Child's View - Fall 2011

hild’s VIEW

FALL 2011 Vol. 23, NO. 2

A newsletter for friends of Voices for Children in Nebraska

Extreme Makeover: Website Edition voicesforchildren.com Gets a New Look, New Content You’ve probably all seen the show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Every week a deserving family in need is chosen to receive a brand new house. The crew rolls into town, sends the family off on vacation, and a week later they return to a beautiful new home. While we didn’t get sent off on a fantastic vacation, something similar has been happening at our home on the web: www.voicesforchildren.com.

A big step toward making it easier to educate and motivate everyday Nebraskans to improve the lives of children is providing current, timely information about the policies and programs that serve kids. Over the course of the last few

months, we gave www.voicesforchildren.com a makeover to make it easier to bring to light the very best research, news and policy information each and every day.

In addition to the new look, we are adding a lot of new content. We have a weekly video series where we cover one of our issue areas every quarter. Right now, we’re talking about child welfare and juvenile justice. And we produce a monthly infographic that explains how a system works or impacts kids. The staff at Voices for Children posts something new to the site – a blog post, a photo, a video – every single weekday.

With the new website and the new content, see child’s view page 7

Building a Better Child Welfare System for Nebraska Voices for Children was asked to testify before the Health and Human Services Committee on LR 37 – their interim study on child welfare reform.

Having been to nearly all of the LR 37 hearings this summer and early fall, we felt it was important to get beyond telling the story of what went wrong with child welfare reform, and instead start offering solutions for the committee’s consideration.

For a long time in Nebraska, our child welfare system hasn’t served kids and families the way we want it to. Our “house” hasn’t been in order for some time. The child welfare system as we currently know it is much like a home in need of repair. We’ve been trying to fix it, but haven’t quite gotten it right.

In the past, we didn’t have a good plan, foundation of services, or the accountability, oversight and leadership needed from the top.

So, how do we as a state re-build our child welfare “house” to better serve children and families?

It is time to roll up our sleeves and start working together to build the system that our children and families deserve. see child’s view page 3

Voices for Children in Nebraska

Voices for Children in Nebraska educates and motivates Nebraskans to take action to better the lives of Nebraska’s vulnerable children in the areas of Health, Education, Safety and Economic Stability.

A Letter From Carolyn Rooker – Executive Director

Bringing Solutions Through Collaboration “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”

— Henry Ford

Board of Directors Keith Allen, PhD, President Dee Kohler, Vice President Steve Drucker, Treasurer D.J. Clarke, Secretary Anne Yu Buettner, MA Judy Greenwald David A. Hecker, JD Timothy Hron Kristin Lembke, CPA Monica Messer Melissa Ruff, CPA

Staff Carolyn D. Rooker, MSW, Executive Director

Kathy Bigsby Moore, Advocacy Consultant Rachel Boyer, Executive Assistant & Special Projects Coordinator

Melissa Breazile, Research Coordinator Sarah Forrest, Policy Coordinator – Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice

Connie Hacker, Accounts Manager Aubrey Mancuso, Policy Coordinator – Economic Stability and Health

Caitlin Pardue, Policy Associate – Behavioral Health

Jill Westfall, Communications & Operations Coordinator

Child’sVIEW Fall 2011 • VOLUME 23, NUMBER 2 is published quarterly by

Voices for Children in Nebraska 7521 Main St., Ste. 103, Omaha, NE 68127 communications coordinator:

Jill Westfall design: Wayne Kobza/Pencil to Press

www.voicesforchildren.com A member of:

2 • Fall 2011

Voices for Children is committed finding solutions to the problems facing Nebraska’s children through strategic collaboration. We have and will work toward collaborative solutions to the most pressing issues for children. At the same time, we are committed to being the outspoken voice for kids and do not shy away from disagreement or disharmony, instead, putting our trust that whatever challenges collaboration may bring, the end result will always achieve the wisest, most workable solutions for kids.

