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2008 — CFRA's Biennial Policy Conference
Please mark you calendar for CFRA's Biennial Policy Conference, The Time is Now! Prioritizing Family Strengthening in California, April 24-25, 2008.
Registration
is now open! - Register
online here.
Join CFRA
today and receive discounts on registration.
Sponsorship
and exhibitor opportunities are now available (Register as an exhibitor today as space is limited). Don't miss this occasion to join us in
this exceptional event!
We wish to thank the following
sponsors and exhibitors of our Second Biennial Policy Conference.
2006 — CFRA's Inaugural Policy
Conference Report
This report outlines the highlights and insights of CFRA's launch event which will inform the development of CFRA's policy agenda. Overall, the report affirms CFRA's policy direction and vision to create vibrant communities that put children and families first.
Over 300 participants from across the state attended CFRA's inaugural policy conference, which provided an opportunity to enhance their knowledge regarding policies that strengthen families, learn how these policies are integral to their work in their communities, and help identify emerging policy priorities that will inform CFRA’s policy platform, along with an exciting opportunity to network with colleagues from across the state. The conference was also a unique opportunity to reflect on the work of many dedicated individuals who have built the family-strengthening field in California.
On the evening of April 27, a reception was held at the State Capitol Rotunda to honor five individuals for championing policies that strengthen families and communities. These individuals are deeply committed to improving conditions for families and their communities. They are inspiring examples of how individuals can advocate for family strengthening policies and practices. They represent a cross-section of key constituencies essential to transforming policy. Awardees include: State Senator Deborah Ortiz [PDF]; Steve Bennett [PDF], Ventura County Supervisor; Lise Maisano [PDF], S.H. Cowell Foundation; Robin Love [PDF], San Francisco Family & Children’s Services; and Alma Martinez, a distinguished parent.
Read
the press release for CFRA Champions here! [PDF]
PLENARY PRESENTATIONS
Advocating for Policies that Strengthen Families: Lessons Learned from Across the Nation
Chantel Walker, Director of Programs and Evaluation, with the Marguerite Casey Foundation discussed the Foundation’s dedication to creating a movement of working families advocating on their own behalf for change. Drawing upon experiences gained through the Marguerite Casey Foundation’s investments in promoting economic and social change throughout the nation, she shared insights about what is effective state policy advocacy and why it matters for improving conditions for families and the communities in which they live.
Leticia Alejandrez, Executive Director, California Family Resource Association, shared that while CFRA is a new organization, California has a rich and important history of past efforts to promote policies that strengthen families and the communities in which they live. To ensure we build upon the lessons learned from the past, Leticia Alejandrez traced the history of family strengthening policy in California.
The Director of the Center for Justice, Tolerance, and Community at the University of California, Santa Cruz, Professor Manuel Pastor, nationally recognized for his research on low-income urban communities and his commitment to linking social change to community and regional economic development, helped conference participants gain a shared picture of the key demographic, social and economic trends shaping basic conditions for families in California.
Connecting the Pieces: Comprehensive Supports that Help Families Stay Out of Crises, Achieve Economic Success and Prepare Their Children to Succeed
Presenters Kris Perry, California First 5 Commission; Frank Mecca, California Welfare Directors Association; Fred Blackwell, Mayor’s Office of Community Development, San Francisco; and Amy Rassen, Jewish Family and Children’s Services shared with conference attendees that strengthening families is a common goal regardless of whether we are working on improving child welfare, school readiness, asset and workforce development, or access to community-based mental health services. They described opportunities and offered concrete examples of how practitioners and policy makers from these different domains of work can adopt and promote a family strengthening approach.
California State Policymakers, including State Senator Deborah Ortiz, Assemblymember Dave Jones, and California Health and Human Services Secretary Kimberly Belshe responded to policy priorities identified throughout the conference, and offered their advice and perspectives about how to move such a policy agenda forward in California.
Ralph Smith, Senior Vice President, Annie E. Casey Foundation, shared the Foundation’s deep commitment to improving outcomes for children by taking a comprehensive approach to strengthening families and revitalizing the communities in which they live. The Foundation is especially recognized for its cutting-edge work in child welfare reform, family economic success, and community development. Building upon this body of work, Ralph Smith painted a picture of the national context for family policy and offered reflections about how California and CFRA could contribute to national efforts to strengthen families.
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
Organizing Local Family Support Networks For Policy Change: Roundtable Discussion
Local networks shared their respective policy agendas and successes, as well as discussed strategies for overcoming challenges to improving local policies for families.
Solano Children's Alliance Legislative Platform 2003-2004 [PDF]
2006 San Francisco Family Support Network Policy Agenda [PDF]
WORKSHOPS
Economic Self-Sufficiency: Practice and Policies for Helping Families Make Ends Meet and Move Up the Economic Ladder
Participants learned from the experiences of innovative organizations such as, Carolynn Washington, Mutual Assistance Network; Maurice Lim Miller, Family Independence Initiative; Ben Mangan, Earned Asset Resource Network (EARN); Yolie Flores-Aguilar, Los Angeles Planning Council; and Anne Stuhldreher, New America Foundation. All are engaged in cutting-edge strategies for family economic success. Participants helped CFRA to identify the need for new or revised policies to improve the economic conditions of low-income families and communities.
