Feature News

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CWLA's annual advocacy conference will kick off on Monday, February 23 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. This year's meeting has as its theme, "Children Today: America's Future" and will pay special attention to the use of data, research, and technology to meet the needs of children in the child welfare system. Sessions will examine new approaches for working with children who have experienced trauma, and programs aimed at developing resiliency in youth, substance abuse and child welfare programs, and residential care.

A key component on the conference schedule is CWLA's Advocacy Day -- on Tuesday, February 24, when hundreds of child welfare, human service and behavioral health professionals from across the country will load buses and head to Capitol Hill for meetings with their congressional representatives. A major feature on the agenda will be the new economic stimulus package and its impact on children and families. Also on the list is CWLA's ongoing campaign to gain support for a White House Conference on Children and Youth to take place in 2010.

Speakers scheduled to address the gathering are Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Danny Davis (D-IL) at Tuesday's advocacy day general session. CWLA will also bestow honors on individuals, and corporations that have been outstanding advocates for children. (See Schedule Below)

Conference highlights include the following:

Opening Session (February 23 at 10:30 a.m.)

• Welcome from CWLA Board of Directors Chair Ross Wales and remarks by CWLA President and CEO, Christine James-Brown
• Dance Performance by After School AKA
• Remarks by Zuline Gray Wilkinson, CWLA National Conference Planning Chair
• Keynote by Larry Brendtro

General Session/Advocacy Day (February 24 at 8:00 a.m.)

Speakers: Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Danny Davis (D-IL)

John Sciamanna & Tim Briceland-Betts, Co-Directors of Government Affairs, CWLA

• Presentation of CWLA's 2009 Legislative Agenda

Media Photo Availability:

• Capitol Hill Visits -- Buses will begin departing from the 24th Street entrance to the Marriott Wardman Park at 12:30 p.m. Contact Joyce Johnson at jjohnson@cwla.org (cell: 703-980-7641) for a schedule of visits.

Dinner, Awards and Entertainment (February 24 at 7:00 p.m.)

• CWLA President and CEO, Christine James-Brown
• Emcee, Joe Costas (CWLA Board Member and CEO of Sunny Hills Services)

Awards:

Corporate Advocate of the Year

• US Cellular, Chicago, IL Mohegan Tribe/Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, CT

Champion for Children Award

• United Way of Greater New Orleans

Anna Quindlen Award for Excellence in Journalism in Behalf of Children and Families

• Lane DeGregory, St. Petersburg Times, St. Petersburg, FL

Special Public-Private Forum -- Wall Street to Main Street: An Economic Crisis in Child Welfare (February 25 from 10:15 - 11:45 a.m. and 2:30 - 5:00 p.m.)

Closing Luncheon and Awards Presentation (Noon February 25)

Luncheon Highlights:

Awards Presentation: CWLA Kids-to-Kids National Service Award

• Lainee Burnette, New Haven, CT
• Jonathan Freeman, Tampa, FL
• Bonnie Brae Knights Drum Corps, Liberty Corner, NJ
• Dramatic Performance by the "Unheard"
• Closing address by David Gerrold, author "The Martian Child"

Since 1920, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) has been the nation's pre-eminent organization dedicated to ensuring that disadvantaged and vulnerable children are protected from harm and have the tools and resources they need to grow into the healthy and happy adults we want them to become. CWLA is the trusted authority for professionals who work with children and the only national organization with members from both public and private agencies, providing unique access and influence to all sectors of the children's services field.

For additional information on the conference, press passes, or specific locations and times for events, contact the CWLA press office at 804-492-4519 or e-mail jjohnson@cwla.org.