Field Center Trainings
Fostering College Success Virtual Training Series:
Expert Panel & Introduction to Meeting Students’ Basic Needs on Campus
October 21, 2020
This session introduced participants to the complex array of basic needs that often go unmet by students who have experienced foster care, and why providing basic needs support to students on campus is essential to their success. A panel of young adults who have attended college and have been in out-of-home care will provided expert insight on this topic.
Presenters: Marissa Meyers, HOPE Center
Panel of Experts
Fostering College Success Virtual Training Series:
Fostering Independence Through Education Act
October 7, 2020
This session reviewed the newly-enacted Fostering Independence Through Education Act, effective in the Fall of 2020, providing higher education campus points of contact with information about legislative mandates and best practices for student success.
Presenters: Teresa Musser, Pennsylvania Department of Human Services
Patricia Landis, Pennsylvania Department of Education
Isaac Greene, PHEAA
Who Cares – Economic Barriers and Foster Family Recruitment
November 13, 2018
Fostering Media Connections’ online publication The Chronicle of Social Change hosted a panel discussion on Capitol Hill about economic barriers and foster family recruitment. Produced in conjunction with The Chronicle’s groundbreaking analysis of the supply and demand of foster homes across the country: www.fostercarecapacity.com and economic analysis from The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research.
Additional speakers included: foster parent and previous president of the Maryland Foster Parent Association Arnie Eby, Jennifer Jones with The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities and Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth.
Our Event Partners included The Alliance for Strong Families and Communities, Family Focused Treatment Association, The Field Center for Children’s Policy Practice and Research at UPenn and Binti.
Click the video below to view the presentation.
Updates on the Fostering Independence Through Education Act, Senate Edition
September 13, 2018
HB 1745: The Fostering Independence Through Education Act, which provides tuition and fee waivers for young people in the foster care system, is progressing through the Pennsylvania Senate after unanimously passing the House.
This webinar will review the provisions of the bill including recent amendments, and explain how participants can advocate to their Senators to ensure the bill’s passage.
Panelists:
Debra Wolfe, Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research
Jenny Pokempner, Child Welfare Policy Director, Juvenile Law Center
Nadia Mozaffar, Staff Attorney, Juvenile Law Center
Click here to view the webinar.
Fostering the Future Webinar:
Making College a Reality for Pennsylvania Foster Youth
July 26, 2018
The Field Center provided a webinar for the Child Welfare Resource Center’s Older Youth Collaborative Webinar Series on innovative interventions to mitigate the obstacles that foster youth face in accessing and completing higher education.
Click here to view the webinar.
No Longer Just A Dream:
Making College a Reality for Foster Youth
June 18, 2018
Scroll down for video from training event.
University of Pennsylvania Law School
Levy Conference Center
3501 Sansom Street, Philadelphia
MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018
8:30am-12:30pm
PROGRAM
Welcoming Remarks
Debra Schilling Wolfe
Executive Director
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
University of Pennsylvania
Creating a College-Going Culture
Marissa Meyers
Special Projects Manager
Public Health Management Corporation
Challenges and Solutions in Access to
and Success in Higher Education
Moderator:
Sandie Beren
Quality Assurance Administrator
Montgomery County Office of Children and Youth
Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services
Panelists:
Agnes Butler
Foster Parent
Mario Marino
Alumnus, Cabrini University
Seth Morones
Stoneleigh Emerging Leader Fellow
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
University of Pennsylvania
John Perry
Student, Temple University
Frank Tennant, Jr.
Case Manager, Turning Points for Children
Laws and Policies Governing
Post-Secondary Education in Child Welfare
Jennifer Pokempner
Director of Child Welfare Policy
Juvenile Law Center
Nadia Mozaffar
Staff Attorney
Juvenile Law Center
Navigating Funding:
Financing College for Foster Youth
William Lindsey
Pennsylvania School Services Manager
Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA)
Campus Support Programs for Foster Youth
Moderator:
Sarah Wasch
Program Manager
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
University of Pennsylvania
Panelists:
Stephanie Ives
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
Temple University
Christine Lysionek
Vice President for Student Life
Cabrini University
Tori Nuccio
Associate Director of Financial Aid
West Chester University
David Thomas
Dean, Division of Access and Community Engagement
Community College of Philadelphia
Helping Youth Step Up to College
Sara L. Woods
Executive Director
Philadelphia Futures
Sponsored By
Training Part 1:
Training Part 2:
Click here to see photos of the training
This training is offered at no charge thanks to the support of
The Philadelphia Foundation.
