Governor’s Children and Youth Cabinet Addresses Goals and Strategic Plan, Announces Partnership

The Office of Florida Governor Charlie Crist released the update and partnership announcement below regarding the Governor’s Children and Youth Cabinet.

The Cabinet, which held its seventh and final meeting for the 2007-’08 fiscal year on May 19, 2008, has scheduled its next meeting for Monday, July 14, 2008 at:

Florida Gulf Coast University
Student Union Ballrooms A and B
10501 FGCU Blvd
Ft. Myers, FL 33965
9:00 am – 4:00 pm

To view additional information about the Governor’s Children and Youth Cabinet, including its 2007 Annual Report, click here.

Should you have any questions or comments, please contact Frank Mayernick Jr. at this office.

 

Children and Youth Cabinet Addresses Goals and Strategic Plan, Announces Partnership

JACKSONVILLE — Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp on May 19, 2008 convened the seventh and final meeting for the 2007-08 fiscal year of the Children and Youth Cabinet at the University of North Florida. Three committees were established to address the Cabinet’s remaining six of nine duties and responsibilities as directed by Chapter 402.56, Florida Statutes. The Cabinet also announced a partnership with the Children’s Summit Workgroup, which will assist the Cabinet in achieving the goals identified in its strategic plan.

“By allowing Cabinet members to tackle the specific statutory tasks, we will have laid a foundation that will enable us to see real progress and change for the children and families of our state,” Lt. Governor Kottkamp said. “I look forward to future announcements that will outline the ways we will better coordinate children’s services.”

Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp announced the following committees and designation of chairpersons:

· Antonia (Toni) Crawford, chairman of the Early Learning Coalition of Duval, will chair the Interagency Agreements Committee focused on identifying agreements for all agencies to share information and documents with the goal of improving services and service delivery to children throughout the state.

· Donna Gay Lancaster, executive director of Juvenile Welfare Board Children’s Services Council of Pinellas County, will chair the Committee on State Agency Budgets for Children’s Services, focused on developing a budget structure to include all relevant department funding streams and programs.

· Dick Batchelor, president of Dick Batchelor Management Group, will chair the Committee on Commissions, Councils and Task Forces Recommendations, focused on identifying solutions from past and current commissions and councils that are still pending implementation.

The Children’s Summit Workgroup announced its plans to assist the Cabinet in reaching the goals set forth in the Cabinet’s Strategic Plan. The Work Group of more than 30 high-level child welfare experts and advocates from throughout Florida organized the 2006 Children’s Summit and recommended the 2007 Florida Legislature create a Children’s Cabinet.

“This Work Group of highly respected child advocacy organizations will be a welcome partnership and asset to the Cabinet, and we look forward to the knowledge and experience that these professionals will pass on to us,” Lt. Governor Kottkamp said.

As directed by statute, in 2007 the Cabinet developed a shared vision and a strategic plan that guides the design and implementation of measurable actions and outcomes for promoting collaboration and information sharing. Their findings and recommendations were presented in an annual report to the Governor, Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives on February 1, 2008.

On July 11, 2007, Governor Crist signed the legislation that created the Children and Youth Cabinet. The Children and Youth Cabinet consists of 20 members including Lt. Governor Jeff Kottkamp who serves as chairman, the secretaries of the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Juvenile Justice and the Agency for Health Care Administration, as well as the directors of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities and the Agency for Workforce Innovation. Other members include the State Surgeon General, the Commissioner of Education, the director of the Guardian ad Litem Office and the Chief Child Advocate. Additionally, the Governor appointed five members from around the state who are representatives of children and youth advocacy organizations, but who are not service providers. Also named in statute are five ex-officio members, or their designees, including Representative Loranne Ausley and Senator Nan Rich, sponsors of the legislation that created the Children and Youth Cabinet.

For information about the Cabinet and future meetings, please visit the Children and Youth Cabinet Web site at http://www.flgov.com/youth_cabinet.