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The Caregiver Courier
August 2018
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Time to Go Back to School!
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Hard as it is to believe, the 2018/2019 school year is here! The Caregiver Courier hopes it is another year full of learning, growth and fun!
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Another Successful Back-to-School Event in the Books!
Thank you to all who helped make this year's back-to-school event, sponsored by Foster Change, a huge success! We had hundreds of families receive the backpacks and supplies they need to get a head start on the school year! Over 30 community organizations were also in attendance to provide information on resources available to caregivers. View photos of the event
here.
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Special Thanks to the Las Vegas Indian Center
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Thank you to the Las Vegas Indian Center for dedicating July and August to making blankets for children in foster care!
The Las Vegas Indian Center would also like to extend an invitation for their August sewing classes to anyone who want to help make these blankets. Dates and registration information can be found
here.
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A Letter on Supporting Camp to Belong Youth
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As you are aware there was a full year of planning for Camp to Belong, many children and youth were excited to reunite with their siblings to create new memories and we had a committed group of volunteers ready to make CTB 2018 the best yet! Unfortunately there were circumstances beyond our control and for everyone’s safety camp had to be evaluated a day and a half before the scheduled end date. I would like to thank all of the youth, volunteers and staff for their calm assistance in facilitating our early departure. As with all unexpected change they are sure to have feelings about all they did not get to experience, disappointment will likely be common.
Our Carnival day is one of the most eagerly anticipated moments at camp and many shared their sadness concerning its cancellation. We will host a day at
Cowabunga Bay Saturday, August 25 10am to 4pm
that we hope will serve as a replacement for their carnival.
Scrapbooking is also a highlight that was unable to be completed. We have a collection of photos for each youth and family and we will look to schedule a day to give each youth the opportunity to craft their own scrapbook just as they would at camp.
Due to the nature of our departure your child/youth may be asking about something left behind. We may have it at our office but most likely it will be back at Pathfinder. When the pathfinder area is cleared for return St Jude’s Ranch staff will return to collect all that was left behind.
If your youth is asking about a missing item please feel free to contact Kevin Nelson directly at 702-436-1624 x220 or email him (included) and he will take a list of missing items so that when all items are retrieved we can get them back to the correct child.
Also, when children and youth return from camp there usually is an array of emotions about their siblings, the memories created together and the separation. With the nature of this year’s end to camp we anticipate that some children and youth might have additional concerns or emotions since there was no real “closure”. We encourage you, foster parents or clinical staff to talk to the kids about their feelings and help them process what happened. We certainly are committed to getting the kids back together and creating some new opportunities that help them feel that sense of closure about camp. If St. Jude’s Ranch for Children can be of assistance please let us know! Attached you will find some additional tips.
In your partnership,
Christina Vela
Executive Director
St. Jude's Ranch for Children
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Foster parents are required to complete 12 hours of training in 2018. There are many trainings each month you can attend to satisfy this requirement.
You can view the August training calendar with dates/times/locations
here.
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Important Payment Changes!!
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Effective January 1, 2019, the Department of Family Services will no longer issue paper payment checks to foster/adoptive parents for their placement services and will instead offer direct deposit or a prepaid Visa debit card. All those affected by this change will have until December 3, 2018 to select a new payment method. Read more about the changes
here and check out this
FAQ for the differences between choosing direct deposit or a prepaid Visa debit card. You can also download the following documents:
Prepaid card enrollment form/
Direct deposit enrollment form/
W-9/
2018 payment calendar.
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Double the Choices for Foster Parents' Night Out!
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Canyon Ridge Christian Church
Foster Parents' Night Out
What: Foster Parent Night Out
When: 6-9 p.m., Third Friday of each month.
Next date: Friday, August 17, 2018
Where: Canyon Ridge Christian Church
Lone Mountain Campus – Base Camp
6200 West Lone Mountain Road
Las Vegas, NV 89130
Who: All foster caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, relative, fictive kin)
How to register:
Click here
. (registration closed the second Friday of each month opens the Monday after each event for the following month).
Upcoming 2018 Dates: September 21, October 19, November 16, December 21
What Do You Get Out of It?
Being a Foster parent is a tremendous responsibility and help to our community. We understand that with the increased responsibility it is difficult to find regular respite care. In the third Friday of every month, from 6p - 9p. Canyon Ridge Christian Church would like to serve the foster parents of our community by providing free respite care. During that time, we will provide your children and your foster children a fun, safe and nurturing environment so that you can take some time to rest, catch a movie, go out with your spouse and more! Space is limited to a first come, first serve basis. Please drop off your children between 6:00p - 6:30p as the doors will closed after that time for safety purposes. Fill out the registration form below to sign-up today!
Please note - feed your children before drop-off (we will provide snacks, but not dinner) or if desired you and your whole family can join us from 6p - 6:30p for dinner upstairs (most nights it is hamburgers/hot dogs, occasionally pizza) for $3 per person with a $10 maximum per family.
