Purchasing Point  Join a FREE webinar to learn more about Purchasing Point – the CWLA sponsored benefit program which provides member agencies significant discounts on goods and services including food, cleaning supplies, paper products, delivery services, and more.  The webinar scheduled for Wednesday, November 18^th at 3:00PM (EST) will provide an overview of the Purchasing Point’s web portal features and accessing the programs considerable savings.  Sign up TODAY at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/828012658.

Changing kids’ lives, one smile at a time  Smiles Change Lives (SCL) is a nonprofit organization which promotes and provides access to life-changing, essential orthodontic treatment for children from low-income families.  Orthodontists across the U.S. partner with SCL to provide braces for qualified children and teens.  For program service areas, eligibility and application information visit http://www.smileschangelives.org/.

Resource Center Launched to Support Implementation of Federal Child Welfare Law  October 2009 marks the first anniversary of the passage of the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act, the most comprehensive and significant federal reforms to child welfare in over a decade.  A coalition of child welfare, adoption, healthcare, and education leaders recently launched a new national resource center to support implementation of the Act – The Fostering Connections Resource Center.  To learn more visit http://www.fosteringconnections.org/.  

Leadership Academy for Middle Managers  National Child Welfare Workforce Institute recently announced a Leadership Academy for Middle Managers (LAMM). The LAMM program is a comprehensive training program focused on leadership skills and workforce development.  Eligible participants are those who oversee programs and/or supervise supervisors and other managers.  The program is offered at no cost to participants.  For additional information on the program funding, application, and submission deadlines visit http://ncwwi.org/.

Governance Practices  Independent Sector and BoardSource will be presenting a webinar series designed to help nonprofit board members and staff leaders review their governance practices and improve their operations.  For more information about the webinar series and costs visit http://www.independentsector.org/members/webinars_series.html?utm_campaign=New%20Webinar%20Series%20for%20Improving%20Your%20Organization%E2%80%99s%20Governance&utm_content=89302&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_term=Sign%20up.

A New Beginning for Partnerships for Children & Families in Los Angeles County  14^th Annual Conference – Tuesday, November 3, 2009 – Los Angeles Convention Center – Presented by the Los Angeles County Superior Court and California State University, Los Angeles – an opportunity for education, training, ideas and dialogue on important issues concerning the welfare of children and families.  For the conference program and registration information, please call the Conference Office at (323) 343-4832.

New CWLA Members

• California Department of Social Services, Children and Families Division – Sacramento, CA

• Thomas University Division of Social Work – Thomasville, GA

• Child Welfare Information Gateway – Fairfax, VA

Children’s Bureau Discretionary Grant Awardees

National Resource Center for Child Protective Services

ACTION for Child Protection, Charlotte, NC     

National Resource Center for Community-Based Child Abuse

Chapel Hill Training Outreach Project, Inc., Chapel Hill, NC         

Family Connection Discretionary

Four Oaks Family and Children's Services, Cedar Rapids, IA

Hawaii Department of Human Services, Honolulu, HI

Aspiranet, Inc., South San Francisco, CA

International Social Service, United States of America Branch, Inc., Baltimore, MD

Oklahoma Department of Human Services, Oklahoma City, OK

Maryland Department of Human Resources, Baltimore, MD

Wisconsin Department of Children and Families, Madison, WI

Rhode Island Foster Parents Association, East Providence, RI

Children's Service Society of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI

The Children's Home Society of New Jersey, Trenton, NJ

Maine Department of Health & Human Services, Augusta, ME

Public Children Services Association of Ohio, Columbus, OH

SAMHSA Grant Awardee for National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative Treatment and Services Adaptation (TSA) Centers

Justice Resource Institute, Boston, MA

Sagamore of the Wabash Award

Sharon Pierce, President & CEO of The Villages in Indiana, received one of the highest honors awarded by Indiana’s Governor for her role as a child advocate and as a leader in child welfare.

REGIONAL NEWS

Mid-Atlantic Region

The New York State Office of Children and Family Services will be accepting applications until November 5, 2009 for its $7 million Settlement House Program. The program will provide funding to Settlement Houses for comprehensive, coordinated, neighborhood-based and family-focused services to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) eligible individuals and families.  Submission information is available at https://ocfsws.ocfs.state.ny.us/obl/index.asp?menu=28&grantid=290.

The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry, NY sent two representatives to Iraq on a humanitarian mission to help Iraqi children in need.  They partnered with representatives from the Sponsor Iraqi Children Foundation and hosted a three-day capacity training forum in Baghdad to assess the needs; share expertise; and establish a local steering committee.  They presented their findings to the Prime Minister of Iraq and offered insight into capacity building and developing other service models.  This information will be used to create a plan of service to be implemented by Iraq’s non-governmental service organizations.