To become an effective parent or caregiver, families must have resources, skills, and support. They must also have hope and be empowered to use their voice. Join us for our 43rd annual resource family conference on June 7-8, 2019 in Columbus Ohio! Attended by foster, adoptive, kinship, primary birth families, and leaders in Ohio’s child welfare and juvenile justice agencies, the conference is designed to connect, educate and build meaningful collaborations between people who share similar experiences. Out of this 2-day exchange of ideas, thoughts, and information, we will discover what we can do together that we cannot do alone. Find out more at www.ofcaonline.org/conference

1. Friday June 7
 9:00 - 10:30 Interactive Plenary Opening: Permanency Panel (Ballroom)
Permanency and Me: Family Panel
Participants will gain an understanding of different options for permanent placement of
children involved in the child welfare system and about informed decision-making in
relation to each option; participants will learn from and share experiences and
resources with a panel of foster, adoptive, primary, and kin caregivers and an agency
representative.
Panel is being finalized
 10:30 – 11:45 Plenary Session: Family Panel (Ballroom)
The Issue Is This
Participants will gain understanding of common caregiver issues and learn about
strategic responses and resources available to address these issues from a panel of
kinship, adoptive, foster, and primary parents and a caseworker. Participants will learn
about topics to include: family visitation Issues; family dynamics; caregiver expectations;
and will discuss what additional are needed for caregivers.
Panel is being finalized
 12:00 -1:15 Lunch and Keynote Presentation (Ballroom)
Diversity and Inclusion in Caregiving
Audience will gain understanding about the application of principles of diversity,
inclusion and awareness to their roles as caregivers, and an understanding of concepts
to assist caregivers with cross-cultural placements.
James A. White Sr., Trainer, management consultant and executive coach, Performance
Consulting Services
 1:30 - 3:00 Breakout Sessions (3)
o What is a “Prudent Foster Parent”?
Participants will learn about Ohio’s “prudent parent” and “normalcy” law
enacted to ensure that the range of experiences of a child in foster care is typical
of those of any other child of the same age. Participants will gain knowledge
about normalcy and their roles under the prudent parent standard and learn
OFCA CONFERENCE 2019
TOPICS AND SESSIONS

2. how Ohio counties have implemented the law.
Ronna Johnson, RN,CPNP; Child Welfare Trainer and Consultant
o Kinship Care – Back to the Basics and Beyond
Participants will gain an understanding of kinship care needs, goals, and
processes and of the challenges for many grandparents, uncles, aunts another
relatives and family friends who become caregivers. Participants will learn about
the impact of care on children and the kinship caregiver, and the rights,
responsibilities and roles of placing agencies.
Ollie M. Collier Jones, Ph.D, President, Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition, and
Toni Kleckley, Th.D, M.A., Pastoral Counseling
o Human Trafficking
This training for caregivers will provide an overview of what human trafficking is,
what human trafficking looks like in Ohio, and how to identify and serve at risk
and trafficked children. Traffickers often exploit the most vulnerable in our
communities: children who have runaway, children who have a history of
trauma, and children without strong support networks. Children who have been
trafficked may experience complex trauma, emotional and behavioral
challenges, and educational challenges and would benefit from supportive
caregivers who understand the victimization they have experienced. This training
will provide red flags to help caregivers potential indicators of trafficking as well
as strategies to support at-risk and trafficked children.
Brooke Pollard, Resource Coordinator, Gracehaven, and Bhumika Patel, Anti-
Human Trafficking Coordinator, PCSAO,
 3:15 – 3:30 BREAK
 3:30 – 5:00 Breakout Sessions (3)
o What Caregivers Need to Know About the “Every Student Succeeds Act “
This session will provide an overview of the collaborative practices public school
districts and child caring agencies are required to engage in under the Every
Student Succeeds Act. Additionally, this session will provide caretakers and
advocates with information about school and agency responsibilities to work
towards ensuring the educational stability of students in foster care. Upon
leaving this workshop, participants should be better able to: identify
requirements in ESSA that ensure the educational stability of youth in foster
care; understand the role that each agency plays in the educational stability of
youth in foster care and the duties they are required to fulfill; and engage in the
procedures intended to ensure the educational stability of foster youth
Thomas Capretta, Direct Student Services Coordinator, Office of Improvement
and Innovation, Ohio Department of Education and Brittany Miracle, program
administrator 3 for the Office of Integrated Student Supports, Ohio Department
of Education