Fostering Independence Through Education Act:
Informational Webinar on PA Foster Care Tuition Waiver Legislation
May 23, 2018
The Field Center collaborated with Juvenile Law Center on a webinar on Pennsylvania’s pending legislation, HB 1745, the Fostering Independence Through Education Act, to provide tuition waivers and support for foster youth attending Pennsylvania public colleges.
Click here to view the webinar.
Research on Human Trafficking among Homeless Youth:
New Findings and Implications for Policy and Practice
Monday, April 17, 2017
Click here to reach the Field Center’s Research report with preliminary findings
Click here for media coverage on this research project and one day conference
Morning Session
Welcome Remarks
Debra Schilling Wolfe
Executive Director
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
University of Pennsylvania
Remarks
Hon. Patrick Meehan
United States Congress
Morning Keynote
Kevin Ryan
President & CEO
Covenant House International
Introduction by
John Ducoff
Executive Director
Covenant House Pennsylvania
Panel Presentation
Research Findings
MODERATOR:
David Howard
Senior Vice President of Research, Evaluation & Learning
Covenant House International
PRESENTERS:
The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
Debra Schilling Wolfe
Executive Director
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
Johanna Greeson
Assistant Professor
University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice
Sarah Wasch
Program Manager
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
Dan Treglia
Senior Research Fellow
University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice
Loyola University New Orleans/Modern Slavery Research Project
Laura Murphy
Director
Modern Slavery Research Project
Covenant House New Jersey
Julia Einbond
Director of Strategy & Learning
Covenant House New Jersey
Afternoon Session
Afternoon Keynote
Anneke Lucas
Trafficking Survivor and Advocate
Panel Presentation
Policy Implications of Research Findings
MODERATOR:
Hugh Organ
Associate Executive Director
Covenant House Pennsylvania
PANELISTS:
Hon. Senator Daylin Leach
Pennsylvania State Senate
Famatta Massalay
Survivor/Advocate
Leslie Richards, Secretary
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
Penny Venetis, Executive Vice President & Legal Director
Legal Momentum
Panel Presentations
Practice Implications of Research Findings
MODERATOR:
Jayne Bigelsen
Director of Anti-Human Trafficking Initiatives
Covenant House New York
PANELISTS:
ShaNesha Joyner and Anna Thomas
Anti-Trafficking Case Managers
Covenant House New York
Madye Henson
Executive Director
Covenant House Washington D.C.
Melissa Brockie
Director of Prevention and Wellness
Tumbleweed
Stacey Jay Cavaliere
Programs Director
one•n•ten
Concluding Remarks
Debra Schilling Wolfe
Executive Director
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
Research on Human Trafficking among Homeless Youth:
New Findings and Implications for Policy and Practice
Click here to see photos of the conference
Financing College for Foster Youth:
Preparation, Engagement, and Retention Strategies
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Program
Foster Youth as an Invisible Constituency: Why Should We Care?
Debra Schilling Wolfe
Executive Director
Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research
University of Pennsylvania
The Challenges Faced by Foster Youth: Student Voices
A panel of current and former students will offer a first-person account
of the challenges faced by foster youth in higher education
of the challenges faced by foster youth in higher education
Moderator: Dr. David E. Thomas
Dean
Division of Access and Community Engagement
Community College of Philadelphia
Panel Presentation
Foster Youth Preparation for College
Systems of Care:
Understanding Foster Care and other Child Welfare Programs
Laurie O’Connor
Director
Montgomery County Office of Children & Youth
Preparing Foster Youth to Apply to and Attend College
Jean Strout, Esq.
