The Pursuit of Permanency: The First 90 Days [Distance Learning Curriculum]

Segment #1: Cornerstone Advocacy: An Overview

Presenters: Rebecca Ingerman, Christine Bruno

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation introduces participants to the Cornerstone Advocacy approach with regard to visits that speed reunification; well-tailored service plans; placement options that support a child’s attachment to their parent, families, culture and community; and out of court advocacy opportunities. Participants will learn to develop legal theories and strategies to advance the objectives of their client and improve timeliness to permanency; identify opportunities to make small adjustments in their own practice; and identify next steps in their jurisdiction or among pertinent stakeholders to advance one or more of the Cornerstone elements.

Presenter Bios:

• Rebecca Ingerman is currently an attorney at Children's Law Center of California, Sacramento (CLC), where she represents juveniles in a variety of dependency hearings and staffs the specialized CSEC and non-minor dependent courtrooms. Prior to joining CLC, Rebecca worked at the Center for Family Representation (CFR) in New York for 10 years. Starting as a staff attorney and leaving as the Director of Government Affairs and Special Projects, Rebecca represented parents in dependency proceedings as part of an interdisciplinary team model. She also managed the development of new practice initiatives including into the areas of housing, criminal defense, and immigration. Rebecca frequently conducted training throughout New York State and nationally, and developed the first modules for CFR's community based presentations and child welfare briefings. Rebecca is a graduate of New York Law School and George Washington University and is a National Association of Counsel for Children Certified Child Welfare Law Specialist.
• Christine Bruno serves as Litigation and Training Supervisor for the Center for Family Representation. She is primarily responsible for training new staff, and she directly supervises staff attorneys and participates in various training and policy initiatives with CFR staff and outside agencies. Christine began working at CFR as a staff attorney in 2007. Before joining CFR, she clerked for in the Family Part in Bergen County, NJ for the Hon. Ellen Koblitz. She attended the CUNY School of Law at Queens College. In law school, she participated in the Battered Women’s Rights Clinic, the law review, and interned at several non-profit organizations, including CONNECT and the Welfare Law Center. She attended Montclair State University and holds a B.A. and M.A. in Practical Anthropology.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #2: Pre-Detention Activities That Impact Permanency

Presenters: Caitlin Rae, AnnaLisa Chung

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation discusses pre-detention activities that child welfare social workers conduct during investigations; types of evidence gathered during those investigations; what they consider before filing a case or take some other action with a family; the process that is followed in determining whether abuse or neglect occurred; the legal parameters around child welfare investigations prior to the filing of a petition; pre-petition advocacy; and collateral issues impacting family stabilization.

Presenter Bios:

• Caitlin E. Rae is Chief Deputy County Counsel with the Office of County Counsel-Juvenile Dependency Division. Ms. Rae has been working as a Deputy County Counsel since 2003. Along with a juris doctor, Ms. Rae holds a Master's degree in Social Work. As a Senior Deputy County Counsel, Ms. Rae has worked in the trial courts, on the appellate level, and with the Health and Human Services Agency on various policies and programs. She has argued at the California Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit. She is the author of “Compendium and Treatise on Juvenile Dependency” used exclusively by the Offices of County Counsel across California. Additionally, Ms. Rae has handled civil litigation cases involving child welfare and social worker defendants.
• AnnaLisa Chung is the chief executive officer and cofounder of Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC), an interdisciplinary family defense organization providing court appointed counsel to indigent parents and children in Santa Clara County, since 2008. Ms. Chung has exclusively practiced dependency law since 2001 and has trained both locally and nationally on issues relating to child welfare law and parent representation. Her participation in numerous cross-systems collaborations has paved the way for the expansion of DAC’s holistic advocacy programs, including its successful Mentor Parent Program and its innovative Corridor collaboration with Adult Probation. Ms. Chung received her J.D. from UOP McGeorge School of Law and her B.A. in Sociology and Political Science from the University of California, Davis.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #3: Advocating for Reunification During the First Stages of Dependency

Presenters: Hilary Kushins, Karen Prosek

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation discusses best practices for intensive advocacy during the beginning of a dependency case and how child welfare professionals can work toward the common goal of reunification. Among other things, participants will learn how to prepare clients for the detention hearing (including how to communicate with the minor client); collaborate with other counsel and in court advocacy; and how to engage in proactive advocacy with regard to placement, visitation, and services.

