Dana Frady District Administrator

704-686-0076

Melissa Orr Program Assistant

704-686-0090

Casandra Downs Program Supervisor

704-686-0077

Sherry Shaw Program Supervisor

704-686-0078

Margaret Litton Program Supervisor

704-686-0082

Michael Puckett Program Supervisor

704-686-0086

Cindy Scruggs Johnson Program Supervisor

704-686-0087

Elaine Morris Program Supervisor

704-686-0088

Melissa Livesay Attorney Advocate

704-686-0091

Matt Mckay Attorney Advocate

704-686-0080

Nita Stanley Attorney Advocate

704-686-085

Nea Taylor Attorney Advocate

704-686-0081

Save the DateSave the DateSave the DateSave the Date Annual GAL Volunteer

Appreciation Event

Thursday, April 26, 2011 at 5:30pm Mint Museum of Art on Randolph Road

Invitation to follow via email (EVite)

Charlotte, NC 26th Judicial District

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Mental Health Association is preparing to kick off another PhotoVoice project in 2012.

They are looking for youth between the ages of 13 - 21 who are interested in expressing themselves through arts, music and spoken word as a part of a

multi-media presentation. Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

What is your story? Tell us and others who you are and what your life is like by creating a multimedia project:

Speak up and join Photovoice!

There will be 6 workshops in which you will learn how to take pictures, record video and use them to create a multimedia project that you will have the opportunity to present to others. Who:Youth 13-21 years old When:Six Saturdays (starting 14th of January), 12:00-2:30 pm Where: Occasio Art Studio, 201 W. Morehead St, Suite 200,

Know a Youth who might be Interested in participating? Have their Guardian

call or email: Kevin A. Markle

704-432-4522 kmarkle@mhacentralcarolinas.org

Teen Night Out: The Dangers of Teen Dating Violence

Teen dating violence runs across race, gender and socioeconomic lines. Males and females can be victims, but boys and girls are abusive in different ways. A domestic violence

counselor hosts an open discussion that teaches teens about the reality of dating violence and how to stop it. Located at LiveWELL Carolinas! at Northlake Mall, 6801 Northlake Mall

Drive, Suite 103, Charlotte, NC. To register, call 704- 494-2237.

Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center Address Change

901 East Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28203

Volunteer Spotlight Clare Morris The following interview is one of many in a series highlighting the work GAL’s do. This month we are featuring Clare Morris. Clare and her husband have three grown children, and they have lived in Charlotte area for five years. The following is an excerpt from a conversation between Clare and her Program Supervisor Sherry Shaw. Question: How long have you been a GAL? Answer: 1 year Question: How many cases do you have? What can you tell us about them without breaking any rules of confidentiality? Answer: 3 cases, 8 children, 5 placements. One case involves 2 siblings, post TPR, where the children have been in the system far too long. A second case involves 4 children where the concurrent goals are reunification and adoption, and the third case is post TPR but the bio parent has made such great strides that reunification is now the goal. Question: What do you see as your proudest achievement as a GAL? Answer: Getting what my kids need when they need it and cutting through unnecessary bureaucracy. When a foster parent is calling me because he/she knows I have the best interest of the child at heart and that I will get results, it makes me feel proud. Question: What major challenges does a GAL face? Answer: Keeping the team working as a team for the sake of the children. It is easy to get sucked into taking sides or having an “us vs. them” mentality, but someone needs to keep the team functioning. Question: What are your hobbies? Answer: Singing, running, reading, spending time with my family. Question: What compels you to do this work? Answer: The need is great and I have the time and energy. Most of all, though is the kids. Each and every one is great. They and my supervisor’s support are what keep me going.

CLARE MORRIS

Save the Date - A Night for Children's Rights

"Nothing stops a bullet like a job."

Fr. Greg Boyle Wednesday, February 15, 2012

6 p.m. Cocktails, 6:30 p.m. Program begins Westin Charlotte, 601 S. College Street

Fr. Greg Boyle is the social visionary who started Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention and re-entry program in the country, based on the belief that no life is less valuable than another. Through his experiences in the poorest neighborhoods of Los Angeles, he learned about the importance of fighting despair and published a book of essays about universal kinship and redemption entitled "Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion." The Council for Children's Rights believes in the value and promise of ALL the children of Charlotte, and we look forward to honoring Father Greg's dedication to unlocking potential.

We hope you can join us! For more information, please contact Laura Maguire at 704-943-9460 or lauram@cfcrights.org.

Smiling While Crying

Smiling on the outside

But crying on the inside.

You will never see my pain

Because I just hide it all away.

It feels like no one cares,

Nor do they understand Never knowing who to trust

So you have no friends.

Adults say "You have so much potential,"

But they don't see it either.

All the sleepless nights and all the tears

Had you been there

Would I be going through this?

If I had both parents

Would I feel this way?

Nobody knows what I go through because

I'm smiling on the outside,

But crying on the inside.

