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September 2014 • Volume 2, Issue 9
EckerdCBC-C13.org
UPCOMING EVENTSSept. HCFPA Monthly Membership Meeting September 6
HCFPA Respite September 20
Oct. 2nd Annual Foster Parent Banquet Embassy Suites Hotel USF/Bush Gardens, Tampa Theme: “Dancing with the Stars” October 2
HCFPA Monthly Membership Meeting October 4
Trauma Informed Training October 8
HCFPA Fall Frenzy October 25
(see page 4)
Zoe“I’m a great storyteller”
Children’s Board Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay,photo by Michael Schuhmann
There have been several more child drownings in the past week. Many happen when parents lose sight of the young child for a few minutes. Please - practice water safety.
Since foster children are often behind academically, as well as struggle with the fact that they are coming from outside school districts with different expectations, teachers in your child’s school need to be conscious of this fact. Foster children struggle with many personal and emotional issues while in the foster home, and homework is often not the main objective while in the home each evening. Instead, the emotional issues your child
Zoe’s an amazing, outgoing young woman with a kind, insightful heart that’s open to the world. She’s a great softball player with a fun sense of adventure, like when she completed a huge ropes course on her own. She would like to become a nurse. Throughout the difficulties she’s faced, Zoe has shown incredible strength and resilience, and though she’s admitted that the adoption process is scary to her, she remains hopeful that she’ll find her forever family and receive the unconditional love and support she craves.
Zoe will do well in a nurturing home that offers her an empathetic, trustworthy relationship she can take comfort in and guidelines to keep her on track. Once that’s established she’ll find the freedom to blossom into her own wonderful person.
Back To School
Water Safety
faces may take center stage on a particular evening. Teachers need to assign homework with
this in mind, being sensitive to their issues. Let your child’s teacher know this, and ask that they cooperate with you on this. Meet with the teachers, the school counselor, and perhaps even an administrator of the school when you enroll your foster child, and explain these
concerns to them. It is highly likely they have not had much experience with foster children, nor the challenges they face.
Hillsborough County Family Partnership Alliance
HCFPA meetings held the first Saturday of each month at 10:00 a.m.at The Family Place office located next to Eckerd Community Alternatives on the corner of Busch Blvd. and N. Florida Ave.
President’s Corner
Hello HCFPA Members,
School is back in session and things are getting back to a normal routine. Please remember that we are our children’s advocates in the school system. You can make a huge difference in the educational success of the children by being engaged.
I would like to welcome new members to the HCFPA family. Our membership consists of foster and adoptive parents, relative and non-relative caregivers. HCFPA offers members support, great trainings, the clothing closet, food pantry, fun free events, a monthly respite (baby sitting), advocacy, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Home Depot and other wonderful items for your family.
I would like to thank the HCFPA board for all they do for our membership. HCFPA is run by an all volunteer board of foster and adoptive parents who donate time and energy to make HCFPA a great Alliance. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact a board member.
I hope to see you all at the next HCFPA meeting September 6. There are many changes happening in the System of Care, and we hope to keep you informed and educated.
God Bless,
Kimberly HernandezHillsborough County Family Partnership Alliance, President
Upcoming EventsFall Frenzy - Saturday October 25thBrunch With Santa - Saturday December 6th
HCFPA Food Pantry HCFPA and community members can receive HCFPA Food Pantry donations once per month after they self-attest they have a need for food. Volunteers are welcome on the 1st Friday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. to help prepare the food distribution. This institution is an equal opportunity program. Thank you Dr. Hess, for your continued support of our food pantry.
Food Pantry Hours
2nd and 4th Friday
of each month 9:30 a.m.
to12:30 p.m.
HCFPA Membership MeetingsUpcoming Membership Meetings:• Saturday, September 6, 2014• Saturday, October 4, 2014
Meetings start at 10:00 a.m.
