Joint Task Force on Children S Justice/Child Sexual Abuse s2

JOINT TASK FORCE ON CHILDREN’S JUSTICE/CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

193 POLK AVENUE – NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010 –10:00 AM, CDT

MINUTES

Present Affiliation Nancy Williams Memphis CAC Sandra Allen LeBonheur CCP Stacy Miller TDCS Bonnie Beneke TN CAC Anne Post Montgomery Co. CAC Rae Anne Seay Legal Aid Society - Columbia Verna Wyatt You Have the Power (YHTP) Eileen Beehan Catholic Charities of TN Daryl Chansuthus TCCW Debra Valentine TDCS Frankie Cowan TDCS Merlene Hyman TDCS Judy Covington Montgomery Co. CAC Carla Snodgrass Prevent Child Abuse, TN Linda O’Neal TCCY Pat Wade TCCY Susan Barber Dept. of Health Linda O’Neal TCCY Marymer Perales East TN Children’s Hospital Tom Miner 31st Judicial District Jim Thompson 26th Judicial District Larry Seeman Volunteer Behavioral Health Linda Lloyd TDHS Christina Dotson TDCS Mayme Stephenson Austin Peay State University Emily Cecil TNCAC Rory Alley UT SWORPS Toni Lawal UT SWORPS

Next meeting is Thursday, June 24, 2010

WELCOME The meeting began at 10:10 am with welcome by President Nancy Williams.

1 DCS UPDATE Christina Dotson reported on several position changes. Thomas Jones formerly Director of Assessment and Integration Services is now the Director of Central Intake; Irma Buchanan formerly Director of Intake and Investigations is now Director of Special Investigations Unit, and also noted that Robert Matthews accepted a position in the state of Maryland and Betty Smith is overseeing the Relative Caregiver Program responsibilities. Colette Crawley Martin also has been added to the Office of Safety team to perform due process reviews and technical assistance to field staff.

In addition to the position changes, Dotson reported that the Tennessee Family and Child Tracking System (TFACTS) child welfare database is replacing TNKIds. TFACTS is a family friendly, Internet web based that will be used to handle DCS and its key providers data management needs. It has been piloted in the Mid-Cumberland region and test measures have been conducted by case managers and team leaders, Dotson stated the department anticipates it will go live in July 2010.

The Administration on Children and Families (ACF) will be making their annual visit to TDCS to meet with DCS staff and its key partners about program progress, challenges and accomplishments for the fiscal year. This visit will occur the week of April 19.

Nancy Williams asked Christina Dotson about leadership development training for team leaders. Dotson stated she was unaware of the training, however, Daryl Chansuthus responded by stating that MTSU is working in collaboration with DCS to provide online training to 40 team leaders, 2 from each region. Chansuthus stated the team leaders have been assigned a mentor from DCS or MTSU and are required to participate in a summer practicum. A second area of leadership was mentioned that is being supported by Casey Foundation via a partnership with Center for Applied Research to provide project management and coaching skills to Central Office Program Directors

Merlene Hyman offered additional comments noting that in the Shelby County region they are encouraging region learning teams and have a strong partnership with TCCW in conjunction with the University of Memphis, College of Social Work. Hyman stated they are looking at plans around what the learning needs are and making improvement in the area of assessment. Hyman also noted that they Quality Service Review had recently been completed and that she and her team are working on improving in the areas found to be deficient.

CPIT PRESENTATION Bonnie Beneke showed a 14-minute DVD of a child sexual abuse CPIT mock interview, which demonstrated how CPIT should be modeled. Beneke and Carla Aaron were presenters at the East Region Children’s Advocacy Center Training

2 where they discussed the DVD content. Beneke also noted that National Trainer, Mike Johnson praised the work and many child serving organizations have requested copies of the DVDs. After the DVD presentation, the following comments were provided:

. Frankie Cowan and Emily Cecil recently provided technical assistance to the teams and stated that the feedback to the training has been good. After watching the DVD, the team asked questions, completed a survey, and some scored themselves low on preparation . Nancy Williams asked if there will be follow-up with the teams (e.g. quarterly meetings) and it was noted there would be. . Jim Thompson asked if it constituted having law enforcement there and noted that in his district they may have a representative because the actual law enforcement officer can’t get there due to lack of resources or court hearings. Bonnie Beneke suggested offering options such as changing the time of meeting or having the law enforcement person call in. . Bonnie Beneke stated the DVD is being distributed to all Regional Administrators and Child Advocacy Centers. . Marymer Perales suggested developing a DVD that shows the gray matter (e.g. where you spent a long time working on a case, unfounded case discussion, etc.). Perales also suggested teaching DCS the medical model of how doctors do it like telling a story. . Daryl Chansuthus suggested developing a discussion guide for facilitators . Members also suggested sharing it with law enforcement and other legal arenas, CASA, foster parents, and parents

Due to the many questions and suggestions concerning the DVD, Daryl Chansuthus offered TCCW services to send a form to the CJTF members so they can provide additional feedback.