Nothing that we accomplish on behalf of kids in this state happens in isolation. Political influences and other outside factors always shape the conditions of the systems that we are trying to improve. Partner agencies add their voice and their own style to the ultimate outcome. Egos and differences of opinions among the can players get in the way. We seek to find common ground with others in spite of these differences to make big changes happen on behalf of kids.

Sometimes it’s hard to get all of the right players at the table at the beginning. Making sure all stakeholders are there and contributing is important. Leaving out a group of people – the voices of children, a service provider, an entire branch of government or the families that receive the services– diminishes the perspective that those individual groups bring to the whole.

Of all of the systems Voices for Children works on, the one that is most clearly in need of a renewed sense collaboration is child welfare. The problems of our child welfare system are great and no one organization has all of the solutions by itself. By coming together in a spirit of openness, creativity and collaboration, it is my sincere hope that we can find workable solutions to problems plaguing the system and make improvements that help Nebraska’s vulnerable children.

No one ever said collaboration is easy, and keeping a collaboration together is difficult. Sometimes, people feel they haven’t been heard, or disagree so greatly that they can’t find common ground or just get frustrated by the process and walk away from the collaborative effort. It takes a commitment to staying the course, no matter the perceived slights or disagreements, and a commitment to the big picture.

Knowing and having a goal in a collaborative effort is important. The path to achieving that end result may be bumpy and it may take twice as long to get to results, but the end product can be, almost certainly, much better.

Spotlight Gala – Celebrating 25 Years

New Date, Same Great Event Traditionally, Voices for Children’s annual fundraising event – our Spotlight Gala – has been held in late winter/early spring, coinciding with the height of the Legislative Session.

To better prepare for the event and spread out the work, we’re moving the date to fall.

Mark your calendars for the Spotlight Gala on September 15, 2012 at 5:30 pm at the Embassy Suites, LaVista. (Never fear Husker fans – we plan on having a TV on so you can watch the game all while supporting Voices for Children!)

Building a Better Child Welfare System for Nebraska It won’t be easy, but we’ve outlined a few key places where the impact on the system will be greatest:

in and develop a clear system of in-home services that keep children safe and out of out-ofhome care if we want our child welfare system to improve.

A Strong Foundation – Prevention and Family Preservation

A Well-Designed Floor Plan – A Complete Array of Juvenile Services

from child’s view page 1

All of Nebraska’s children deserve to grow up in a safe, loving environment that meets their developmental needs. Families are a crucial part of this process, but sometimes they need supports and services to help keep their children safe. Providing prevention services to families is an essential component of a child-centered system, since it works to make sure they never experience maltreatment.

Nationally, the number of child victims of abuse and neglect has decreased substantially since 1990 due in large part to an emphasis on prevention. The story in Nebraska is different: numbers of child victims of abuse and neglect have risen since 2000 to almost the same level as that in 1990.

Children love their families, and being removed from them even in cases where abuse or neglect has occurred, can be traumatic. Everyone benefits when services can simultaneously keep children safe and families together. Family preservation or “in-home” services are an essential component of a truly child-centered system.

Nebraska’s rate of children being removed from their homes has been more than twice the national average since 2000. Nebraska must invest

Nebraska’s child welfare system also includes children involved in the juvenile justice system. A key part of building a successful system will require an intentional look at the services we offer these children and their families.

Nationally and in Nebraska, juvenile services have been provided in out-of-home environments that are often unnecessarily restrictive, expensive, and do not meet the needs of the children they serve. For example, in 2009, the majority of youth in the Youth Residential Treatment Center (YRTC) – Kearney were committed for non-violent offenses. These youth are usually better served in their communities, where they can strengthen family bonds and stay in school. Community services and alternatives to detention need to be developed across Nebraska, especially in rural areas, to make it possible for youth to stay in or close to home.

Code Enforcement – Oversight and Accountability In order for a system to work well, there need to be clear checks and balances and performance oversight, both internally and externally. The Department of Health and Human

Services (DHHS) must develop a clear data system that measures how children and families are doing and invest in data analysts who can help interpret data and use it for planning and system improvement going forward. Similarly, DHHS should develop clear internal oversight of finances related to child welfare and better be able to track where dollars come from and how they are spent.

