National CASA/GAL Book Club: “Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong About Poverty”

Poverty is a common thread across the lives of the children and families involved in the child welfare system. Its impact can have deep and long lasting impact and consequences. In most states, neglect cannot be established if failure to provide for a child’s needs is due only to poverty. Poverty may still contribute to neglect indirectly. For example, a poor family may lack necessary resources to buffer other risks. Poverty is seen as a significant obstacle for families involved with the child welfare system.

The first reading in the series is Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong About Poverty by Mark Robert Rank, Lawrence M. Eppard, and Heather E. Bullock

For a description of this title, CLICK HERE!

Schedule of Events: Poorly Understood: What America Gets Wrong About Poverty

When: September 19th – October 26th, 2021

• Independent Reading: September 19^th-October 16^th
• Facilitated small group discussions: Week of October 18^th
• Live author event: October 26, 2021

Moving from this foundation setting work, future books in the series will take us to a place of deeper learning around specific topics under the poverty umbrella. The remaining books in the series include: The Lines Between Us: Two Families and a Quest to Cross Baltimore’s Racial Divide by Lawrence Lanahan; Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land; and Halfway Home: Race, Punishment, and the Afterlife of Mass Incarceration by Dr. Reuben Miller.

Register now for one or all of the readings: https://nationalcasa.formstack.com/forms/national_casa_gal_book_study_registration_form

By participating in the book club, you will:

• Receive up to 4 in-service credit hours per book
• Read a critically acclaimed book
• Engage in conversations with colleagues and peers
• Participate in a facilitated book club discussion group
• Attend a conversation with the book club title authors
• Examine themes related to the book club series topic
• Reflect on how to better serve children and the National CASA/GAL vision and mission