State - Nominations for Foster Care Review Board awards dues Sept. 15

The Foster Care Review Board is seeking nominations for its annual Child Welfare Awards, which honors judges, lawyers, foster care workers and foster parents for exemplary service to children in the foster care system. "The awards recognize those who protect, care for and advocate for foster care children and their parents," says James Novell, program manager for the FCRB. "These people have tremendous responsibilities yet receive little, if any, recognition. The Child Welfare Awards were established to honor them and call attention to their difficult and demanding work." Award categories include Jurist (judges and referees) of the Year, Foster Care Worker of the Year, LGAL (lawyer-guardian ad litem) of the Year, Foster Parent of the Year and Parent Attorney of the Year. Jurist of the Year The FCRB will recognize one jurist (referee or judge) for exemplary judicial service to abused/neglected children. Those nominated for this award should exemplify the following attributes and criteria: *Provides exceptional services on behalf of children and their families in the child welfare system. *Exhibits the highest standards of practice and commitment to judicial ethics. *Demonstrates leadership in moving children to safe and timely permanency by ensuring timeliness and thoroughness of required hearings. *Promotes a courtroom environment of respect, safety, sensitivity and inclusion. *Demonstrates leadership in ensuring children's safety and well-being by actively monitoring the care and supervision provided by the assigned child welfare agency. *Demonstrates leadership in holding caseworkers and attorneys to practice and policy standards established to facilitate safe and timely permanency for children under the court's jurisdiction. *Requires, values and utilizes information provided by the those assigned to care for the children (e.g., LGALs, foster care workers, therapists, foster parents, court appointed special advocates) when making decisions regarding the children's best interests. *Possesses extensive knowledge about the array and effectiveness of services available in the community to serve the needs of children and families. *Demonstrates leadership in establishing collaborative relationships within the community to improve the array and effectiveness of needed services. *Demonstrates strong leadership on initiatives designed to instill public trust and confidence in the Michigan courts. *Has at least five years of experience as a jurist assigned to child welfare cases. Foster Care Worker of the Year The FCRB will recognize one foster care worker for exemplary work on behalf of the foster care children he or she serves. Those interested in nominating a foster care worker for this award should carefully consider the nominee's characteristics in light of the following excerpt from an FCRB Annual Report that describes some of the attributes of effective caseworkers: "Successful caseworkers are effective communicators and resourceful advocates for the families they serve. They know the impact that abuse and neglect can have on the emotional well-being of children. They have learned how to draw the line between being supportive versus creating unhealthy dependent relationships. They know how to gain access to the services in their communities. They understand the legal framework within which child protection cases take place. They have honed the skills to know when, and under what circumstances, to continue reunification efforts and when other avenues need to be pursued to achieve permanency for children." The recipient of this award will further exemplify the following attributes: *A caring and professional approach in working with children, families, courts, service providers, FCRB volunteers, foster parents, relative caregivers and/or fictive kin. *Tireless advocacy for services needed by parents, foster parents, relative caregivers, fictive kin and children. *Effective problem solving and case management practices. *Advocacy for improved child welfare services in the community. *At least five years of child welfare experience. Lawyer-Guardian Ad Litem of the Year The FCRB will recognize one lawyer-guardian ad litem (LGAL) for exemplary work on behalf of abused or neglected children. Those interested in nominating an LGAL for this award should consider the following attributes and criteria related to leadership, quality of representation, client advocacy, community involvement and contributions to the profession: *Independently investigates cases and otherwise consistently represents children's best interests. *Complies fully with the mandates of MCL 712A.19d. *Has extensive knowledge about the array of services available in the community and their relevance to the needs of the children represented. *Provides the courts with clear, relevant, and independent information so that the courts can make timely and appropriate permanency decisions. *Seeks the support and assistance of others (foster care workers, therapists, CASAs, etc.) in order to provide the most effective representation possible. *Works to improve the quality of child welfare services in the community and the state. *Has at least five years of experience as an LGAL. Foster Parent of the Year The FCRB will recognize one foster parent or couple from either the private or public sector for their exemplary work serving and caring for abused or neglected children in the foster care system. The recipient(s) of this award will exemplify the following attributes: *Exhibits a caring, nurturing, and protective approach to