Presenter Bios:

• Hilary Kushins co-founded Dependency Advocacy Center (DAC) in 2008 and is currently its Chief Operating Officer. She was a practicing dependency attorney for 20 years in Santa Clara County, with a focus on Dependency Wellness Court (DWC), the Dependency Drug Treatment Court in Santa Clara County. She serves as a national consultant and trainer to jurisdictions developing Family Drug Courts and has served locally on several committees developing systemic policy changes based on DWC concepts. Hilary was responsible for hiring, training and managing DAC’s initial seven Mentor Parents. She has represented over a thousand indigent parents in all stages of the dependency process. In addition to practicing law, Hilary also holds an MSW and has supervised San Jose State University Master of Social Work, Title IV-E students (MSW), with an emphasis on child welfare. She has worked extensively with key stakeholders, including bench officers, Department of Family and Children Services, Department of Behavioral Health, First 5 of Santa Clara County, Office of County Counsel, Legal Advocates for Children and Youth, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) to develop policies promoting system improvements for families.
• Karen Prosek, Esq., MSW, CWSL is the Managing Attorney of Children’s Legal Services of San Diego, Firm 2. Karen has served as minor’s counsel in San Diego County Juvenile Court for over 16 years. Karen considers an important part of her role as minor’s counsel is to ensure the youth have a voice in their lives while involved with the dependency court, that they understand the process and that they feel connected with their attorney. Karen considers her work as the trial attorney on the case of In re Kristen B., 163 Cal. App. 4th 1535 (2008) one of her greatest accomplishments. The published case is the leading case on the dual role of minor’s counsel. Karen’s other legal positions include 18 months as a Public Defender in San Diego County’s Public Defender Misdemeanor Unit, working as a Special Education Attorney for Disability Rights Inc. and as an independent contractor for University of San Diego’s Children’s Advocacy Institute working on research hand policy projects to support legislation for what became know as Extended Foster Care. Karen has taught Child Welfare Law and Policy at California Western School of Law for five years.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #4: Ethical Issues Affecting Permanency and Outcomes

Presenter: Jan Sherwood

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation discusses how competent representation improves permanency outcomes, and what competency entails; legally-imposed duties of counsel engaged in dependency court practice; conflicts of interest in child welfare cases; and issues that impact permanency and outcomes.

Presenter Bio:

• Janet G. Sherwood, Deputy Director and co-founder of of Advokids, has more than 40 years of experience working in the child welfare law field. Her experience includes an in-house counsel job at the State Department of Social Services, serving as a Deputy Attorney General representing various state health, education, and welfare agencies, and more than 20 years in her own private law practice in which she represented parties in both the trial and appellate courts. She is a Child Welfare Law Specialist (CWLS), certified by the National Association of Counsel and accredited by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization and the American Bar Association. Ms. Sherwood is also a consultant, trainer, expert witness, and frequent speaker on child welfare issues.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of Legal Ethics MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #5: Neurodevelopmentally-Informed Decision Making for the First 90 Days

Presenter: Jessica Richards

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation informs child welfare professionals about how early experiences affect the way infants’ brains are wired; how the lack of attuned relationships and stimulating environments have a lasting impact on children; what developing brains need not just to survive, but to thrive; and how to identify and address signals that indicate how children are handling stressful situations.

Presenter Bio:

• Jessica Richards, MS, MSW, LCSW, IFECMHS, RPF-II, is an Infant Family Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist and Reflective Practice Facilitator. She completed a unique dual masters degree program in Child Development and Clinical Social Work, after studying at the Erikson Institute and Loyola University in Chicago. At Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, she worked with severely emotionally distressed children on the Inpatient Psychiatric Unit. Jessica has provided dyadic therapy services to children 0-5 in South Central Los Angeles and supervised Early Intervention therapists. She has been a student and mentor of the Neurorelational Framework since 2009. Jessica was the lead therapist on the Fostering Family Partnerships court team pilot program at the Los Angeles Children’s Court. She was part of the first cohort trained in Los Angeles in trauma-informed Child Parent Psychotherapy. In her private practice she consults and works with families using integrated, trans-disciplinary approaches. Jessica’s energy and passion are evident as a trainer, therapist and advocate for children and families.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #6: ICWA and Achieving True Permanence: Inquiry and Notice

Presenters: Kimberly Cluff and Geneva Shaw

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation discusses law and practice regarding ICWA inquiry and notice during the early stages of a child welfare case, and strategies that can contribute to permanence as the case progresses.

