Think:Kids
March, 2009
Think:Kids
 
Merger with FCBC
Dear Friends, 
 We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you!
We're Joining Forces with FCBC!
Since our inception, Think:Kids has focused on teaching adults a revolutionary, evidence-based approach to helping kids who struggle with social, emotional and behavioral challenges. Despite all the success we have achieved to date, we have also experienced firsthand the significant limitations to providing training in the absence of personalized support. We have learned that caregivers need to connect with each other as they embark on the difficult journey of trying a new way of understanding and helping their challenging kids. There is tremendous demand amongst parents, teachers and clinicians to connect with each other to learn and share resources and support. With this in mind, we are thrilled to announce that we are formally joining forces with another non-profit that many of you may know already, the Foundation for Children with Behavioral Challenges (FCBC). FCBC is an organization that been actively engaged in providing support for parents and teachers of challenging kids for years now, and its Founding Director, Beth Edelstein, has been serving as our Outreach Director since last year. By joining forces with FCBC, we will be able to provide a comprehensive, integrated program for caregivers and professionals that brings together training and support. Incorporating FCBC into Think:Kids fills a critical void in our work to date, and we see this collaboration as a crucial next step in moving closer to achieving our goal of improving understanding and treatment of challenging kids everywhere.
FCBC Background
FCBC was originally founded by Beth Edelstein in 2000 as a grassroots organization originally called Parents and Teachers of Explosive Kids. Since then Beth and her legions of supporters have grown FCBC to become a home for thousands of caregivers seeking help and support. FCBC has established more than 15 in-person support groups throughout North America and beyond, a vibrant online community with an interactive message board of more than 4,100 active participants, and annual conferences that have drawn more than 300 attendees. We feel incredibly fortunate to welcome Beth and the entire FCBC team to the fold. Together we look forward to building upon their success as we strive to meet the needs of the growing number of caregivers and professionals seeking support.
In This Issue
Think:Kids Merger with FCBC!
FCBC Background
How will the merger be accomplished?
What will this merger mean to you?
Start a Support Group
Join Our Mailing List!
How will this merging of efforts be accomplished?
FCBC will no longer exist as a separate non-profit entity. By law, all funds will be transferred to Think:Kids at MGH and allocated specifically for support initiatives. The FCBC Board of Directors will have the opportunity to serve on a Think:Kids Advisory Board. Beth Edelstein, the Founding Director of FCBC, will serve as the Director of Outreach for Think:Kids with the primary role of expanding in-person and online programming to support caregivers
What will this merger mean for you?
We plan to greatly expand current efforts to support caregivers and professionals through both in-person and online program components. We will develop additional in-person support groups and for the first time provide ongoing training and consultation to support group leaders as well as standardized curriculum materials. To develop new groups, we will actively recruit leaders in areas where no groups currently exist. All groups will be posted on www.thinkkids.org. The current FCBC message board will be dramatically enhanced and transformed into a social networking community at www.thinkkids.org as well. The additional features of the website will enable caregivers and professionals (including support group leaders) to locate, connect and dialog with each other locally and beyond, and to explore additional ways to get involved. We are confident that throughout our new programs caregivers will experience the same warmth and support they have come to expect and find so meaningful from FCBC.
I am interested in learning more about starting a support group, where can I get more information?
As part of the transition process, we will be focusing our efforts during the next few months on reviewing and revising our programs for recruiting, training and supporting group leaders. To learn more, please send an email to Beth.
In conclusion, we welcome our new colleagues and friends from FCBC to Think:Kids. We look forward to continuing a partnership with you to bring about a brighter future for children with social, emotional and behavioral challenges.
 
Onward and upward!
J. Stuart Ablon, Ph.D.
Director, Think:Kids
www.thinkkids.org
info@thinkkids.org
(617) 643-6030