Planning Council Releases Report on Starting Point of Ozaukee's Parent Survey

Did you know that…
• In the spring of 2007, Starting Point of Ozaukee launched “Parents who Host Lose the Most: Don’t be a party to teenage drinking”, a public awareness campaign to inform the community about the consequences of providing alcohol to underage youth?
• Approximately 80% of parents who were surveyed viewed underage alcohol use as a “very big” or “somewhat big” problem in Ozaukee County, and approximately 60% perceived it as being “very easy” or “somewhat easy” for underage youth to obtain alcohol in their community?
• Approximately 60% of Ozaukee County parents who were surveyed recalled seeing or hearing about the “Parents who Host Lose the Most” campaign, its name, or its slogan?
• 80% of Ozaukee County parents who were surveyed “strongly” or “somewhat” agreed that the information led them to have a discussion with their child about the dangers of going to parties where alcohol is available to underage youth?

The Ozaukee County parent survey report presents findings from the “Parents who Host Lose the Most” parent awareness survey conducted by the Planning Council and Starting Point during the spring of 2009 in Ozaukee County. The report focuses on survey respondents’ perceptions of issues related to underage alcohol use, sources of exposure to the “Parents who Host Lose the Most” campaign, perceptions of the usefulness of campaign messages, and knowledge about and perceptions of underage drinking laws in Wisconsin. To read the full report, visit our website at http://www.planningcouncil.org, or click on “Starting Point of Ozaukee’s ‘Parents who Host Lose the Most’ Media Campaign: Findings from the 2009 Parent Survey”.

To learn more about Starting Point of Ozaukee, visit http://www.ozaukeecouncil.org/. The “Parents who Host Lose the Most” public awareness campaign was developed by the Ohio-based Drug Free Action Alliance. For more information, visit http://www.drugfreeactionalliance.org/.

Report Wins Clarion Award

The Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc., prepared a report for 2-1-1 @ IMPACT that analyzed five years of call data and included information from callers and community leaders about the significance of the service. 2-1-1 @ IMPACT is a 24-hour central access point for callers who need assistance with family, health, and social services. The report, Realizing Milwaukee's Potential: 2003-2007 Report to the Community, was selected as a winner of a Clarion Award for excellence in communications. Click here to read the award announcement.

http://www.planningcouncil.org/info/0909_news.html

The 2008 Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit: Feedback Results from Summit Participants

The 2008 Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit: Feedback Results from Summit Participants - September 2009 .pdf format.

The Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit is an annual event sponsored by the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative which is intended to bring together the Milwaukee community to generate support for fathers, to provide resources for men, and to address specific issues of fatherhood in the community. This report summarizes demographic characteristics of people who registered for the 2008 summit, participants' overall ratings of the summit, participants' feedback on the major areas addressed by the summit (men's health, community job fair, child support debt reduction assistance, and driver's license recovery assistance), and feedback from the summit's educational workshops.

The Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative Focus Group Report: Follow-Up with 2008 Summit Attendees

The Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative Focus Group Report: Follow-Up with 2008 Summit Attendees - September 2009 .pdf format.

To expand on the feedback received from participants at the 2008 Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit, the Planning Council followed-up with a small subset of summit participants in the spring of 2009. This report summarizes feedback from three focus groups conducted with men who attended the 2008 Fatherhood Summit and who received direct service assistance during the event. The report summarizes participants' expectations prior to attending the summit, perspectives on the impact of the summit on their lives, continuing fatherhood challenges, and suggestions for future summits.

To read about the 2007 Milwaukee Fatherhood Summit, click on the following link http://www.planningcouncil.org/docs/reports/MFI_FatherhoodSummit.pdf.

For more information about the Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative, click on the following link http://www.milwaukeefatherhood.com/.

Starting Point of Ozaukee's "Parents who Host Lose the Most" Media Campaign: Findings from the 2009 Parent Survey

Starting Point of Ozaukee's "Parents who Host Lose the Most" Media Campaign: Findings from the 2009 Parent Survey - August 2009 .pdf format.

In the spring of 2007, Starting Point of Ozaukee launched "Parents who Host Lose the Most: Don't be a party to teenage drinking", a public awareness campaign to inform the community about the consequences of providing alcohol to underage youth. This report presents findings from the "Parents who Host Lose the Most" parent awareness survey conducted by the Planning Council and Starting Point during the spring of 2009 in Ozaukee County. The report focuses on survey respondents' perceptions of issues related to underage alcohol use, sources of exposure to the "Parents who Host Lose the Most" campaign, perceptions of the usefulness of campaign messages, and knowledge about and perceptions of underage drinking laws in Wisconsin.