External oversight is also necessary. The Legislature has an important role to play in designating where dollars go and how they are spent. Budgeting procedures need to be modified to allow this to occur. As Nebraska moves to serving more children in their homes, independent oversight of these non-court involved services, similar to what the Foster Care Review Board currently does for children in out-of-home care, must also be developed.

An Experienced General Contractor – Leadership and Collaboration As the agency responsible for child welfare reform, the DHHS needs experienced leadership that has a proven track record of success with system reform and is committed to building a system that puts children and families first. Reforming a broken system is not an easy job, and we need a leader who understands how to work collaboratively with the many branches of government, departments, agencies, and stakeholders who have a role to play in child welfare.

Child’s View • 3

Voices Goes West!

State-wide Tour Travels to Kearney, North Platte, and Scottsbluff Voices for Children in Nebraska represents the needs of 500,000 children across the state of Nebraska. Every year, we track data from every one of Nebraska’s 93 counties and we work with partners and policy makers from all corners of the state. Even though we present the needs of Nebraska children from Kimball to Omaha, Valentine to McCook, and all points in between, our organization’s home base is in Omaha. This fall, we had the opportunity to break out of our urban bubble and put in some “windshield time” on the road out to Scottsbluff.

We packed a lot of activities into our trip:

Monument to shoot a few more videos. Luckily, we weren’t blown off the top of Scottsbluff Monument when the wind picked up!

Day 1 – Video shoots for our latest series on

ney hosted by Region 3 Behavioral Health.

safety, meeting with juvenile court representatives and Senator Hansen in North Platte

Day 2 – LR 37 hearing in Scottsbluff. A lot of people from the community came out to share their perspectives on the challenges of the child welfare and juvenile justices systems, particularly the impact of child welfare reform, in the Panhandle. We took a trip to the top of Scottsbluff

Day 3 – Tour and meeting with Community Action Partnership of Western Nebraska, learning about the unbelievable array of services that they provide children and families in the Panhandle.

Then, it was off to the Scotts Bluff Juvenile Detention Center to see the struggles of providing juvenile services in rural communities up close and personal.

Day 4 – Coffee with Colleagues event in KearWhile we had a lot of fun and got to see some of the tourist sites along the way, the biggest lesson learned for Voices for Children staff was that the issues children face are largely the same wherever you travel in Nebraska. The biggest difference is that it takes a bit more ingenuity and creative thinking to solve problems in smaller communities.

Carolyn Rooker with State Senator Galen Hadley at the Coffee with Colleagues in Kearney.

4 • Fall 2011

Carolyn Rooker discussing important issues with provide leagues in Kearney.

Shooting videos for the Spotlight Video Series on Safety at

t the Great Platte River Road Archway in Kearney.

By Melissa Breazile, Research Coordinator In September, the U.S. Census Bureau released new data on poverty. Those data from the American Community Survey give us an annual snapshot of the income levels and poverty rates across the country. While the recession technically ended in 2009, we expected that the number of children in poverty would still be on the rise.

In our state, about 82,000 kids were living in poverty in 2010. That is 18% of Nebraska children – nearly one out of five kids. Compare that figure with child poverty in 2000. Back then, our child poverty rate was 10%. Somehow, in a decade, our economy has managed to do almost twice as much damage to the youngest among us.

And the story gets worse for children of color.

Among African American kids, the poverty rate is a startling 52%. Native American children experience poverty rates nearly as high at 50%.

Hispanic children fare slightly better – but it’s still nothing to celebrate – with a poverty rate of 34%. For comparison, 15% of children who are White are poor.

What do we mean when we say poor? To be officially “poor,” in 2010 a family of three would make less than $18,310 a year, or $1,525 a month.

We worry about what this means for our kids as they grow up and try to carve out their places in the world. Next time you drive by a school,

60

count out five kids. One of them is likely poor.

