A PUBLICATION OF THE DCFS Latino Advisory Council JB Pritzker, Governor November, 2020 Marc D. Smith, Acting Director Celebrating the 31st Annual LAC Institute Day at NEIU October 2019, Latino Advisory Council members and participants (left to right) back row: Yeni Rojas,Miriam Mojica, Daniel Fitzgerald, Juanita Calderón, Sidney Juarez, Sylvia Fonseca, Taylor Pierson, Azalea Mejia, José J. López, Evelyn Martinez, front row: Dr. Mercedes Martinez, Julia Monzón, Rosamaria Molina LaSalle, Nancy Rodríguez and Alex Medina WELCOME TO NOTICIAS. My name is Nancy Rodriguez, Chair-person for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Latino Advisory Council. The year 2020 has been very challenging for children and their families, especially due to the COVID pandemic, issues of disproportionality, poverty, lack of resources, and lack of opportunities and access to healthcare for people of color. These challenges have led to increased rates in mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence, and health issues, placing our children and other vulnerable populations at higher risk of harm. More than ever, social services are needed to help children and their families thrive. Through social services and adequate resources and opportunities for all, children and their families will be able to move forward with improved positive outcomes. Our current situation connects people virtually for our own safety and health. In the future, we will be able to unite in person to network, share information, empower, and learn. Best Regards, Nancy Rodríguez, Latino Advisory Council Chair • 1 • Sergio Valente: Worker of the year 2019 By Evelyn Martinez and very careful about what he collects The LAC DCFS Worker of the Year so that it is all part of his evaluation of Award for 2019 went to Sergio Valiente, a family. He uses this information to MSW. He is a bilingual child protection improve his understanding of where advanced specialist in DuPage they come from and why they may County for DCFS. He has worked for believe what they do so he can counsel the Department 15 years. He is an and advise the family on improving exemplary person who values striving Sergio Valente with his son Nicholas and upon their strengths. He is very for excellence. He is deeply committed wife Lisa. cognizant of managing his caseload and to doing a very good job and ensuring always tries to complete cases as quickly more mentally harmful to children that children are safe everywhere he visits. as he can. In team meetings, he is helpful have special needs. It is not unusual for He interviews children in a way to make and shares resources or suggestions parents to cry while acknowledging them comfortable so they can share for helping others improve their work their mistakes to him during their sometimes very traumatic events they or just helping them out. Sergio is a interviews. Sergio really cares and goes have never shared with anyone else. valuable asset to not only his team but beyond the basics of what is expected of An example of this was when this past to the whole office. He is often asked to any investigator on a case of child abuse year he was interviewing a child about supervise as a temporary assignment or neglect. He has compiled his own list something unrelated to sexual abuse when supervisors are called away for of resources and shares them with all the and just because he explored the issue mandatory meetings or trainings away families he meets so that they are aware of safety and feeling safe and unsafe, from the office. He does so willingly and and can access help in the absence of or unsafe, the child was able to reveal professionally. I have never heard him DCFS in their lives. sexual abuse by someone close to her complain. He is a very good leader. family. This child had never revealed Sergio goes out of his way to assure Sergio is held in very high regard by his this to anyone prior to speaking with families are reunited when a safety plan colleagues, not just in our office but by Sergio. The case was later investigated by has terminated. He has been known to many others who know him outside of the police and the family was able to put take extra measures and work outside of this office as he used to work in Joliet. in protective measures to assure their regular working hours to assure children He is an outstanding Latino professional children’s safety. could be reunited with their parents who truly cares about the children and more quickly when a safety plan was Sergio often explains in supervision families we serve. I am proud to have terminated. how he counsels parents about the him on our DuPage County team and effects of using corporal punishment, When