The Advocate - September 2022

The Advocate

PARTNERS EDITION

Issue 21 | September 2022

A Message from

the State Child Advocate

Amanda F. Whittle, JD, CWLS

Greetings from the Department of Children's Advocacy. We sincerely hope you and your loved ones are safe following Hurricane Ian. If you have or know of children who were (or still are) worried about the impacts of the storm, here are some strategies to help ease their fears. If you need assistance because of the storm, we encourage you to visit the SC Emergency Management Division's website.

Ian notwithstanding, September has been busy. This month's newsletter features--among other things--a new employee profile, new GAL volunteers, pictures of adorable new twins born earlier this month, and links to October's Second Annual Safe Sleep Summit.

Plus, thanks to a reader suggestion from last month's newsletter, we take a closer look at kinship care in South Carolina. Call it coincidence or kismet, this suggestion couldn't have been timelier since September is National Kinship Care Month.

Do you have a story idea, or news you'd like to share about the wonderful work underway to better serve South Carolina's children? Or do you have some feedback to give? We always appreciate hearing from you. Send us your questions, concerns, and story ideas.

Welcome New Staff

As our team grows, so do the opportunities to improve the lives of all children in South Carolina.

Katherine Ohnesorge started July 5. Originally from Missouri, she moved to Columbia in 2020 where she lives with her husband, Von, and two cats, Charcoal and Opal.

Katherine holds a bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Northwest Missouri State University (2018), a master’s in Trauma Informed Education from Columbia College (2021), and is currently working on a master’s in Social Work from Winthrop University and a certificate in American Sign Language from Midlands Technical College.

She has taught third-grade, 4k, and kindergarten.

Katherine enjoys reading, listening to sea shanties, volunteering, and hiking.

Foster Care Review Division

Program Coordinator I

Katherine Ohnesorge

Tried

True

Our 2022 United Way campaign runs October 3 - November 4.

This year, we are offering "Tried and True," a cookbook featuring the most mouth-watering recipes from the Department of Children's Advocacy staff. Cookbooks are only $15, and all proceeds benefit the United Way.

Have a recipe to share? Send it to Eden Everett no later than October 7. Books will be delivered by November 7.

On the

road

again

Director Amanda Whittle enjoyed visiting in-person with Continuum of Care staff and Guardian ad Litem staff and volunteers in Greenville this month. Thank you to all who attended and provided valuable input.

Upcoming meetings in October include:

Oct. 3 - Meet with COC staff in Region C (Pee Dee)
Oct. 7 - Meet with COC staff in Region A (Midlands)

Additional dates are being scheduled to meet with Continuum of Care staff and Guardian ad Litem program staff and volunteers. We hope you can join us.

Foster Care Review Division

We Brunchin

To celebrate the hard work and dedication of the FCRD division, which has been understaffed lately, the FCRD leadership team threw a surprise appreciation brunch for employees, complete with sparking cider "mocktails," a buffet, and board games.

"Everyone has been wearing multiple hats for a little while now and we just wanted to have an event to thank them for how flexible they’ve been throughout our staffing shortage."

- Lindsey Taylor

FCRD Division Director

Congrats!

to FCRD's Kristin McGill and her husband, Ben, on the birth of their twins, Adalynn Rose (left) and Aria Lora Ann.

The girls were born on September 9, and mom and babies are healthy and doing well.

Celebrating National

Kinship Care Month

In recognition of September as National Kinship Care Month, Governor Henry McMaster signed bill S. 222 into law on September 22.

The new law strengthens kinship care in South Carolina by defining fictive kin as an individual who is not related by birth, adoption, or marriage to a child but has an emotionally significant relationship with the child or the child's family.

Pictured with the governor are (l to r) HALOS Executive Director Kim Clifton, Joint Citizen & Legislative Committee on Children Member Kay Phillips, State Child Advocate and Department of Children’s Advocacy Director Amanda Whittle; DSS Director Mike Leach; Senator Katrina Shealy; and Virgie Anderson, a kinship care provider. Rep. Raye Felder was also present.

The Case for Kinship Care

Study after study has shown that children fare better when placed with family or friends with whom they already share a bond than in foster care.

This is called kinship care, and while it has been around for a long time, DSS has renewed its efforts to increase placements and help kinship providers become licensed.

Learn how you can help increase kinship care placements.

Guardian ad Litem

Welcome

to our new

volunteers

Carla Deering

Barnwell County

Ashley Curtis

Sumter County

Naomi Edwards

Sumter County

Jim Higgins

Sumter County

Donna Morris

Sumter County

Jacque & Jerry Land

June 2022 Local Foster Care

Innovator Award Recipients

Congratulations to Jacque and Jerry Land, Guardian ad Litem volunteers in Greenville County since 2017, who were recognized by Fostering Great Ideas for "their acts of kindness and determination to go above and beyond to support the foster care community."

"They are changing the narrative and often take on the hardest of cases! They are true heroes in my book and are paving the way for future GALs," said Crystal Ligon, a foster parent, in her nomination letter.

Waves of Praise

for all of our GAL volunteers...

but a special shout out to those who helped Regional GAL Recruiter Cassandra Hilton this month at Myrtle Beach Gospel Fest: (top photo) Kaye Quillian and Scott Slater; (bottom) Gail Moorehead. Thank you!

Upcoming Virtual Interest Session:

Wednesday, Oct. 12 | 6 - 7 p.m.

Know someone interested in becoming a volunteer GAL? Have them reach out to David McAlhaney to receive the WebEx meeting link.

Meet Kenneth S.

Photo credit: Christina Grant, 2022

SC Heart Gallery

Kenneth, who likes to go by Kevin, wants to play in the NFL and be a shoe designer. Kevin likes to skate, bowl and watch drag car racing. He loves football and his favorite player is DeVonta Smith, a wide receiver with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kevin loves to eat steak, pasta and pizza. He describes himself as athletic, handsome and kind. His ideal family is one that has a mom, dad, and a dog.

He wants his future family to know that he is respectful, good at football, and likes to fish.

To inquire about adopting Kevin, or any of the other Heart Gallery children, visit scheartgallery.sc.gov.

On the Horizon:

Second Annual SC

Safe Sleep Summit

Governor Henry McMaster has once again proclaimed October as Safe Sleep Awareness Month.

To help prevent infant deaths, the Department of Social Services will present the Second Annual SC Safe Sleep Summit. The free virtual training sessions will be held every Thursday from 9-11 am during the month of October.

Tune in on October 6, as Deputy Director Kayla Capps provides opening remarks to kick off the summit.

Additional support for the event comes from SC Safe Sleep Initiative, DAODAS and Upstate AHEC.

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