Lessons from the Independence Initiative and Other Strength-Based Initiatives [PDF]
Strengthening Families through Child Welfare Reform: Practices and Policies For Implementing Differential Response
Program implementers Danna Fabella, Employment and Human Services, Contra Costa County; Eric Marts, Compton Project, Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services; Michelle Laborador, Placer County Children’s System of Care; DeAnne Thornton, Child Abuse Prevention Council; Tajel Shah and Karin Kelley-Torregroza, Redwood City 2020; Marian Kubiak, Sacramento Child Protective Services; and Janette Mondon, Stanislaus County Community Services Agency shared their strategies and challenges, as well as offered reflections on needed policy changes. Building from these experiences, participants helped CFRA to identify priorities for child welfare reform-related policies.
Strengthening Families Through Child Welfare Reform (30 slides) [PDF]
Strengthening Families Through Child Welfare Reform (8 slides) [PDF]
San Mateo County Differential Response Implementation [PDF]
Choosing a Path Less Traveled: Strengthening California Families Through Differential Response [PDF]
Promoting School Readiness: Practices and Policies for Working with Parents to Help Children Succeed in School
Panelists Antonia Lopez, National Council of La Raza; Lisa Lee, Independent Consultant; Mary Ignatius, Parent Voices; Elizabeth Catanesi, Madera County First 5 Commission; Frederick J. Ferrer, Santa Clara County First 5 Commission; and Lu Ann Miller, Isla Vista Youth Projects discussed best practices for helping families prepare their children to succeed, especially given the ethnic diversity found in California; explored the connections between family strengthening, school readiness, and a growing movement for universal preschool; and discussed the need for new or revised policies to promote a family strengthening approach to school readiness.
Connecting Families to Mental Health Services: Practices and Policies for Increasing Access to Community-based Mental Health Supports
Panelists Amy Rassen, Jewish Children and Family Services; Alexandra Wineland, Humboldt County; and Jaime Lopez, Santa Clara County Mental Health Director discussed their strategies for increasing access to effective services, particularly given opportunities created by Prop 63 (Mental Health Services Act) and other relevant initiatives, and helped identify key issues to be addressed at the state and/or local level.
Download
the PowerPoint Presentation [Microsoft PowerPoint®]
Panelists Judy Chynoweth, Independent Consultant; Amelia Adams, Coalition United for Families (CUFF), San Joaquin Partnership for Families; and Tom Amato, People and Congregations Together (PACT), San Joaquin County described the process and strategies used to engage the Southeast Stockton community in selecting a result and indicator to change in their community; shared progress and lessons learned about using community selected results to making changes in program practice and policy.
Results Oriented Community Change (ROCC) Inclusive Accountability [PDF]
Results Matter: Using Evaluation to Promote Family Strengthening Policy
Panelists Sid Gardner, Children and Family Futures; Susan Brutschy, Applied Survey Research; and Jaime Munoz, Orange County Department of Social Services discussed how evaluations cannot only be critical to improving services, but also for making the case for better policies for families. Workshop participants learned about the strategies for using evaluations to advance family strengthening policies, identifying how key constituencies can be involved in the process so they are equipped to advocate for the results.
Results Matter: Using Evaluations to Promote Family Strengthening Policy [PDF]
Evaluating Family Support Programs: Where are We and Where do We Need to Go? [PDF]
Strategic Communications and How It Can Advance Family Strengthening Policy: Why It Matters and How Can You Use It
Panelists Renee Wessels, Renee Wessels and Associations; Scott Moak, Prevent Child Abuse California; Erica Derryck, Flight Crime, Invest in Kids; and Kathy Dresslar, Legislative Director for Assemblyman Mark Leno talked about how communications and clear messaging is critical to advancing better policies for families. Workshop participants learned about the key components of a communications strategy; heard how those concepts are effectively applied in practice based upon the experiences of colleagues engaged in statewide policy advocacy; and insights of legislative staff.
A Statewide Policy Agenda: Creating, Supporting and Advocating One Vision for Child Abuse Prevention [PDF]
Strategic Communications and How it Can Help Adavance Family-Strengthening Policy [PDF]
Families At the Helm: Organizing Communities to Shape and Advocate for Family Strengthening Policies
Panelists Leilani Luia, Low-Income Families’ Employment Through Education (LIFETIME); Jim Keddy, Pacific Institute for Community Organizing (PICO); Linda Joy Landry, Family Resource Centers Network of California; Charles Chambers, Kinship Center - Family Ties; and Moises Soria, Nuestra Casa shared that to be effective, family strengthening policies must reflect the realities and challenges faced by the families and communities most affected by their implementation; shared successful organizing strategies, including how to overcome barriers that often prevent families from becoming engaged in advocacy; and discussed the need to balance local and statewide organizing interests, as well as building stronger alliances across statewide organizing groups.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
We have received many requests for the PowerPoints and workshop materials that were presented at the conference, some of which are posted to the Website above. We will continue to post materials as they become available. Please check back for additional presentation information.
If you have information or materials you would like to have posted to the CFRA website, please contact Hilda Zacarias, our Associate Director at 916.338.6633 Ext. 3003 or email hzacarias@californiafamilyresource.org.
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