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Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children Ents, Adoptive Parents, Kinship Care - Givers, Or Some Combination

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Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children Ents, Adoptive Parents, Kinship Care - Givers, Or Some Combination AdoWinpter 2t01a5 lk NACAC’s Executive Director Joe Kroll Transitions Leadership to Veteran Nonprofit Chief Carolina Bradpiece fter more than three decades of children, youth, and families. leading and shaping NACAC Carolina and I will work closely Aas its executive director, Joe together in the next few months to Kroll is retiring. NACAC’s board con - ensure a smooth, successful transi - ducted a nationwide search and has tion. We are both deeply committed hired Carolina Bradpiece, a highly to NACAC and its community. I look regarded nonprofit professional in forward to seeing how Carolina will Minnesota and across the country. be able to grow the organization and Carolina Bradpiece She will begin serving as executive create new opportunities for serving director on April 1, 2015. children and families.” “This organization will thrive under Carolina’s leadership,” says Joe. “I A native of El Salvador, Carolina look forward to celebrating her many moved as a teenager to Minnesota, successes and the improved lives of where she graduated from Macalester College. Her first professional job was with the Minnesota State Adoption Unit, where she used her Contents Spanish-speaking skills to serve as a bridge between families, children, 3 Engaging Constituents in and staff working on international Advocacy adoptions. 5 Behavior and Sensory Processing: Carolina next moved to New York Two Sides of the Same Coin City, where she worked at McMahon Services for Children, a leading foster 8 Creating Permanency after a care and adoption agency where she Disrupted Placement provided strategic direction and full implementation of treatment family Joe Kroll 10 Join Us for the NACAC foster care programs, managed pro - Conference in Long Beach grams aimed at adolescents, coordi - Carolina has vast expertise in board nated programs for parents of chil - NACAC Board Updates Position and staff development, innovation, 11 dren in care, and directed both foster change management, fiscal manage - Statement on Incentive Program boarding home and group residential ment, long-range strategic planning, President Obama Proposes Child settings. “Through my work, I have legislative strategies, facility and pro - 12 developed a life-long commitment to gram development, and philan - Welfare Investments in 2016 the well-being of children and fami - thropy. As a fundraiser, she has sur - Budget lies,” says Carolina. “I am honored to passed the $275 million mark in continue the excellent work of Joe funds raised for mission-driven Take Care When Talking about 15 and the incredibly accomplished organizations. Carolina has an the Adoption Tax Credit staff.” …continued on page 2 NACAC’s Executive Director... and Increasing Adoptions Act, and Lealtad Service to Society Award , the continued from page 1 the recent Preventing Sex Trafficking highest award given to an alumnus for and Strengthening Families Act. his or her distinguished service to community. Carolina has served as a impeccable track record of sound Carolina is excited to continue the member of the board of directors for business judgment and a demon - organization’s mission and build on Chamber of Commerce, Rotary, strated ability to develop a culture of its past successes: “I am humbled to United Way Council of Agency efficiency, transparency, and follow in Joe’s footsteps, yet I know Executives, Families and Individuals accountability. there are still many opportunities Sharing Hope, Workforce Investment ahead of us to ensure that every child Board, the YMCA, Girl Scouts, and “Carolina brings to NACAC over 25 has a family for a lifetime and every Community Action Partnership. years of solid and highly successful family has the supports they need for Carolina has been a guest speaker for management of nonprofit organiza - success. NACAC’s accomplished staff the National CAP fundraising con - tions as well as a heart for children and I will form a team to focus on ference, Global University, and the and families,” says Sue Badeau, policy and program efforts needed End Poverty Minnesota Conference. NACAC’s board president. “We are throughout the U.S. and Canada.” very excited to welcome her to the Carolina lives in St. Paul, Minnesota team and support her vision as she Before joining NACAC, Carolina with her husband and two children. builds on Joe’s incredible legacy.” served as president and CEO of the Together, they go camping every year, Community Action Partnership (CAP) try to catch as many theater perform - Under Joe's leadership, NACAC has Agency of Scott, Carver, and Dakota ances as possible, love history and grown from a grassroots, all-volun - Counties, where she oversaw 24 pro - museums, and visit with family and teer organization to an internation - grams serving 55,000 individuals annu - friends as often as they can. ally known leader in the field of ally in three