All Day

Technical Assistance One-on-One Support

8 AM

Registration

Continental Breakfast

9-10:30          KIDS COUNT Network Working Group Meetings

 Information Sharing - The Information Sharing Working Group focuses on developing ideas, processes and structures that facilitate and promote easier communication between and among KIDS COUNT Network members. Current Activities – Network Experts List, Website Evaluation, Network Information Toolkit

Richard Rathge, Chair

Strategic Communications – The Strategic Communications Working Group seeks to provide much needed support to Network members in the area of external communication.  The working group focused on providing training, locating resources and otherwise working to enhance the communication capacity of Network members.  Current Activities – Communication Toolkit Development, Topical Brown Bag Series on Communications

Taifa Butler, Chair

Evaluation – The Evaluation Working Group focuses on developing, testing, and deploying tools and techniques that will enable Network members to better measure the effectiveness of their work.  Current Activities – Brown Bag Series on Evaluation Topics, Evaluation Tools Pilot Program

Margie Hale, Chair

10:30-11:30

Network Orientation

First time conference attendees, new staff, and others interested in learning more about the KIDS COUNT Initiative are invited to join us for an overview of the purpose, history, current structure, and resources of the KIDS COUNT Network.

12:00 -2:00

Opening Luncheon: “Advocating for Opportunity”

Welcome: Tony Cipollone, Vice President, AECF

State of the Network: Jim Koppel, KIDS COUNT Network Chair

Opening Keynote: Mayor Otis Johnson, Savannah, GA             

2:30-4:00        Workshops

Changing the Public Conversation About Kids: Framing the Field Are your messages moving the needle?

This workshop will review the latest research from the FrameWorks Institute about how the public thinks about early childhood and health care, and will describe the re-frames that are showing promise in changing the way that policymakers and the public understand the issues. KIDS COUNT advocates in Vermont and North Carolina, recipients of technical assistance from FrameWorks, will share how Strategic Frame Analysis influenced their practice, and will reflect on the triumphs and travails of their legislative advocacy work.

Lynn Davey,  Frameworks

Rebecca Clendenin, Action for Children North Carolina

Barbara Postman, Voices for Vermont’s Children

Berkeley Yorkery, Action for Children North Carolina

The Paradox of Birth Outcomes

The rates of low birth weight babies and preterm births are increasing in nearly every state, and the infant mortality rate has stagnated. At the same time, indicators that have long been thought of as affecting birth outcomes (teen birth rates, timely prenatal care, and smoking during pregnancy) are all going in the right direction. In addition, gaps especially for African American babies persist. This workshop will give grantees the opportunity to hear about the latest research from experts in the field as well as other network members on their experiences in this increasingly tricky area of child well being.

Cindy Hetzel, Voices for Virginia’s Children

Baron Holmes, South Carolina Budget and Control Board

Jeffrey Levi, Trust for America’s Health

Joann Petrini, March of Dimes

Child Welfare Data: Emerging Resources

Advocates have long bemoaned the lack of comparable and consistent child welfare data.  As we seek to improve these systems, we are continually challenged to answer the questions of how good or bad are we doing by our children in care.  Chapin Hall and others have sought to build some comparable data system for state child welfare systems that will ideally allow for better outcome measurements.  This workshop will focus on what we feel are important and emerging child welfare data resources.

Maia Davis, Association for Children of New Jersey

Bill O’Hare, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Fred Wulczyn, Chapin Hall

How to Advance Your Work on Racial Equity

The Race Matters Toolkit provides advocates with a step-by-step road map focused on racial equity.  Presenters will share their work with state level advocacy organizations on this issue.

Paula Dressel, JUST PARTNERS

Doretha Carter, JUST PARTNERS

Tara Grieshop-Goodwin, Kentucky Youth Advocates

4:00-5:00

State Feedback Roundtables

6:15-9:00

Network Reception : Maryland Historical Society

All Day

Technical Assistance One-on-One Support

7:30AM

Continental Breakfast

7:30-8:30

Immigrant Grant Breakfast (Invited Participants)

8:30- 10:00    Plenary Sessions

KIDS COUNT : Resources and Expectations

Join the Casey staff for a question and answer session focusing on the resources available to KIDS COUNT grantees, the continuing focus of the KIDS COUNT Initiative, and the future direction of data based advocacy.

10- 10:30        Break

10:30-12 PM  Workshops

Working Poor Families Project: Advocacy In Action

The Working Poor Families Project is a national initiative focused on state workforce development policies involving: 1) education and skills training for adults; 2) economic development; and 3) income and work supports. The WPFP supports state nonprofit groups to engage in a two-part, phased process that begins with an in-depth assessment of the economic conditions and state policies affecting working families and is followed by actions to strengthen those conditions and policies. State advocates will share the success of their work and lead a facilitated discussion focused on future policy options in this arena.