it comes to his documentation, no confidently depend upon him when how it can be counterproductive and one compares. He is detailed, organized duty calls. LAC MEMBERSHIP DCFS Members: Director's Liason: Coty Corcoles Daniel Fitzgerald Officers: José R. García Chief of Affirmative Action Chairperson Sydnie Juárez Committees: Nancy Rodríguez Azalea Mejía Child Safety & Permanency [email protected] Beatríz Ramírez Community Risk Reduction & Staffing Past Chairperson: Liliana Romero Data Validity & Disproportionality Juanita Calderón Strategic Communications POS Members: [email protected] POS Committee Patricia Aguilar Chair-Elect Latino Family Institute Jennifer Contreras Professional Development Day Julia Monzón Daizy Salgado [email protected] Cynthia Valentín Contact Julia Monzón at Co-Scribes [email protected] Ex-officio Member: Vanessa Castro if interested in becoming a member. José Javier López Evelyn Martínez Office of Latino Services • 2 • COVID-19: Know the Difference IS IT A COLD OR FLU OR COVID-19? SIGNS & SYMPTOMS COLD FLU COVID-19 Symtom Onset Gradual 2 Days 2-14 Days Body Aches Slight Common Common Cough Common Common Common Diarrhea Rare Sometimes Sometimes Fatigue/Weakness Sometimes Common Common Fever/Chills/Shaking Rare Common Common Loss of Taste or Smell Never Never Sometimes Shortness of Breath or Rare Common Common Difficulty Breathing Stuffy Nose Common Common Rare Sneezing Common Sometimes Rare Sore Throat Common Common Common Headache Rare Common Common QUESTIONS? Call 1.800.889.3931 • Email [email protected] • Website www.dph.illinois.gov Source: Illinois Department of Public Health • 3 • March on Washington: A youth’s point of view By Makaila Mitchell-Evans I am a young girl who is growing up in a people from all races and nationalities I am a 14-year-old girl who was given world filled with so much hate for each that came together to stand against the opportunity to accompany my other. I do understand that we as a people racism, injustice and inequality. We grandmother, Trella Wade-Mitchell to need to stop the racism. It is on us, the walked two miles and chanted the whole Washington DC with the agency she people, to give justice and equality to all. time until we reached the park. The park works for, National Youth Advocate This was a very heartfelt and educational was filled and several speakers spoke. Program. While enduring and living in moment in my life. As I said before, I am I cried when I heard of so much death this pandemic that this country is faced very dispirited by this. and how the people died. We ended the with is hard enough, to deal with racism I did not know what to expect. This march at Martin Luther King Memorial. and inequality is very sad. march was a historical moment in my life that I will never forget. I was able to see Trella and Makaila Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, Washington, D.C. 2019 LAC Institute Day Gallery DCFS Acting Director Marc D. Smith Keynote Speaker Dr. Xavier Perez, Criminology Head, DePaul University • 4 • People You Should Know MILAGROS (MILLIE) RODRIGUEZ By Azalea Mejia Interviewing unit of child protection. I have worked Are there any key moments in your Millie Rodriguez in follow up services, licensing career? was a bittersweet administrative services, contracts and Yes, in the beginning of my career, the moment for me grants and finally the business unit, my ambiance in the working field felt more because she will role at DCFS has been to be of support united, family oriented, it almost felt like be retiring this to others and to child welfare workers in a second family. year after 39 every way possible through the work I years of service. do. I was born and raised in in the Pilsen What are your plans when you retire? When I first area of Chicago and earned my GED and I will be spending time with my family, started with a secretarial certificate from the Spanish cooking and baking which are things the contracts Coalition for Jobs. that I enjoy but also my family enjoys my department she was one of the few people cooking. who voluntarily took me under her wing. What are the challenges that you face? She showed me step by step when it came The challenges that I have face along Do you have any words of wisdom down to systems and coding. I value her with other support staff is that although that you would like to share with new as a strong, dedicated Latina with strong support is the backbone of most units employees coming into the department? work ethics and appreciate her guidance or teams, we are not always supported, Don’t assume you know the answer, we and support. I wish her much success in nor our opinion is not taken into are always learning.