Members present:  Carol Cox, Ethel Dunn, Alison Gottlieb, Margaret Hollidge, Martha Johns, Alice Mills Morrow, Mary Brintnall-Peterson, Sam Quick, Nina Silverstein, Marian Spencer, Laura Stephenson, Dena Targ, Doris Williams

Introductions:  Individuals introduced themselves by sharing one way they work with Grandparents raising grandchildren.  Everyone referred to pictures that Dena Targ had sent earlier so they could visualize individuals during the meeting.

Co-Chair responsibilities:  Dena Targ is providing leadership to the content of the satellite and Mary Brintnall-Peterson is providing operational leadership.  It is important to keep both of them informed of all items regardless of who is providing leadership as they work together as a team.

Satellite status and production timeline:  Mary Brintnall-Peterson reviewed the satellite objectives, funders to date, and times of satellite program.  Time was also spent discussing production timelines so everyone was familiar with what items needed to be completed first and the order items needed to be completed in.  Much of this was a review of materials sent out for the meeting.

Satellite content:
Dena Targ reviewed the information that had been gathered from the two previous e-mails which identified priority content items.  She asked for a discussion of the highlighted items and verification for the items identified.  Comments from the discussion included:
* Important to show how grandparents got involved in changing legislation which affected them as grandparents raising grandchildren.  There was recognition that individuals need to be trained on legislative action and the difference between state and federal legislation.
* It was noted that we needed good stories to help make the issues come alive so individuals could begin to identify with the issues grandparents raising grandchildren face.
* An underlying theme should be to focus on the strengths of grandparents and how they manage their new roles and responsibilities.
* It was stated we needed to share a resources list for individuals and communities as both attempt to work with this population.
* We need to make sure the satellite programs show grandparents from all incomes, ethnics, professions, low income, higher, etc.  We should stay away from the stereotyping that occurs with this topic.  We need to show that each situation is different, that many grandparents are not in long term situations, they all the come into the caring role in different ways and are not to depict each grandparent the same way.
* When support groups are discussed it will be critical to indicate that they have a purpose, they need professional involvement to keep them on the broader issues, they need to avoid them becoming a “pity party” and treat they are more than just people sitting around and talking.  Show support groups as a resource and share ways to keep them going, how to start them and the challenges of working with them.  If we use a support group as one of the case studies we should have it start with the micro issues for the individual and then how they move into the macro issues related to the community.  We also need to recognize that not everyone has a need for a support group and that they obtain support from other resources.  We should also stipulate that individuals move in and out of support groups based on their needs.
* We need to help agency personnel become better attuned to this population and give information on how and why families find themselves in this situation.  It is also important to help professionals recognize that the population is different than what they might think.  One of the objectives is helping agencies know how to work with this population by increasing their awareness and sensitivity to GRG issues and concerns.  Also, mention that agencies and organizations should review their guidelines/regulations/policies which hinder GRG form moving forward.
* There was a concern to show diversity and how different cultures deal with this issue.
* If possible, need to show the perspectives of the grandchildren throughout the satellite program.
* Towards the end of the discussion, it was noted that we needed to focus on the importance of the individual but to also highlight how they are a part of a larger context, society and that their actions affected that larger society also.  Way individuals share with the larger society is accomplished through empowerment opportunities for grandparents, helping them learn how to navigate the “system” and how to comply with what the “system” requires.  It was suggested that we start with personal stories of the grandparents which help illustrate the larger social issues and how the community gets involved.
* In conclusion, the group decided THAT WE SHOULD GO FROM THE INTERNAL TO THE EXTERNAL LANDSCAPE AND ON THREE CATEGORIES THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED  (1)  THE NEED OF INDIVIDUAL GRANDPARENTS TO RECOGNIZE AND RESPOND TO THEIR OWN ISSUES;  (2)  INTERACTING WITH LARGER SYSTEMS, INCLUDING LEGAL AND FINANCIAL;  (3)  CREATING CHANGE.  THESE ARE INTERRELATED CATEGORIES - FOR EXAMPLE, FOR INDIVIDUALS TO RESPOND TO THEIR OWN ISSUES THEY MAY NEED SOCIAL SUPPORT, TO INTERACT WITH LARGER SYSTEMS, OR TO PARTICIPATE IN CREATING CANGE, ETC. on three categories that needed to be discussed including the larger system, legal and financial issues and the individual themselves who need social support, including their need to care for themselves, and the importance of recognizing their own needs.  They obtain this support by being connected to community resources.  Move from the internal landscape to the external landscape.

Content committee:  The following individuals volunteered to discuss the content as it evolves:  Ethel Dunn, Martha Johns, Nina Silverstein, Laura Stephenson and Doris Williams.

CEU’s and Professional Development credits:  It was recommended that CEU’s and Professional Development credits be provided for the satellite program.  The following professional organizations were suggested as ones that should be contacted to see what requirements were needed to obtain CEU’s or professional development credits.  Doris Williams was going to get information from AAFCS, Alice Mills Morrow from the Bar Association and financial planners  and Dena Targ from NCFR.

Funding:  Their is a need for additional funding to cover all the expenses associated with the satellite program.  It was decided to create a one page boiler plate description of the program and needs which could be used when contacting potential funders.  Nina Silverstein and Martha Johns will review what Mary Brintnall-Peterson develops.  Martha Johns was going to contact underwriting sources in New York.  Martha Hollidge was going to check on AARP funding.  If she isn't able to secure funding, it was suggested to contact Gene Lerinman, Past AARP President, to see if he could help obtain funding.

Promotional ideas:  It was suggested that contact be made with as many national organizations as possible.  Ideas included notices in the Grandparent Information Center newsletter (Margaret Hollidge - AARP), Grandparents United-Fall/Winter issue (Ethel Dunn) and GSA, and the ASA-Summer institute in New York (Martha Johns).
 It was decided to develop a one page fact sheet about the satellite program.  Sam Quick and Alice Mills Morrow agreed to review it.
 The idea of a state contact was discussed.  A state contact would help promote the program in the state an be a contact for UW-Exension to work with in case of state specific questions.
 The satellite program will have a web site which will have everything on it so anyone can get information about the satellite program at any time.

Title and logo of the satellite program:  It was felt that the title needed to indicate who the audience was so the agreed upon title is Grandparents Raising Grandchildren:  Implications for professional and agencies.  The logo should be simple and easy to reproduce.

Next meeting and minutes:  Minutes from this meeting will be posted on the satellite’s web site and mailed to committee members who don't have access to the web.  Our next meeting will also be posted on the satellite’s web site.

Other items committee members were going to follow up on:  Committee members are to send a current photo and a short description of how they work with grandparents who raise their grandchildren.
 *Alison Gottlieb and Marian Spencer were to send Mary Brintnall-Peterson their titles, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and email information so they could be added to the planning committee list.
 *Ethel Dunn and Martha Johns will contact Lillian Johnson in California at the Edgewood Center.  They will get information on how to contact her and the program she works with to Mary Brintnall-Peterson and Dena Targ.
 *Alice Mills Morrow will contact Linda Ladd and send her information to both Mary and Dena.

Minutes taken by Mary Brintnall-Peterson and reviewed by Dena Targ.

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Updated  Friday, 14-Dec-2001 14:40:28 CST