Meetings/Events
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held November 2024
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Meeting Topic: Health and Nutrition
Presenter: Erika Hewlett, Dietitian from the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at nationwide Children’s Hospital
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held October 21, 2024
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Meeting Topic: An overview of service and supports that may be available for children with developmental disabilities, behavioral health needs, or mental health needs.
Presenter: Attorney Chris Camboni, team leader with Disability Rights Ohio.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held August 19, 2024
Meeting Topic: September 9, 2025, Virtual Kinship Advocacy Day: Instruction on how to contact your state legislators to advocate for the needs of kinship families.
Please do not miss this opportunity to find out how to make your voice heard, educate your legislators about the needs of kinship families and advocate for the financial supports in the next biennial state budget.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held July 15, 2024
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Meeting Topic: An Introduction to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD): Impact of prenatal alcohol exposure, red flags and basic interventions.
Presenter: Dr. Ergun – a clinical faculty licensed clinical psychologist in the state of Ohio and former associate professor at the School of Professional Psychology at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, currently living in Istanbul, Turkey, click here to read more
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held June 17, 2024
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Meeting Topic: Information about legal Guardianship, legal partnerships with health care providers, and access to legal services.
Presenter: Joseph K. Warden, Senior Attorney, Advocates for Basic Legal Equity, Inc. (ABLE). Click here for flyer
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held May 20, 2024
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Meeting Topic: Legal information about how to request Special Education Services, IEP’s, 504 Plans and Ohio’s Safe Act (keeping students in grade Pre-K to 3rd in school vs. suspended/expelled) – Click here to see flyer
Presenter: Lisa McIntosh, Paralegal with Advocates for Basic Legal Equality, Inc
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held April 15, 2024
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Meeting Topic: Recovery Ohio, an initiative designed with in the Office of Governor Mike DeWine to coordinate and expand the state’s efforts to combat substance use and mental health disorders by increasing prevention efforts, expanding treatment, providing support services for those in recovery and their families, and working with law enforcement to provide resources to fight illicit drugs at the source.
Presenter: Jennifer Lloyd, Strategic Initiatives Director for RecoveryOhio.
Click here to read more.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held March 18, 2024
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Meeting Topic: Buffering the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) with Family Social Support
Presenter: Yvonka Marie Hall, MPA, RA, CTTS. GRMS, Executive Director Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held January 22, 2024
Meeting Topic: Mental Health First Aid Training Opportunities
Presenters: Michelle Rolf & Jessica Wright – Both from Mental health America of Northern Kentucky & Southwest Ohio.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held November 15, 2023
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Click here for presentation PDF
Meeting Topic: Keeping the Internet Safe for Children
Presenter: Emmaleigh Welka, Statewide Outreach Coordinator for the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, under the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting for October 18, 2023 is on YouTube
Meeting Topic: Important information will be presented about the trauma kinship families experience when parents are incarcerated.
Presenter: Rev. Dr. Joyce Penfield
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held August 16, 2023
Meeting Topic: Ohio Coalition for Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD): Parents Rights in the Special Education Process
Presenter: Tammie Sebastian, OCECD Coalition’s Statewide Program Coordinator and Social Media Coordinator.
*There was no July meeting.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting for June 2023 is on YouTube
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The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting will be held May 17, 2023
Meeting Topic: This presentation focuses on the Ohio Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, including participant eligibility, program benefits, and services offered.
Presenter: Bre Haviland, Registered Dietitian and Certified Lactation Counselor, Nutrition and Administrative Services Supervisor for the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was April 19, 2023
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Meeting Topic: OhioRISE Ohio’s first-ever integrated statewide program to help children and youth who have complex behavioral health and multisystem needs, launched July 1, 2022! Nearly 19,000 children and youth are enrolled across the state. Learn about the program, who is eligible, and the services and supports in offers, and how to get connected. Hear from representatives from the Ohio Department of Medicaid, Aetna, the OhioRISE Plan’s Member and Family Advisory Council Director, and a grandparent on the council who will share their experience with the program.
Presenters: Kelly Smith, External Affairs Administrator of OhioRISE at the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Shannon Hunter, Family Engagement Director for OhioRISE. Sharon Harper, retired grandmother taking care of her grandson. Read more about the presenters here.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was March 15, 2023
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Meeting Topic: Staff from the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund (OCTF) will provide an overview of their agency and offer information regarding services and programs that exist throughout Ohio to strengthen families. These services are able to support grandparents and kinship caregivers through various education courses, as well as provide them with access to economic and concrete supports within their local community. Information will also be shared regarding upcoming activities for National April Child Abuse Prevention month, as well as the promotion of other awareness campaigns.