3. o Introducing the Children Need Amazing Parents (CHAMPS) program
Participants will learn about the CHAMPS national campaign’s strategies and
practices aimed at ensuring bright futures for kids in foster care by promoting
the highest quality parenting; participants will leave with a better understanding
of research that shows that loving, supportive families – whether birth, kin,
foster or adoptive – are critical to the healthy development of all children;
participants will become acquainted with the CHAMPS policy playbook and
related tools to assist policy makers and child welfare leaders in making
improvements.
Brandi Slaughter, Ohio Children’s Alliance, CHAMPS Program Manager
o Understanding the Law and Legal Processes of Legal Custody, Guardianship
and other Permanency Options
Participants will gain knowledge about the legal and court processes associated
with legal custody, temporary custody, guardianship, and adoption and the
rights, responsibilities, judicial oversight, and legal status associated with each
option. Participants will gain understanding about the financial implications of
each option and the resources/benefits available under each option, including
healthcare, financial assistance, case services, and respite care.
Tom Zani, JD, Clinical Supervisor and Senior Attorney, Family and Youth Law
Center at Capital University Law School
After hours discussion: Dealing with agency allegations – Optional session
with open facilitated discussion on allegations (no credit offered)
Saturday, June 8th
 9:00 - 10:30 Plenary Opening
Child Welfare Law and Policy 101
Participants will gain understanding of the legal and administrative processing of cases
in the children services system, learn about the nature of and criteria for decision-
making throughout the process, and gain knowledge of the respective roles of key case
participants from family/administrator/caseworker/prosecutor/agency attorney/judicial
perspectives.
Magistrate Michelle L. Edgar, Fairfield County Juvenile & Probate Courts and Teri DeVoe,
licensed foster and approved adoptive parent, Fairfield County Protective Services;
remainder of panel is being finalized
 10:30 - 11:45 Plenary Youth Panel
If Only They Knew…
Participants will learn about the challenges and opportunities faced by youth in the
foster care system and gain an understanding of their potential roadblocks to successful
independent living from a panel of former foster youth. Participants will gain

4. understanding of the rights of foster youth, the youth transition services available in
Ohio., topics to include birth and foster family relationships, the need for normalcy, and
educational roadblocks.
Moderator/panel is being finalized
 12:00 -1:30 Lunch and Keynote (Ballroom)
Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA): What it is, Who it Helps and Why You
Should Care
Participants will gain an understanding of this landmark federal legislation, which
provides the opportunity for Ohio to transform child welfare and the way it is
practiced. Participants will learn about the Act’s aims to prevent children from entering
foster care by implementing evidence-based prevention services that lessen the need
for placement of children in foster care and changes the way supports for mental health
services, substance use treatment, and in-home parenting skill training are delivered.
This family-driven training will give Ohio foster, adoptive, kinship, primary birth families,
and youth who have aged out of foster care an understanding of FFPSA, how it impacts
vulnerable families and children, and what they can do to help guide Ohio’s
implementation of the Act. By the end of this training, participants will:
o Understand the Family First Prevention Services Act
o Identify how changes to FFPSA key components can support, reduce or prevent a
child and their family or caregivers journey through the child welfare system
o Know how to engage in the process and find up to date information about Ohio’s
FFPSA design and implementation process
Wendi Turner, BS, Human Resources/Business Administration, Executive Director,
Ohio Family Care Association; Panel members being finalized
Ohio State Bar Foundation, Keynote Sponsor
1:30 - 3:00 Breakout Sessions (3)
o Self-Care for the Foster/Adoptive/Kinship Parent
Participants will gain an understanding of the emotional toll and impact on one’s
quality of life working as a caregiver can take and the importance of self-care.
This interactive training will enhance caregiver knowledge on how to increase
caregiver resiliency and strategies to encourage self-care and promote
awareness about vicarious trauma and reduce burnout. Participants will be able
to identify at least 3 self-care strategies or activities
Monique Phifer LISW-S, founder and CEO of Solutions for the Silent LLC
o Living with children prenatally exposed to toxic substances
Many children who are cared for in adoptive, kinship and foster homes were
born with both inherited trauma and the effects of exposure to toxic substances
during their prenatal life. Whether alcohol, meth, crack, heroin or another
addictive substance, children prenatally exposed require families ready to
respond to the differences this exposure brings throughout their life. Participants
will understand the value of producing less stress in the family home, learn

