Affiliate Annual Meeting

OVERVIEW

The Annual Affiliate Meeting was held on June 23, 2022, at Turnbull Conference Center in Tallahassee, Florida. This meeting was a gathering of the Affiliate Network members and provided a space for these individuals to learn from each other and share ideas for future collaborations.

Thirty-two individuals registered, and all attended, including guest speakers.

KEYNOTES

The keynote presentation by Casey Family Programs included speakers Jessica Hanak Coulter, from the Strategic Consulting Team, and Dr. Peter Pecora, the Managing Director of Research Services. The presentation was titled “Collaborating for Systems Change.” The presentation discussed three main topics: Keys to Collaboration, Early and Enough Engagement Source, and Equitable Evaluation.

James Weaver from the Department of Children and Families presented “Collaborating with DCF: What Researchers Should Know” as the plenary presentation. Affiliates were invited to ask detailed questions regarding data sharing and gained several helpful tips for working with the DCF.

WORKGROUPS

The affiliates held preliminary conversations around three workgroup topics: Workforce Recruitment, Engaging Parent Voice, and Youth Transitioning Out of Care. These workgroups were an initial gathering and used to gauge the interest of the Affiliates. Because of conversations at the annual meeting, those interested in Youth Transitioning Out of Care will continue their collaboration through the fall months.