Presenters: Nicole Sillaman is the Executive Director of the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund (OCTF). Ms. Sillaman has worked in the field of child abuse and neglect prevention for nearly a decade, where she has led numerous statewide projects and initiatives designed to meet the needs of families prior to coming to the attention of the children services system. Prior to the Trust Fund, Ms. Sillaman worked at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for seven years in program coordination for physician medical education programs. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management, as well as her Master of Business Administration at The Ohio State University. Ms. Sillaman is passionate about the Trust Fund’s mission because she gets to come to work every day at an agency whose core mission is to strengthen families and prevent child abuse and neglect.
Renee Whitfield is a Program Manager who joined the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund (OCTF) in 2018. Ms. Whitfield’s previous experience with nonprofits and community-focused organizations allows her to develop and improve internal workflow and communication for the OCTF. Ms. Whitfield holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications from Franklin University and an associate degree in Technical Communication from Columbus State Community College. She is passionate about the Trust Fund’s mission because she has spent the majority of her professional career working to ensure the most venerable in the community have their basic needs met. She believes that children need a stable and loving atmosphere to grow and develop; having resources available to support parents is vital to creating those environments.
Click here to view on YouTube the February 2023 OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held January 18, 2023
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Meeting Topic: The Ohio State University Kinship Family Project. Dr. Nancy Mendoza will share her current work at O.S.U. focusing on assessing grandfamilies needs and strengths, the connection between a caregiver’s social network and their resilience, and future plans. Information will be presented about GRANDcares Plus which is a self-care program for caregivers and how to register to get involved.
Presenter: Nancy Mendoza, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Social Work at The Ohio State University. She has worked with kinship families for over 13 years and is committed to understanding the strengths and challenges of families in order to create and deliver interventions that encourage self-care, communication, and empowerment. Her research focuses on building resilience in grandfamilies. She is also interested in research that addresses various cultures and the development of supports that meet the needs of different cultures.
The OGKC Christmas Zoom Meeting can be viewed on YouTube by Clicking Here!
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held November 16, 2022
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Meeting Topic: Information about the unique statewide online kinship caregiver support group, Kinship Caregivers connect. The support group currently meets online twice a week to hear about topics of interest and provide caregivers a safe space to talk about their issues and offer support to each other.
Presenter: Dr. Angela Tobin, Kinship Caregivers Connect Founder and Lead.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held October 19, 2022
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Topic: Caring for Children Who Have Experienced Trauma
Presenters: Daneisha Washington, LISW-S, Clinical Manager, Family Support Program, Nationwide Children’s Hospital & Jennifer Seaman, LPCC-S, Clinical Lead Supervisor, Family Support Program, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held August 24, 2022
Topic: Ohio Coalition for Education of Children with Disabilities (OCECD): “Parents Rights in the Special Education Process”
Presenter: Tammie Sebastian, OCECD Statewide Program & Social Media Coordinator
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held June 22, 2022.
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Topic: “Kinship Support Programs Across Ohio.” Find out how kinship supports programs serve families through various organizations located in urban and rural counties.
Presenters: Vicky Abdella, Area Office on Aging District 7, Kinship Program – Carla Lanier, Kinship Program, Fairhill Partners – Elizabeth Jones, Director of Advancement and Operations, Appalachian Children Coalition – Stephanie Sulzbach-DeGidio, Lake County Lifeline Ohio, Program Coordinator, Kinship Navigator Program – Marsha Rose, LSW, Kinship Navigator Program Supervisor, Area Office on Aging of Northwest Ohio, Inc.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held May 25, 2022.
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Topic: Ohio Kinship Adoption Navigator
Presenter: Julia Donovan, Statewide Program Director
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held April 27, 2022
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Topic: Legislative Advocacy
Presenters: Lynnette Stevens, Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition Co-Vice President, Administrator of the Office of Outreach, Division of Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion, Ohio Department of Transportation.
Kathy Wright, Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition Co-Vice President
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held March 23, 2022
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Topic: Kinship Support Programs
Presenter: Ashley Howard, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Office of Family Assistance.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held February 23, 2022
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Topic: Find out how your input as a kinship care provider can help improve oral health services for your family and community and may make you eligible for a $50 stipend.
The OGKC Monthly Zoom Meeting was held January 19, 2022
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Topic: Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Presentation of Kinship Support Programs.
Presenter: Becky Murray, LISW, Policy Developer with the Office of Families and Children, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
The OGKC Holiday Celebration Zoom Meeting was held Dec 8, 2021
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Presenters: Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, State Representative Dontavius Jarrells, Morgan Harper, Attorney, and Invited: State Senator Jay Hottinger
The OGKC November Zoom Meeting was held Nov 17, 2021
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Topic: Books for Bruises Presents: IDENTIFYING THE GIFT IN YOUR CHILD
Presenters: Louis Fields, Books for Bruises Founder & Jason Williams, Get with the Program Founder
The OGKC October Zoom Meeting was held Oct. 21, 2021
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Topic: Cyber (Online Computer) Safety. What to do to keep computer use safe for children.
