CAFCA
BRIEF UPDATECAFCA
BRIEF UPDATE
August 2004
Many of you are aware that the Campaign for Colorado decided not to file the signature petitions to place the TABOR and Amendment 23 initiatives on the November ballot. Many of you worked hard to educate voters and obtain signatures for the petition and were disheartened to hear this news. Due to the legislature’s inability to agree on TABOR action, the burden of reform fell squarely on the shoulders of those groups working for TABOR reform. Despite sufficient signatures, the Campaign felt we lacked an ideal situation for passage of the initiative. Reasons included: 1) too many initiatives already on the ballot, 2) the business community’s strong support of FasTracks (especially in terms of $$ for ads, etc., diverting funds from our campaign), lack of voter support as measured by polls, anti-tax sentiment, and the potential for some significant changes in the seats in the House this fall (to a more favorable climate). The reality is that while the 2004-05 budget is technically balanced and, unless revenues or inflation fall below those projected, we should see no cuts for this fiscal year. Anticipated cuts in SFY 2005-06 will be about $250 million, TABOR requires the state to return millions of dollars to tax payers.
Committee News
Nominations
Are
you interested in guiding CAFCA, both internally and externally, and in its
future? If so, please strongly consider serving CAFCA in one of the following
positions.
President
Vice-President
Public Policy Committee Chair
Foster Care Committee Chair
Children's Treatment Services Chair
The term of service is January 1, 2005 - December 31, 2006. If you have an interest in serving CAFCA and its members in one of these capacities or in serving on the Nominations Committee, please send an e-mail indicating your interest to: Anne Robinson, Immediate Past President and Chair of the Nominations Committee, at: arobinson@courthouseinc.org OR contact Peg at: Peg@cafca.net. Thank you!
Committee chair Carol Lawson emailed Dana Andrews to recap our recommendations of supplying DEX with a listing of Colorado licensed adoption agencies and suggesting two headings; Colorado Licensed Adoption Agencies and Other Adoption Services. Kurt Olsson is currently heading up the committee investigating a potential statutory parentage registry similar to a putative father registry, but containing the names of both mothers and fathers. Thirty (30) states have some form of a registry and are converting the language to be Parentage vs. Fathers’. If you are interested in assisting Kurt in these efforts please contact him directly at LDS Family Services, 303 371-1000. The Committee continues to discuss the need for a bill to address out-of-state adoption facilitators and is exploring the possibility of hosting a quarterly or semi-annual birth parent counselors round table for continuing education and to discuss current or potential issues/problems. Carol and Peg met with Dana Andrews regarding the request to change listings in the DEX yellow pages. They learned that CDHS will propose legislation in 2005 to allow CDHS to regulate out-of-state facilitators and would like CAFCA to support this bill. Next Meeting Date: Thursday, September16th, 2004, 9:00 a.m., LDS Family Services 3263 Fraser St., Suite 3, Aurora, CO
The next joint meeting of the county-CAFCA CPA group is scheduled for Tuesday, September 21st 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM. The group will discuss the purpose and value of continued joint meetings. Many CAFCA CPAs have decided not to attend the “TRAILS” training by CDHS, feeling that if the agency could not have the same read only access the counties have it would not be worth their efforts or expense. Many believe that emailing or calling Marlene Romero at CDHS would be faster than or as convenient as access to TRAILS.
Committee members will be reviewing the Foster Care White Paper, published in November 2002. Revisions and updating should include statistical data regarding the number of children currently in foster care or out of home care, the number of homes per population served and the number of children at each level. New sections may be added. The revised white paper will be used in a welcome packet to all legislators at the end of December.
PATH reported that for FY 2004 any respite monies received over $600 will be taxed as ordinary income. If you pay anyone for shelter care or respite care over $600 in one year then you must file a 1099 for that person/foster home, etc. Rules and procedures need to be completed for HB 1271 from Rep. Clapp. CDHS would like input from as many CPAs as possible so they can complete this task. For more info please call Mary Griffin at CDHS 303 866 3546. Next Meeting: Tuesday, September 21st 10:00 a.m., location TBD.
Terry Rogers (Lost & Found), Gayle Collins (Devereux Cleo Wallace) and Peg Long presented the RTC provider’s perspective at a panel discussion during the state’s Institutional Abuse Training July 27-28. The open dialogue will hopefully lead to some joint trainings. At the August meeting, Judy Rodriguez and Kathy Chase addressed RTC rate setting issues with the group. Committee members then had the opportunity to dialogue with Representative Keith King about RTC issues, including the rate setting process and potential movement of the RTC program from CDHS to HCPF. Three RTC’s (Mt. St. Vincent Home, Excelsior and Third Way) will represent CAFCA RTCs in a September meeting with the JBC Budget Analyst for Child Welfare. Topics will include the RTC appropriation and potential transfer of the RTC program to HCPF. Next meeting: September 17th 10:30 a.m., location TBD. FYI: Residential Group Care Quarterly is now available online at: www.cwla.org/programs/groupcare/rgcq.htm.