Location: The Family Place 9391 N. Florida Ave. Tampa, FL 33612
Childcare Fee: Members wanting childcare during the HCFPA monthly meeting will be charged a $2.00 per child fee to improve the quality of the programs offered to our children. HCFPA will purchase gaming systems, games, DVDs, arts & crafts, projects, toys, snacks, supplies and more. This will also help ensure that those that RSVPs will show up for childcare.
HCFPA Respite ProgramHCFPA will be offering our respite program on Saturday, September 20 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at The Family Place. This month’s theme is Happy Birthday/Birthday Party. An RSVP and a $2.00 charge per child are required and can be made on the HCFPA.org web site beginning September 7 after 12:00 p.m. Space is limited and RSVP’s will be honored first come, first served.
Dependency Judges at September MeetingHCFPA is once again excited to have the judges from the Dependency court system doing a panel with questions and answers at our meeting in September. Please send any questions in advance that you may have to Jill Tyree, the HCFPA Educational chair at Jill [email protected].
Join us as we celebrate Eckerd's newest program in the Tampa Bay area - Friends of the Children│Eckerd on September 25th at 3 p.m. at Layla’s House located at 1506 E. Eskimo Ave., Tampa, FL 33604.
This new program is designed to ensure children involved in Florida’s child welfare system are afforded the greatest opportunity to break the cycle of abuse and achieve their highest dreams and aspirations.
PresidentKimberly Hernandez
(813) 209-0504 (main office number)
1st VPFundraiser Co-Chair
Debbie Munoz (813) 528-0228
SecretaryEducation and Training
Gifts in KindJill Tyree
ParliamentarianMershell Godbolt (813) 635-9074
TreasurerFood BankWebmaster
Michael Truffa (813) 294-5679
Assistant TreasurerEvents Chair
Lisa Pink (813) 830-6259
Clothing Closet ChairMembership Chair
Kathryn Melendez (813) 830-6260
Childcare ChairEricka Shumpert
Relative Caregiver ChairMissy Saffold
813–516–[email protected]
Respite ChairEmily Binder
Fundraising ChairRenee Holmes
HCFPA Board of Directors
HCFPA.org
Clothing Closet Hours1st Friday 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
2nd Friday 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
3rd Friday 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
4th Friday 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
5th Friday 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
HCFPA Family Clothing Closet HCFPA’s Family Clothing Closet serves infants, children, teens and adults. We thank Eckerd Community Alternatives for their partnership in the closet. Please help us support this wonderful resource by donating your gently used or new clothing and shoes. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Kathryn Melendez.
Eckerd Community Alternatives (ECA) recognizes that newly licensed foster parents can benefit from hands-on training and support. Foster parent mentors provide guidance and support to newly licensed foster parents, including contact upon placement of new children. Mentors are committed individuals who develop relationships with newly licensed and existing foster parents. Cathy Denton, Terra Bone, Karen Hansen are foster parent mentors, and Kim Hernandez is a Foster Parent Liaison. With their guidance, new and existing foster parents learn how to access services and resources as well as address issues ranging from coordinating and communicating with case workers to managing children with challenging behaviors.
Foster Parent Mentor Program
Friends of the Children Kick-Off Event
Friends of the Children is a revolutionary mentoring program that connects our community’s most vulnerable children with paid, professional mentors, called Friends. With chapters in Oregon, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, and England, we are excited to announce this new affiliate in Tampa!
You are invited to join Interim Department of Children and Families Secretary Mike Carroll, Eckerd Chief of Programs – Florida, Lorita Shirley and Founder of Friends of the Children, Duncan Campbell to learn more about this revolutionary program that will positively impact so many of our children in need of a positive adult role model that stays with them throughout their youth – no matter what.
Come enjoy free refreshments, children’s activities, and special guest speakers. Don’t miss out! Email Terri Durdaller at [email protected] if you plan to attend or call 727-461-1236 ext 3305 for more information.
No person shall, on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to unlawful discrimination under any program or activity receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance and administered by Eckerd
Community Alternatives System of Care. Foreign language and sign language interpreters will be made available at no charge to the client.
