<UFMCE>

Bridges to Excellence:
Building and Sustaining Multidisciplinary Collaboratives
for Children

University of Florida Levin College of Law

March 31-April 1, 2006

Co-hosted by the University of Florida Levin College of Law, "Bridges to Excellence: Building and Sustaining Multidisciplinary Collaboratives for Children" is the first of three conferences in the Bridges to Excellence series.This is intended to be a small, working conference that maximizes interaction, information sharing, brainstorming, and identifying next steps in a network to include the participants and other interested parties. The core group around which the conference is focusing is leading law school centers on children, brought together to discuss and promote multidisciplinary approaches to children and families. Leaders and experts in other disciplines that are critical to multidisciplinary approaches are also invited. The represented disciplines include: psychology, social work, criminology, medicine, sociology, and journalism/media. Finally, First Star has invited a number of representatives from the judiciary, public policy organizations, and foundations to attend and share their insights.

Conference Information
Pre-Conference Submissions	Conference Agenda
Conference Participants	Travel

Pre-Conference Submissions

Prior to the conference, participants will submit materials that will be used for planning and discussion purposes:

Descriptive materials (reports, brochures, websites, etc) about your center or project (its programs, faculty, curriculum, clinics, etc);
A brief biography;
A brief “reflection paper” (one page is sufficient) on the greatest successes and biggest challenges you have encountered in your multidisciplinary work;
Your draft of “The Ten Commandments” (or Five or Seven) of Multidisciplinary Practice: i.e., take a stab at identifying what you think are the essential criteria and conditions for successful, robust multidisciplinary collaboratives.

Please send all materials to Debbie Kelley Willis at Kelley@law.ufl.edu.

Conference Agenda

Friday, March 31st
5:30- 6:30	Reception and Introductions
6:30-7:30	Dinner
7:30-8:30	Keynote Speaker: Dr.James Garbarino
8:30-9:00	Question and answer session to follow the keynote address
Saturday April 1st
8:30-9:00	Continental breakfast and screening of “Youth Speak”
9:00-10:00	First working session: Comparing Current Multidisciplinary Projects
10:15-10:45	Update from the Field: Measuring Outcomes in Child Welfare, Frank Cervone of the Support Center for Child Advocates
11:00-12:00	Second working session: Developing Best Practices for Multidisciplinary Collaboration
12:00-1:30	Lunch and presentation by Kay Farley of the National Center for State Courts
1:30-2:30	Third working session: Where do We Go From Here?

Conference Participants

Name	Organization
Alan Abramowitz	Florida Department of Children and Families: Brevard, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties
Barbara Babb	Baltimore Center Families, Children & the Courts
Elizabeth Bartholet	Harvard Law School Child Advocacy Program
Shay Bilchik	Child Welfare League of America
Jessica Budnitz	Harvard Law School Child Advocacy Program
John Cech	University of Florida
Frank Cervone	Support Center for Child Advocates
Mary Chiles	Office of U.S. Senator Bill Nelson
Cindy Christian	Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research Univ. Of Penn
Sacha Coupet	Civitas Child and Family Law Center, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Howard Davidson	ABA Center on Children and the Law
Bernadine Dohrn	Children and Family Justice Center, Northwestern University
Nancy Dowd	University of Florida
Kay Farley	National Conference on State Courts
Bob Fellmeth	David Price Chair - Center for Public Interest Law, University of San Diego
Mark Fondacaro	University of Florida
Deborah Forman	Whittier Center for Children’s Rights
Chuck Fraizer	University of Florida
James Garbarino	Loyola University Chicago, Psychology Department
Diane Geraughty	Civitas Child and Family Law Center, Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Erika Germer	First Star
Gerry Glynn	Barry University
Leslie Harris	University of Oregon School of Law, Oregon Child Advocacy Project
David Katner	Tulane
Claudia Kennedy	First Star, Chair
Miriam Krinsky	Children's Law Center of Los Angeles
Alan Lerner	Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice and Research Univ. Of Penn
Jack Levine	Advocacy Resources
Bethany Mohr	University of Florida
Sarah Ramsey	Syracuse University College of Law, Family Law and Social Policy Center
Meshon Rawls	University of Florida
Sharon Rush	University of Florida
Deborah Sams	First Star
Steve Sessums	Sessums Mason & Black, PA
Christopher Slobogin	University of Florida
Jane Spinak	Children’s Advocacy Center, Columbia Law Center
Suzanne Tomkins	SUNY Buffalo’s Baldy Center
Heidi White	Syracuse University College of Law, Family Law and Social Policy Center
Barbara Bennett Woodhouse	University of Florida
Monique Haughton Worrell	University of Florida
Karen Worthington	Emory Barton Child Law Center
Barbara Zsembik	University of Florida

Travel Information

Conference attendees are responsible for making their own flight arrangements. We will cover up to $500 for airfare and other travel expenses, and reimbursements will be sent out to participants after the conference. Gainesville is served from Atlanta by Delta and from Charlotte by US Air.

Car Rental:
If attendees plan to use a rental car, please contact Janet Plumley at 352-273-0605. All rentals are through AVIS for the University of Florida. It is University policy to pay for Class B rentals only. Once arrangements have been made, you will receive a voucher called an ACTO which you will take with you to AVIS for your rental. Janet will need to know when and where you will pick up and return your rental car.

Hotel:
We will provide attendees' lodging for the night of March 31st. Guests will be staying at the University of Florida Hotel and Conference Center. You will receive your confirmation number after March 1st. If you wish to come early in order to attend the Askew Conference (see below) or plan to stay on after March 31, please be sure to notify Debbie Kelley Willis at Kelley@law.ufl.edu so she can assist you with reservations.

Please keep all paperwork regarding your travel expenses. We will need them so that we can reimburse you.

Askew Conference:
The CCF/First Star Conference was timed to follow another conference co-sponsored by the Askew Institute and CCF. This conference is taking place on March 30-31, 2006 at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center and is intended to bring people from many constituencies together to consider policy issues relating to privatization of child welfare services here in Florida. You will be receiving an invitation to the Askew conference soon. Askew charges a modest fee to cover meals and has negotiated a conference rate with the Hilton. Click here to learn more about the Askew Institute.

Florida Attractions:
March and April are usually warm and pleasant in Florida. Should you decide to come early or stay on to enjoy the weather, you will find many attractions in Gainesville. Click here for information about the Hilton and about things to do in the surrounding area.