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Course Information

Helping LGBTQ Families Navigate the Child Welfare System

This webinar will provide an overview of the challenges faced by LGBTQ families who need to navigate the child welfare system either as prospective foster and adoptive families or as families in need of services. As the legal landscape changes to provide equal protections and rights for LGBT individuals and couples, increasing numbers of LGBT families are coming forward to provide temporary and permanent care for children and youth living in foster care. Yet marriage equality and other legal actions are not enough to help prospective LGBT families navigate the child welfare system. Agencies and organizations must work to create policies and procedures in order to ensure an organizational culture that is inclusive and knowledgeable about the unique needs of LGBTQ families.
 

Presenters

Traci Tippett, L.C.S.W., M.S.S.W.
Traci Tippett works closely with the Children’s Bureau (CB) and other experts to shape and implement the national agendas for the Capacity Building Center for States’ lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or questioning (LGBTQ) and workforce development priority areas. She also co-leads the State-Tribal topics priority area. One of Tippett's primary responsibilities is helping States and territories build capacity through the development and management of projects, products, and constituency groups. A former national child welfare consultant, trainer, curriculum developer, and clinician, Tippett has 24 years of child welfare experience and specializes in adoption, LGBTQ, foster care, trauma, and attachment issues.
Melinda Feola-Mahar
Melinda Feola-Mahar, ?DA, is a curriculum specialist for the University System of New Hampshire developing curricula for foster and adoptive parents, relative caregivers, residential staff and others in partnership with the NH Division of Children, Youth and Families. Her background is in community mental health, community capacity building and cross organizational collaboration. She is a consultant for the Capacity Building Center for States with particular expertise in family engagement and LGBTQ services and supports. She is a foster and adoptive parent and lives in Keene, NH with her wife and four children.
Karey Scheyd, M.P.A.
Karey Scheyd, M.P.A., is a nonprofit management consultant with particular expertise in foster care, adoption, and LGBTQ services. She began her career as a home developer for a private New York City foster care agency and later served as the deputy director of foster and adoptive parent recruitment for NYC’s Administration for Children’s Services. A resident of Austin, TX, since 2007, she was the director of organization development and improvement for a small business services company and has provided consultation, training, program development, and curriculum development to organizations across the country.
Kristopher Shultz, M.A.
Kristopher Shultz, M.A., holds a master’s degree in cultural studies from Dartmouth College where he studied issues of LGBTQ youth homelessness. He previously served as the Family Case Manager and Children Services Associate for the Upper Valley Haven, a homeless shelter in rural Vermont. He has been a volunteer for the Trans Youth Equality Foundation and is the outreach director for the Trans Education, Activism, Community and Health (TEACH) Alliance. Currently, Kristopher is pursuing a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Seattle University. He has been a licensed foster parent since 2011, and has worked with Granite State College to provide training for residential youth welfare facilities.
Jackson Wright Shultz, M.A.
Jackson Wright Shultz, M.A., is the Education Director of the Trans Education, Activism, Community and Health (TEACH Alliance), an organization with which he presents workshops at conferences, universities, and medical centers throughout the United States. Jackson is a faculty member at New England College where he teaches writing and rhetoric, and he is the author of Trans/Portraits: Voices from Transgender Communities (University Press of New England, 2015). He holds a master’s degree from Dartmouth College is currently pursuing his doctorate of education in higher education administration. He has also been a licensed foster parent since 2011, and has worked with Granite State College to provide training for residential youth welfare facilities.
 

This event is co-sponsored by R. Cassidy Seminars

Satisfactory Completion
Participants must have paid tuition fee, signed in, attended the entire seminar, completed an evaluation, and signed out in order to receive a certificate. Failure to sign in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available.

Psychologists
R. Cassidy Seminars is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. R. Cassidy Seminars maintains responsibility for this program. 1.5 CE hours.

Social Workers
R. Cassidy Seminars, ACE provider #1082, is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Program. R. Cassidy Seminars maintains responsibility for the program. Approval Period: April 15, 2015 - April 15, 2018. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval. Social workers participating in this course will receive 1.5 continuing education clock hours.
CA: The Board of Behavioral Sciences has deferred CE course approvals to APA and ASWB for its licensees. See those approvals under Psychologists and Social Workers
NY: R. Cassidy Seminars is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider (#0006) of continuing education for licensed social workers. This program is approved for 1.5 contact hours.
OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for (1.5) clock hours, #RCST110701

Counselors/Marriage and Family Therapists
CA: The Board of Behavioral Sciences has deferred CE course approvals to APA and ASWB for its licensees. See those approvals under Psychologists and Social Workers.
Other States: If your State is not listed, nearly all State Counselor and MFT boards accept either APA or ASWB approval or are reciprocal with other State licensing board approvals, such as those listed below. Check with your board to be sure. The Ohio Board includes counselors.
IL: Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, Approved Continuing Education Sponsor, #168-000141. 1.5 hours.
OH: Provider approved by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for 1.5 clock hours, #RCST110701
TX: Approved CE Sponsor through the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists. Provider #151. 1.5 credit hours.

Disability Access: If you require ADA accommodations please contact our office 10 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.

Please Note: Licensing boards change regulations often. We attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, however, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling.