Podcast Season 1

"From a research perspective, we're learning that there's a lot of workers who are experiencing challenges and that there are resources available to tap into. We're trying to get a better handle on what are the most important things that organizations can try to support their workers in the most effective way possible." - Wilke

GUESTS:

Dr. Dina Wilke

Dr. Dina Wilke's areas of focus include domestic violence, social work education, and child welfare. Dr. Wilke has earned a bachelor's degree in Sociology/Journalism from Indiana University, a Master's degree in Social Work and a Doctorate in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Wilke has published 6 articles and is the principle investigator of 2 grants in the social work field

Timothy Morris

I grew up in Eastern Kentucky where there is not a lot of opportunity for anyone who is what are called "lifers". I received my BSW with a minor in criminal justice in 2017 and have been working for the Department of Children and Families in Panama City as a child protective investigator since then. I enjoy reading documentaries and fishing. I am married to my best friend Jason, whom I have been with since 2011. We have one son (14) and two daughters (18 and 15).

"I encourage transparent and open conversation. People long for feedback, some research suggests that people would rather have negative feedback than no feedback at all." - Lietz

GUEST:

Dr. Cynthia A. Lietz

Cynthia A. Lietz is vice dean, Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and professor, School of Social Work at Arizona State University. Dr. Lietz conducts research that informs strengths-based practice with youth and their families. Specifically, she applies the construct of resilience to family systems examining the ways family units cope with and grow stronger despite trauma, loss, and other challenges. She is particularly interested in the translation of research to practice. As a result, she developed Strengths Based Supervision (SBS; Lietz, 2013), a model of clinical supervision that supports effective implementation of family-centered practice in child welfare settings. This model has been adopted by the public child welfare systems in Arizona, Texas, and Idaho, and infused into training material at several additional organizations including the Butler Institute in Colorado, and the Virginia and Arizona Chapters of the National Association of Social Workers. Lietz is also known for her passion for student success, serving as PI for ASU's Bridging Success program that supports foster care alumni in higher education and chosen by the Associated Students of Arizona State University for the Centennial Professor Award in 2012 to honor her commitment to teaching and community-based research

"Motivational Interviewing is a goal oriented, collaborative, conversation about change. It is most useful when people are ambivalent. That is, they want to change, they have reasons to change, and simultaneously, they don't want to change and change is difficult and they see reasons not to change." - Kemper

GUESTS:

Dr. Therese Skubic Kemper

Dr. Therese Skubic Kemper is an Associate Professor in the Florida State University Department of Psychology and is the Associate Director of the Psychology Clinic, which is the primary clinical training site for clinical psychology graduate students. She provides direct clinical supervision and teaches a graduate course entitled Techniques of Clinical Supervision. Dr. Skubic Kemper also assists in administrative oversight of the Psychology Clinic, is responsible for program development, and coordinates external practicum opportunities for clinical psychology graduate students. Dr. Skubic Kemper is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers and conducts Motivational Interviewing training to graduate students in the Department of Psychology, in other departments within the university, and in the Tallahassee community

Necia Little

Necia Little currently serves as the Child Protective Investigations Operations Manager in the Northwest Region for the Florida Department of Children and Families. She began her career in child welfare shortly after receiving her Bachelor's in Social Work from Florida State University in 1996. During her tenure with the agency she has served in a variety of capacities that include but are not limited to the following roles: Child Protective Investigator (CPI), CPI Specialist, and Agency Administrator. Necia has a passion for serving families and working to meet them where they are at. Each family is unique and she understands that the role of any provider who works with a family must first be able to develop a relationship of trust through family engagement skills. In her role as a leader, she touches a broad spectrum of cases and coaches staff regarding next steps. She consistently reminds staff that every family has challenges, some more than others, and we want to treat them all as if they were own.

"The best thing that that you can do is come in hoping you can bring fresh eyes and fresh ears to the situation and keep an open mind with the goal of how can I help the person?" - Purinton

GUEST:

Kimberly Purinton

Kimberly Purinton is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Qualified Supervisor, licensed to practice in the state of Florida since 1999. She attained her BA in psychology at Palm Beach Atlantic University and her Masters in Social Work from Florida International University and is currently pursuing her doctorate in Public Health and Social Welfare at Florida International University. She has worked with myriad populations ranging from children to seniors who have experienced challenges in multiple settings. Currently Kimberly is a Clinical Training Manager for specialty programs for Centene Corporation, serving Sunshine Health.

"Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) service providers need to understand that child welfare workers work in very large bureaucracies, things tend to move slowly, they're beholden to very strict policies, and so they may not have as much leeway sometimes as IPV workers do. We are talking about the foundation for communication; literally just talking to each other." - Magruder

GUESTS:

Dr. Lisa Magruder

Dr. Lisa Magruder is the Program Director of Science and Research. Prior to this position she was a jointly appointed Postdoctoral Scholar with the Florida Institute for Child Welfare and the Florida State University College of Social Work. Lisa joined the Institute in July 2018 to conduct a program evaluation of Florida's Early Childhood Courts program. With the College of Social Work, Lisa has managed the Florida Study of Professionals for Safe Families (PI: Dr. Dina Wilke) since October 2015. Lisa holds both a BS in psychology and sociology and an MSW from Florida State University as well as a Ph.D. from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work. Lisa's prior practice experience lies in addressing community issues related to women and girls. She currently serves as an adjunct instructor for the University of Denver and is a member of the Tallahassee Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.

Sara LaTorre

Sara LaTorre has served as a Victim Advocate for the Tallahassee Police Department for the past seven years. Sara is passionate about victim services, and helping clients effectively navigate the criminal justice system. She obtained her Master's of Social Work from Florida State University's College of Social Work in 2011 and her Bachelor's of Social Work from Florida State University in 2010. Sara has served on many community coalitions related to victim services such as the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council as co-chair, and the local Sexual Assault Response Team. In 2019, Sara and her colleagues were awarded the Florida Attorney General's Office Distinguished Victim Services Award.

"I get particularly interested in correcting people who are using the terms burnout interchangeably with compassion fatigue. We have incorrectly suggested to our young child welfare professionals that perhaps this isn't the job for them. When nothing could be further from the truth." - Lott

GUEST:

April Lott

April Lott is the President & CEO at Directions for Living, a CARF-accredited 501(c)3 not-for-profit child welfare and behavioral health organization providing a comprehensive network of services promoting safe and stable families. Directions for Living has a staff of approximately 450 employees and over 100 volunteers. April has transformed Directions for Living to being a leader in the philosophy and practice of trauma-informed care. April Lott holds a Master of Social Work degree and has over 30 years of experience in the provision of child welfare services in Florida. During the last 13 years, April has grown Directions for Living into a diverse organization which integrates child abuse prevention programs, homeless outreach services, diversion services, and a wide variety of supportive child welfare and behavioral health services which touch the lives of over 22,000 individuals, children, and families each year. In addition, April works on many boards and committees at a local, state, and national level with a focus on child welfare, behavioral health, early childhood trauma, and child abuse prevention. April is the current Chair of the Pinellas County Crisis Intervention Team training for local law enforcement agencies, Chair of the Homeless Leadership Board Providers Council, and an appointed member of both the State Child Abuse Death Review Committee, and the Statewide Crisis Intervention Rapid Response Team. Additionally, April is a frequent featured guest speaker on a local television talk show discussing issues related to relationships, mental health, and wellness. April Lott is a native Floridian born and raised in Pinellas County, a wife of 35 years, and the mother of two adult children.

"Seeing my sibling was very important, but support is needed afterwards because of the memories of whatever has happened in the past. The support afterwards is the main thing that I think just about every child needs." - Terri

GUEST:

Terri , Florida Youth Leadership Academy (FYLA)

FYLA Mission: To inspire young leaders through building healthy relationships, exploring leadership development, and actively engaging them within their communities. Specifics of our work: FYLA is for youth involved with Florida's child welfare system who meet the eligibility criteria. The 20 FYLA mentees that make up the Class of 2019 are between the ages of 15 and 18 and are paired with an adult mentor who works in child welfare. Throughout the program year, FYLA youth and their mentors meet regularly in their local areas to focus on specific learning objectives, including networking, public speaking, resume-building, and interviewing skills. Additionally, mentors assist their youth in achieving their individualized goals that they set at the beginning of the year. The FYLA group travels four times throughout the program year to engage in several educational and leadership activities, including touring the State Capitol, Supreme Court, and college campuses across Florida. Each FYLA class concludes with a graduation ceremony during the annual Child Protection Summit.

"My preferred method is to feel the angst, the tension, and the emotional strings and confront racism head-on. First, by acknowledging our fears about people's otherness." - Corey Best

GUEST:

Corey Best

Corey Best is first, a dedicated father. He is originally from Washington, DC who now resides in Florida. This is where Corey began his transformation into leadership training, systems building, authentic family engagement, race equity, promoting protective factors, social equality and highlighting "good enough parenting" for those impacted by the child welfare system. Corey has utilized his platform to re-build systems that are responsive to sharing power with constituents and optimal child and family development through prevention efforts. He is an independent consultant supported by Casey Family Programs and has been in that capacity for five years. He is currently engaged in racial equity work in Broward County. He is also certified in multiple traumamodalities and the National Alliance of Children's Trust and Prevention Funds' training Bringing the Protective Factors to Life in Your Work: A Resource for Action.