To learn more about Starting Point of Ozaukee, visit www.ozaukeecouncil.org. The "Parents who Host Lose the Most" public awareness campaign was developed by the Ohio-based Drug Free Action Alliance. For more information, visit www.drugfreeactionalliance.org.

Substance Abuse Report Released

Did you know that… in Southeastern Wisconsin

·In four of the five counties with survey data on student substance use, about one-quarter of 9th graders reported having at least one drink of alcohol in the past 30 days (survey data gathered between 2006 and 2009)?
·Alcohol-related medical conditions and injuries resulted in 5,938 emergency room visits in 2007 among all eight counties in the region?
·There were 11,777 Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) arrests in 2007 among all eight counties in the region?

The Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc., recently released “Key Substance Abuse Indicators.” This report was prepared for the Alliance of Wisconsin Youth Southeastern Regional Center, a group of substance abuse practitioners that works to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse and build the capacity of prevention coalitions in Southeastern Wisconsin. This report provides general information about substance use among youth and provides an analysis of information on the consequences of substance abuse in the Southeastern Region and its comprising counties. The report highlights indicators of substance abuse, examines the cross-system impact and burden that results from substance use, and shares information that could lead to focused community planning for substance abuse prevention.

To view the report, click on the following link: http://www.planningcouncil.org/docs/reports/atoda/2009_ATODA_Report_%20Revised.pdf For more information on the Alliance for Wisconsin Youth, please access their website at http://www.allwisyouth.org/.

To learn more about demographic and substance abuse data in Southeastern Wisconsin, click on the following link: http://www.planningcouncil.org/docs/reports/atoda/Demographic_Profiles_Report_080717.pdf This report was prepared for the Alliance in July of 2008.

Child Care, Effort is Multipronged

http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/52220327.html
Your Day
Posted Aug. 2, 2009

CHILD CARE
Effort is multipronged
I was pleased to see the July 26 editorial "Keeping children safe has to be the priority" reminding Milwaukee of the importance of keeping children safe and the recognition of recent accomplishments of the state Department of Children and Families (Reggie Bicha's "Another View" http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/51616002.html).

The state budget reflects an increased investment in our most vulnerable population, and the Journal Sentinel's continued attention to the topic will help to bring needed change. The Planning Council for Health and Human Services, author of the study released in May and referred to in the article, is pleased to see fiscal and programmatic changes that address the identified needs.

The press and the bureaucracy play key roles. However, as the source of this study and the community conversation that followed, we also would like to emphasize that assuring child safety will take more than a year and more than the efforts of a state department.

Several other needed strategies have been identified including: shared medical records; concentrated and focused effort on those most susceptible; linking to community resources including family support programs, medical clinics, community organizations, neighborhood centers and the faith-based community; and the candid recognition of the influence of race and poverty in these cases. These will need to be addressed by multiple sources over the long haul to make Milwaukee a leader in keeping children safe.

Kathleen Pritchard, Executive Director
Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc.

Moving to Boiler Building at Brewery

For Immediate Release

July 30, 2009

Planning Council to Move to Boiler Building at Brewery

The Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc. announced today that it would be moving its offices to the historic Boiler Building at 1243 North 10th Street at The Brewery and would take occupancy in the early fall. The Council will be taking approximately 4,100 sq. ft. of the 2nd floor of the historically renovated building, which sits at the corner of 10th and McKinley and is adjacent to Zilber Park in the northwest corner of The Brewery Project.

The Council, which provides a wide range of planning, evaluation and research services designed to advance community health and human services, has been active in Milwaukee since 1965.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to have our facilities in this wonderful, historic and sustainable neighborhood. This setting is perfect for us to fulfill our mission of engaging the community in health and human services through planning, evaluation and research,” said Kathleen Pritchard, Executive Director.

“With the move of the Planning Council, the historic Boiler Building, the first office building to be historically renovated in The Brewery complex, will only have a portion of its second floor available to rent,” said Max Dermond and Charlie Trainer, spokesmen for the partnership group which owns the building.

In addition to the move in of the Planning Council, The Brewery complex announced that the 880 car parking garage, currently under construction at 9th and Juneau, is on time and is expected to open in November of this year.