~Misunderstood~ (Female foster youth-16yrs old)

Printed with permission.

Jeannie White Volunteering since October 2009

Jeannie White is a retired teacher from Providence Day School and she really enjoyed and loved her job in spite of being overworked and underpaid. Jeanne decided she wanted to give back to the community and the GAL Program is so fortunate to have her as part of our team. She has volunteered her time at other organizations but has decided to devote her time and attention to our program and it is evident but the number of cases she has had in a short period of time. Thanks you Jeannie for being a dedicated and committed volunteer for the children you serve.

Jeannie has had seven cases and served twenty-two children without hesitation and with compassion and

determination that these children receive permanency. Of the seven cases she has had, reunification occurred three times and guardianship with a relative once. Currently, one of her cases is going up for adoption. She is

also accepting a new case with four children.

Working with biological parents, relatives and foster parents is no problem for Jeannie communicates with them and informs them of her recommendations prior to court without hesitation. I applaud her for working diligently

with one parent in particular who is bipolar and does not receive treatment. This causes her to have major outbursts, but that has not stopped Jeannie’s advocacy. At times this particular parent may not like what Jeanie

has said but has not had an outburst towards her. That is due to Jeannie’s advocacy for the children with compassion and empathy for all involved. She gets her point across and makes recommendation that are in the best interest of the child with out putting anyone down, she points out the positives as well as what the parents

need to improve or change in order to get their child or children back.

A social worker has utilized Jeannie and acknowledged her effort (in the YFS court summary) on a case that Jeannie was not assigned to at the Social Workers request. Jeannie used resources to locate a tutor for a child that

was delayed and due to her referral this child received tutoring in her placement during the summer.

My hat goes off to Jeannie for her zealous advocacy on behalf of the children we serve to make sure that their best interest is heard by the courts. Thanks you for your continued work with our program. We appreciate you!!!

Student Interns

Senior Human Services majors at Queens University are required to complete a capstone project at a human service agency before they graduate in May.

We are excited to have three students working with us to complete their capstone project.

Olivia Chester will work to develop materials for GAL volunteers on the issue of Trauma and Children in Foster Care.

She will also coordinate the upcoming workshop for GAL volunteers and foster parents on Trauma scheduled for March 23 and 24.

Sarah Hoots will work with our planning committee to plan the Child Abuse Awareness Month Walk and Press

Conference scheduled for March 31.

Lakeisha Lowery plans to develop in-service sessions for GAL volunteers on the topic of self-care and stress reduction.

We are also very proud to have a connection with our very own Charlotte School of Law.

This semester, Samantha Cabo will complete an externship with us. She is working with Matt McKay, our lead Attorney Advocate. Samantha is also a volunteer and sworn-in in November 2011.

Congratulations to our

Newest team of GAL Volunteers!

ASPIRE LAUNCHES THEIR FIRST NEWSLETTER

The ASPIRE program is a Research program for children and adolescents diagnosed with autism, schizophrenia, and bipolar. The ASPIRE program is within the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine led by Dr.

Linmarie Sikich (see page 3 for Dr. Sikich’s Newsletter Spotlight). We strive to provide compassionate and innovative care for our patients, and conduct cutting edge research to find better treatments for children, adolescents, and young adults Our team here at the ASPIRE Program includes psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, research coordinators, and a

social worker.

To learn more about our program call: 1-800-708-0048

Or email us at: ASPIRE@unc.edu Or find us on the web:

www.psychiatry.unc.edu/aspire

A Note of Thanks

New GAL State Administrator

Anne Rex has been such a blessing to our program since she began as a volunteer in November 2005. She

has been a strong advocate for the six children to whom she has been appointed. She is very warm and interacts with others in a highly professional manner. She is also very approachable and able to see the

strengths in others. Not only is Anne committed to “her” children, but she has given so much above and beyond to the GAL program. Since October 2007, Anne has helped use with training new volunteers. She

usually facilitates the session on families (stress, domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental health) as she has a wealth of experience and knowledge as a psychologist. We have received so many positive

remarks on training evaluations regarding Anne’s training sessions. She continues to facilitate training for every training cycle. She has such a warmth and ability to connect with new volunteers. She quietly mentors

many new volunteers, providing support and encouragement. Using her knowledge in research, Anne has also helped us with a volunteer retention project over the last several years. Anne never seeks praise or

attention for her work - Thank you Anne for all you do for the program and for the children!

McKinley Whooten, Deputy Director of the NC Administrative Office of the Courts has been acting as the NC GAL Administrator since Jane Volland’s retirement in December 2010. He has done a wonderful job as our Administrator and is ready to get back to work as the AOC Deputy Director. We are happy to announce

the selection of Cynthia “Cindy” Bizzell as the new GAL Administrator, effective January 1, 2012. For nearly three decades, Cindy has been part of the Guardian ad Litem program, first, as a volunteer. She then

served as a Regional Administrator and then became the Assistant Administrator for the statewide GAL program. Most recently she has served as the manager for the Organizational Development Division at the

NC Administrative Office of the Courts. In this role, she has supported and facilitated GAL's organizational effectiveness efforts in strategic planning and leadership development. Cindy has also served as a consultant

with the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (CASA), in the fields of volunteer training, staff development, and program evaluation. You will have an opportunity to meet Cindy at our

Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event at the Mint Museum on April 26th.

