Trauma-Informed Care Consortium 
of 
Central Texas
"Building a Community of Care for Children, Families and Providers"
Newsletter
April 2016
Table of Contents
Trauma-Informed Movie Screening: Paper Tigers
Restoring In-Person Visitation to Travis County Jail
Child Abuse Prevention Month
May Is Mental Health Month
Next TICC Meeting
TICC Members
Upcoming Trainings
*Please check our website (www.traumatexas.com) for on-going updates and additions to our trainings calendar!

April
4/8/16

(Austin)
4/8/16

4/11/16-4/12/16

(webinar)
4/14/16-4/15/16

(San Antonio)
4/20/16

(Austin)
4/21/16

4/22/16-4/23/16

4/22/16

4/27/16-4/29/16


May
(Tulsa, OK)
5/12/16-5/13/16

(Austin)
5/16/16-5/19/16

(Dallas) 
5/18/16-5/19/16

(Houston)
5/18/16

(San Antonio)
5/19/16

5/20/16

(Dallas)
5/23/16


June
(Houston)
6/3/16-6/5/16
 
(Banff, Alberta - Canada)
6/8/16-6/10/16

Save the Date
(Austin)
6/9/16-6/10/16

Add TICC to Your 
List Serve
 
Please notify 
of any upcoming trainings 
your agency is holding in 
order to get them added 
to the website and newsletter! 
The Trauma-Informed Care Consortium is funded by:

St. David's Foundation
Featured Event
Trauma-Informed Movie Screening:
Paper Tigers
April 19th, 2016

 

Purchase Tickets at  https://drafthouse.com/austin/show/paper-tigers 
  
Paper Tigers follows a year in the life of an alternative high school that has radically changed its approach to disciplining its students, becoming a promising model for how to break the cycles of poverty, violence and disease that affect families.

Following the movie there will be an opportunity to reflect and discuss your thoughts about the movie.  

Please contact Katie at kmitten@austinchildguidance.org with any questions.
Featured Article
Restoring In-Person Visitation to Travis County Jail

Cate Graziani, MSSW
Mental Health Campaigns Coordinator

A new visitation trend is sweeping the nation, particularly at the county jail level. Video "visits" provided by technology companies are being marketed as a safe, efficient, and profitable  response to county jail needs' to address high-volume visitation hours, over-crowded visiting rooms, and hours-long wait to see incarcerated loved ones. The advent of the technology has compelled some county jails (nearly two dozen in Texas alone) to eliminate in-person visits, even if a visitor shows up at the jail. In theory, new technologies like video to enhance the ability of incarcerated people to stay connected with their families and communities is a good idea. In practice, however, this trend is worrisome. For more details about the problems with video visitation, see the 2014 report by Grassroots Leadership and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, Video Visitation: How Private Companies Push for Visits by Video and Families Pay the Price.

In particular, removing in-person visitation is harmful for children attempting to maintain an already-strained relationship with an incarcerated parent. The report points out that for the estimated 2.6 million children who have a parent in jail or prison, the separation between child and parent due to incarceration "can result in feelings of guilt and shame, social stigma, loss of financial support, weakened ties to the parent, poor school performance, increased delinquency, and increased risk of abuse or neglect." Visitation, however, "substantially decreases the negative impacts of incarceration by preserving the child's relationship with the parent." In fact, the Children of Incarcerated Parents Bill of Rights states, "I have the right to speak with, see, and touch my parent."

In Travis County, all visits were replaced by a video chat system in 2013. Although onsite video chats remained free of charge, families were being compelled to utilize the remote video visitation system which charges them up to $20 for a 20-minute "visit". In response, Grassroots Leadership launched a local campaign with formerly incarcerated people, their families, and allies to convince the Travis County Commissioners and Sheriff Greg Hamilton to bring back in-person visitation. 

In October 2015, we declared victory with the announced return of in-person visitation to the Travis County Jail by April 2016. While remote video visits will continue to remain an option, in-person visits will again be available through a plexiglass pane. The decision was announced as part of last-minute budget negotiations following months of advocacy. More than 40 people showed up to support testimony of formerly incarcerated people and their families as part of debate over the county budget.

This was a huge win for everyone who has worked to return in-person visitation in Travis County and deserves a celebration! We applaud Travis County officials for heeding the community's concerns and working diligently to restore in-person visits while under budget constraints.

Community Initiatives
Child Abuse Prevention Month
April 2016

The following are a list of local events bringing awareness to child abuse: 
  • April 2nd, 2016, from 10 AM - 2 PM: The Million March Against Child Abuse Austin at City Hall. The march will lead to the Capitol, where there will be a resource fair featuring Project HOPES and other family support organizations. Please contact Arlene Tarango at atarango@austin.rr.com for more information.
  • April 8th, 2016, at 10 AM: Dell Children's Medical Center will be hosting a Hope and Remembrance Ceremony honoring children affected by abuse and neglect.  
  • April 8th, 2016 is Texas Go Blue Day - wear blue to bring awareness to child abuse prevention!
  • April 18th, 2016, from 5 - 7 PM: Light of Hope at Austin Public Library - Carver Branch. This free community engagement event will raise awareness for child abuse.
  • April 30th, 2016, from 11 AM - 1 PM: Dia De Los Ninos at Allan Elementary. This event will include family-friendly activities and is open to the public.

May is Mental Health Month!

Christinia Dorneden Kuehn
Quality Insurance Coordinator,The Children's Partnership

Each year, the Children's Partnership celebrates "May is Mental Health Month" and sponsors a variety of events to promote Children's Mental Health Awareness.  These awareness activities were created to shine a spotlight on the importance of children's mental health and to reinforce that positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development.  We are standing up to bring mental health out of the shadows and to increase access to services and supports in our community.  The more we know, the more we can do!

In 2005 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hosted the first Awareness Day National event in response to System of Care Communities/grantees in the United States.  These communities indicated a national event would amplify and support the work they are doing at the community level.  The Children's Partnership, Austin, Texas, was the first System of Care grantee in the State of Texas.  Since 2005, The Children's Partnership, in collaboration with the Child and Youth Mental Health Planning Partnership, has been promoting awareness on behalf of Travis County, children, youth, and their families.  We celebrate "May is Mental Health Month" with a variety of local activities.  Our collaborations have grown and we are pleased to be working with the Texas System of Care as well as local child-serving agencies.

This year's theme "Finding Help, Finding Hope" explores barriers and pathways to accessing behavioral health services and supports for children, youth, and young adults with mental and substance use disorders and their families.  Children's Mental Health Awareness Day activities promote positive youth development, resiliency and recovery along with transformation of mental health services for children, youth, and their families.  This year's kick-off event, sponsored by Senator Jane Nelson, has a super hero theme.  The event will kick off at the Texas State Capitol Saturday, on April 30th, 2016, from 9 to 10 AM, where attendees will hear both a performance from the Austin Children's Choir and words from family and youth speakers.  The Henry McMahon Children's Advocacy Award will also be announced.  Following the Capitol program, attendees will come together for a 1 mile walk to Wooldridge Square Park, (10 AM - 12 PM) to honor children, youth, and families who live with and support those with mental health needs.  The park will be filled with family friendly activities as well as resources from our local community.  Please register and invite children and families to do so; we are hoping for a grand Travis County turnout of children, youth, and families.  To learn more about the event, please visit www.Txsystemofcare.org. To register for the event, click here.

Other planned events in our community:
  • We are hosting a Green Ribbon Campaign and sharing Green Ribbon Mental Health Fact Cards.  These ribbons and cards will be distributed to partner agencies, families, and policymakers.   
  • 5/3/2016 at 9 AM: Proclamations will be held at the Travis County Commissioners Court.
  • 5/5/2016 at 5:30 PM: The City of Austin Proclamation will be held.
  • 5/3/2016, 6-9 PM: Austin Child Guidance Center will host a Mental Health Trivia Night at Abel's on the Lake. 
  • The Texas Department of State Health Services will host a Mental Health Awareness art display at the Texas State Capitol the first week of May.  The art comes from Texas youth who entered the annual Mental Health Awareness contest. 
  • Additional events are in the planning stages....enjoy "May is Mental Health Month!"
Next TICC Meeting
 
Friday, April 8th, 2016 - 9:00-10:30 am
The Allan Center (Library) - 4900 Gonzales St. Austin, TX 78702 
 
Please RSVP to Katie: 
TICC 
Members 
Chair
Seanna Crosbie
Austin Child Guidance Center
 
Co-Chair
Renee Calder Price
DePelchin Children's Center
 
Organizational Members
Allies Against Slavery - John Nehme
Any Baby Can - Alex Alfau
Armstrong Community Music School - Margaret Perry, Sarah Beth Gooding
Asian Family Support Services of Austin - Catherina Conte
Austin Achieve Public Schools - Kali Fagnant
Austin Child Guidance Center - Seanna Crosbie, Stephen Kolar, Andrea Ciceri, Katie Mitten
Austin Children's Shelter - Sarah Rees, Abigail Sharp
Austin ISD - Kathy Palomo, Kate Wegler
Austin ISD Campus Based Counseling Referral Centers -Starla Simmons
Austin Oaks Hospital - Angelica Reyes
Austin PD Victim Services
Austin Shelter for Women and Children - Stacy Schwarz
Austin State Hospital - Jennifer Swinton
Austin Travis County Integral Care - Melody Palmer-Arizola, Melissa Acosta
Behavioral Health Center of Nueces County - Victoria Huerta Rodriguez
Bell/Lampasas County CSCD - Samantha Haynes
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas 
Care Options For Kids - Kevin Schoenberger
Casey Family Programs - Michael Martinez
Catholic Charities of Central Texas - Teresa V. Cox
Cenpatico - Karen Rogers
Center for Child Protection - Barbara Jefferson, Addie Wieland
Child Inc. - Jerica Owukori
Communities for Recovery - Robin Peyson
Communities in Schools of Central Texas - Kris Downing, Kelly Smith
Community Advancement Network (CAN) - Hannah Brown
CommunitySync/Project HOPES - Suzanne Hershey
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Travis Co. - Charron Sumler
Dell Children's CARE Program - Sara Laney and Heather Van Diest
Department of Family & Protective Services - Sheila Brown
DePelchin Children's Center - Renee Calder Price
Eanes ISD - Katie Bryant
Easter Seals - Jessica Portilla
El Buen Samaritano - Donna Shanor
EngenderHealth - Mandy Ackerman
Family Service Association - Ron Flores
Georgetown Psychological Services, PLLC - Jo Vendl, Psy. D.
Helping Hand Home - Micki Marquardt
Kids in a New Groove - Laura Wood
KIPP Austin Collegiate High School - Vanessa Marie Flores
LifeWorks - Rob Thurlow
NAMI Austin - Karen Ranus
Out Youth - Sarah Kapostasy
People's Community Clinic - David Burrows
Pflugerville ISD - Vicky Esparza-Gregory
Phoenix House 
Refugee Services of Texas - Kay Mailander
SafePlace - Linda Herbert, Barbara Ball
Sage Recovery & Wellness Center - Sapna Aggarwal
Samaritan Center for Counseling and Pastoral Services - Gretchen Johnson
Southwest Key Programs - Hillary England
Spirit Reins - Rhonda Smith
Taylor ISD - Tisha Kolek
Texas CASA - Sarah Crockett
Texas Department of State Health Services - Emily Parks
Texas Network of Youth Services - Lara O'Toole
Texas NeuroRehab Center - Cheryl Nickell
Texas System of Care Consortium - Texas Family Voice Network - Candace Aylor
The Council on Recovery - Trish Taylor Rivera
The Settlement Home - Bronwyn Seay
Travis County Collaborative for Children - Katy Bourgeois
Travis County Health & Human Services & Veteran Services - Christina Kuehn & Corie Cormie
Travis County Juvenile Probation - Erin Foley
United Way for Greater Austin - Alison Bentley
Upbring - Cara Fox
UT Child and Family Research Institute - Beth Gerlach
YWCA Greater Austin - Laura Gomez-Horton
 
Website Committee
Stephen Kolar and Katie Mitten- Website Liaisons
Kevin Schoenberger, Laura Gomez-Horton, Trish Taylor Rivera
 
Newsletter Committee
Andrea Ciceri - Newsletter Liaison
Bronwyn Seay, Micki Marquardt, Gretchen Johnson, Angelica Reyes
 
Membership and Marketing Committee
Alfonso Bermea and Sarah Rees - Membership and Marketing Liaisons
Joe Dias, Barbara Jefferson, Kathy Paloma, Kate Amerson, Cristina Guerrero, Julie Guirguis, Jina Sorensen, Donald "Doc" Shuffield, Kathleen Doherty

Trauma Screening Work Group
Katie Mitten - Work Group Liaison
Alison Bentley, Sarah Crockett, Jerica Owukori, Angelica Reyes, Bronwyn Seay, Laura Stevens, Bridget Speer, Vanessa Flores, Michael Martinez, Micki Marquardt, Katherine Medlin