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Lunch and Learn Series

The Lunch and Learn series consists of one-hour “Lunch-and-Learn” sessions to inform educators and child welfare professionals about educational issues that children in the Texas foster care system face. This series is a product of the Institute’s collaboration with Educational Service Center Region 10, Dallas CASA, CitySquare’s Transitional Resource Action Center, Disability Rights Texas, Texas Lawyers for Children, the Texas Department of Family Protective Services, Friends of Wednesday’s Child, the Rees-Jones Clinic for Foster Care Excellence, Texas Woman’s University, and the Dallas Bar Association’s Juvenile Justice Committee.  

January 5, 2017

On January 5, 2017, the Clinic/Institute Director, Diane Sumoski assisted in organizing and presenting the Caruth Institute for Children’s Rights first presentation in the its new Lunch and Learn series.  The session was held at ESC Region 10’s conference center, and a variety of child welfare stakeholders, including many educators, attended.  The ESSA had recently become effective in law and stakeholders were very interested in exploring its application to their work for foster kids.  Speakers included Kristen Bell, J.D. (Texas Lawyers for Children), Kristine Mohajer (Education Program Specialist with the Department of Family and Protective Services in Austin), and Donna Knight (Student and Family Services Coordinator with the Red Oak Independent School District). For a full description and summary of the presentation, click HERE. 

For an audio recording of the presentation, please click HERE.

March 27, 2017

The second presentation in the Lunch and Learn series initiated by the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Institute for Children’s Rights explored the law, policy, and practicalities of the assistance that is available for high school-aged foster kids as they prepare to move on from high school and out of the foster care system.  It was held at Dallas CASA office.  Along with the Clinic/Institute Director, Diane Sumoski, presenters were Kathleen Bushe, MSSW, LMSW (Case Management Supervisor with CitySquare- Transition Resource Access Center), Carla Cleeton, MSW (Residential Services Manager HUD Housing Program with CitySquare Transition Resource Action Center), and Rebecca Daniel (PAL Supervisor at the Department of Family and Protective Services). To access the powerpoint from this presentation, please click HERE.  

For an audio recording of the presentation, please click HERE.

April 17, 2017

This was the third presentation in the Lunch and Learn series established by the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Institute for Children’s Rights and a follow on presentation regarding the ESSA with the experience of a few months of the law being in effective operation.  The program took place at the headquarters of Friends of Wednesday’s Child.  Speakers included Rhonda Rieken, JD (Assistant Public Defender for the Dallas County Public Defender’s Office-Child Welfare Division), Norma Eaves, MSW (CPS Regional Education Specialist for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services), Donna Knight (Student/Family Services Coordinator for Red Oak I.S.D.), and Diane Sumoski J.D. (Director of the Caruth Clinic and Caruth Institute). 

 For an audio recording of the presentation, please click HERE.