(PR-DIPF) LGBTQ+ Youth and Families in the Juvenile Court System | Enhancing continuing education and professional development

Thank you

This live web event has ended. Thank you for attending.

Description

Course Description: This course is designed to provide an overview of LGBTQ+ youth and families experiences in the juvenile court system. Court stakeholders will be introduced to practical approaches to creating safe spaces, affirming a full spectrum of identities, and reducing potential harm by upholding current policies and standards.

Credit Hour(s): 1.5 hours

Course Objective(s):
As a result of this course, participants will be able to:

Describe the risk and disparate outcomes experienced by LGBTQ+ youth and families in Illinois
Explain the role of DCFS and relevant DCFS policies and procedures LGBTQ+ youth in care
Articulate the role of juvenile probation officers in serving LGBTQ+ youth
Outline detention standards as it relates to LGBTQ+ youth

Contributors

Len Meyer, LGBTQ+ Diversity Trainer, University of Illinois School of Social Work, Illinois DCFS

Len Meyer (pronouns; they/them) is a noted speaker, consultant, and educator regarding transgender health care and LGBTQ+ health care. Currently, Meyer works as the LGBTQI+ Diversity Trainer for DCFS contracted by the University of Illinois. Meyer has previously served as the Downstate Community Engagement Manager at Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the Executive Director of the Central Illinois Pride Health Center. Meyer consults with the Illinois Department of Corrections, and was the previous Community Co-Chair for the HIV planning committee through the Illinois Department of Public Health. Additionally, Meyer served as a Transgender Trainer for the US Department of Justice in Illinois and Missouri. Meyer has their bachelors and masters in Healthcare Administration Services and is currently working on their doctorate in Healthcare Administration. Meyer resides in Bloomington, IL.
Honorable Linda Pauel, Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County

The Hon. Linda Pauel is an associate judge of the Juvenile Justice Division of the Circuit Court of Cook County. She was elected to the bench in 2014. Before pursuing a legal career, Pauel graduated cum laude with a B.A. from Cornell College. She then went on to earn her J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1991. After earning a law degree, Pauel worked for the firm Sachnoff & Weaver, Ltd. as an attorney specializing in securities law, mechanic's liens, employment discrimination, abortion rights, death penalty defense, and Fourth Amendment strip search violations. From there, she was hired as an attorney for the City of Chicago Law Department, practicing in the Municipal, Chancery and Law Divisions of the Circuit court. She worked there from 1994 to 2014, before taking the bench seat. In addition to her services to the court, Pauel is a member of the City of Chicago Department of Law's hiring committee, Judicial Selection Committee for Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, and Indian Woods Community Association. She also serves as an advisor to the DePaul University School of New Learning Masters Program, a mentor for the Black Women Lawyer's Association, the president of the Alliance of Illinois Judges, and founding member of the LGBT outreach Committee for the City of Chicago's Law Department.
Ulysses Rosales, Senior Attorney, Cook County Public Guardian's Juvenile Division

Ulysses Rosales is a senior attorney with the Cook County Public Guardian’s Juvenile Division. He represents children in abuse and neglect cases. Ulysses serves as the LGBTQ co-coordinator for the office’s LGBTQ clients. In addition, he also serves as the Burgos co-coordinator, which provides assistance on cases involving Spanish-speaking families. Ulysses has served on the training and hiring committees for the office. He presented at the National Black Child Development Institute Conference regarding juvenile court proceedings. He has also presented at the Youth in Systems Summit and the National Child Welfare Law Conference regarding LGBTQ+ youth in the child welfare system. Recently, he presented at the ABA Access to Justice Children and Family Conference regarding the importance of utilizing multi-tiered, subject-matter advocacy to achieve equity and access to justice for youth in care. Ulysses currently serves on the steering committee for the Illinois LGBTQ Roundtable. Ulysses is a graduate of Valparaiso University Law School and Purdue University.
Elizabeth L. Smith, MSW, Clinical Services Coordinator, DCFS Clinical Division

Elizabeth Smith has worked in the Social Work field for 23 plus years, while specializing in Child Welfare for the last 9. During her tenure at the Department of Children and Family Services she served as a Child Welfare Advance Specialist until her promotion in 2019 to Clinical Services Coordinator within the DCFS Clinical Division. Elizabeth received a master’s degree of Social Work from Southern Illinois University in 2013. Along with her husband and family, Elizabeth has further served the Southern Illinois Community by fostering many children for the past 15 years. The Smiths are Licensed Specialized Foster Parents and have provided sanctuary for many youths from all demographics including youths from the LGBTQI+ community. Within her role as a Clinical Services Coordinator, Elizabeth has taken the lead for the Southern Region in consulting with varies Divisions from both the Department and the Private Sector on youths that belong to the LGBTQI+ Community. Elizabeth has proven herself to be a strong ally for the LGBTQI+ Community and is always striving to learn more and develop new ways to encourage families, staff and the community to become allies as well.
Kimberly Spasari, Senior Probation Officer, Division of Juvenile Probation & Detention Services, 19th Circuit

Kim has worked for the 19th Judicial Circuit for 8 years within the Juvenile Division. The first three years were in Secure Detention where she was often paired with female residents with mental health disorders and behavioral issues. This work allowed her to build one-on-one relationships with residents and work with them on goal setting once they returned to the community. Kim remained an advocate for those residents who were deemed different and felt misunderstood by others. In 2018, she moved to the Probation Unit and began collaborating with not only clients but their families, community organizations, and schools. She found that during her transition to Probation the organization had an increase in juvenile referrals for LGBTQI youth. By working with the LGBTQI committee, policies were created establishing practices and procedures to best work with those youth and foster rapport building and mutual respect. Kim has immensely enjoyed her role and input in ensuring that LGBTQI clients feel validated and respected, and she has witnessed the positive outcomes from doing so.

Thank you

Description

Contributors

Len Meyer, LGBTQ+ Diversity Trainer, University of Illinois School of Social Work, Illinois DCFS

Honorable Linda Pauel, Associate Judge, Circuit Court of Cook County

Ulysses Rosales, Senior Attorney, Cook County Public Guardian's Juvenile Division

Elizabeth L. Smith, MSW, Clinical Services Coordinator, DCFS Clinical Division

Kimberly Spasari, Senior Probation Officer, Division of Juvenile Probation & Detention Services, 19th Circuit