That child is more likely than her peers to grow up struggling academically, to wonder where her next meal is coming from, to lack access to health care or safe, affordable housing. That child will take all of that with her into adulthood, when she will struggle to break the cycle of poverty.

One out of every five children. Worse if you’re a kid of color.

Let’s say we flew across the state and gathered up all of the kids growing up in poverty in one place. How big of a place would we have to have to hold them all? Amazingly, there is only place in the state large enough to hold all of our children growing up in poverty - Memorial Stadium.

Those 82,000 kids in poverty would not only fill all of the seats in the stadium – they would overfill it. Imagine some of the littlest kids sitting on the laps of the older ones, or some kids standing in the aisles. Next time you go to a Huskers game, try to picture the seats filled not by a “sea of red,” but by all of Nebraska’s poorest children.

Solving the poverty problem may seem like an impossible task. Improving public programs, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, and building an economy that pays a living wage for a day’s work, are all a part of the solution. It’s time to take action, make children a political priority and invest in the programs that help families and children move out of poverty.

Nebraska Poverty Rate by Race and Ethnicity (2010)

50 40 Percent

ers and community members at the Coffee with Col-

With More Kids in Poverty, It’s Time for Action

30 20 10 0 White Alone

American Black or Indian and African Alaskan American Native Alone Alone

Asian Alone

Some Other Race Alone

Two or More Races

Hispanic or Latino

Child’s View • 5

Step Up for Kids

By Jill Westfall, Communications and Operations Coordinator

On Tuesday, October 11, advocates gathered on the steps of the State Capitol to urge lawmakers to take action on behalf of Nebraska’s children. The event, called “Step Up for Kids” is part of a national effort sponsored by Every Child Matters Education Fund.

All across the country, groups joined together on the steps of their State Capitols to show their support for investments in children and families.

With child poverty on the rise and social service systems like the child welfare system struggling, we have to work together to call on policy makers to protect vital programs from budget cuts and encourage investment in programs and services that assist children in growing up healthy, safe, and educated.

Tom Osborne served as the featured speaker for the event and spoke about the importance of investing in kids and community efforts to support kids. Children are our future in a very real way. As they grow up, we provide them our time, energy, attention and resources – making an investment in them that pays off down the road - 10, 25, 50 years into the future – in the form of an educated workforce and productive, healthy adults.

With the number of children in poverty rising, Voices for Children in Nebraska’s Executive Director, Carolyn Rooker, urged attendees to imagine what the number of kids in poverty looks like, “Amazingly, the only place in the state large enough to hold all of our children growing up in poverty is right up the street from us here. 82,000 kids in poverty is enough to fill up Memorial Stadium…. Next time you go to a Huskers’ game, try to picture the seats filled, not by a sea of red, but by all of Nebraska’s poorest children.”

In Nebraska, Step Up for Kids is supported by: A.S.K., Behaven Kids, Boys Town, Building Bright Futures, KVC, NAMI-Nebraska, NASW-Nebraska Chapter, Nebraska Appleseed, Nebraska Families Collaborative, Nebraska Family Support Network, and Voices for Children in Nebraska.

6 • Fall 2011

Tom Osborne speaks about the difficulties that children and families face and the mentoring program he co-founded, Teammates.

Carolyn Rooker urges the crowd to see not only a “sea of red” at the next Husker game, but to imagine the seats filled by Nebraska’s 82,000 children in poverty.

Voices for Children staff members Caitlin Pardue and Sarah Forrest listen to the speakers at Step Up for Kids.