The transaction was brokered by Jennifer Green of CB Richard Ellis and Lyle Landowski of Inland Companies.

# # #

Released for the Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc. by The Brewery Project LLC. For additional information on the Planning Council, please contact Kathleen Pritchard at 224-0404 x22. For additional information on The Brewery, please contact Mike Mervis at 274-2551. Mr. Trainer can be reached at 224-9456.

http://www.thebrewerymke.com/index.htm

Pabst Complex Lands Office Tenant

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/business/52106127.html
Business Blog
Land and Space

Pabst complex lands office tenant
By Tom Daykin of the Journal Sentinel July 30, 2009

The Planning Council for Health and Human Services announced Thursday that it will move its offices to the Boiler Building, 1243 N. 10th St., at the former Pabst brewery.
The council, now at 1442 N. Farwell Ave., will lease 4,100 square feet at the building, which is owned by a group that includes investors Charlie Trainer and Max Dermond. The Boiler Builder was the first remodeled building to open at the former Pabst project, now known as The Brewery.

“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to have our facilities in this wonderful, historic and sustainable neighborhood," said Kathleen Pritchard, council executive director. "This setting is perfect for us to fulfill our mission of engaging the community in health and human services through planning, evaluation and research.”

The transaction was brokered by Jennifer Green, of CB Richard Ellis, and Lyle Landowski, of Inland Cos.

Keeping Children Safe Has to be the Priority

Editorial: http://www.jsonline.com/news/opinion/51616007.html
Journal Sentinal
Posted July, 24, 2009

Now that the budget has passed, it's time for the state Department of Children and Families to put programs in place to keep children safe and help parents make better decisions.

The budget passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Jim Doyle improves the state's ability to respond to instances of child abuse and neglect in Milwaukee County.

But the best way to ensure the safety of children in foster care is to dramatically increase the number of safe and loving foster care homes.

The goal should be to increase the number of safe homes from 690 (at the end of last year) to at least 875 by the end of this year.

This is doable.

It is, in fact, imperative if the state Department of Children and Families' Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare is to avoid another tragedy such as the case of Christopher Thomas Jr. Fortunately, the department realizes that increasing the number of safe homes in Milwaukee County has to be part of the conversation.

Had 13-month-old Christopher been placed in a safe home, he would be alive today. Crystal Keith was sentenced to 50 years in prison for fatally beating her nephew and severely abusing his 2-year-old sister.

After baby Christopher's death last year, the department said it would conduct "sweeping changes" to keep children safe.

And, over the past year, the bureau has announced a number of changes contingent upon the passage of the budget.

OK, the budget has passed. It's time to push these changes ahead to keep children safe and to give parents better choices.

The budget approved this month will provide the following:

• $2.3 million over the biennium for 18 additional, initial-assessment staff positions for the bureau. More staff and caseworkers are needed to reduce individual caseloads and to improve the quality of services.

In May, a study showed that foster-care caseworkers in Milwaukee County said they were overworked, undertrained and insufficiently supported by the community.

We believe them and understand the challenges their particular kind of work imposes. Often, the job seems thankless. The importance of effective, experienced caseworkers cannot be overstated.

In the study released in May, the average number of children per caseworker was 21 in Milwaukee County. The Child Welfare League of America recommends that the number be between 12 and 15 children per foster care worker.

High caseloads mean that some clients or children aren't seen or not seen enough. New caseworkers need to be brought in and trained immediately.

• $375,000 to expand the Mobile Urgent Treatment Team for Foster Families. The program provides crisis intervention and support services for youth with high needs placed in foster homes by the bureau.

If done right, the expansion should improve the bureau's performance on stabilizing placement while reducing the need for placements in more expensive group homes and residential care centers.

• $750,000 for nurses to visit homes of children under age 3 in foster care. In the Christopher's case, Keith admitted to authorities that she hid the children's bruises. Nurses are trained to look for patterns of abuse.

• $1.1 million to establish a career ladder structure to keep caseworkers from leaving the field.

Reggie Bicha, secretary of the Department of Children and Families, told the Editorial Board earlier this year that caseworker turnover was too high, with some experts putting the number at between 30% and 50%.

With turnover that high, DCF is always in the hiring and training mode. This conspires against stable and consistent service. Diminishing the churn will keep children safe because caseworkers who stay on the job are, over time, able to build relationships with families.