Zubrow Fellow, Juvenile Law Center
Unique Costs of Attendance for Foster Youth
Tori Weigant
Assistant Director of Financial Aid
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Liaison
West Chester University
Funding Available for Foster Youth in Higher Education
Ron Felder
Pennsylvania School Services Higher Education Access Partner
PHEAA
Eileen McCaffrey
Executive Director
Foster Care to Success
Challenges with Retention and Completion
Jennifer Pokempner
Child Welfare Policy Director
Juvenile Law Center
Strategies for Institutional and Student Success
Maureen Braun-Scalera
Director of the Office of Youth Empowerment
Rutgers University
This training was offered at no charge thanks to the support of The Philadelphia Foundation.
Foster Care to College: Strategies for Success
Thursday, August 22, 2013
The Field Center held an important colloquium to explore the challenges faced by foster youth who attend college and begin a community conversation to build awareness of the issue and identify strategies to improve outcomes.
Following the colloquium, the Field Center convened a workgroup to further explore this issue locally. We encourage area colleges who were unable to attend in person to view the colloquium through the link below. For more information about the workgroup, please email the Field Center at fieldctr@sp2.upenn.edu.
https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/communitysymposia/08_22_13_Foster+Care+to+College.mp4
News Coverage on Event
Penn’s Field Center Advocates Changing Higher Ed Policy for Former Foster Youth
Click here to see photos of the conference
Addressing the Myth and Reality of Confidentiality and Privacy in Cross System Information Sharing
University of Pennsylvania
November 8-9, 2010
Conference Sessions
Welcome, Dedication, and Introductions
Debra Schilling Wolfe, Executive Director, Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research
Daniel Stein, Managing Partner, Stewards of Change
Richard Gelles, Dean, University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice
Opening Remarks
Hon. Josh Shapiro, 153rd PA Legislative District; Member of White House Team of State Legislators for Health Care Reform
Privacy, Security, and Ethical Issues in Information Sharing and Technology
George Scriban, Senior Program Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Privacy, Security, and Ethical Issues in Information Sharing and Technology
Lillie Coney, Associate Director, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC)
Privacy, Security, and Ethical Issues in Information Sharing and Technology
Ari Schwartz, Senior Internet Policy Advisor, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Is Privacy More Than Choice?
Anita L. Allen, Deputy Dean and Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy, University of Pennsylvania Law School
Linking Education and Human Services
Lyndsay Pinkus, Policy Manager, Data Quality Campaign
Linking Education and Human Services
Jessica Feierman, Supervising Attorney, Juvenile Law Center
Maura McInerney, Staff Attorney, Education Law Center
Information Sharing and Foster Care
Stefanie Gluckman, Health Policy Manager, The Children’s Partnership
Foundational Elements of Federal Law and Regulations:A Framework for Information Sharing
Lauren Steinfeld, Chief Privacy Officer, University of Pennsylvania
Moving Beyond HIPPA as a Barrier to Information Sharing
Rebecca Gudeman, Senior Attorney, National Center for Youth Law
Moving Beyond HIPPA as a Barrier to Information Sharing
Uma Ahluwalia, Director, Montgomery County MD Department of Human Services
Mental Health and Substance Abuse: 42 Ways to Yes
Sid Gardner, President, Center for Children and Family Futures
Lisa Rieger, Vice President and General Counsel, Cook Inlet Tribal Counsel
Developing Strategies to Meet Challenges in Information Sharing: Lessons Learned
Moderator: Richard J. Gelles
Panelists:
Christopher Wu, Executive Director, Blue Ribbon Commission on Children in Foster Care, Center for Families, Children & the Courts – Administrative Office of the Courts
Erin Dalton, Deputy Director, Allegheny County PA Department of Human Services, Office of Data Analysis, Research and Evaluation
Barbara Cohn, Executive Agency Counsel; Director of Policy & Legal, New York City HHS-Connect
Resources for Conference on Confidentiality and Privacy
FERPA and Education Related Documents
The ABCs of Collecting and Sharing Education & Child Welfare Data: A “How To” Guide for Cross-System Collaborations
View PDF >