Presenter: Kathleen Caffrey, Statewide Outreach Coordinator for the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force
The OGKC September Zoom Meeting was held Sept. 22, 2021
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Presenter: Lisa Chambers from A Second Chance Inc.
The OGKC August Zoom Meeting was held Aug. 25, 2021
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Topics: What you should know about your children going back to school and COVID: Information about the vaccine and other safety measures for students going back to school.
Presenters: Dr. Yoleetah Ilodi, MD – Geriatric Medicine Specialist in Akron, OH & Rachelle Martin Executive Director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Franklin County.
OGKC June Zoom Meeting was held Jun 23, 2021
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Topics: Help Me Grow: A system of supports for pregnant women, caregivers, and families with young children with developmental delays and disabilities.
Presenters: Annie Bartlett and Devin Deal Outreach Specialists Action for Children Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Disorders resulting from alcohol exposure during pregnancy.
Presenters: Alexis M. Martin, M.Ed, PCC, LCDC III ◊ Behavioral Health Coordinator ◊ Maternal, Child, and Family Health ◊ Ohio Department of Health
Karen Kimbrough, LCDCII ◊ Ohio Dept. of Mental Health and Addiction Services ◊ Office of Community Treatment Services ◊ Bureau of Children, Youth and Families ◊ Maternal Wellness Project Lead Ohio FASD Steering Committee Chair
The OGKC April 2021 Zoom Meeting
Presenter: Baylee Butler, Senior Staff Attorney for the Southwest Ohio Legal Services: Custody for Kinship Caregivers
Please click here to view on YouTube
The OGKC Monthly Zoom meeting was held March 24, 2021
Our presenters were:
Will Petrik, Budget Researcher – Policy Matters Ohio
Emilia R. Jackson – Caregiver Program Administrator, Ohio Department of Aging
Please click here to view on YouTube
The OGKC Kinship Coalition Meeting was held January 27, 2021 .
The Zoom Meeting Agenda: State and local kinship updates
Featured Presenter: Ana Beltran: A National Update on Kinship
Please click here to view on YouTube
The Coalition hosted the 2020 Holiday Zoom Meeting
Friday, December 11, 2020
With Greeting and Updates: The Honorable Sherrod Brown, United States Senator (OH),
and Special Guest: Tonye T. Patano
Please click here to view on YouTube
The Coalition hosted this webinar on Thursday, November 19, 2020
The Impact of Trauma on Children of Incarcerated Parents
Please click here to view on YouTube
Guest Speakers included:
- Dr. Miri Bar-Halpe, Director of Intensive Outpatient Treatment Services | Boston Child Study
- Robin C. Hill | Great Lakes Black Authors
- Dr. Ryan Mandigan, Founder & Director | Boston Child Study Center – Boston & Los Angeles
- Chris Matthews | Literacy in the Hood
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
Barbara Turpin, Ohio Grandparent Kinship Coalition Co-Secretary, participated in a national podcast “Women with Issues”, on July 21, 2020, targeting women over the age of 50. The topic for discussion is the impact of the COVID – 19 pandemic on kinship caregivers and the children they are caring for. Click here to listen to the podcast.
The Coalition hosted this webinar on Wed. July 22, 2020.
Please click here to view on YouTube
Guest Speakers included:
- Ashley Davis, Chief, Elder Connections Division at the Ohio Department of Aging
- Blair Schoeb, CEO, Oklahoma City Areawide Aging Agency
- Attorney Richard F. Dawahare, Recently won a significant court victory for children and their relative foster parents in D.O. v. Glisson, 847 F.3d 374 (6th Cir. 2017) cert. denied 138 S.Ct. 316 (2017)
- Dr. Ollie C. Jones, President of Heart to Heart Family Support Center of Akron, OH and Co-President of the Ohio Grandparent/Kinship Coalition will be the Moderator
The Ohio Grandparent/Kinship Coalition hosted a WEBINAR
June 3, 2020
Kinship Care and COVID-19, Grandparents and other Kin on the Front Line during this Pandemic
Click here to view the recorded webinar on YouTube.
Also you can click here to view the accompanying slideshow in pdf format.
Activities
The Ohio State University presents
#In This Together Ohio
College of Education and Human Ecology, Department of Human Sciences, Couple and Family Therapy Clinic – In an effort to care for Ohio residents during these difficult times, The Ohio State University Couple and Family Therapy Clinic is providing resources to Ohio in June and July free of charge. Please click here to read more information.
2019 Statewide Kinship Care Conference
“Capitalizing on Community to Strengthen Kinship Care” was the theme of the 2019 conference held in Columbus, Ohio on September 20 & 21. Below please find photographs and presentation powerpoints from the conference that you can download.
Ana Beltran “Grand Reform: National Policy and Program Efforts to Help Grandfamilies”
Dolores A Bryant “A Tapestry Of Love & Caring: The Evolution of Kinship Service”
Tina Gaston “Capitalizing on Community to Strengthen Kinship Care”
