|
April/May/June 2021
Relative or non-relative, we want to thank you for all you do for children in foster care. All your sacrifices and hard work do not go unnoticed. We are grateful for your heartfelt giving of yourselves in the services of others.
There have been several changes due to COVID this last year. We appreciate you stepping up to the challenge. Whether it be a new way to complete paperwork, complete visits with your workers, or making sure the children continue their visits with their families via video chat or the phone.
We greatly appreciate and recognize all that you do!
On April 2, 2021 we celebrate the fourteenth annual World Autism Awareness Day to help spread understanding for this complex developmental disorder and to help foster support for people all around the world with autism. In honor of this, the training opportunity this quarter will be on Autism Spectrum Disorder. Please visit Autism Spectrum Disorder and read the 3 sections “what is autism spectrum disorder?,” “screening and diagnosis,” and “treatments.” To receive one hour of training credit, go to "Self-test" below and follow instructions to complete the Post-Test.
April 22, 2021 marks the 51st year of celebrating Earth Day.
Earth Day was started in 1907 by Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson after he witnessed the devastating impact of the 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. He was inspired by the anti-war movement started by college students and wanted to start a world-wide movement aimed at preserving our planet by taking steps to improve the health of our environment
Each year, the Earth Day Organization announces a theme for the Earth Day. The theme in 2021 is “Restore Our Earth.”
Earth Day serves as a reminder to all humans world-wide that we are in this together and if everyone does their small part we can mend and restore our planet’s health. Here are a few simple tips to keep in mind each day, that when practiced by all, make a huge difference.
- Use a reusable water bottle
- Take shorter showers
- Start composting
- Build a rainwater collection system
- Go paperless
- Switch out your lightbulbs
- Explore alternative transportation options
These simple steps can be the stepping-stones needed to make a lifetime of positive change. Saving our planet is not an easy feat, but when working together, great change doesn’t seem as difficult. All it takes is a few ambitious but small steps and together we can make a huge impact. Individual efforts added together can help to make the world a better place for our children and grandchildren.
~Earth Day Tips & Facts and 25 Earth Day Facts by Lindsay Lowe
|
We’ve all heard the saying “Reading is Fundamental,” and it most certainly is. On April 2nd, we celebrate International Children’s Book Day. In highlight of this day, Hennepin County foster care would like to engage our families with information on how reading is beneficial in the development of children.
According to a national study conducted by Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, “90% of brain development occurs between ages 0-5.” As the brain develops, neural pathways are formed in sequence. Sensory pathways are developed first, followed by language and higher cognitive pathways. To learn more about this go to Reading to young children helps develop their brains. By reading with children, these operations are stimulated to increase learning and social-emotional skills.
Reading a book to a child at nap time, “down time” and/or bedtime, can become a daily routine for children. This practice can encourage children to read themselves and develop learning skills that can have a lifelong impact within their social realms.
Open Library has free access to many books, including thousands of books for children. There are even options to borrow books virtually. Let’s celebrate International Children’s Book Day by reading a book to a child today!
|
 |
Hennepin County Library has officially become a fine-free library, eliminating late fines for overdue materials. HCL joins a growing number of institutions across the nation who are removing financial barriers to library service.
The measure was approved by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners as part of the library’s 2021 operating budget. “We don’t fund our libraries based on the mistakes of others,” explained Library Director Chad Helton. “Our purpose is to share information – not generate revenue.”
Going fine-free is the latest effort to make the public library accessible to more residents.
“The elimination of late fines from the Hennepin County Library system is a change that will reduce disparities and increase access to our collections,” said Commissioner Marion Greene, board chair. “We know that fines and fees disproportionately affect low-income people and communities of color, and we are doing what we can to ensure that everyone is welcome to utilize our services regardless of their ability to pay.”
Ending fines for overdue items doesn’t mean library materials are free to keep. Going forward, patrons will continue to be responsible for the replacement cost of unreturned or lost items. An item is considered unreturned 41 days after its due date.
In addition to its fine-free policy update, the county is providing a one-time fresh start to all residents. On March 10, all Hennepin County Library cards will be reset to a $0 balance.
“Our goal is to get people borrowing again,” Helton said. “If you’ve been staying away from the library because of a book that was lost 10 years ago, we want you back.”
Please visit Hennepin County Library for more information, locations and other articles.
~Hennepin County Library
"Adverse Childhood Experiences” or “ACEs” is the topic for this Child and Teen Checkups (C&TC) Program article.
ACEs include childhood experiences like:
- caregivers who have drug, alcohol, mental health problems
- violence, abuse, or neglect
- foster care or adoption
These experiences can cause the child/youth to have so much stress they are unable to learn and develop. This is called “toxic stress.”
Child and Teen Checkups well child checks are designed to find and help children with this stress. At every C&TC visit the doctor will look for signs of toxic stress. If the child needs extra support, this will be provided.
Adverse Childhood Experiences are one of the reasons children and youth in foster care are encouraged to have more wellness checks. Finding problems and helping the child early will help them grow to be healthy adults.
A healthy adjustment to foster care and family visits is one of the goals of the C&TC well child check for children and youth in foster care.
For more information visit: acesconnection.com
|
We’ve been hard at work updating our information and resource website for Hennepin County foster parents. The new URL is www.hennepin.us/fosterparents. We will continue to add information and new resources in the future, but as of this writing, you can find the following with just a few clicks:
-
Resources for New Foster Parents- Here you will find the initial education information that we share with new applicants, including handouts and links about attending court, liability insurance, comfort calls, and more. While focused on the needs of new foster families, some of this information will likely be very useful for more experienced foster parents as well.
-
The Foster Care A to Z Guide- (Found in the “Resources for new foster parents” Section) This guide provides you with information about basic requirements, expectations, and policies that govern your role as a foster parent. It is a great first resource to review when you have questions.
-
Training- Training information, including the training calendar, has been moved to this site. This is where you will find all the current information about ongoing training requirements and upcoming training opportunities.
-
Forms-Frequently used, forms in a printable format can be found in this section, including respite and incident report forms and the family and caseworker discussion tool, among others.
-
Northstar Benefits- This section is full of resources to help you better understand Northstar Care payments and the Minnesota Assessment of Parenting for Children and Youth (MAPCY) tool.
We hope that you find this website helpful!
|
 |
FOSTER CARE TRAINING WEBSITE
The Hennepin County foster parent website has been updated! You can now view the training calendar, training requirements based on whether you are completing initial, first Year and ongoing trainings, and print out the "Foster care provider record of training" form to document your trainings. To view click Hennepin County foster care training calendar
FOSTER PARENT COLLEGE
Foster care training is excited to announce that we will be offering Foster Parent College in April 2021! To learn more go to Foster Parent College. Do not create an account on your own now, as doing so will result in you having to pay for trainings. Foster Care Training staff will begin creating your account in April 2021.
Hennepin Learning Account
All trainings listed as in-person on the training calendar require registration with a Hennepin Learning Account. Each foster parent in the home is required to create their own account and register for trainings. If you have not created your Hennepin Learning Account, send an email to fostercare@hennepin.us with your name, the name of your licensor and put Hennepin Learning Account in the subject line.
If you have had issues with creating your Hennepin Learning Account, contact the Hennepin Online Service at 612-543-2200 for assistance.
If you have created your Hennepin Learning Account and have issues registering for training, complete the following.
- Review the instructions on how to create the Hennepin Learning Account to make sure you did not miss a step.
- Make sure that when you created your account that you received the email verification link and responded to it before attempting to register for trainings.
- If you created your account and did not verify your email, and attempted to register for trainings, you will receive an ERROR Code message, an Email Reset message, or get locked out of your account after multiple attempts
- If none of the above applies, make sure that the password you are using is the correct password. If you have forgotten your password, call the Hennepin Online Service at 612-543-2200 and tell them you need to reset your password for the E-gov/SABA system.
Please note that the system will not allow registration the day before or the day of training, please register early.
To complete the quiz below and receive an hour of training, read the article "What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?" listed in this Essentials Newsletter.
If two foster parents want to take the test and each receive an hour of training, please attach an additional answer sheet.
Once you have completed the test, email it to your licensing worker.
Name:____________________________________________
Date:_____________________________________________
Licensing Worker:___________________________________
If you do not use email, please mail the completed quiz to your licensing worker at:
Hennepin County-HSPHD
Foster Care Licensing
Attn: _________________
300 South Six Street, Mail Code ______
Minneapolis, MN 55487
1. By what age is a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder considered very reliable? ______________
2. Autism affects every person differently.
TRUE FALSE
3. Autism spectrum disorder is a ______________________ disability.
4. The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder includes other conditions that used to be diagnosed separately:
A. Autistic disorder
B. Asperger syndrome
C. Pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified
D. All of the above
E. None of the above
5. There is a medical test, like a blood test, that can help confirm the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.
TRUE FALSE
6. Doctors look at child’s behavior and development to make a diagnosis.
TRUE FALSE
7. Some early signs that a child may have autism spectrum disorder are:
A. Getting upset by minor changes in routine
B. Limited display of language
C. Avoidance of eye contact
D. Having little interest in other children or caretakers
E. All of the above
8. List one of the co-occurring conditions that someone with autism spectrum disorder may also have:
_____________________________________________________________
9. Name the 3 factors listed in the article that puts a child at higher risk for developmental problems:
1. ____________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________
10. There is a cure for autism spectrum disorder.
TRUE FALSE
11. Autism spectrum disorder is 4 times more common among boys than among girls.
TRUE FALSE
|