Peg obtained a second letter from the tax attorney clarifying the portion of administrative expenses that may be allocated to the child care operations for purposes of offering donors a tax credit. She will send this out with the accountant’s written letter when it arrives.
The committee is reviewing available dates and locations for the 2005 legislative luncheon. See the Adoption Committee news for potential 2005 legislation regarding a parentage registry. Due to the review and revision of the Volume VII Adoption rules this year, the Adoption committee has decided not to pursue statutory or regulatory changes to address issues concerning adoption facilitators not licensed in Colorado. Peg is working with a CDHS rules workgroup on draft regulations to implement HB 1271, which creates pilot Dedicated Family Homes for youth at risk of aging out of foster care. She requests participation from CAFCA RTCs and CPA’s in the group.
Peg is serving on the System of Care workgroup and a subgroup focusing on legislative strategies to look at the workgroup’s strategic planning documents and how they relate to HB 1451, a pilot program for integrating the various governmental and private sector systems that serve children and families under the belief that it may reduce duplication, fragmentation and cost of services thereby allowing more services to be provided. A summit is planned for October or November 2004, featuring Sheila Pires of Georgetown University, systems of care guru, as a keynote speaker.
With the TABOR/Amendment 23 initiatives off the ballot, our focus must be revisited. CAFCA will encourage its members to conduct voter registration drives, beginning with employees. Training dates for the voter registration process have been sent out. The group discussed how to engage the news media now that TABOR reform is no longer a focus. We could still work on educating the public by working with the print media to cover stories about how families and children have been impacted by the budget cuts.
The Governor’s office issues a publication every year that summarizes the work of the state boards and commissions and indicates what openings are to occur during the calendar year. Although many of these positions have strict requirements, e.g., that someone come from a specific geographic region or district, be a Republican or Democrat, etc., it may be helpful to review the booklet and highlight relevant openings for CAFCA members and members of their board of directors. Next meeting: September 7, noon- 2:00 p.m.
The committee finalized its draft of the CAFCA ethics statement and presented it at the July general membership. Some additional modifications were suggested, and Jim Worthen, committee chair, will make revisions. The Committee will also review and compare CWLA’s membership expectations/ethics statement with CAFCA’s draft. Based upon the members survey responses and responses received from external child welfare stakeholders such as legislators, state and county government people, advocacy groups and related nonprofits, the committee will be reviewing all membership categories and proposed that membership be limited to nonprofit or government-operated child welfare services programs and that a new category of child advocate affiliate for for-profit child welfare providers, private companies, law firms, or affiliated nonprofits such as CASA programs, COCAF, etc. A more detailed proposal will be developed for member consideration prior to the October deadline to propose bylaws changes. Next meeting is TBD.
September 9th, 8:30-1:00, “Methamphetamine and Its Affect on Children,” a repeat of the much-acclaimed April workshop. This training is co-sponsored by the Colorado Association of Family & Children’s Agencies, the Colorado State Foster Parents’ Association and CDHS. Members of CAFCA and CSFPA, GALs, state and county employees: $15; all others $25. Deadline: September 3rd. Registration form available online at: www.cafca.net or call 720 570-8402. Location: Ft. Logan Auditorium, 3550 W. Oxford, Englewood
September 21-22, 2004, Working with Grieving Children.” Presenter Claudia Jewett Jarratt addresses separation and loss issues for children facing death, divorce, absence, adoption, foster care and sibling loss. Designed for professionals, birth parents, adoptive parents and foster parents. Location: Holiday Inn, 204 W. Fox Farm Rd., Cheyenne, WY. NO REGISTRATION FEE, but space is limited. To register, call: Adrienne at 1-877-733-3618, x1.
September 22nd (full day, $250) & 23rd(23rd, half day, FREE), COA Training Institute presents “Guidelines to Reaccreditation” and “Introduction to Accreditation”. Register by September 15th online: www.coanet.org or call 212 797-3000, X258 for more information.
September 23-24, 2004, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Grant Writing & Resource Development, Hilton Denver TechCenter, 7801 E. Orchard Rd., Englewood. Presented by Zocklein & Associates. For complete workshop syllabus, learning objectives, and registration, go to www.zockgrant.com or call 1-800-371-5703. Cost: $299 for both days, $199 for 1st day only.
October 15 (4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. & 16, 2004, (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.), 2004, Working with Sexually Abused Children in Foster Care. Presented by the Institute for Families at DU. Location: Hampton Inn, 3777 N. Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301. Cost: Free for county foster parents, $25.00 for foster parents with CPAs. Register online at: www.cocwtraining.com.
For information contact Melissa Thompson, 303 871-3796.