The Tennessee Court Improvement Program is currently broadcasting the First Friday Engagement Hour Series.

Each session includes a short training and an interview from the field and live office hours.  Short training topics will range from the basics of the Foster Care Review Board to more detailed topics about the court processes, child and youth well-being and transition.  

Recorded Sessions: 

Session 1: January 7, 2022   FCRB Basics; Interview with Per Thomas, Educator and longtime multi-county FCRB Volunteer (45 minutes)

Session 2:  February 4, 2022   Tennessee Foster Care: Entry and Strategies for Exit; Interview with Jill Overton, Davidson County Safe Baby Court Coordinator (60 minutes)

Session 3:  March 4, 2022   The Court Process: Hearings on the Road to Permanency; Interview with Judge Sheila  Calloway, Davidson County Juvenile Court  (45 minutes)

Session 4:  April 1, 2022  The Child Welfare Process: Essential Meetings on the Road to Permanency; Interview with Beverly Norment, LMSW, MSW - DCS Program Manager, Permanency Planning Division  (60 minutes) 

Session 5: May 6, 2022   Extension of Foster Care, Independent Living and Education after Foster Care; Interview with Sarah Pauter, Senior Project Manager with John Burton Advocates for Youth (45 minutes)

Session 6: June 3, 2022  Tennessee Early Intervention Systems; training and interview with Amanda Sheaffer, Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (30 minutes)

Session 7:  July 1, 2022 Referral, Evaluation and Planning for Children with Disabilities; Interview with Molly Wilson, McGavock High School, Special Education (60 minutes)

Session 8: August 5, 2022   Review of "Common Mental Health Considerations Relevant to Foster Care" training by Dr. Meg Benningfield,  Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (60 minutes) 

Session 9: September 2, 2022 Reunification Permanency Goal: Return to Parent; Interview with Amy L. Parker, Director of Social Services, and Raymond Hand, Case Manager of AGAPE Nashville (60 minutes)

Session 10: October 7, 2022  "CASA: A Friend of the Court" with Lynne Farrar, Executive Director of Tennessee Court Appointed Special Advocates (45 minutes)

Session 11: November 4, 2022 "Motivational Interviewing: A Primer for Foster Care Review Boards" with Carrie Mason, Court Improvement Program  (45 minutes)

Session 12: December 4, 2022  "Motivational Interviewing" with Annie Fahy, MINT Certified Motivational Interviewing Trainer (60 minutes)

Click Here to access the "Road Map to Permanency"  graphic that is referenced in each of the First Friday Engagement Hour Sessions 

Please note: Training courses have not been approved for CLE, CEU, or POST credits.

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