John O’Sullivan
Photo by John F. Fernandez

John O’Sullivan, a 13-year Guardian ad Litem child advocate, was honored with the prestigious Liberty Bell Award, amidst thunderous applause and a standing ovation at the Lee County Bar Association 2012 Law Week luncheon. The Honorable James H. Seals, Dependency Court Judge, made the presentation in front of a near-capacity crowd.

The Liberty Bell Award recognizes community service by a non-lawyer that has strengthened the American system of freedom under the law. Surprised with this coveted award, Mr. O’Sullivan’s nomination came as no surprise to those who know him best.

“John is a smart, compassionate man,” says Bill Eggers, a Guardian ad Litem Volunteer Supervisor, and friend, who has supported John for many years in his child advocacy efforts. “He knows the importance of relationship building with people, through his vast experience of managing people all over the world. He has the ability to relate to people, young and old, male and female, rich and poor, wise and less so. People trust him to do the right thing—to be fair and make the right recommendations. They know he’ll be non-judgmental and search for facts. He’s always looking out for the child. Advocating for abused, neglected and abandoned children is his passion and he never gets tired of being in the trenches. He sees the potential of a child, and a what a good life should lie ahead for them—he’s relentless in seeing that kids have a chance.”

Mr. O’Sullivan unselfishly has played the part of Guardian ad Litem, Father, and Grandfather to Josh Kelchner, now in his third year at West Point, while tirelessly representing many other children at the same time.

“I saw a 12-year-old who’s confidence and ambition were sorely lacking, “says Mr. O’Sullivan. “His plans were to graduate from high school and adopt his three younger siblings. But, I saw his potential, and over time, tried to re-direct and empower him to see himself as having potential. It was sometimes uphill and sometimes down, but in the end, Josh made the effort—he saw his longer term future. He was interested in the military. We began attending military academy presentations and networking with the right people. They saw Josh’s potential too and jumped in to help. But, Josh had to do the work—only he could do this. And, he’s been thriving and happy at West Point since the day he entered three years ago. I love helping Josh, and I’ve been needed to help his siblings find their happy futures, but I’ve never stopped helping other children who need me—because every child deserves a voice in their own life and a permanent family—their own or another.”

Heartfelt words from a man who has not only been a Guardian ad Litem child advocate for 13+ years, but has spoken to new Guardian training classes, recruited other volunteers, and given countless hours to Voices for Kids on many projects. Everyone who knows John O’Sullivan, knows the Liberty Bell Award is in well-deserved hands.

Guardian ad Litem volunteers must be Florida residents, at least 21 years-old, have 8-10 hours per month on their own time to volunteer with Program support, and complete free training.

Alan Abramowitz, Statewide GAL Executive Director

Statewide Florida Bar News   May 15, 2012
by Jan Pudlow, Senior Editor

Alan Abramowitz, executive director of the Florida Guardian ad Litem Program, is one happy man for three big reasons.

First, Gov. Rick Scott approved the GAL’s entire $32 million budget for fiscal year 2012-13, with a 6 percent increase of $1.8 million over last year’s budget.

Secondly, the governor signed the law to allow GAL volunteers to transport children, viewed primarily as a safety issue so foster children may have private time with their GALs, which enhances rapport and communication.

And thirdly, the statewide GAL program won the 2012 Davis Productivity Eagle Award for “streamlining efficiencies to focus on commitment to children,” and there will be an awards ceremony June 1 in Tallahassee.

Abramowitz said the news has made him “elated,” and he used a lot of exclamation points in his memos to his staff when he told them the good news.

On the budget, Abramowitz wrote to his staff and volunteers on April 17: “I received a phone call earlier today from the Governor’s Office letting me know that our entire budget, including the additional $1.8 million nonrecurring contract dollars, will be signed into law. The governor has been very supportive throughout this legislative session and continues to support our program. His office wanted me to let you know he supports the great work you do for children every day. I also want to thank each and every one of you for your commitment to give every child a voice!”

Abramowitz, who also chairs the Bar’s Legal Needs of Children Committee, explained to the News: “The $1.8 million will primarily be used to recruit additional volunteers so more children can have representation and a volunteer child advocate. Just prior to session, we changed our request from requesting additional staff positions to contract dollars. We are extremely happy for the additional children that will have an advocate.”