ADAM WALSH UPDATE Bonnie Beneke reported it passed the House judiciary with amendments, and that many children advocates and juvenile judges/magistrates testified opposing it. Beneke also reported a number of factors are being looked at for having juveniles come off the register. At present, TBI makes that determination and children advocates would like for Sex Offenders Treatment Board to have input as well. Beneke stated aggravated sexual battery has been removed from the language and that it still has to go to Senate judiciary and then House and Senate floors.

COMMITTEES CHAIRS REPORT OUT Training & Education – Co-Chair Daryl Chansuthus reported the Committee is preparing a final draft of child sexual abuse curriculum and will provide an outline to the Task Force soon to review and offer suggestions of critical pieces that might be needed to integrate into the curriculum. A Final curriculum will be shared with the Task Force and DCS before the end of the fiscal year

3 Chansuthus also reported the Committee is looking at PSAs to integrate in training and assisting “You Have The Power” organization with developing a video on setting boundaries with children.

CPIT – Chair Bonnie Beneke reported that the CPIT teams are focusing on training and technical assistance to address regional training needs such as providing mock trial training for forensic interviewers concerning the new law. Beneke reported a learning collaborative is coming up on TFCBT. Beneke also encouraged members to participate in the walk with Andrea Conte. For more information, please click on the link below:

April 10, 8:30 am in Centennial Park for Children. www.nationalchildrensalliance.org

Community Partners – Co-Chair Carla Snodgrass reported the Committee reviewed their work plan and made some edits related to CPS, discussed the unified reporting from the CABs and the oversight from this Task Force per requirement the statute. Snodgrass stated they reviewed what they said they would do when they met last December in terms of presenting on the legislative intent at the statewide satellite presentation for Resource Linkage Coordinators. In addition, they would like to have a conference call with Central Intake to discuss priorities and barriers to referral response time. They are requesting to meet with DCS staff persons Marjahna Hart and Thomas Jones about this matter. The Committee wants to invite them to attend the next CJTF meeting.

In the month of May, the Committee would like to spend time reviewing the CAB minutes for purpose of assessment. There was also discussion about doing Community Café with the CABs in April 2011about their role and invite parents, educators, and Family Resource Centers to attend and have some discussion about wellbeing. Rae Anne Seay shared that Maury County conducts what is called “Maury County 101” whereby they bring agencies who serve kids together and share information.

Snodgrass also reported they plan to meet with TBI on the availability of cyberspace resources and plan to promote the child abuse mandated reporting CBT slides by making available a one-page flyer for interested parties to click on if they desire training on the subject.

April 5 and 6th Child Abuse Prevention, first day is on session and second day show displays

Court Improvement - Co-Chair Rae Anne Seay stated the Committee is currently working jointly with the CPIT Committee to develop some possible protocols or suggestions to each CPIT on the Forensic Interviewer statutes. The Committee will collect information for the document to be incorporated a CPIT

4 DVD discussion. Four areas of needs were noted to provide guidance information on: 1. Plea bargain tool 2. Chain of custody/ownership tool 3. Establishing child’s competence 4. Qualifications of the Forensic Interviewer After the suggestions have been shared across the state, the Committee will seek input about the statute and the guidelines from the CPITs. In addition, the Committee plans to address the issue of criminal, juvenile and domestic relations cases pending simultaneously.

Child friendly books and materials have been donated to Anderson and Coffee Counties for juvenile court waiting areas. Humphreys and McNairy Counties have expressed an interest and books will be delivered to those counties this week. Kohl’s Department Store has donated books to distribute to other juvenile courts for their waiting areas and the donations will be stored at UT until courts are identified.

Treatment – Pat Wade reported that the Committee is reviewing DCS assessment tools and indicators for QSR in preparation for developing guidelines for treatment providers. The Committee requested a face-to-face meeting to be held before the next CJTF meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 2:00 pm CST.