parenting children placed in their care. *A tireless advocate for educational, medical, and mental health services needed by children placed in their care. *Displays effective communication and cooperation with the assigned caseworker and other professionals involved with the children placed in their care. *Willingly and effectively provides help and support to children's birth parent(s), where appropriate. *Conscientiously complies with all licensing requirements. *Exhibits effective leadership and problem solving skills. *Advocates for improved standards and support for foster parents. *Foster parent(s) must have at least five years of experience as a licensed foster parent. Parent Attorney of the Year The FCRB will recognize one parent attorney for their exemplary work within the Family Division Court representing the parents of abused/neglected children. Those interested in nominating a parent attorney should consider the following attributes and criteria related to leadership, quality of representation, client advocacy and community involvement and contributions to the profession: *Takes the necessary steps to independently investigate and vigorously represent the rights and needs of the parents he or she represents. *Complies with the Cannons/Parent Attorney Protocol/best practices, etc. *Strongly advocates with the court for the needs of his or her clients, especially with regard to reunification with their children. *Takes time, outside of court, to counsel and support the client parents through the duration of the case. *Is knowledgeable about the array of services available in the community and their relevance to the needs of the parents represented, and actively works to access these services for the client parents. *Provides the court with clear, relevant, and independent information so that timely and appropriate permanency decisions can be made. *Seeks the support and assistance of others (foster care workers, therapists, CASAs, etc.) in order to provide the most effective representation possible. *Works to improve the quality of child welfare services in the community and the state. *Has a minimum of five years of experience as a parent attorney. In 2009, a caseworker, a children's attorney and a probate judge were recognized for their exceptional work on behalf of children by the FCRB. The FCRB presented its Foster Care Caseworker Award to Jeannine Benedetti of the Western Wayne County Branch of the Department of Human Services. Benedetti, who has served as a foster care caseworker for eight years, earned a master's degree in social work and works with very challenging cases including teenagers making the transition out of foster care. In naming Benedetti for the award, the FCRB cited her "tireless advocacy," noting that "she is a mentor, listening ear, and friend" who makes herself available outside of working hours to assist her young clients. The FCRB also mentioned Benedetti's expertise in "navigating the educational, medical and mental health systems to meet the needs of these children." Attorney Rubina Mustafa of the Michigan Children's Law Center in Wayne County received the FCRB's Lawyer-Guardian Ad Litem Award. The FCRB praised Mustafa as a zealous advocate who "goes above and beyond the statutory responsibilities of a LGAL, remaining accessible to her clients at all hours and always looking for ways to push them toward success." Mustafa represents abused and neglected children in the foster care system in Wayne County Juvenile Court, and has also defended children charged with crimes as juveniles. Citing her "huge heart and spirit," the FCRB noted that Mustafa "is in the trenches daily" and "does not give up on the goal of improving the lives of those she represents no matter what the obstacles." The FCRB's Jurist Award went to Marquette County Probate Judge Michael J.Anderegg. A 31-year veteran of the court, Anderegg has served as presiding judge of his county's Family Division Court since 1998. Anderegg was cited for his leadership on the state and national level, including serving as past president of the Michigan Probate Judges Association and eight years as a trustee of the National Juvenile and Family Court Judges. FCRB Project Manager Novell said that the awards are given for "exemplary rendering of service on behalf of abused and neglected children and families served by our state child welfare system." Nominations may be submitted by agencies, court personnel, CASAs, foster parents, FCRB staff and review board members, or any interested people familiar with the nominees. The FCRB will accept nomination forms through Wednesday, Sept. 15. They may be submitted by e-mail (preferred), fax or postal service. Blank nomination forms are available on the Foster Care Review Board program page of the Michigan Courts website at http://courts.michigan.gov/scao/services/fcrb/fcrb.htm. Award recipients will be recognized at the FCRB annual training conference in early November. Created by the Michigan legislature in 1981, the FCRB provides a third-party review of the foster care system. The program is administered by the State Court Administrative Office, the administrative agency of the Michigan Supreme Court, and is comprised of citizen volunteers who serve on one of 30 local review boards throughout the state. Local boards review randomly chosen child abuse and neglect cases to assess the performance of courts, the Michigan Department of Human Services, and private child welfare agencies. For more information, call Novell at (313) 972-3280. Published: Wed, Sep 8, 2010

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