The Advocate

PARTNERS EDITION

Issue 23 | NOVember 2022

A Message from

the State Child Advocate

Amanda F. Whittle, JD, CWLS

Greetings from the Department of Children's Advocacy. It's hard to believe that we are almost at the end of 2022, and the whirlwind of the holidays is upon us.

We have so much to be thankful for this month, including new employees, new learning, and new opportunities to share with others all the progress we are making on behalf of children across the state.

Plus, we recognize some of our Guardian ad Litem volunteers who have--can you believe it--been with us for 20 or more years. Our state is so much better off because of these folks who give so much.

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.

Guardian ad Litem

Program Coordinator I

Faith Bias

Faith Bias started on September 19 and works in GAL's Chester County office. She was born in Charleston, South Carolina, but now lives in Rock Hill with her German shepherd and poodle.

She studied psychology and sociology at Charleston Southern University and has experience serving the elderly, individuals with special needs, teens with behavioral issues, and infants. She is a member of the distinguished Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

Faith enjoys spending time with loved ones, traveling, drawing and graphic design, and event planning.

Shayla Hayes started on November 2. A Charleston native, she graduated from the College of Charleston with a Bachelor’s in English Literature. She received her J.D. from the Charleston School of Law and moved to Columbia in 2011.

Shayla began her legal career at South Carolina Legal Services helping victims of domestic violence. She has also worked at DSS, Dept. of Labor, Licensing and Regulations, and the Dept. of Disabilities and Special Needs. She has devoted her career to helping those in need and enjoys working with others who share her vision for improving the lives of those often marginalized and/or ignored.

Her hobbies include singing, cooking, and watching movies with her two daughters and their turtle, Ocean.

Foster Care Review

Staff Attorney

Shayla Hayes

Thanks to your generosity--and a strong affinity for jeans--we surpassed our goal of $750 to set a record high for the agency during the 2022 United Way campaign.

$790

was raised through the purchase of 21 cookbooks and more than 90 casual days!

Thank

you!

Holiday Door Decorating Contest

All DCA employees are encouraged to participate and get creative for this contest.

Competitors can use decorations, craft supplies, and lots of imagination to bring holiday films to life. Each door should feature a different movie to keep the displays distinct. Contestants can present a memorable scene, create the characters, or fill the workspace with themes and motifs from the film.

Theme

The theme "Holiday Movies" should be used to decorate your office door in a work appropriate motif.

FCR was ahead of the game and chose a different theme. They will be judged with the rest of the agency but based off their theme.

You may work individually or as a team to decorate a door.

categories

The following awards will be given in both individual and team categories:

• Funniest Door
  
• Most Creative
  
• Overall Winner
  

Doors will be judged on:

• Visual Imact
  
• Creativity
  
• Craftsmanship
  

deadline

Judging will take place at 10 am on Dec. 16.

Those who are not located in the Edgar Brown Building must send in a picture of their door to Eden Everett by 9 am on Friday, Dec. 16.

Hat tip to Stephanie Spink for providing photos above from FCR's 2017 contest.

Child Advocacy

A Model for Juvenile Detention Improvements

Kayla Capps

DCA Deputy Child Advocate Kayla Capps attended the Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiatives (JDAI) Conference in Oregon this month, where she and 15 other representatives from South Carolina learned how Oregon’s transformative work could serve as a model for South Carolina. Capps shared conference information at the November meeting of the Governor’s Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (GJJAC) System Improvement Subcommittee.

John Holler

Eden Hendrick

DJJ administers the state’s JDAI program, and DJJ Director Eden Hendrick stated that the conference may help the agency address one of its immediate needs: overcrowding at the Juvenile Detention Center.

DCA Director and State Child Advocate Amanda Whittle chairs the subcommittee, while Reverend John Holler was recently appointed by Governor Henry McMaster to chair the council.

Holler envisions working with state leaders to implement a holistic approach to addressing the needs of children and families.

Finding Inspiration Through Training

On November 4, DCA staff and volunteers attended the Children’s Law Center’s 2022 annual conference, which featured internationally recognized speaker and children’s advocate Melissa Roshan.

Roshan currently works with Ohio’s Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem Program and shared her experiences as a youth in foster care and the impact her GAL had on her life.

Roshan's speech motivated conference attendees to continue planting seeds of success through their ongoing efforts to advocate and support children and youth in foster care.

The conference also included sessions on:

• Centering Lived Experience at the Core
  
• Activating Youth Engagement
  
• Human Trafficking of Minors in South Carolina
  
• Current Trends in Teen Substance Use and Treatment
  
• Engaging Fathers
  
• Teen Suicide Red Flags and Prevention
  
• Conversations on Being a System-Involved Youth
  
• Caselaw and Legislative Update
  
• Self-Care for Child-Serving Professionals
  

Guardian ad Litem

Giving

Thanks

The Guardian ad Litem program has so much to be thankful for this month, but especially the commitment and dedication of our long-term volunteers!

We are proud to recognize those that have served for 20+ years, and in the process have helped countless children through some of the most difficult times of their lives.

31+ Years

Carolyn McNeill

36 Years of Service

Terry Smith

32 Years of Service

Jane Taylor

33 Years of Service

26-30 Years

Frank Bernhardt

29 Years of Service

Jeanette Pittman

26 Years of Service

Barbara Jackson

28 Years of Service

Robert Smith

29 Years of Service

20-25 Years

Patsy Batson

22 Years of Service

Sonora Cuttino

20 Years of Service

Gertha Dansby

22 Years of Service

Jamie Guy

21 Years of Service

Tracy Haigler

23 Years of Service

Brenda Legons

21 Years of Service

Julius Page

22 Years of Service

Caren Ross

25 Years of Service

Marilynn Young

25 Years of Service

And one to grow on!

Melissa Prevatte took the oath of service on November 16 to become our newest GAL volunteer!

Congratulations, Melissa, and thank you for your service to the children of our state!

And thank you to Family Court Judge Cely Anne Brigman (left) for delivering the oath.

High Praise

One reason our volunteers stick around so long is due to the support they receive from the GAL team. In fact, a volunteer who wishes to stay anonymous wrote in to share about their wonderful GAL supervisor, Kathryn Clement!

"Kathryn Clement has been my supervisor since my first case on December 18, 2020. She has supervised me with each case and shown up to every court hearing I have had!

She has been an ear to listen to all the situations I have had with the children, foster parents, and DSS caseworkers. She's absolutely incredible and a 'go getter'!

I appreciate her and look up to her in so many ways. I love her passion and 'don't mess with me' attitude to get the job done! She has built me into the dedicated confident case volunteer I am today!"

Meet Sharinna G.

Photo credit: Amber Gillum, 2022

SC Heart Gallery

Sharinna is a helpful and caring young lady who enjoys going to church and wants to go to school to be a hairstylist so she can be her own boss. Her favorite book is "The Hate You Give," and if she was president for one day she would give all homeless people a place to stay.

Sharinna loves to sing and dance, but most of all she enjoys eating, preferably seafood or soul food. She is very driven, likes to get things done, and her idea of a perfect day is being adopted on a warm day. She’d like a family with a mom that likes to be active outdoors.

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

November is

Adoption Month

To help celebrate, the Heart Gallery's Christina Grant and FCR Supervisor Corlette Minor traveled to Charleston for a two-day adoption event where they spread awareness about the legally free children in the Heart Gallery.

Christina spoke about adoption in the state, while other activities included a youth basketball clinic, and appearances by radio personality Willie Moore, Jr. and the South Carolina State Marching Band.

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