Children ages birth - K will have structured childcare.
Children that are Elementary Age will take part in Celebration Place - a structured program that is part of our Celebrate Recovery.
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Grace Point Church Foster Parents' Night Out
Grace Point Church is hosting a
FREE
respite program so foster parents can get an occasional night out! Grace Point will offer respite care from 6 - 9 p.m. on the first Friday each month through August 2018.
Who: All foster caregivers (licensed, unlicensed, relative, fictive kin)
What: Foster Parents' Night Out
When: 6 - 9 p.m., first Friday each month. Next date: Friday, September 7, 2018
Where: Grace Point Church, 3794 W. Ann Rd., North Las Vegas
How to register:
Click here
. (Registration closes two days before the event and opens the Saturday after each event for the following month's event.)
What Do You Get Out of it?
Make it a "date night," catch a movie, unwind at your favorite coffee shop...whatever you need, it's a little "you" time to use as you choose! During that time, Grace Point will provide a fun, safe and nurturing environment for your children in care as well as your biological children.
The full list of upcoming Foster Parents' Night Out evenings includes: October 5, November 2, December 7. Keep watching the Caregiver Courier for more details and registration information.
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Foster Care By The Numbers
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It is easy to talk about why helping children in the foster care system is so important, but it helps to have some facts to back it up. This infographic will provide you with some numbers to help talk about the needs for children here in Clark County.
English/
Spanish
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Hope Christian Health Center will be offering physicals needed for youth to play sports until September 28. Please click on the image for further information and disclaimers. Click
here for more information about accepted insurances and locations.
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Foster One Recruit One
The greatest tool to recruit new foster parents...are current foster parents.
Clark County DFS wants to help you host a recruitment party. We will provide the information and refreshments, all we need from you is a location and a minimum of five (5) potential foster parents confirmed to attend.
Do you want to be next!? See this
flyer
for more information.
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DFS to participate in the Federal Child And Family Services Reviews in May and September 2018
As part of the Nevada Continuous Quality Improvement process, Clark County will be participating in Round 3 of the Child & Family Services Reviews (CFSRs) this year. The reviews in Clark County are scheduled in both May and September. CFSRs are completed in partnership with both State and Federal support.
CSFRs Enable the Children's Bureau to:
- Ensure conformity with federal child welfare requirements
- Determine what is actually happening to children and families as they are engaged in child welfare services
- Assist states in enhancing their capacity to help children and families achieve positive outcomes.
The CFSRs bring people together who can make a difference in state child welfare systems. Hearing from parents, caregivers and youth about their first-hand experiences is important. Information that parents, caregivers, and youth provide about their experiences helps child welfare agencies make changes to strengthen their work with families.
For more information about CFSRs for parents and caregivers click here
English
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Spanish
For more information about CFSRs for youth click here
English
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Spanish
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Foster Care Information Sessions!
There is always a need for more foster families in Clark County. The first step is to attend one of the many information sessions offered all across Clark County.
If you know someone who has been thinking of becoming a foster resource, click on the picture to see the full schedule of information sessions and help them take that first step.
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Caring for a child is one of the most important things a person can do. Caring for a child who is not your own requires a special kind of dedication. There are many children in Southern Nevada who are unable to remain in their homes. Families who open their homes and hearts to these children are committed to improving their lives and their futures. Foster Change is committed to those families.
We are proud to be the foster and adoptive family association in Southern Nevada. For just $20/year, we offer monthly community connection groups, parents' nights out, family events, educational opportunities, play dates, and free car seat and CPR/first aid training. Many of our events include free childcare and meals. We also work together to advocate for support for all foster and adoptive families in Nevada. We look forward to meeting your family!
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10 Ways to Support Foster Children in Clark County
We are so appreciative of all the amazing people who have opened their homes to become foster parents.
However, becoming a foster parent is not the only way to help a child in need.
We have compiled a list of 10 ways you can support foster children in Clark County. Check out the full list:
English/
Spanish
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Entrenamiento en Español
There's a new feature on the QPI Nevada Just in Time training website! There is now a button (Entrenamiento en Español) on the homepage. This button directs caregivers to a new page that features a link to the "Trainings in Spanish" topic in the video library and the Spanish version of the FAQ document.
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What is QPI?
Making sure every child living in foster care has a caregiver (foster, relative, fictive and/or adoptive) who provides skilled, nurturing parenting while helping the child maintain connections to his or her family.
Enhance Your Skills
Various trainings are offered in the community to help enhance caregivers' capacity to parent. Please click on the links below to learn more about exciting training opportunities from which you can benefit.
The QPI Clark County Brand
Foster parents nurture children who have experienced trauma and provide a safe, loving and healing environment in which the children can thrive. They are parenting partners who honor and support family relationships. Foster parents are dedicated, informed and committed advocates for children. They are instrumental and fully supported members of the child and family team. Great foster parents make a difference for children and families in our community
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121 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89106
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