Free Recovery Month PSA

By |

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. If your organization is planning events and you want to publicize them, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a deal for you.  A free public service announcement, made for TV, comes in two versions. The generic PSA introduces Recovery Month and encourages people to visit the Recovery Month Web site and find a Recovery Month event in their area. The second PSA is customizable so that organizations can add in their local Recovery Month event information.  The Recovery Month website has helpful information about how to get a copy of the PSA, how to contact TV stations and cable companies, and how to get free air time.

Judge Hatchett Keynotes Conference

By |

The Truancy Intervention Project will host a conference sponsored by the Governor’s Office for Children and Families. The event has a long name: Charting the Course: Reinvesting In and Reengaging Georgia’s Youth. The conference runs Oct. 27-29 and features a keynote speech from former Fulton County Juvenile Chief Judge Glenda Hatchett, now star of the “Judge Hatchett Show.” Registration is free, but limited to 200 people. The event is almost half full so sign up here.

Training: Special Visas for Kids

By |

The U.S. Immigration Services and Homeland Security will present a special training seminar for Georgia Division of Family Services employees, immigrant children advocates, social workers, community volunteers, and others who work with immigrant children.  Immigrant children who have been abused, neglected, victimized, or abandoned may have humanitarian visa options available that may help these children regain stability, safety, and permanency.  This seminar will provide the technical knowledge you need to identify and assist these children.  Department of Homeland Security HQ policy analysts will be traveling from Washington, D.C. to Atlanta to present this special training.  Details:

SPECIAL IMMIGRANT JUVENILE VISAS & VICTIMS OF CRIMES and HUMAN TRAFFICKING

DATE / TIME: Thursday,  August 12, 2010 9:00 a.m.  to  12:00 noon

LOCATION:   US Citizenship & Immigration Services, 2150 Parklake Drive NE, Atlanta, GA  30345,  Second floor Ceremony Room

PARKING:  Free

SECURITY NOTE:  All visitors subject to airport-style security screening

CONTACT:   Joseph.Kernan@DHS.gov or     phone 770-508-1862

Senate Hearing on Juvenile Code

By |

The Senate Judiciary Committee will discuss the juvenile code rewrite bill SB 292, Article 6 next Monday at 2 pm in room 450 at the Capitol.  Article 6 is controversial because it deals with Children in Need of Services (CHIN’s).  These kids are considered status offenders under Georgia law.  Currently, they are treated the same as delinquent kids.  Article 6 would provide status offenders with family oriented services geared toward fixing their problems.  Some of the agencies expected to attend include the Truancy Intervention Project, the Office of Child Advocacy and the Department of Behavioral Health. Attorney Julia Neighbors from Just Georgia wrote a passionate argument for Article 6:

“Current research and best practices now suggest that youth and families in crisis require a faster response than courts can offer and that juvenile justice systems are often ill-equipped to provide the services these youth and families need. ”

For more on SB 292:

Long Road to Juvenile Code

SB 292: Rethinking 17 vs. 18

Other Bills Regarding Juveniles

Wanted: Insights on Trauma and Delinquency

By |

Exposure to trauma, delinquency and school failure are related, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).  More than sixty percent of children have witnessed violence and 46.3 percent have experienced physical assault.

If you have direct experience with kids who’ve gone through traumatic experiences, you may want to join the online forum called "Chronic Trauma and the Teen Brain". Benjamin Chambers writes that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is collecting information and data.  If you can answer the following question, this forum is for you:

“Where are there opportunities within these adolescent systems to better identify, assess and intervene to support the needs and healthy development of young people affected by chronic trauma?”

For more information:

Chronic Trauma and the Teen Brain - An Online Forum

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Get Heard

By |

The National Conference on Juvenile and Family Law is looking for presenters.  If you have a cutting edge program, or something to say about juvenile delinquency, family law, substance abuse, child abuse and other topics of interest to juvenile and family court professionals, you can apply to be a presenter.  The deadline for proposals is September 15.  The conference is set for March 27-17 in Reno, NV.  Send questions to Diane Barnette, Director, Conference Planning and Marketing:  dbarnette@ncjfcj.org. This conference does not pay speakers for travel or lodging, and there are no honorariums. But  the NCJFCJ will waive the one-day registration fee for a speaker, and it does offer a reduced rate for the rest of the conference. To apply, click here.

Atlanta to Host Child Abuse and Neglect Institute

By |

The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges will bring the Child Abuse and Neglect Institute to Atlanta. The event will take place at the Georgia State University Law School, October 12-15, 2010. 

From their flier:

“This week-long training program for dependency court judges brings together national and local faculty to teach on core topics including hearing practice, child development, substance abuse, and cutting–edge court improvement developments, among other topics.”

For more information contact  Julianna Ormsby, Sr. Program Manager for Training & Technical Assistance at jormsby@ncjfcj.org or Tracy Cooper, Information Specialist at tcooper@ncjfcj.org.

Watch the National Teen Summit live from Washington, DC

By |

Teens from across the nation are talking about sexting, cyberbullying, and the impact of social media on digital reputation in a live event, streaming online this morning.  John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted is hosting this National Teen Summit on Internet Safety, along with Everywhere's James Andrews. They are taking your questions from twitter hash tag:  #cox4teensafety. Cox Communications is streaming this event in partnership with the Center for Missing and Exploited  Children.