AMBER H

PRISCILLA

PHYLLIS A. S.

LUCKY

SHAWN G.

COURTNEY C.

MELISSA ANN

TRINICIA

BARBARA S.

TAMARA

ASHLEY H

CHRISTOPHER H.

KENYA

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FRANKIE

JULIE L.

ROXANNE

MARY BETH

KATHERINE

MARY JEANNE

COLETTE

SHIRLEY

JESSICA

GENIE

BEVERLY

ROBYN MICHELLE

TONYA

MARTI LOUISE

CAROLYN

SAMATHA BRYN

CAROL

STEVEN

WES

CARRIE ANN

JAMIE

BETHANY

AMANDA

ERINIQUE

TERRI ANN

JACQUELYN

JEANNE

CONNIE

MARY Y.

ANTONINA

SHARON B.

TANYA G.

GWEN M.

CLAUDIA R.

TESHIKA

COLIN L.

SEAN B.

LINDA B.

PATRICIA C.

SILJE

KAREN K.

MARGARET W.

H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y

The Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Activities League (PAL) will start registering girls and/or boys ages eight (8)

to fifteen (15) for its 2012 PAL Youth Dance Program beginning today, December 20th.

For the 3rd year in a row, PAL will be hosting this awesome

opportunity to teach youth the art of dance. The classes will provide instruction within the dance forms of Jazz, Tap,

Ballet and Gymnastics. Please note that registration will be on a first come - first serve basis and no slots will be held for

any parents or youth. All registration and sign-ups will take place at the PAL office located at 1330 Spring Street, Charlotte

NC 28206. Limited space is available, so register early.

For current PAL members, the dance registration will be $15.00 per youth. If you are not a member, you will need to become a member first, and then also pay the dance registration fee. All

fees must be paid by either credit card or cash only.

Dance practice will take place each Thursday from 5:15pm - 6:45pm beginning January 5th at the BB Dance Productions

Studios located at 5323-B East Independence Blvd, Charlotte NC 28212.

Please contact Jeff Hood, Executive Director of PAL at

(704) 336-2105 for more information!

National Court Appointed Special Advocates turns 35!

On January 10, 1977, Judge David Soukup organized the first team of court-appointed special advocates in King County, Washington. 35 years later, the CASA/GAL

movement has grown to 75,000 volunteers and has served over 2.3 million children across the county!

Judge David Soukup

Courtesy CASA of Humboldt County, California

Resources for our Foster Parents! MCFPA hosts 'Coffee Talk' Support Group at Educational Summit

MCFAPA hosted a "Coffee Talk" session at the Educational Summit. For those of you that have not had the opportunity to attend a session, Coffee Talk is a confidential support group that meets quarterly, in conjunction with our regularly quarterly meetings, and offers foster parents a conduit to be able to openly share concerns and experiences about being a foster parent.

Saturday's Coffee Talk offered an incredible experience to be amongst outstanding foster parents. As always, foster parents feel the need to do more for the foster children they serve. The most popular requests from foster parents were to 1) know their rights and 2) have a contribution in the court. The foster parent rights are listed below and a Foster Parent Court Summary has been created and is in the process of being approved for admission.

As always, Coffee Talk is a way to connect, communicate and confide in fellow foster parents. MCFAPA's goal is always to support our foster families, be advocates for foster children and contribute positively to the foster care process. Our quarterly meetings are held 10a-12p November 5, 2011, January 21, 2012, April 21, 2012, July 21, 2012, and October 27, 2012. The next meeting will be held at Bob Walton Plaza, 700 Stonewall Street, Charlotte , NC 28212 .

Mecklenburg County Foster Parent Association www.mcfpa-nc.com/

Child Abuse Awareness Month Walk and Press Conference We Need Your Help!

Every year, the Guardian ad Litem Program takes the lead to plan the kick-off event for Child Abuse Awareness Month – April. We have a wonderful walk and press conference planned for March 31.

Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month Kick-Off

Saturday, March 31, 2012 9am - 12:00am

Our Children's Memorial Walkway and Garden: 1201 West 4th Street

We need GAL volunteers to help us plan this event. Please call Dana at 704-686-0079 or email at dana.s.frady@nccourts if you are able to help.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ www.noticechildabuse.blogspot.com

Child abuse happens every second, of every day. Some people NOTICE Child abuse, but never take the proper action. The Penn. State incident occurred because people noticed, but nobody reported. That must

stop. How can we stop child abuse if we don't even report it? .

Notice. Call. and, Care

Mecklenburg County 704-336-2273