Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers public meetings in 2021

Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers

The Council is reviewing a multi-chapter report regarding the experiences of caregivers. The meeting includes updates on a digital campaign and an updated timeline for completing the final report.

• Digital Campaign/Expansion of subcommittees
• October: Digital Campaign & Completion of interviews
• November: Completion of rough draft
• December: Voting of final report
• Review of Report Chapters 1-4

Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers

The council will meet via Zoom to approve July minutes, re-share the vision for a report, and hold breakout sessions to finalize 10-15 questions and select a transcriber for each subcommittee. Discussion, feedback, next steps, and public comment are also on the agenda.

• Breakout sessions to finalize 10-15 questions
• Select transcriber for each subcommittee
• Re-share vision for CIP report

The Council approved the July meeting minutes. Members held breakout sessions to finalize 10-15 questions for subcommittees focusing on data/research, youth, and caregivers for a qualitative report due in 2022.

• Approved July minutes
• Appointed Jarwanda Harris as transcriber for Caregivers subcommittee
• Appointed Dr. Dana Foster as transcriber for Data/Research subcommittee

Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers

The council is meeting to discuss a shared vision for the CIP report. The session includes break-out sessions and a discussion on next steps and timelines.

• Approval of June minutes
• Shared vision for CIP report
• Discussion of next steps and timeline

The Council approved the June minutes and introduced new member Ashley Sias. Members established a five-chapter framework for a 2022 report and held breakout sessions to develop interview questions for youth, caregivers, and data collection.

• Approved June minutes
• Established five-chapter structure for 2022 CIP report

Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers

The council will meet via Zoom to receive updates from its committees and hear from a guest speaker. The agenda consists primarily of procedural items and committee reports.

• Introduction of guest speaker Governor John Bel Edwards
• Update from Data/Research committee
• Update from Youth Voices committee
• Update from Caregivers committee

The council approved the previous meeting minutes. Members discussed committee efforts regarding data collection, youth recruitment, and caregiver barriers such as housing and transportation.

• Approved meeting minutes

Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers

The Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers is meeting to organize its work, including forming committees on Youth Voices, Caregivers, and Data/Research. Members will discuss the scope and goals of each committee, recruit additional members, and set expectations for monthly reporting. The meeting is procedural, focusing on internal organization rather than policy decisions.

• Volunteers sought for Youth Voices, Caregivers, and Data/Research committees
• Discussion of committee scope, goals, and recruitment
• Expectations for monthly committee reporting to the council
• Incorporation of committee work into the council's final report

The Council appointed chairs and defined the charges for the Youth Voices, Caregivers, and Data/Research committees. These groups will focus on youth perspectives, caregiver financial and mental health burdens, and state-level data collection. Committee chairs agreed to meet at least once before the May 6, 2021, full council meeting.

• Appointed Aishala Burgess and Robresha Anderson as Youth Voices committee chairs
• Appointed Jarwanda Harris as Caregivers committee chair
• Appointed Dominque Jones-Johnson and Richard Pittman as Data/Research committee chairs
• Established Youth Voices charge to identify youth ages 14-25 and study juvenile justice intersections
• Established Caregivers charge to document mental health impacts and map caregiver resources
• Established Data/Research charge to provide public data on impacted children and report on truancy

Council on the Children of Incarcerated Parents and Caregivers

The council will vote for a Chair and Vice Chair. Members will also discuss the body's mission, purpose, and goals, and establish a meeting schedule for 2021.

• Voting of Chair & Vice Chair
• Review of legislation and policies
• Identification of mission, purpose, and goals
• Establishment of 2021 meeting schedule

The Council elected a Chair and Vice-Chair and formally agreed upon its mission statement and purpose. Members established a monthly meeting schedule and discussed the formation of three committees.

• Elected Dominique Jones-Johnson as Chair (unanimous)
• Elected Robresha Anderson as Vice-Chair (unanimous)
• Approved mission statement to support children impacted by parental incarceration
• Approved purpose to identify systemic solutions to reduce school dropout and juvenile justice rates
• Set monthly meetings for the first Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m.