Presenter Bios:

• Kimberly Cluff serves as Legal Director for the California Tribal Families Coalition. Since becoming a member of the California Bar, Kimberly has worked exclusively in the field of Indian law, advocating for Tribes, Tribal entities and native non-profits. After nearly a decade with California Indian Legal Services, Kimberly served as In-House Counsel for the Friendship House Association of American Indians, a San Francisco native non-profit. In 2006 Kimberly went into private practice with Forman & Associates, a small Indian Law firm led by George Forman. As a partner at Forman & Associates Kimberly focused on advocacy connected to state and federal Indian Country legislation, tribal economic development, including energy resource development, strengthening tribal governance, tribal courts and tribal ordinance development. Kimberly joined the Morongo Legal Department in 2015, becoming In-House General Counsel in 2016, with a focus on building the legal infrastructure of the Tribe to support the broad scope of Morongo’s economic and governmental initiatives. Kimberly also extends her advocacy to state and federal legislative and policy efforts, including protecting tribal sovereignty and historical advances in Indian Law that are threatened. Kimberly is admitted to practice law in California, the Washoe Tribal Court and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians Tribal Court.
• Geneva Shaw, MSW, serves as Training and Curriculum Development Director for the California Tribal Families Coalition. Geneva also serves as a Social Work Department faculty member at Humboldt State University. She has over 12 years experience as an administrator, direct practitioner, and technical assistance provider of social work in Tribal communities including 6 years with the Yurok Tribe writing, developing, implementing, and reporting on many state and federally funded programs including Indian Child Welfare and Title IV-E. She is a Hoopa tribal member and Karuk/Yurok/Apache decent.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #7: ICWA and Achieving True Permanence: Placement and Active Reunification Efforts

Presenters: Kimberly Cluff, Geneva Shaw

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation discusses law and practice regarding ICWA placement and active reunification efforts during the early stages of a child welfare case, and strategies that can contribute to permanence as the case progresses.

Presenter Bios:

• Kimberly Cluff serves as Legal Director for the California Tribal Families Coalition. Since becoming a member of the California Bar, Kimberly has worked exclusively in the field of Indian law, advocating for Tribes, Tribal entities and native non-profits. After nearly a decade with California Indian Legal Services, Kimberly served as In-House Counsel for the Friendship House Association of American Indians, a San Francisco native non-profit. In 2006 Kimberly went into private practice with Forman & Associates, a small Indian Law firm led by George Forman. As a partner at Forman & Associates Kimberly focused on advocacy connected to state and federal Indian Country legislation, tribal economic development, including energy resource development, strengthening tribal governance, tribal courts and tribal ordinance development. Kimberly joined the Morongo Legal Department in 2015, becoming In-House General Counsel in 2016, with a focus on building the legal infrastructure of the Tribe to support the broad scope of Morongo’s economic and governmental initiatives. Kimberly also extends her advocacy to state and federal legislative and policy efforts, including protecting tribal sovereignty and historical advances in Indian Law that are threatened. Kimberly is admitted to practice law in California, the Washoe Tribal Court and the Morongo Band of Mission Indians Tribal Court.
• Geneva Shaw, MSW, serves as Training and Curriculum Development Director for the California Tribal Families Coalition. Geneva also serves as a Social Work Department faculty member at Humboldt State University. She has over 12 years experience as an administrator, direct practitioner, and technical assistance provider of social work in Tribal communities including 6 years with the Yurok Tribe writing, developing, implementing, and reporting on many state and federally funded programs including Indian Child Welfare and Title IV-E. She is a Hoopa tribal member and Karuk/Yurok/Apache decent.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Presenter: Sue Abrams

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation discusses permanency issues for older youth in the child welfare system, including non-minor dependents, expectant and parenting youth, and other special populations; federal permanency requirements for older youth; what legal permanency can look like; how to work with older youth who have concerns about being adopted or other permanency options; how to address a lack of family placements for older youth; and more.

Presenter Bio:

• Sue Abrams serves as Director of Policy and Training for Children’s Law Center of California, where she has been working since 2005. She began her career implementing an Equal Justice Works fellowship project, where she sought to reduce the rate of dependent youth entering the juvenile justice system. Following her fellowship, Ms. Abrams worked as a staff attorney for several years until she transitioned from the courtroom to focus on macro level policy work. She now serves as CLC’s Director of Policy and Training – developing and strategizing CLC’s public policy priorities and legislative advocacy efforts at the local, state and national levels. In addition to Ms. Abrams’ work with CLC, she has served as President of the Board for Happy Trails for Kids, a non-profit that she co-founded that provides overnight summer camp for children in foster care. Ms. Abrams earned a BA from UC Berkeley in 2001 and a JD from Harvard Law School in 2005.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #9: Recent Policy Changes Impacting Permanency Efforts

Presenter: Jennifer Rodriguez

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation presents underlying principles of the Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) and the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA) in eliminating the barriers to permanency resulting from congregate care placement; reviews state and federal law and science that support prioritizing excellent parenting and avoid congregate care settings; and discusses effective practice and strategies for using CCR and FFPSA to advocate for prioritizing children’s relationships.

