Relatives As Parent's Program

There will be a free Relatives as Parents Workshop on Saturday March 24th, 2012 at Trinity Lutheran Church (1600 Kanawha Blvd. East Charleston, WV). Topics include: Enrolling Children in Care in School presented by Frances Pack of Kanawha County Schools and An Overview of the IEP (Individual Education Plan) presented by Rhonda McCormich of Legal Aid.

Those who should attend include: Kinship Parents, Foster Parents, Social Workers, DHHR Staff, and any interested parties. The day starts at 9 a.m. with coffee and registration. The first workshop begins at 9:30 and the day concludes at 4:00 p.m.

A free lunch will be provided. Please register before the DEADLINE of March 16th, 2012. You can register by calling Mission WV at 866-CALL-MWV or by emailing Laura Lou Harbert at lharbert@missionwv.org

We hope to see you there!

RAPP - Relatives As Parents Program

Did you know that there are thousands of West Virginians who are taking care of a relative child? This is called a kinship family and it is a situation where a grandparent, aunt, uncle, or other family member is raising children instead of the biological parents. The Relatives As Parents Program, also known as RAPP, offers services and support to these families and there are RAPP support groups throughout the state.

On January 8th at 1PM, the Charleston RAPP group will be meeting to discuss the topic of child welfare provisions of WV State code 48 and 49. The discussion leader is Sara Thompson, Education and Outreach Services Librarian of the WV State Law Library. To learn more about Chapter 49 on child welfare, click this link: Chapter 49. To learn more about code 48 on Domestic Relations, click here: Chapter 48. The meeting will be held in room E-314 in the East Wing of the State Capitol Building in Charleston. Room E-314 is on the 3rd floor. There is free-metered parking on California Avenue.

Services to kinship families include cash stipends to RAPP groups, a resource library, workshops, a list serve, and kinship information and resources on the Mission WV web page. Additionally Mission WV maintains a warm line. Kinship caregivers can call 1-866-CALL-MWV to ask questions, receive resource information, or a listening ear. For more information about RAPP, contact Laura Lou Harbert at Mission WV. Her phone is 304-380-6775.

RAPP is a joint effort of Mission WV, the WV Department of Health and Human Resources, WVU Extension Services, The Bureau of Senior Services, and Legal Aid.

Save the Date! Another FREE workshop!

FREE Workshops on:

"What the Fostering Connections Act Means to You and Families" presented by Joanne M. Brown, JD, MSW, National Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues
AND
"An Overview of WV Grandparent Visitation and Minor Guardianship Law" presented by Honorable Mike Kelly, Eleventh Family Circuit Court.

When: Saturday, May 22nd, 2010 - 10 AM to 3PM

Where: YWCA 305 Washington Ave. Clarksburg, WV 26301

Who Should Attend: Kinship families including grandparents raising grandchildren, Foster Parentes, Attorneys, Judges, FRN Directors, DHHR Staff, WVU Extension Services Staff, Private Agency Staff, CASA Staff and Volunteers, Social Workers, and other interested people.
Lunch and child care up to age 12 provided.

Preregistration for workshop and childcare must be made by MAY 14th. To register, call Mission WV toll free at 866.CALL.MWV (866-225-5698) or email Laura Lou Harbert at lharbert(at)missionwv.org

This workshop is a joint effort of Mission WV, the WV Department of Health and Human Resources, the Supreme Court of Appeals of WV, Legal Aid of WV, the American Bar Association, WVU Extension Services and the Bureau of Senior Services.

FREE Relatives as Parents Legal Workshop

FREE Workshops on:

"What the Fostering Connections Act Means to You and Families" presented by Joanne M. Brown, JD, MSW, National Resource Center on Legal and Judicial Issues

AND

"An Overview of WV Grandparent Visitation and Minor Guardianship Law" presented by Honorable Mike Kelly, Eleventh Family Court Circuit.

When: Saturday, March 27, 2010 - 10AM to 3PM

Who Should Attend: Kinship families including grandparents raising grandchildren, Foster Parentes, Attorneys, Judges, FRN Directors, DHHR Staff, WVU Extension Services Staff, Private Agency Staff, CASA Staff and Volunteers, Social Workers, and other interested people.

Lunch and child care up to age 12 provided.

Preregistration for workshop and childcare must be made by MARCH 19. To register, call Mission WV toll free at 866.CALL.MWV (866-225-5698) or email Laura Lou Harbert at lharbert(at)missionwv.org

This workshop is a joint effort of Mission WV, the WV Department of Health and Human Resources, the Supreme Court of Appeals of WV, Legal Aid of WV, the American Bar Association, WVU Extension Services and the Bureau of Senior Services.

To view and download the flyer, visit this link: http://www.missionwv.org/frameworks/News.html

Earn CEUs and CLEs at a RAPP Workshop!

To view a larger image of the flyer, please click on it and a PDF file will open.

On Saturday November 14th, there will be a FREE workshop on Grandparent's Rights and Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoption Act of 2008. Grandparent's Rights will be presented by Heather McClung, Berkeley County Law Librarian and Foster Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act will be presented by Heidi Epstein JD, MSW, Director of Kinship Policy with the American Bar Association. The event starts at 10 AM and will be at the Berkeley Baptist Church, Winchester Grade Road, Berkeley Springs, WV. Lunch and Child Care (for children up to the age of 12) will be PROVIDED!Fore more information, please call 866-CALL-MWV or email Laura Lou Harbert at lharbert(at)missionwv.orgAgain, you may read more about the workshop by clicking on the image above.

Thank you and we hope to see you there!

Save the Date!

This is a "Save The Date" notice for a workshop the Relatives As Parent Program is hosting on Saturday November 14 at Berkeley Springs, WV. The workshop will be presented by Heidi Epstein JD, MSW, Director of Kinship Policy, with the American Bar Association in Washington, DC. The subject is provisions of The Fostering Connections to Success & Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008.

Who should attend? Relative Caregivers, Attorneys, Judges, FRN Directors, WVU Extension Service Agents, Private Agency Staff, CASA Staff and Volunteers, Social Workers, and other interested people.

Detailed information and registration will be available as arrangements are finalized. Mission WV, Inc. is coordinating the workshop. The contact person is Laura Lou Harbert at 866-CALL-MWV.

We hope you can attend! Feel free to call with any questions!

September 13th is National Grandparent's Day!

Did you know that Grandparent's Day was started by a West Virginian? That's right, the founder of what is now a National Holiday was started by Marion McQuade of Fayette County, West Virginia. This year, National Grandparent's Day will be celebrated on September 13, 2009.

The first Grandparents Day was proclaimed in 1973 in West Virginia by Gov. Arch Moore. In 1978, President Carter signed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as Grandparents Day. The purpose of Grandparents Day is three fold:

- To honor grandparents
- To give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children
- To help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer

According to the 2000 US census there are over 24,000 children in West Virginia living in grandparent headed households. The Relatives as Parents Program in West Virginia offers support to grandparents raising their grandchildren. Services include special events, support groups, workshops, a web page, a list serve, a lending library and resource materials.

We hope you take a moment or two on Grandparent's Day to recognize and celebrate your own grandparents as well as others in our state. Do you have plans to celebrate Grandparent's Day? We would love to know what you have planned.

For ideas on how to celebrate Grandparent's Day, please visit http://www.grandparentsforchildren.org/