Don Baylor, Center for Public Policy Priorities

Jude Carroll, Connecticut Association for Human Services

Brandon Roberts, Brandon Roberts Associates

Jane Zehnder-Merrell, Michigan League for Human Services

Federal Policy Updates

Even though the federal policy landscape has been dominated by international issues for the last several years, there are many important pieces of domestic policy that are nearing re-authorization, need refinement or are otherwise working their way up Congress’ agenda.  This workshop will focus on sharing the most current information regarding many of the federal programs that are important to state level advocates.

David Laird, Voices for America’s Children

Cindy Mann, Georgetown Health Policy Institute

Debbie Stein, The Hatcher Group

Evaluating the Influence and Impact of Advocacy- Session I

Advocates have a story to tell about their work that amounts to more than just how many issue briefs they have written. Telling that story, in a way that’s compelling, that takes into account the incremental nature of policy change, and in a way that acknowledges the collaborative nature of advocacy work, is a difficult task. And yet, in the past few years, with a growing focus on results and accountability, advocates have been compelled to find simple yet innovative ways to measure their work.  In 2007, several KIDS COUNT grantee organizations began work on a pilot program, testing new tools and measuring the organizational cost of advocacy evaluation. Those states, along with national experts, will talk about the results of their work this year and provide participants with an overview of the benefits and challenges of this work.

Cory Anderson, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Corey Newhouse, Children Now

Tom Kelly, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Julie Sharpe, Family Connection Partnership

Annie Gienapp, Organization Research Services

Jane Reismann, Organization Research Services

Measuring Child Poverty and Poverty Reduction Targets: What you need to know

States and cities across the country have or are attempting to set targets to reduce child poverty.  Increasingly important to the discussion is how poverty is measured and what is and is not included in the census poverty estimates.  This workshop is designed to help grantees become familiar with exactly how current poverty estimates are calculated and what affect programs like EITC are likely to have on poverty rates in the states.

Laura Beavers, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Mark Greenberg, Center for American Progress

Carlen Finn, Voices for Vermont’s Children

Arloc Sherman, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities

12:15-1:45  Keynote Luncheon: Permanence in the Foster Care System

Just as a tree needs roots, a proper environment, and a strong framework of branches from which to send out its new shoots, all youth need permanent families, supportive relationships, a nurturing environment and responsive services upon which they can depend in order to become successful, healthy, and responsible adults. Join foster care alumni and birth parents in a discussion about the importance of having a permanent family and its need to become a priority for all youth in foster care.  

Tyler Bacon, Florida

Robert Clayton, Kentucky

Brandy Hudson, California

                  Wanda Mial, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Shantay Mines, New Jersey

Tina Newton, North Carolina

1:45-2:00   Break

2:00-4:00   Workshops

Evaluating the Influence and Impact of Advocacy- Session II

This second session workshop will also give participants the chance to test some of the new tools and get hands-on experience developing an evaluation plan. Advocates have a story to tell about their work that amounts to more than just how many issue briefs they have written. Telling that story, in a way that’s compelling, that takes into account the incremental nature of policy change, and in a way that acknowledges the collaborative nature of advocacy work, is a difficult task. And yet, in the past few years, with a growing focus on results and accountability, advocates have been compelled to find simple yet innovative ways to measure their work.  In 2007, several KIDS COUNT grantee organizations began work on a pilot program, testing new tools and measuring the organizational cost of advocacy evaluation. Those states, along with national experts will talk about the results of their work this year and provide participants with an overview of the benefits and challenges of this work.  

Cory Anderson, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Tom Kelly, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Julie Sharpe, Georgia Partnership

Annie Gienapp, Organization Research Services

Jane Reismann, Organization Research Services

Immigrant Children and Families: Reframing the Debate

In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about the impact of immigration legislation on state-level policies such as SCHIP as well as explore strategies for communicating about immigrant children and families. Topics will include: building the case to state policymakers, creating strategic alliances, and what to do next in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform. Participants will also have the opportunity to help shape the development of a survey on attitudes around children of immigrants to inform their work as child advocates.

Jo Ann Anderson, South Carolina Education Oversight Committee

Wendy Cervantes, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Irene Lee, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Corey Newhouse, Children Now

Frank Sharry, National Immigration Forum

Rural Issues: Data and Policy Priorities

Rural issues and policy priorities are an important component of the overall policy landscape.  Recognizing this, the Carsey Institute was developed to conduct research and analysis on the challenges facing families and communities in New Hampshire, Northern New England, and the nation. Join us for an informative discussion of Carsey’s latest research on the challenges facing rural America, the data behind those challenges and the policy opportunities that are on the horizon. 

