Spring 2023 Newsletter - Foster Care Awareness Month

Foster Care Awareness Month

Greetings from NAPNAP Partners/The Alliance for Children in Foster Care (ACFC)

National Foster Care Awareness Month is an initiative of the Children’s Bureau designated in 1988 to highlight the important contribution foster families, child welfare professionals, volunteers and community members contribute to the care and advocacy for youth in foster care. This year’s campaign is “Strengthening Minds” focusing on a holistic approach to providing the needed mental health support for children in the child welfare system.

The Alliance for Children in Foster Care

Our Vision

Our vision is for a world where all children in foster care receive continuous holistic healing to thrive in their home environment, school and beyond.

Our Mission

Our mission is to nurture a sense of belonging, connection, and safety for children in foster care by 1.) empowering all pediatric-focused advanced practice nurses to incorporate trauma-informed health care as an essential set of services provided to all children in foster care and 2.) promoting equitable and optimal growth and development.

Our Strategic Priorities – Two-Year Tiered Implementation

1. Education and Evidence-based Practice
2. Health promotion and Early Intervention
3. Advocacy and Policy

May 2023 Strategic Priority Updates and Coming Attractions

• Education and Evidence-based Practice – Coming soon is a "train the trainer" webinar and resources and materials for a provider toolkit.
• Health Promotion and Early Intervention – Coming soon are opportunities to partner with national partners to impact change for youth in foster care and resources to address barriers for pediatric providers utilizing trauma-informed care in practice.
• Advocacy and Policy – Coming soon is a survey for NAPNAP providers on the care and needs for children and adolescents in foster care.

Meet the Alliance for Children in Foster Care Champions

NAPNAP Partners thanks our dedicated volunteers for their tremendous work guiding efforts to achieve the goals laid out in the Alliance for Children in Foster Care Strategic Plan!

Champion Chair: Brigit VanGraafeiland, DNP, CRNP, CNE, FAAN, FAANP

Champion Co-Chair: Tracy Halasz, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS

Champions:

Christina Quick, DNP, APRN, CPNPN-AC/PC, CHSE

Kelly Betts, EdD, APRN, CPNP-BC, CNE

Brittany Schnelle, MSN, APRN, CPNP-AC

Nancy Cavanaugh, MAT, MSN, CPNP-PC

Paula Barbel, PhD, CPNP-PC

Key Volunteers:

Alexandra Blumenthal Armstrong, MSN, CRNP, CPNP-AC

Emma Buchele, BSN, RN

Kathleen Carr, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC

Christina Cwynar, DNP, CPNP-PC, PMHNP-BC, CPN

Jennifer Helman, MSN, RN, CPNP-AC/PC

Rachel Dudley, MSN, CPNP-PC

Therese Floyd, MSN, APN, CPNP-PC, CPN

Sara Jo Foley, APRN, FNP-C

Jean Mack-Fog, RN, MS, PNP-BC

Valerie Martinez, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS

Maria Milazzo, PhD, CPNP-PC

Laurie Robinson, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CPNP-PC, CLC

Elizabeth Schlappi, MSN, APRN, CPNP-PC

Sarah Wilson MSN, CPNP-PC

If you are interested in volunteering, email Eileen Arnold-Ley at earnold@napnap.org.

Achievements by Partners and Champions

Published a Foster Care Position Statement on the Healthcare and Well-Being of Children and Adolescent in Foster Care by the Alliance for Children in Foster Care - authored by Christina Quick, Tracy Halasz, Nancy Cavanaugh, Kelly Betts and Brigit VanGraafeiland. Visit the Journal of Pediatric Health Care to access.

Manuscript in the Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing by Karen Foli, Brigit VanGraafeiland, Julia Snethen and Cindy Greenberg. Caring for nontraditional families: Kinship, foster and adoptive children. Visit the Journal for Specialists in Pediatric Nursing to access.

ACFC Co-chair Tracy Halasz led a session titled Fostering Hope: Navigating the Care of Children in Foster Care at NAPNAP’s 43rd National Conference on Pediatric Health Care. Available with NAPNAP PedsCE^SM.

ACFC Co-chair Tracy Halasz hosted a TeamPeds Experts Live presentation in Oct. 2022 to raise awareness of October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month and to discuss the impact that domestic or family violence can have on children and resources for providers. View on NAPNAP's Facebook page.

AFC Champions, Christina Quick and Brittany Schnelle, led a session titled Learning the Lingo: Fostering Excellent Care for Vulnerable Youth at NAPNAP’s 44th National Conference on Pediatric Health Care.

ACFC Chair and Co-chair, Brigit VanGaafeiland and Tracy Halasz, led a session titled Advocacy for Youth Aging Out of Foster Care at NAPNAP’s 44th National Conference on Pediatric Health Care.

ACFC Chair and Co-chair Brigit VanGaafeiland and Tracy Halasz, led a session titled The Foster Care Guidelines: A Primer for the Pediatric Nurse at the Society of Pediatrics Nurses 2023 Annual Conference.

Show Your Support

Donate

You can donate to our fundraising campaign to support our efforts. Proceeds will benefit the Alliance for Children in Foster Care, the Alliance for Children in Trafficking, and the Alliance to Prevent Youth Suicide. Your donations go directly to help engage and equip advanced practice nurses across the country to effectively respond to these vulnerable populations!

Facebook Fundraiser

Do you have a birthday or other special event coming up? Create a Facebook fundraiser and ask your friends to support NAPNAP Partners. Your generosity will be much appreciated!

NAPNAP Partners Founding Members - Thank You For Your Support!

National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners

Academic Pediatric Association

American Academy of Pediatrics

American Association of Nurse Practitioners

American Nurses Association

American Organization of Nursing Leadership

American Pediatric Surgical Nurses Association

Asian American Pacific Islander Nurses Association

Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses

Children’s Hospital Association

Emergency Nurses Association

HEAL Trafficking, Inc.

National Association of Hispanic Nurses-Illinois

National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health

National Association of School Nurses

National Nurse-Led Care Consortium

National Student Nurses’ Association

Organization for Associate Degree Nursing

Partnership for Male Youth

Pediatric Nursing Certification Board

School-Based Health Alliance

Shared Hope International

Society of Pediatric Nurses

National, state and local organizations focused on improving the health and safety of vulnerable children are welcome to become a partner of NAPNAP Partners or a supporter of the Alliance. There are no fees or dues to become a partner.

* Founding Partners: Please send your organization’s updates to info@napnappartners.org and we’ll be happy to include them in future newsletters.

NAPNAP Partners for Vulnerable Youth

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