counties and managed a adoption. Over the years, NACAC budget of $17 million. Carolina’s other NACAC encourages adoptive, kin, has played a key role in promoting leadership roles include: director with and foster families, child welfare pro - the adoption of children and older Minnesota Philanthropy Partners and fessionals, policymakers, and other youth from foster care and in executive director positions with the interested participants to attend expanding support services for adop - YMCA of Greater Los Angeles, Big NACAC’s annual conference this tive families. Key legislative accom - Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los year, where they will enjoy the oppor - plishments for NACAC have Angeles, and the Girl Scouts. tunity to celebrate Joe’s legacy, while included helping to shape and pass also welcoming Carolina. The confer - the Adoption and Safe Families Act, In 2012, Macalester College be - ence will be from July 29th to August the Fostering Connections to Success stowed upon Carolina the Catharine 1st in Long Beach, California. Learn more about the conference on page 10 or at www.nacac.org. Zion B Zion, born in 2002, loves sports of all kinds, especially basketball, lacrosse, and football. He is very proud that he made the basketball team at his current school. Zion is incredibly Adoptalk artistic and likes to draw when he is not playing video games or watching Adoptalk is published quarterly. When TV. He loves to go out to eat, espe - reprinting an article, please attribute as : cially if it is for pizza, subs, or ice “From Adoptalk , pub lished by the cream. Zion is currently in the sev - North Ameri can Council on Adoptable Chil dren, St. Paul, Minnesota; 651- enth grade and says his favorite class 644-3036; www.nacac.org.” Copy - is gym. He can be shy when he meets righted items (© 2015) can only be someone new, but once his smile reprinted with the author’s permission. comes out, you know you’ve made a friend. Comments and contributions welcome! SUE BADEAU , President Zion wants to be adopted by a family who likes sports or who is willing to sup - Executive Director port him in his interest to play on school or community teams. He will need JOE KROLL , Adoptalk a strong male role model as he embarks on his teenage years. For more infor - MARY BOO , Editor mation, contact Danielle Brennan: [email protected] or 410- ISSN# 0273-6497 713-3947. B 2 • Winter 2015 Adoptalk North American Council on Adoptable Children ents, adoptive parents, kinship care - givers, or some combination. We typi - Engaging Constituents in cally find that having a mix of youth and parent advocates is most effective. Advocacy Each has a different side of the story to by Mary Boo, NACAC’s assistant director tell, and it’s often the combination that paints the most compelling picture. ACAC, like many organiza - how to support family-based place - tions, is committed to ensuring ments rather than congregate care. We When seeking individual advocates, we Nthat those affected by laws and brainstormed the types of children recommend you: rules have a voice in shaping those poli - and youth who are often placed in • Find people who are constituents of cies. Engaging youth and parents in group care, such as those who need the people you hope to influence. advocacy is both the right thing to do emergency care, teens, pregnant or First identify key policymakers to and an effective way to achieve your parenting youth, and children with target. Policymakers are elected to goals. NACAC has experienced success serious disabilities. Then we devel - represent constituents’ interests, so at state and federal levels when we’ve oped talking points to communicate: the best advocates are those that live partnered with youth and parent advo - in the specific district. cates who share their stories with poli - • Children who face a variety of chal - cymakers. We’ve found the most pow - lenges are being raised in families. • Ask for recommendations. We rely erful communications are those that • Families are the best place for all on our network of parent groups pair a constituent who tells a well-pre - children and youth. and agencies to make suggestions pared personal story with an advocate and introductions to individuals. If who can share data and extrapolate the • There’s a family for every child. you’re working on a local level, you story to hundreds or thousands of chil - • Families need training and support may ask for ideas from your staff or dren and families affected by a policy. to help ensure they can meet the volunteers or other local agencies. Last October, we brought 11 foster and needs of children and youth. • Ensure diversity in your partici - adoptive parents from around the U.S. pants. It’s ideal to look for all sorts to meet with congressional staff. Our Identify Youth and Parent of diversity, including race/ethnic goal was to emphasize that children and Participants background, gender, age, and expe - youth—even those with challenges— Once your goals are in place, it’s time to rience, especially if advocates will be can be cared for in families as long as find individuals who can communicate presenting together.
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