Breaking Down Confidentiality and Decision-Making Barriers to Meet the Education Needs of Children in Foster Care
View PDF >
Closing The Education Achievement Gap For Foster Youth — Education Information Sharing Challenges and Legal Provision
View PDF >
Information Sharing Models: Examples of Interagency Agreements and Best Practices for Sharing of Education and School Records
View PDF >
Mythbusting: Breaking Down Confidentiality & Decision-Making Barriers to Meet the Education Needs of Children in Foster Care
View PDF >
Solving the Data Puzzle: A How-To Guide on Collecting and Sharing Information to Improve Educational Outcomes for Children in Out-of-Home Care
View PDF >
- Data Puzzle Tool A: Education Agency Self-Assessment Tool
Data Collection Regarding Youth in the Child Welfare System
View PDF >
- Data Puzzle Tool B: Child Welfare Agency Self-Assessment Tool
Data Collection Regarding Education Issues for Youth in the Child Welfare System
View PDF >
- Data Puzzle Tool C: Child Welfare and Education Collaborative Tool
Data Collection and Sharing Across Systems
View PDF >
Sharing Education Information for Children in Foster Care (2009)
View PDF >
Sharing Information About Children in Foster Care: Education (2010)
View PDF >
Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery
View PDF >
Sharing Mental Health Care Information for Children in Foster Care (2009)
View PDF >
Sharing Substance Abuse Treatment for Children in Foster Care (2010)
View PDF >
Sharing Information About Children in Foster Care: Mental Health Care (2010)
View PDF >
Sharing Information About Children in Foster Care: Substance Abuse Treatment (2010)
View PDF >
Domestic Violence
FAQ’s on Survivor Confidentiality Releases
View PDF >
Survivor Confidentiality and Privacy: Releases and Waivers At‐A‐Glance
View PDF >
VAWA Section 3: Confidentiality
View PDF >
VAWA HR PII
View PDF >
HIPAA and Health Care Related Documents
HIPAA or FERPA? A Primer on School Health Information Sharing in California
View PDF >
Overview of HITECH ACT Changes to HIPAA Privacy Rules
View PDF >
Sharing Health Care Information for Children in Foster Care (2009)
View PDF >
Sharing Information About Children in Foster Care: Health Care (2010)
View PDF >
Technology, Data and Research
California Child Welfare Education Data Research Projects
View PDF >
California Department of Social Services and Child Welfare Council Data Linkages Project
View PDF >
Electronic Information Exchange for Children in Foster Care: A Roadmap to Improved Outcomes
View PDF >
New Data: California Foster Youth: On the Path to Irresistible Information
View PDF >
Examples of Data Sharing Agreements, Releases, Briefs, MOUs, etc
Allegheny Department of Human Services Data Release Agreement July 2001
View PDF >
Allegheny County Department of Human Services And Allegheny County Juvenile Probation Office Data Sharing and Data Release Agreement
View PDF >
Cook Inlet Tribal Council Comprehensive Release of Information
View PDF >
Philadelphia County PA Order Appointing Counsel
View PDF >
State of CA AOC Brief: Sharing Substance Abuse Treatment Information for Children in Foster Care
View PDF >
Sharing Information About Children in Foster Care – Message From the Chair (2010)
View PDF >
State of CA AOC Draft Brief: Sharing Education Information for Children in Foster Care
View PDF >
State of CA AOC Draft Brief: Sharing Health Care Information for Children in Foster Care
View PDF >
State of CA AOC Draft Brief: Mental Health Information for Children in Foster Care
View PDF >
Statement on Data Sharing, California’s Child Welfare Council (2009)
View PDF >
Vermont Confidentiality Documents
View PDF >
Vermont Consumer Information and Privacy Rule
View PDF >
Vermont Coordinated Service Plan Template – Section 1
View PDF >
Legal Foundation Reports and Information
California Civil Code 56-103 and WIC 827
View PDF >
Federal and State Confidentiality Statutes Most Commonly Applicable to Records Found in DHS Files
View PDF >
Montgomery County, PA, Information Portability Project
View PDF >
Montgomery County Information Portability Project: Confidentiality and Shared Access to Information for Child Welfare Workers Under Federal and Pennsylvania Law
View PDF >
Confidentiality Presentations
New Data: California Foster Youth: On the Path to Irresistible Information (September 2010)
View PDF >
DHS – Child Welfare Confidentiality
View PDF >
Montgomery County DHHS – Confidentiality in a Multi-Service Agency
View PDF >
FAQ’s on Survivor Confidentiality Releases
View PDF >