The goal is to expand representation to children in foster care from about 65 percent to 75 percent, he said, even though, by law, every foster child is supposed to have a GAL.

“We will be reaching out to the private sector to look for matching dollars for the $1.8 million. We are going to be reaching out to the faith community for recruiting services and look for matching dollars to show the Legislature that we maximized the dollars through our public-private partnerships,” Abramowitz said.

“Also, we are looking to track increased representation with the dollars so at next session we can argue for making the dollars reoccurring.”

In July, Abramowitz said he will be presenting the “Balanced Scorecard” to the Children’s Cabinet, which charts outcomes by rating circuits based on specific issues the children brought up in “A Voice Heard.” (see story in April 1 News.)

“The goal is to have accountability in expanding our volunteer base and meeting the children’s needs,” Abramowitz said. “The Department of Children and Families is working with us to collect data on performance outcomes we can influence. The children have set the path for our strategic plan.”

Also, Gov. Scott signed the law to allow volunteers to transport children (SB 1960). (see story in April 1 News.)

“We are working with the Department of Highway Safety to get the driving records at no cost. We are developing guidelines for approval and standards,” Abramowitz said.

The Eagle Award, from Prudential-Davis Productivity Awards and Florida TaxWatch, was awarded to the GAL program for being a state program that “costs the least and benefits the most.”

“By utilizing over 16,000 volunteers over the past five years, committed staff working to support child advocacy, engaging nonprofits committed to supporting the program and the children, utilizing pro bono attorneys around the state, and in particular through the Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, has saved the state millions of dollars,” according to the nomination letter.

“We have established a private/public partnership securing money with our local nonprofits; established an online portal for volunteers resulting in cost savings; and established an online training for programs and pro bono attorneys in free continuing legal education credits (CLEs).”

“Of the 533 nominations, there were only 16 nominations that received the prestigious Eagle Award,” Abramowitz wrote to his staff and volunteers. “And the Guardian ad Litem Program is one of them!”

Yolanda Beckworth, President, Grandparents Returning into Parenting (GRIP), Ol'geta Beckworth Foundation, supports Voices for Kids’ effort to provide a voice for 100% of children.

Stand Up for Abused, Neglected and Abandoned Children! Join Us for a Quick Overview of Volunteering!

If you have one hour, come hear about how you can help! New one-hour orientations are open to Florida residents at least 21 years old, and others interested in the Program.

LaBelle 1-Hr. Orientations

Call Angela Boykin at 863-674-4190 for information and to reserve your spot!

Fort Myers 1-Hr. Orientations

Call Mary Ann at 239-995-3737 for information and to reserve your spot!

North Naples 1-Hr. Orientations

Call Donna at 239-776-4734 for information and to reserve your spot!
It’s only ONE hour! Details of duties and time involved will be given.

Thanks so much to all the volunteers, staff, non-profits, and other supporters of the Guardian ad Litem Program. You have created a situation which makes our Legislative Session so much more successful and meaningful. This year we did not have a Legislative Affairs Director to fight on our behalf.  This decision was made because as I have been meeting with the Governor’s staff, legislative staff, and legislators, the work has already been done showing the importance of the GAL Program to children.

The GAL Foundation employs Monica Rodriguez; she lobbies on behalf of the GAL Program and does a fantastic job. Many of these same people I have talked with are GAL’s, have family members who are GAL’s, or have already met with you about the good work you are doing.  Many also have talked and heard from children about the impact the guardian ad litem has had on their lives.  Others have heard from adoptive parents, including those in the legislature, who were able to adopt a child and identified the guardian ad litem as a major force in having the adoption occur.  The Governor has been extremely supportive, including offering technical assistance to our Program.  The legislative leadership has been so receptive that top leaders have checked on me throughout the process to make sure the Program was able to continue to expand its volunteer base to move closer to 100% representation.  Although the legislative session is over, we are still waiting for bills to be signed into law that impact children and the Program.   Below are some items that have a direct impact on the Guardian ad Litem Program.

Budget:  It was interesting this year as our budget was to remain the same as last year by both the House Justice Appropriations Committee and the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Committee.  Although our budget was closed last week, when the Budget Conference Committees were coming to agreements on the budget, the House made an additional offer of $300,000 nonrecurring general revenue funds provided to the GAL Program with the Orange County Bar Association.  In addition, the Senate made an offer of $1.5 million nonrecurring general revenue funds to the GAL Program.   Both offers were accepted and both legislative bodies included this additional $1.8 Million dollars in the GAL budget starting July 1, 2012.