Moreover, experienced caseworkers will more readily spot problems than those with less experience.

• $59,800 to pay state-employed supervisors and regional managers for work performed after hours. They are ineligible for overtime, and these after-hour duties without extra pay contribute to burnout.

This budget undoubtedly makes strides toward building up the year-old agency. But in other areas, such as child care generally, it's just getting a start. We would like to see the state move quicker toward completing its statewide quality rating system for child-care providers.

The state system is in its initial phase, but it is still a ways from being up and running. It can be an effective tool for parents by giving them the power to determine the safest place to send their children.

If used correctly, systems such as this help parents identify which child-care providers offer quality. In other words, parents would be able to recognize those providing higher-quality care as well as those whose idea of child care is parking children in front of the television set.

Child-care providers are too important in early childhood education. Simply, children in quality centers will be better prepared to start school. Too many children in Milwaukee in particular begin the race already too far behind their peers elsewhere in the state.

The department also must step up its scrutiny of the Wisconsin Shares program.

A Journal Sentinel Watchdog report this year revealed that the state overpaid day-care providers nearly $14 million in recent years, including millions of dollars spent on care that was never delivered.

This not only cheats taxpayers but penalizes children. It's time for the department to make headway.

What would you like to see accomplished over the next several months to keep children in foster care safer? E-mail your opinion to jsedit@journalsentinel.com to be considered for publication as a letter to the editor. Please see letters guidelines.

Key Substance Abuse Indicators

Key Substance Abuse Indicators - July 2009 .pdf format. Note: Updated on September 1, 2009

This report was prepared for the Alliance of Wisconsin Youth Southeastern Regional Center. The Alliance works to prevent alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse and build the capacity of prevention coalitions in Southeastern Wisconsin. This report provides general information about substance use among youth and provides an analysis of information on the consequences of substance abuse in the Southeastern Region and its comprising counties. The report highlights indicators of substance abuse, examines the cross-system impact and burden that results from substance use, and shares information that could lead to focused community planning for substance abuse prevention. Click on the link above to access the report. To learn more about demographic and substance abuse data in Southeastern Wisconsin, click on the report below, titled, "Southeastern Wisconsin Demographic Profiles Report." This report was prepared for the Alliance in July of 2008.

RFP for Telephone System and Voice Mail

Request for Proposals:
Telephone System and Voice Mail
Due 7/31/09.
Available in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format.
Download it here:
http://www.planningcouncil.org/docs/RFP_Telephone_Voicemail_PlanningCouncil.pdf

Directory of Anti-Violence Efforts in Milwaukee County

A directory of anti-violence efforts was originally created in 2005. Based on demand, the directory was updated in 2006 and has been updated and expanded in 2009 with support from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Fitch Research Fund. The directory includes descriptions and contact information for anti-violence efforts in Milwaukee County, a list of efforts by category, and a sample of twelve evidence-based practices in violence prevention. The directory is intended to encourage communication, coordination, and collaboration among people working to prevent or reduce violence.

To access the directory, follow any of these links:
Directory of Anti-Violence Efforts in Milwaukee County - June 2009
http://planningcouncil.org/docs/reports/Directory_of_Anti-Violence_Efforts.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/mvsq65

If you know of any anti-violence efforts that should be included in this directory, or if information in the directory changes, please contact Lonna Kruse by emailing antiviolence@planningcouncil.org or by calling (414) 224-0404, extension 33.

If you would like printed copies of the directory, they are available for $8.00. To order, please contact Lonna Kruse.

Twenty-first Street School to be named Gwen T. Jackson Early Childhood and Elementary School

Gwen T. Jackson was a Board Member of the Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc.

MPS Press Release: http://mpsportal.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_54842_0_0_18/090615_Jackson.pdf
Posted June 15, 2009

Twenty-first Street School will be renamed on Tuesday, June 16. It will become the Gwen T. Jackson Early Childhood and Elementary School, and will serve children from six weeks of age through Grade 5. The ceremony will be held at 2121 West Hadley Street at 8:30 a.m. MPS Superintendent William G. Andrekopoulos and numerous City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County and State officials will participate.

The new name is in honor of longtime community volunteer and early childhood education advocate Gwen T. Jackson. She is a retired human resources vice president who participated extensively in American Red Cross leadership at the chapter, regional and national level. As Chair Emeritus for the American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin, she marked 50 years of Red Cross volunteer service in 2007.

The principles and values that Mrs. Jackson believes in prove her to be the type of leader that students should be proud to emulate. In the late 1950’s Jackson was on the Family Life Committee of the Milwaukee Urban League. Childcare was the predominant issue identified and along with colleague, Edith Finlayson, Gwen began working with the E.B. Phillips Child Care Center.

Jackson began her Red Cross career in 1961, as a volunteer in the Service to Military Families Department of the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the American Red Cross. By 1988 she had risen to one of the highest volunteer positions in the organization — National Chair of Volunteers. Her leadership accomplishments during her four years in this national-level position were nothing shy of extraordinary. While serving as the National Chair of Volunteers, Gwen coined the phrase, “Paid staff get a paycheck and volunteer staff get a payback.”

Jackson’s lifelong commitment to civic involvement has earned her numerous awards and well-deserved recognitions. She was honored for her 50 years of volunteer leadership with the establishment of the Gwen T. Jackson Leadership Endowment. Some of her additional awards include: Cynthia Wedel Award, an honor that is presented to a Red Cross volunteer whose outstanding efforts might otherwise go unrecognized. The Gwen T. Jackson Community Service Award was established in 1981 and is presented annually to the United Way volunteer who best exemplifies a spirit of volunteerism and dedication to one’s community and fellow man. In addition, Gwen has been dedicated to the YWCA since 1979 where she has served on the Board of Directors and as a member of the Circle of Women. In 1995 the YWCA named a building in the Y-Villages after her, the “Gwen T. Jackson Senior Building”. “I have had a very fulfilling life and I believe it is expected of me to give back to my community,” Jackson said. “It is so much fun and I grow every day from volunteering.”

MPS is Wisconsin’s largest public school district, serving 85,000 students in 213 schools. District achievement is guided by its Working Together, Achieving More strategic plan. For additional information, contact Philip Harris in the MPS Office of Communications and Public Affairs, at (414) 475-8902.

Safety of Children in Foster Care - Report Released

Did you know that…

• As of December 31, 2008, there were 2,638 children in out-of-home care in Milwaukee County?
• On that same date in 2008, there were 680 active, licensed foster homes in Milwaukee County?
• There were seven children in 2008 in Milwaukee County who were victims of maltreatment in court-ordered kinship care?

The Planning Council has released its report on keeping children safe in foster care in Milwaukee County. This study, which was commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Bright Futures Milwaukee Fund in memory of long-time child advocate James R. Ryan, was undertaken to engage the community in a discussion about the safety of children in foster care. To learn more about the current status of children in foster care, best practices for keeping foster children safe, and strategies for enhancing the safety of children in foster care in Milwaukee County, visit our website at www.planningcouncil.org and click on the report titled “A Community Conversation About the Safety of Children in Foster Care.” Additional information about best practices and more detailed information on what key informants, caseworkers, foster parents, and biological parents had to say will be coming soon to our website.

Click on the following link to view an article about the foster care study written by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel staff http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/46266767.html. The following link is an article about the study written by LaToya Dennis of Milwaukee Public Radio http://www.wuwm.com/programs/news/view_news.php?articleid=4613.

Note: If you visited the Planning Council or Ombudsman Website prior to May 8, 2009 to review the Office of the Milwaukee Ombudsman for Child Welfare’s 2008 Annual Report, please be aware that some corrections were made to the report. Please use the following links to access the corrected documents: 2008 Annual Report or 2008 Executive Summary.

Release of Report on Keeping Children Safe in Foster Care

Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Time: 4:00 PM
Location: Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
(Located at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and Walnut Street.)

The Planning Council will release its report on keeping children safe in foster care. The study was commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Bright Futures Milwaukee Fund in memory of long-time child advocate James R. Ryan.

Please join us for a community conversation from 4:00�5:30 at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. Space is limited. Please contact us for an invitation.

2008 Annual Report: Office of the Milwaukee Ombudsman for Child Welfare

Did you know that…

• Milwaukee County is the only county in Wisconsin that has a completely independent office for reviewing complaints relating to child welfare?
• The Ombudsman Office’s services are free?

The Office of the Milwaukee Ombudsman for Child Welfare (Ombudsman Office) released its 2008 Annual Report today. The Ombudsman Office is a neutral, independent office that reviews case-specific concerns regarding the safety, permanence, and well-being of children and families involved with the Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare. By clicking on the link above you can learn what key areas were identified for improvement, associated recommendations, as well as details on all contacts made to the Ombudsman Office in 2008, or click here to view the Executive Summary.

For more information about the Ombudsman Office, go to http://ombudsmanmilw.org/default.htm.

Milwaukee County Long-Term Care Planning Process Report: Planning Process June 2006-July 2008

Published September 2008 .pdf format (110KB)
Milwaukee County Long-Term Care Planning Process Report: Planning Process June 2006-July 2008

Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division currently has a waiting list of about 2,500 people between the ages of 18 to 59 who have disabilities and need long-term care services. The Planning Council assisted the County in planning for a managed long-term care system that would put an end to this lengthy wait for services. This report provides a high level overview of the planning structure, activities, milestones, and results of Milwaukee County's Long-Term Care Planning process for adults with disabilities under age 60. For more information on this planning process, visit our Long-Term Care Planning Website at www.planningcouncil.org/longtermcare.

Please note that the report states that Milwaukee County's plan is expected to be implemented in the first quarter of 2009; however, due to issues with the State budget, implementation has been pushed back. Information regarding implementation will be posted on the Long-Term Care Planning website as it becomes available and is finalized.

Status Report on Older Adults in Milwaukee County With Mental Health and Co-Occurring Disorders

Is Milwaukee County prepared for the mental health needs of older adults over the next 10 to 15 years? This report contains a diagnostic profile of the county's older adults with mental illness, an inventory of programs serving them, a discussion of barriers to services, and a summary of evidence-based practices. It also contains population projections for older adults in Milwaukee County through 2020.

Published March, 2004
Download the article in .pdf format (961KB)
Status Report on Older Adults in Milwaukee County With Mental Health and Co-Occurring Disorders

Summary of Food Stamp Customer Interviews For Payment Accuracy Initiative

How do people applying for food stamps feel about the customer service they receive during the application process? This report contains the results of interviews with people who had just completed the food stamp application process at the Marcia P Coggs Human Services Center. People were asked a series of customer service-related questions, including how they were treated, how long they waited, and whether they had problems with the application process.

Published March, 2004
Download the article in .pdf format (304KB)
Summary of Customer Interviews For Payment Accuracy Initiative

Agency to study Milwaukee County foster care

News article: http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/37680404.html

By Crocker Stephenson of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: Jan. 15, 2009

The safety of children in Milwaukee County's foster care system is the focus of a study to be conducted by the Planning Council for Health and Human Services Inc., the agency's executive director, Kathleen Pritchard, announced Thursday.

The Nov. 11 beating death of 13-month-old foster child Christopher Thomas has raised questions about the quality and oversight of foster care in Milwaukee County, according to a statement issued by the nonprofit agency, and points to the need to identify programs that are working in other communities.

"We want to know how we can improve the system going forward," Pritchard said.

"The intent is to make sure this doesn't happen again."

The study was commissioned in honor of the late Jim Ryan, a former social worker and a longtime advocate for child welfare, who died in November 2007. Ryan was mayor of Hales Corners for almost 20 years, president and CEO of the Milwaukee Regional Medical Center, as well as president and CEO of Penfield Children's Center.

Funding for the study, expected to be completed in March, has been provided by an anonymous donor through the Greater Milwaukee Foundation's Bright Futures Milwaukee Fund.
Pritchard called the gift "a fitting way to commemorate Jim's commitment to vulnerable children."

- Crocker Stephenson

For complete archived coverage of the story of the death of 13-month-old Christopher L. Thomas Jr., click here.

Board Member Dr. Seth Foldy Appointed as Public Health Administrator

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2, 2009
CONTACT: Seth Boffeli, 608-266-1683

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES APPOINTS DR. SETH FOLDY AS PUBLIC HEALTH ADMINISTRATOR
Former Milwaukee Health Commissioner Will Serve as State Health Officer

MADISON—Department of Health Services Secretary Karen Timberlake announced today that Dr. Seth Foldy has been selected as the new Administrator of the Division of Public Health. Dr. Foldy previously served as Health Commissioner for the City of Milwaukee from 1998 to 2004. As Administrator of the Division of Public Health, he will also serve as the State Health Officer.

Read the full story here:

http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/News/PressReleases/2009/010209dph.htm Website link.
http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/News/PressReleases/2009/010209dph.pdf Printer Friendly pdf version.

Dr. Seth Foldy is a Board Member of the Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc.