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.