No se discriminará ni se le negará a ninguna persona, por su raza, color, religión, nacionalidad, sexo, edad o incapacidad, la
participación o los beneficios de cualquier programa o actividad que reciba beneficios de ayuda financiera federal y que sea administrado por el “Eckerd Community Alternatives System of Care”. Se pondrán a disposición servicios de interpretación de idiomas y señas sin costo alguno para el cliente.
To include foster parent stories and information in a future newsletter, forward to: [email protected] 813-225-1105 ext 1197
Q: If I am a foster parent and I need help with an issue, what should I do?
A: You should speak to your case worker or licensing agency and work your way up the chain of command to get the issue resolved. If you are unable to receive a response from the case manager, contact the case manager supervisor, and the CMO Director.
Need Help With an Issue?
Below are contact numbers for the Case Management Organizations:
YFA and Camelot West Care Center5463 W. Waters Ave.Suite 850Tampa, FL 33634Phone: 813-901-3400
Gulf Coast Care Center205 W. Busch Blvd.Tampa, FL 33612Phone: 813-930-7114Fax: 813-930-7119
Devereux Case Management11602 N. 51st StreetTampa, FL 33617 813-471-0747
One Home United and Children’s Home Society
East Care Center4520 Oak Fair Blvd.Tampa, FL 33610Phone: 471-0006Fax: 813-471-0007
In addition, you can contact Eckerd Community Alternative Client Relations Specialist 813-225-1105 ext 1270 or Director of Licensing 813-225-1105 ext 1197.
Congratulations!
Licensed in July/Aug 2014Yolimar Nazario & Rafael Montalvo CCCKelli Stocker CCCKristin & Kenneth Burch CHILourdes & Andre Chaparro CHIThomas Karpowich CHIKia Snelling & Natale Virelles CHILauri & Edward Toler CHIRoseann & John Paul Hertzberg CHIDavarius Durham FECIrlande Marius FECMattie Harris FUMCHMyrna Negron-Montalvo FUMCHJustine & George Russum FUMCHRosa Guzman FUMCH
Foster Parent Anniversaries YearLaura Stringer 43Joy Perez (CMS) & Christina Bell 15
Linda & Walter Sharpe 14
Brenda Raiford 14
Kathryn & Gil Melendez 10
Marion & Andre Mitchell 10
Jocelyn & Gary Randolph 8
Dawne (Mary) Carpenter 6
Marie Souvenir 5
Angelia Lake 5
• Psychotropic Medications• Overview of Safety Methodology for Foster
Parents• Helping Children Make Safe and Smart
Decisions About Their Bodies and Relationships
As a foster parent, you will need to reach out to the teachers, and ask for as much information and updates as possible. It is essential to your child’s success in school that you become actively involved and interested in your child’s school life. Look for ways
Back To School (continued from page 1)
to volunteer in the school. Encourage your foster child to become active in after school activities. Take an interest in your child’s school work, and make sure it is done to the best of his ability each evening. Help your child study, and praise him when he does well. If you have a young foster child in the early years of school, read to him each evening, or listen to him read to you. Help him with his spelling and writing skills. Quite simply, be your foster child’s advocate with his teachers, and in his school. It is only with the combined effort of you, your child’s teachers, and your caseworker, that your foster child has a chance for success in school.
For additional information and resources on the programs listed,
visit http://centerforchildwelfare.fmhi.usf.edu/ to view a short video and contact information.
• Early Steps Program• FDLRS - Child Find• Early Learning Coalition• High Quality Early Education for
Dependent Youth• Parent and Community Involvement• Hillsborough County School Social
Work Services• Guidance Counselors for Children in
Foster Care• Alternative to Out of School
Suspension - ATOSS• Juvenile Justice Transition Program
TrainingCorner
http://www.jitfl.org/pages/training.html
Recently added QPI Just in Time Training videos:
