, was also included and it reminded us that we haven’t completed our 16 hours of required training. What should we do? - Procrastinating Patty

Dear Patty: You’re correct that you need 16 hours of training if you are a foster parent for DCYF (your training requirements are more if you are a foster parent for an ISO agency.) Luckily, there are ongoing training courses available through DCYF’s partnership with Granite State College (GSC.) There are a limited number of classroom based trainings available, but GSC offers many online courses on a wide variety of topics. All foster parents are encouraged to take the new course: How RPPS Defines Normalcy: Haircuts, School Trips and More. It’s also helpful to focus on classes related to the child in your home or the age group that you wish to focus on. If you have taken a class or a training elsewhere that you feel could meet training requirements, consult with your Resource Worker about it. And remember, you can earn training hours for attendance at the FAPA Conference held every fall.

Ask Auntie Ann

The Connector: DCYF’s Foster, Adoptive, and Relative Resource Care News Fall 2018

NH Department of Health and Human Services Division for Children, Youth and Families7

Adoption Corner: April - June 2018

April 2018

• Patricia and Robert Davies adopted Scarlette• Michele and Mark Sayers adopted Layla• Heather and Nicholas Pratt adopted Leahna• Heather and Nicholas Pratt adopted Ryan• Heather and Shane Carignan adopted Sophia• Heather and Shane Carignan adopted Olivia• Rhiannon and Jerome Mimms adopted Matthew• Rhiannon and Jerome Mimms adopted Lee• Jeanne LeClair adopted Jaxson• Emily and James Nash-Walker adopted Damian & Alister• Kayla and Stephen Stewart adopted Destiny & Maren• Danielle and Scott Silva adopted James & Ania • Robin and Hurl Field adopted Kambrin• Mariluce and William Hicks adopted Israel• Maureen and Michael Briney adopted Liam• Nicholas Cripps adopted Miia Bella

• Kirsty Hart adopted Kaden & Steven

May 2018 • Patricia and Zackery Johnson adopted Eve• Sue Ann Johnson adopted Nadya • Cyndi and Erik Nell adopted Tristan & Julian• Stephen Hartson adopted Colby • Susan and John Quinn adopted Brayden • Sherry and Adam Marcoux adopted Quinten & Anthony• Kathleen and George Monty adopted Brayden

• Marie and Alexander Platt adopted Asher

• Tammy and Barney Abair adopted Kylee• Ashley and Nicholas Haseltine adopted Bentley & Max• Leah and Colin Robinson adopted Braeden & Brody• Amy Cericola adopted Elizabeth & Megan • Hillary and Devin Hannagan adopted Shae• Sabrina and Paul Seppala adopted Gage • Kari and Michael Lockwood adopted Lauren• Michelle Savoy adopted Liliana & Hope

• Lori Mckearney adopted Mariah & Jeremy

June 2018 • Ryan Shepard adopted Isaiah• Michael Tolin and Deborah Cross adopted Cheyenne• Peter and Jennifer Bartkovich adopted Peter and Joshua• CatherineRobert and Dana Robertson adopted Kailey• Lisa and Robert Murphy adopted Janiel• Burrell and Lori Welsch adopted Jayden• Stephanie and Aaron Cogswell adopted Hunter• Yvonne and Scott Wightman adopted Kalvine and Logan• Sylvia Durette adopted Isabelle• Ruthven and Lesle Tibbets adopted Caden• Jennifer and Michael McCarthy adopted Chloe, Michael &

Owen• Diane Nault adopted Ayden• Julianna and Travis Wilson adopted Ramone• Jennifer and Daniel Gelinas adopted Kaiya• Mary and Stephen Roukey adopted Mia

• Scot Perron and Matthew Lucht adopted Dylan