Presenter Bio:

• Jennifer Rodriguez is Executive Director of the Youth Law Center (YLC), advocating to transform foster care and juvenile justice systems across the country so youth can thrive. Jennifer spent many years of her childhood in foster care and juvenile justice facilities, and has spent most of her life advocating to ensure justice, compassion and opportunity for system involved youth. Jennifer’s advocacy has resulted in significant national policy, practice and culture changes around the fundamental needs of youth and formally including system involved youth as part of all policy processes. Jennifer’s leadership at YLC has a special focus on ensuring youth in both child welfare and juvenile justice receive the parenting necessary to heal and thrive and live in conditions that meet their developmental and emotional needs. Before coming to the Youth Law Center in 2007, Jennifer served for eight years at the California Youth Connection, a nationally-recognized foster youth advocacy organization, leading efforts resulting in major legislative and policy accomplishments for California probation and foster youth, including stronger educational rights, higher education funding, increased funding for transition services, and promotion of normalcy and permanence for teenagers. Jennifer received her G.E.D. from San Jose Job Corps, her B.A. from UC Davis, and her J.D. from UC Davis law school.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of General MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

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Segment #10: Bias in Child Welfare: How it Impacts Permanency Efforts in the First 90 Days

Presenters: Danielle Ramirez, David Meyers

Length: 1 hour

Please Note: Quiz questions will appear throughout the video that must be correctly answered in order for the video to progress. At the conclusion of the video, you will see links to use for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

Overview: This presentation will discuss how racial and poverty-based bias impacts child welfare cases, specifically during the first 90 days; what lawyers, judges, and social workers can do to address bias, specifically with regard to critical decisions made in the first 90 days; key decision points and the different impacts in communities of color and impoverished communities; and potential bias with regard to mandatory reporting, how relatives and NREFMs are treated on placement decisions, removal orders at disposition, and access to services for different communities, etc.

Presenters Bios:

• Danielle Ramirez serves as Lead County Counsel at the San Joaquin County Counsel’s Office, where she is assigned to represent the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency. Prior to her employment with the County Counsel’s Office, she was employed at the San Joaquin County Public Defender’s Office where she was appointed by the court to represent indigent adults and appointed to represent children who were charged with crimes. In addition to her duties as a Lead County Counsel, Ms. Dunham-Ramirez is also an experienced trial attorney who is responsible for advising employees of the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency on issues involving the abuse, neglect, and abandonment of children. Ms. Dunham-Ramirez is also responsible for training newly hired Agency social workers about how to effectively testify in court, on court report writing, and about the Agency’s duty to provide reasonable services to families. Ms. Dunham-Ramirez attended California State University California where she majored in Criminal Justice. Ms. Dunham-Ramirez received her Juris Doctor from Lincoln Law School of Sacramento, where she received the American Jurisprudence Award in Criminal Procedure.
• David Meyers is the principal shareholder of The Law Offices of David M. Meyers and founding COO of Dependency Legal Services (DLS), where he helps administer the contracts DLS holds to represent parents and children in Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma, Marin, Solano, Placer, Yolo and Stanislaus Counties. He is also a national consultant, trainer and attorney advocate in child welfare cases. He has served as a Senior Attorney with California’s Judicial Council, Center for Families, Children and the Courts, where he developed statewide curriculum development and training for attorneys and court professionals engaged in juvenile law practice, and represented the California judiciary on a number of national and state boards and workgroups dedicated to improving attorney representation and child welfare systems. He is a consultant with the American Bar Association’s National Resource Center for Juvenile and Legal Issues and a Steering Committee member of their National Alliance for Parent Representation.
  He holds a Bachelors Degree in Journalism and Music from the University of Florida and a JD from the University of Arizona.

MCLE: The University of San Diego School of Law is a State Bar of California-approved MCLE provider and this event has been approved for 1 hour of Recognition and Elimination of Bias MCLE credit. At the conclusion of the training segment, you will see links for submitting your MCLE Sign-In form and completing an MCLE evaluation. Upon receipt of your MCLE Sign-In form, you will be sent an MCLE certificate.

View Segment #10