Cynthia Mil Duncan, The Carsey Institute-The University of New Hampshire

Joan Benso, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children

Bill O’Hare, The Annie E Casey Foundation

State Level Campaigns: Making Poverty History

The public discussion focused on poverty gained new traction when the United Kingdom made a commitment to significantly reduce child poverty in their country by 2025. Advocates on this side of the Atlantic have taken that momentum and used it to re-open a domestic discourse on poverty reduction. The states featured in this workshop represent several different approaches to the issue and will provide participants with an overview of the process in their state and a real sense of the challenges inherent in this work.

Mark Greenberg, Center for American Progress

Jim Horan, Connecticut Association for Human Services

Mike Laracy, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Vicky Selkowe, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families

4:15- 5:30

Making Connections: Policy Research Grant Meeting (Invited Participants)

4:15- 6:00

Race Matters: Peer Exchange

(Invited Participants)

6:00-9:00

Networking Fair/ Hospitality Lounge

Take a moment to relax, visit with, and learn from, your fellow colleagues at our annual Networking Fair. Dozens of organizations are signed up to share their latest publications, most successful strategies and newest work.

7:00-9:00

Southern Strategies Meeting (Invited Participants)

7:00-9:00

University Grantees Meeting (Invited Participants)

7:30am

Continental Breakfast

8:00-9:30    Workshops

Universal Health Care- New Models/Successful Advocacy

The push for universal child health care has taken many different paths across the states.  Many states have moved forward with promise, while others have lagged behind bogged down by budget shortfalls and other issues. This workshop will focus on the work in three states which will demonstrate the challenges that come with staging child health care policy work.

Jim Koppel, Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota

Dawn Melchiorre, Illinois Voices for Children

Carla Plaza, Voices for America’s Children

Steve Seninger, Montana KIDS COUNT

New Media: A Fresh Approach to Advocacy

Technology has changed the way everything in today’s world is done, including advocacy work.  As we have embraced the utility of the web as a communications tool, we should also seek to utilize much more of the other new technology that is out there. Blogs, video blogs, text messaging, Podcasts, and the like are all available to us in ways that will help us to better reach our targeted audiences and more effectively move policy on behalf of kids and families.

Taifa Butler, Family Connection Partnership

Sue Lin Chong, Annie E. Casey Foundation

Frances Deviney, Center for Public Policy Priorities

Mark Gregor, Velir

Assets and Opportunities: New Data Sources

This session will present findings from CFED’s 2007-2008 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard, which uses the latest data on a range of measures that are vital to families’ financial success to see where each state is strong, where it is vulnerable and whether the state’s policies help or hinder people in moving to a better financial position.  The Scorecard is the most comprehensive tool yet to measure ownership and financial security at the state level.  It ranks the 50 states and the District of Columbia on 46 performance measures in the areas of Financial Security, Business Development, Homeownership, Health Care and Education.  The Scorecard also provides state-by-state information on 38 key policies that can help or hinder citizens’ abilities to succeed financially, including detailed information on 12 core policies that have the potential to leverage maximum benefits.

Don Baylor, Center for Public Policy Priorities

Doug Hall, Connecticut Voices for Children

Kevin Keeley, CFED

Beadsie Woo, The Annie E Casey Foundation

9:30-10:00   Check Out

10:00-11:30 Workshops

Children of Incarcerated Parents

In recent decades the number of children with parents in the correctional system has doubled and estimates suggest that approximately 10 million children have a parent with a history in the criminal justice system.  However, there is still limited data on the number, characteristics, experiences, and needs of children of the incarcerated and their caregivers because data are not consistently collected or maintained.  The objective of this workshop is to familiarize participants with research efforts attempting to understand the circumstances and needs of this population and to demonstrate how individual states can raise the visibility of children of the incarcerated through their own data collection efforts and the implications for state-level policy reform.

Stacey Bouchet, The Annie E Casey Foundation

Raymonde Charles, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Amanda Geller, Columbia University

Susan Phillips, University of Illinois in Chicago

Catherine Boisvert Walsh, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT

Local/State Level Advocacy: Coordinating Data / Engagement Strategies

Join us for this session to share information and spark a discussion on the topic of state and local data driven advocacy.  We will talk about our experience in doing data driven advocacy around children's issues on the state and local level, how advocates can partner with local communities to promote better policies and programs for kids, and how local data can be used to support and inform state-level policy reform.

Tara Grieshop-Goodwin, Kentucky Youth Advocates

Cindy Guy , The Annie E Casey Foundation

Tom Kingsley , National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership

Kathy May, VOICES for Virginia’s Children

Board and Staff Diversity: Taking One Step Forward

Many organizations across the country are continually challenged to build staffs that reflect the growing diversity of the country and the populations we work with.  The issue doesn’t lend itself to very many simple solutions, but there are steps that can be taken that will lead to success in this area.  Join us for an informative and candid discussion about the challenges and rewards of developing a diverse staff. 

Doretha Carter, JUST Partners

Paula Dressel, JUST Partners

11:30-11:45   Break

11:45-1:30

Closing Luncheon - Keynote Speaker: Wintley Phipps – CEO US Dream Academy