Bonus Content

In child welfare, collaboration among all involved parties is required, and time is of the essence. Delays in communication can be disastrous for families and workers in the child welfare system. In this episode of Season 5, hear about Stabilify - a software company working to improve efficiency in child welfare. We spoke with the President of Stabilify, Jackie Gonzalez, about their streamlining efforts. We also interviewed Esther Jacobo of Children’s Home Society, a recent partner with Stabilify, about the impact this technology has on the workforce.

Working in child welfare can be challenging, especially when up to 80% of case managers’ time is spent on paperwork and other office tasks. This takes away valuable time from the children and families in need. Listen to hear about a new time saving innovation - the CaseAIM app. In this episode of Season 5, hear from Morgan Ryan and Brianna Kobayashi of Children’s Home Society about the positive impact of this new technology.

Listen to this episode of the Get Plugged In series to gain wisdom and insight on accessing healthcare services so that former foster youth are better equipped to maintain their physical and emotional well-being. Diamond Whitley, OVI’s Youth Engagement Specialist, and Jenn Edgson, Healthcare Consultant with Community Based Care Integrated Health, share some tips.

https://ficw.fsu.edu/

All young people with lived foster care experience and child welfare professionals listen up! This episode of the Getting Plugged In series is one you don’t want to miss. Get tips on getting food assistance through ACCESS Florida from Rayla James, President of the Brevard Youth Leadership Council, and Patti Grogan, Director of Policy and Programs with the Office of Economic Self-Sufficiency.

That’s right! Young people with lived foster care experience may be eligible to have their postsecondary education tuition covered. Listen to this episode of the Get Plugged In to learn how to access this incredible benefit available to former foster youth. Get the facts from Dina Santos, a member of Passport to Leadership Youth Advisory Board and sophomore at Florida State College at Jacksonville, and Lisa Jackson, Senior Program Director of Academic Support & Engagement at Florida State University.

You gotta’ know about the resources available through Florida’s independent living programs before you turn 18. Listen to this episode of the Get Plugged In series to learn about Extended Foster Care (EFC) and Postsecondary Education Services and Support (PESS). Get the scoop on how remaining in foster care after 18 and taking advantage of PESS can assist young adults in reaching their transition goals, preparing for self-sufficiency. Hear from Demarco Mott, Chair of the Citrus FCN Youth Advocacy Council, and Keri Flynn, Embrace Families’ Director of Youth Services.

Psst…if you haven’t already heard, young people can cash in on the Division X Chafee federal funds. These funds were made available to states to help with the pandemic relief efforts. Hear from John Watson, Youth Council Specialist with OVI, and Brandie McCabe, Director of Youth Initiatives with Selfless Love Foundation, on the educational incentive money and additional financial assistance available to eligible former foster youth.

If you are a young person with lived foster care experience on the journey to becoming a self-sufficient adult, get the low down on why Life Skills Reimagined is the most innovative curriculum and should be available to all transition-age foster youth. In this episode of Getting Plugged In, hear what Kaitlynn Hanson, a member of Camelot’s Tampa Bay Youth Empowerment Board, and Stephanie Savely, Founder of LYFT Learning, have to say about this easily accessible and very engaging online platform.

This episode explores the Kinship Caregiving and Kinship Navigator Programs. Michelle Mongeluzzo and Dr. Anna Yelick discuss the Kinship Navigator Program at Kids Central, Inc., a community-based care lead agency in Florida and the evaluative work the Florida Institute for Child Welfare has been contracted to complete. Hear the guests discuss the importance of collaboration in this type of research work, specifically, the buy-in needed from the agency-level and the support the research team needs from agency leadership.

Join us as we discuss recent federal and state child welfare policies and their implications for the future of residential group care. We will exam the FFPSA and how it affects the availability of federal dollars to specific residential care settings and places limits on placement timeframes. Dr. Pryce will speak with Dr. Shamra Boel-Studt and Ms. Zandra Odum to learn about Florida's efforts to implement the FFPSA and the new mandated accountability system.