This means next year that the GAL Program will have an additional $1.8 million to serve children in contract dollars.  Although it is nonrecurring, it gives us an opportunity to make an impact in expanding our ability to be a voice for children.    At this point, it will go to the Governor’s Office.

In addition, Healthy Families had $2 million restored.  This is an important evidence based prevention program that assists families so they will not come to the attention of the child protection system.  Any funding that allows families to have resources to ensure their children are safe will assist the GAL.

Conforming Legislation: Senate Bill 1960 is also an important bill for the GAL Program.  The two areas that impact the GAL Program are the following; first, this conforming bill will add legislative language that states the following, “In an effort to promote normalcy and establish trust between a court-appointed volunteer guardian ad litem and a child alleged to be abused, abandoned, or neglected under this chapter, a guardian ad litem may transport a child. However, a guardian ad litem volunteer may not be required or directed by the program or a court to transport a child.”

This legislation arose out of the Senate Children, Families and Elder Affairs Committee as a result of the successful Transportation Pilot Project some volunteers who wanted, had the option to transport children.  It was important we codify the protection of the volunteers.  This legislation, if passed, would make it law that no GAL would ever be required to transport a child from the Program or the courts.  It was supported unanimously in the Senate and House.

The second important piece of this legislation is for the purpose of encouraging counties to allocate staff for the GAL Program.  Some counties do this around the state; we had an opportunity to work with these counties to create a situation where more counties would be encouraged to provide positions to the GAL Program.  In particular, we are adding indemnification language which would protect counties that give the GAL Program positions to allow us to expand our representation of children.   This makes sense to our Program since the persons would be hired, supervised, managed, and terminated by the Executive Director of the Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office. Persons employed would not be counted in any process to determine allocation of funds by the GAL Program to the 20 Circuits.  My commitment has been to counties (and non-profits that support the GAL Program), that the GAL Program will not remove dollars from a community if the county or non-profit step up and provide additional resources to the GAL Program.  This will encourage counties and non-profits to further support the GAL Program and allow those counties who are inspired to get to 100% representation of children with a voice to do so.

Substantive Legislation:

Independent Living – There was great concern during Session that the age of Road to Independence would be reduced from 23 yrs of age to 21yrs of age.  The House was going to reduce it to 21yrs of age but the Senate held firm at 23 yrs of age.  The Senate recommendation held, therefore the Road to Independence Program has not changed. Although there was another proposal, I did not pass.  The age of Road to Independence with remain at 23.

Termination of Parental Rights – DCF filed a child protection bill this year, Senate Bill 2044.  This bill amends the central abuse hotline procedures to provide that the hotline may accept a call from a parent or legal custodian seeking assistance for themselves when the call does not meet the statutory requirement of abuse, abandonment or neglect; allows DCF to discontinue an investigation if it is determined that a false report has been filed; requires DCF to maintain one electronic child welfare case file for each child; requires child protective investigators to determine the need for immediate consultation with law enforcement personnel, child protection teams, and others prior to the commencement of an investigation; requires that monitoring of protective investigation reports are used to determine the quality and timeliness of safety assessments, and provides specific circumstances in which the court may order maintaining and strengthening families as a permanency goal in a child’s case plan when the child resides with a parent.   The bill has passed and is waiting for the Governor.

The GAL Program took the lead in proposing legislation added to this bill that replaces the strict mathematical formula with a qualitative, child-focused analysis under certain circumstances when a parent of a child is incarcerated in a state or federal correctional institution.  The GAL Program advocated for this new law since using a purely mathematical formula to determine termination of parental rights (TPR) of an incarcerated parent does not support the provisions of chapter 39, F.S., where the primary consideration is for permanency and the best interest of the child. The bill provides for consideration of the child’s age and need for a permanent and stable home in determining whether the period of time a parent is incarcerated constitutes a significant portion of the child’s minority, and specifies that the period of time begins on the date that the parent enters into incarceration. The judicial review would begin on the date the parent entered the correctional institution rather than at the time of the filing of the TPR petition.

