• Gwen Skinner Retires – From Gwen Skinner – “On June 30, 2009, I will be retiring from State service.  Most of you know that I spent my first 26 years with the Department of Juvenile Justice and my remaining years with MHDDAD.  Working with and providing leadership to the dedicated and highly competent staff of MHDDAD has been my honor and pleasure. 
   
  We have accomplished  much, such as:

- an award winning crisis and access line
- securing major grants to fuel our program
- development of the first crisis stabilization programs for children
- development and implementation of a new waiver for people with DD
- changing the law to allow persons with mental illness charged with nonviolent offenses to be treated in  the community
- established utilization management across all disabilities to ensure people receive the correct service in the right amount at the right cost
- overhauled data collection/management system to accurately reflect and track citizens receiving services 

and much remains to be done.  That is the nature of the work.  I am very proud of our progress and thank you for your support as we worked to improve programs and services for people with disabilities in Georgia.   

I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you across the state.  You made the issues real for me and helped me see them in the context of the person and the family.  That was invaluable.  I will miss you and hope that our paths will cross again in the future. “  

Editor’s Note:  Gwen Skinner brought much to the State.  Her commitment to the children and families in care, her insistence on best practice, her integrity in dealing with others, her vision for what Georgia’s future could be for children and families in the child welfare, juvenile justice and mental health systems and her concern for others will be greatly missed. She leaves a big hole in State government and we wish her well in her pursuits.   

• ORS’s Health Care Division moves to DCH –  On July 1, 2009, the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) will launch the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division (HFR).  HFR is the result of Senate Bill 433 and House Bill 228 transitioning the health care related functions of the Office of Regulatory Services from the Department of Human Resources to DCH.  Further information is found on their press release at  http://www.gahsc.org/nm/2009/HFRunitpressrelease20090618.html

·         Important bill Introduced - U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) announced introduction of a bill, the Medicaid Services Restoration Act, to help preserve Medicaid services for vulnerable patients such as those with severe mental illnesses, people with developmental or physical disabilities, and foster-care children who are cared for in our foster care and therapeutic group home facilities. The Medicaid Services Restoration Act:

• Finances therapeutic services for children in the child welfare system with serious mental and emotional disturbances.
• Authorizes Medicaid to pay for standard pediatric medical care for children treated in residential treatment centers and psychiatric hospitals.
• Allows states to bundle rates in paying for services.

More information on the Medicaid Services Restoration Act here:  http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-1217  

• Call for Presentations - 10th Annual Child Placement/Permanency Conference - November 17-19, 2009 - The Classic Center - Athens, Georgia  - It's that time again! Please join Catalyst for CARE, in partnership with Georgia Association of Homes & Services for Children, DHR-Division of Family and Children Services, DHR-Division of Mental Health Developmental Diseases and Addictive Diseases, Department of Juvenile Justice, Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Children, Office of the Child Advocate, Georgia Court-Appointed Special Advocates, Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges, Prevent Child Abuse Georgia, Children's Advocacy Centers of Georgia, and Multi-Agency Alliance for Children, Inc. as they plan for the 10th Annual Child Placement Conference. The mission of this conference is to help participants develop knowledge and skills in their specialized area, as well as broaden their perspective in other areas of children and family services. We invite you to share your expertise in the form of a presentation to this year's attendees, which will include new and experienced DHR placement staff, supervisors, resource development staff, independent living staff, DJJ caseworkers, administrators, juvenile court judges and attorneys, private providers, and community volunteers.

They welcome presentations of interest to providers, policy makers, and stakeholders of Georgia’s at-risk children and families.   In exchange for sharing expertise, lead presenters will receive a complimentary admission to the conference. Travel, hotel, meals and miscellaneous expenses will be at the presenter's expense. If you are interested in presenting at this year's conference, click here for an application and more information.