Voices for Children Welcomes New Staff, Interns Rachel Boyer holds the position of Executive Assistant & Special Projects Coordinator. Before joining Voices for Children, she developed a passion for children’s policy working in the Nebraska Legislature. Rachel previously held the position of both an administrative and legislative aide for a Nebraska State Senator, and completed an undergraduate internship with a local lobbying firm. Her political experience working at the State level has led her to understand the important advocacy role Voices for Children plays in influencing policy to better the lives of Nebraska families. This understanding equips her to ensure our mission is consistently presented throughout our annual Spotlight Gala and special projects. Rachel graduated with a B.A. from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Caitlin Pardue joins Voices for Children as a year-long full-time volunteer with Lutheran Service Corps. She assists in policy research and advocacy focused on Nebraska’s behavioral health system for children. Before joining Voices for Children, Caitlin worked at the Boston Public Health Commission as an Executive Office Research Intern. She also spent 7 months in Cape Town, South Africa as the primary field researcher on a study on community participation in health systems. Caitlin Pardue studied Public Policy and Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Maureen Book currently attends Creighton University and will be finishing her final year of undergraduate study in May 2012. She is originally from St. Louis, Missouri and is studying Spanish and International Relations.

Maureen is joining Voices for Children as a juvenile justice research intern whose primary tasks include collecting and analyzing data about the juvenile justice system in Nebraska. Previous to this position, Maureen worked as an intern in Washington, D.C. for a national, Catholic, social justice lobby and also completed a semester of studying abroad in Chile last fall.

Ann Jackson is currently a junior at Creighton University and is studying Political Science with an emphasis in public policy. She joined Voices for Children in the fall of 2011 as an intern. Her primary task at Voices for Children is to work closely with other staff members to produce the annual Kids Count in Nebraska Report. She hopes to one day apply everything she learns from her internship at Voices to bring about change in society through advocacy.

Extreme Makeover: Website Edition from child’s view page 1

we’ve made it even easier to connect with Voices for Children online:

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/voicesforchildren innebraska

Follow us on Twitter: @voicesNE

Watch us on YouTube: youtube.com/voicesforchildren

Like any new home, it takes a little while to settle in and really make it yours.

We want to know what you think of the new site: Love the look? Hate the look?

Can’t find a report you have been looking for? Really wish we posted more on your favorite topic? Drop us a line and let us know – voices@voicesforchildren.com.

We would like to thank Woods Charitable Fund for their financial support for our website redesign and social media campaign.

Jena Schutz is currently attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center to obtain in her Master’s in Nursing Administration and Leadership which will be completed in May. She was given an opportunity to pursue an interest in policy and advocacy through partnering with Voices for Children. She will be working with the organization throughout the upcoming legislative session on various policy initiatives as well as conducting and analyzing an organization assessment specifically for Voices for Children.

Her goal is to use the knowledge gained and apply it to future healthcare initiatives and endeavors.

Child’s View • 7

Kids Count Save the Date

We’re busy getting ready for the release of the 19th annual Kids Count in Nebraska Report.

Due to scheduling conflicts and the renovation at our long-time host McPhee Elementary, we are changing the release time and date.

Thursday, January 12, 2012 12:00 pm – 1:15 pm State Capitol

Special guest Brian L. Williams, PhD, from the Emory University School of Medicine will present on the effect of prenatal care on later education outcomes.

Join us for the release of the Kids Count in Nebraska 2011 Report.

For more information or to RSVP, visit www.voicesforchildren.com/kidscount.

IN THIS ISSUE

nonprofit org

US Postage

u Extreme Makeover: Website Edition u Building a Better Child Welfare System for Nebraska u From the Executive Director u Spotlight Gala

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Voices for Children in Nebraska 7521 Main St., Ste. 103 Omaha, NE 68127 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

u Voices Goes West! u With More Kids in Poverty, It’s Time for Action u Step Up for Kids u Voices Welcomes New Staff, Interns

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8 • Fall 2011

Honoring the Legacy Founding Executive Director, Kathy Bigsby Moore’s greatest wish for Voices for Children upon her retirement was to leave the organization surrounded by a community of leaders and friends to “carry the torch of child advocacy” for years to come.

Voices for Children has been telling the whole story of Nebraska’s kids for 25 years. As we prepare to enter our 25th year, honoring Kathy’s legacy is more important than ever.

Making a gift to the Kathy Bigsby Moore Legacy Fund and ensures that Voices for Children in Nebraska continues to be the outspoken, independent voice for Nebraska’s kids.