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Letter from the Executive Director
Child Wellbeing Assessment Policy Statement
Voices for Children, along with Dr. Megan Feely, recently presented the Child Wellbeing Assessment to our community partners. Representatives from Children's Division, agencies contracted by Children's Division to provide case management services, the
21
st
and 22
nd
Judicial Circuits, Foster Adoptive Care Coalition, and Kids in the Middle attended these meetings to learn more about Voices' perspective in assessing child wellbeing and share how Voices work
s
in this area
and
interacts with our partners. As a result of that dialogue, our partners expressed an interest in receiving from the Voices' staff
and/
or CASA
s
assigned to a case the results of the Child Wellbeing Assessment for use as a tool during family support team meetings. Voices is
working closely with Dr. Feely and Evinto, the developers of Optima, to update the assessment and ensure the results are available in a meaningful and useful way. We anticipate this process will take at least six months. During
this
time, please inform any case manager or other team member who inquires about results of the wellbeing assessment that we are developing a
sharing policy
that
will
guide our advocacy to ensure
that
the best interests of
the children we serve
are met. If they have any further questions, please refer them to your supervisor.
As always, we appreciate your dedication to the abused and neglected children of our community, and we look forward to enhancing our advocacy efforts and the outcomes for the kids we serve. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me, Director of Volunteer Programs, Cheryl Latham, or Director of Legal Services, Colleen Polak.
Steve Moergen
Executive Director
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Program Dashboard
Statistics as of April 27, 2017
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195
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Voices CASA volunteers
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318
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kids served by Voices CASA volunteers and staff
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331
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kids served by Voices staff
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649
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total kids served by Voices
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Quarterly Meetings
Are you attending quarterly meetings?
 Quarterly meetings are hosted by supervisors to give volu
nteers an opportunity to gather with other volunteers, share updates and important information and to hear from you what is happening in the world of volunteering. You also ear
n CE credits for attending. Check with your supervisor to see when the next quarterly meeting is scheduled.
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Voices
Opportunities to Earn Your Annual CE Credits
Cardinal Glennon Fostering Healthy Kids
Children placed in the foster care system are among the most vulnerable members of our society. As pediatric healthcare specialists, Cardinal Glennon agrees with the American Academy of Pediatrics that all children should have access to "continuous, comprehensive, coordinated, compassionate and culturally sensitive primary care." As a medical provider and resource to state agencies, community coalitions, kinship, foster and biological parents, Cardinal Glennon seeks to improve the health and well-being outcomes of children (birth - 12 years of age) in foster care.
Come learn how Fostering Healthy Children can benefit the child(ren) you are advocating for.
Friday, June 23, 2017
1:30 - 3:30 pm
Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Ave, 63108
Info for logging your credits in OPTIMA:
Training Topic- Medical needs/issues
Format - Class/workshop
Trainer - Voices for Children hosted/presented
2 CEs
A Listening Session
to address abuse, neglect & juvenile offenses for Juvenile Justice Change
If you have been involved with the Juvenile Justice System, we would like to hear your story. All are welcomed, sponsored by Supreme Court of Missouri's Commission on Racial and Ethnic Fairness.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Greater St. Mark Church, 9950 Glen Owen Dr., Ferguson, MO 63136
Info for logging your credits in OPTIMA:
Training Topic - Diversity, race and disparity/disproportionality
Format - Presentation/Conference
Trainer - Community hosted - Voices endorsed CASA Chronicle
2 CEs
CASA Refresher Training
Effective Advocacy Part I & II
Voices is excited to offer CE refreshers for our tenured CASA volunteers! There are two modules, both offered on two different dates-
Module 1 is a refresher on gathering information, boundaries and confidentiality and Module 2 is a refresher on court report writing and Voices' transportation policy. All classes will be held at Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Blvd, 63108.
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Module 1
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Module 2
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Saturday, 6/24, 9 AM
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Thursday, 6/15, 6 PM
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Wednesday, 7/12, 6 PM
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Saturday, 7/15, 9 AM
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Info for logging your credits in OPTIMA:
Training Topic
- CASA role/responsibilities
Format: Class/workshop
Trainer
- Voices for Children hosted/presented
2 CEs
Contact Cheryl Latham, Director of Volunteer Programs at cdlatham@voices-stl.org or 314-615-4543 if you have questions.
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Summer Resources
Honoring the past
Summer Camp Resource:
This website has a list of different activities according to interests. Scholarships may be available for some of the activities. If there is a cost associated, check with the CD worker and placement provider to see what can be covered. If there is an additional need, please contact your supervisor for help identifying identifying additional resources.
Food for Youth
- If you know of anyone with school aged children who are in need of breakfast and lunch this summer have them text "Food" to 877877. They will receive a message back with a location nearest to them where they can get free summer meals. It's a nationwide program!!
- St. Louis County Library and Operation Food Search are teaming up to provide lunches to children this summer at select SLCL locations.
Starting June 5 through August 11, seven SLCL branches will offer a nutritious lunch along with activities for kids from 12:00-1:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. Meals will be available free of charge for children 18 and under. Each Thursday, families will be given a bag of food for the weekend. Kids will get pizza as a special treat on Fridays.
The summer lunch program will be offered at the following branches:
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Children's Trust Fund License Plates
You can help prevent child abuse
You can help prevent child abuse by proudly displaying the official Children's Trust Fund
(CTF) license plate on your vehicle. CTF plates feature the distinctive child's green hand prints logo & a 'prevent child abuse' message.
Ten thousand active CTF plates equates to $250,000 annually that would be distributed back into local prevention programs throughout the state & support CTF grant activities.
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Coming Events
Inaugural CASA Volunteer Family Picnic
Sunday, July 16th
Tilles Park,
Gloria Rogers Shelter
9551 Litzsinger Road. Saint Louis, MO 63124
11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Join us for food, fun and a great time for you and your family. RSVP here and we look forward to seeing you there!
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Meet the Leadership Team
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