Although there is so much more legislation and budget items that impact the children we represent, we wanted you to know some of the highlights.  More will follow in the coming days as the Governor signs into law legislation that impacts children and our Program.

Thanks so much for your support and commitment to children.

Cynthia Shafer has been named the Edison Festival of Light Grand Parade Marshall after a public, online vote. A veteran Guardian ad Litem, Voices for Kids Board member and past Board President, Ms. Shafer has dedicated her life to advocating for children, and VFK’s Bedz for Kidz program, which she founded and continues to manage often, enlisting her husband, John.

Read the full story at the News Press:
http://www.news-press.com/article/20120217/SS07/302170006/1075

Sign up for the newsletter through the web site: http://www.guardianadlitem.org/att_main.asp

Daily avalanches of emails, voice mails and family and office business can get overwhelming. But, no matter how large the child’s file, representing them is a people business. We’ll only be successful as their Guardian ad Litem if we get to know them, and everyone relevant to their lives. Emails and calls are convenient and create an illusion of actually meeting, but nothing beats the power of a personal, face-to-face connection.

What can you learn from an in-person meeting that you can’t from a virtual one?

1. You’re off the record.  Emails are public. Many people talking on the phone are in open spaces—there are few private offices, and family members may be around. This means when you talk to them on the phone, you may not get to hear the most important information they can share: unique child and family dynamics or body language that speaks volumes about credibility—both yours and theirs.  Sometimes, over coffee, or a walk around the block, people can let you know more, with more color and detail, than they ever would over the phone or in an email.

2. Make use of not-so-small talk.  Brief conversations may be good when you’re focused on solving a problem quickly and efficiently, but relationships are built when people take the time to share and learn more about each other. That happens more naturally in person than over the phone or in an email. What cements a bond between people? Small talk about a favorite team or travel, passion for southern food,  sharing positive stories about children and challenges, and the other bits and pieces all make us unique and interesting, but can create empathy and respect for you as a volunteer.  Using time before and after staffing and court, school meetings and whenever possible, to get to know people gives insight into what makes them who they are and why—great information to know in deciding how to approach them with a problem or issue.

3. Make an impression. How many times have you met someone after talking to them or emailing them, and been surprised? Let them see you in action. Show them you know who you are and what you’re doing as a Guardian ad Litem.  Be memorable for your knowledge, promptness, sincerity and ability to work as a team.  Be able to disagree without being disagreeable.  Look the part. Be the child advocate everyone wants to know and respects.

4. Read the body language. Facial expressions often communicate so much more than words. We all look for clues to people’s thoughts, fears and honesty through the nuances of their body language.  As advocates for children, we need to know what isn’t being said  that makes each person unique. In their eyes and in their body language, we can see confidence, empathy, fear, friendliness or sincerity. The ability to “read” a person key to the child’s life beyond their words is a huge advantage for anyone.

5. Learn where the action is. Observing family members in their own home, or a classroom and school, or a child at a visit can provide a picture not given in email or by phone.  The home speaks volumes about the person.  What’s happening in the classroom? How does the child react to his parents?   His environment?  Seeing IS believing and may factor into your recommendations. By understanding child, his family, and his world, we can give more accurate recommendations and we can speak more knowledgably about children’s needs.

6.  Listen to the child in person. Yes, you know a monthly visit is required. You cannot phone it in. Child safety, building the child’s confidence in you, and getting information about what the child thinks and needs is the heart of being a true advocate.  Face to face with the child gives you everything mentioned above in 1-5 and more!

We all love new technologies that allow communication with others more freely and quickly. But as Guardians ad Litem, we need to remember others want to work with someone they can relate to, not just talk to remotely.

If you believe in walking the walk as a child advocate, take time to consider when meeting in person can be most effective.  In the long run, it will save your time and build your credibility as someone who really does speak for the child.

If you have one hour, come hear about how you can help! New one-hour orientations are open to Florida residents at least 21 years old, and others interested in the Program.

LaBelle 1-Hr. Orientations

Call Angela Boykin at 863-674-4190 for information and to reserve your spot!

Fort Myers 1-Hr. Orientations

Call Mary Ann at 239-995-3737 for information and to reserve your spot!

North Naples 1-Hr. Orientations

Call Donna at 239-776-4734 for information and to reserve your spot!

It’s only ONE hour! Details of duties and time involved will be given.