5. techniques to assist children at various stages of their lives, and be provided a
list of resources for further learning about toxic exposure and stress
management.
Teri DeVoe, licensed foster and approved adoptive parent, Fairfield County
Protective Services
o Adoption Open Forum
Participants will gain understanding of current issues and opportunities for
adoptive parents and will gain knowledge about post adoption service needs and
availability, avoiding and dealing with adoption disruption and dissolutions, how
adoption subsidies are calculated and finalized, and open adoption practices in
Ohio.
Presenter/moderator being finalized
 3:15 – 3:30 BREAK
 3:30 – 5:00 Plenary Session What’s New? Looking Forward to the Future
o Fostering with a new Look
Participants will learn about and gain understanding of new programming and
policies related to foster care, new and proposed legislation, and current issues
of import for foster families from family and agency perspectives, and gain
knowledge about the need for new types of foster placements for foster youth
as an alternative to residential care and what policies and practices need to be
developed to ensure that a child’s first placement is the best placement.
Moderator/presenter being finalized
o Birth Parents: What is Working, What do We Need?
Participants will gain understanding about the current and proposed
programming and resources for families who are involved with the child welfare
system, and knowledge about what strategies and practices are effective in
providing needed support. Participants will learn about Ohio birth parent
initiatives such as HOPE and Succeed.
Moderator/presenter being finalized
o Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition family panel
Participants will learn about new programming and pending legislation related to
kinship caregiving and the potential benefits/challenges for caregivers associated
with each. Participants will gain an understanding of the status of the State
Kinship Navigator Program and the potential services and resources that will be
available to kin caregivers through that program
Ollie M. Collier Jones, Ph.D, President, Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition, Ron
Browder and Dr. Ollie Jones facilitating

6. OFCA Conference
June 7-8, 2019
Registration
May be handled by mailing in this form or
processing your registration on line.
Deadline for Meal Confirmation is: May 31, 201
Name: ______________________________
Street: ______________________________
City:________________________________
Zip: ________________________________
County: _____________________________
Email: ______________________________
Phone:______________________________
Agency Affiliation: ____________________
Role: Check all that apply
☐ Adoptive Parent ☐ Foster Parent
☐ Primary Parent☐ Kinship Provider
☐ Respite Provider ☐ Agency Staff
☐ Professional Partner/Stakeholder
Workshop Selection: Fri @ 1:30
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Questions: Email: office@OFCAonline.org
Lunch Preference ☐ Meat Based ☐ Vegetarian
☐ Other_____________________________________
Attendance Options and Fees
√ Options Please check the options that apply to you.
☐ Send a check with registration costs to
Ohio Family Care Association
303 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215
☐ Agency Paying Registration
Contact Person:__________________________
Contact Email:____________________________
Contact Phone:___________________________
Agencies may request to be invoiced for
registration. Agencies wishing to be billed email
office@OFCAonline.org for arrangements.
☐ I want to apply for a scholarship. A limited
number of scholarships are available to individuals
not connected to an agency.
☐ To pay by credit card, process your registration
online go to
☐ Sign me up for OFCA News. My email is:
I will attend on Friday
I will attend on Saturday
Both Days $215
Both Days: Member Discount $190
One Day Only: $120
One Day Only: Member Discount $95
14 SW CEU hrs -Permission pending $25
OFCA Family Membership $25
☐ To reserve a hotel room online go to:
OFCA Agency/Family Membership
OFCA Support Group Membership $40
$350