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Garden Grows More Than Produce |
 Family Continuity's Lowell Wraparound program, which is funded by the Department of Mental Health (DMH), is excited to announce its collaboration with the Merrimack Special Education Collaborative (MSEC) in Billerica to extend a summer program for youths with disabilities. The MSEC program supports approximately 70 students ages 14 to 22, with mild to moderate cognitive impairment, autism and learning disabilities that live in the Merrimack Valley area. Students in the program have planted a garden at the MSEC site in Billerica. The students have been tending to the garden all summer and as they harvest the fruits and vegetables, they are donating them to local group homes for adults served by DMH and Family Continuity and to the National Food Bank program. This is a win-win situation for all involved. The students learn life skills while supplying others with healthy food. Family Continuity is a private, non-profit mental health and social services agency serving Massachusetts from hub offices in Beverly/Peabody, Lawrence, Whitinsville/Worcester, Plymouth and Hyannis. Our motto is, "Supporting family success in every community". Our programs and services target a spectrum of emotional, developmental and behavioral challenges for children, adolescents, adults, couples and seniors. "We are so pleased to be able to help our clients as well as others in the community," stated Lynn Powers, Program Director of the Family Continuity Lowell Wraparound program. "It is important that our clients learn daily living skills to become independent and this is a great way to do it." MSEC offers many vocational programs for youth and adults throughout the year. On top of learning daily living skills, the students are required to participate in volunteer efforts such as making and delivering food items (birthday cakes, casseroles, etc.) to residents in adult group homes, cleaning up local parks, and assisting in recycling efforts, among other endeavors. |
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Family Continuity Welcomes Two New Residential Programs |
Family Continuity has added two new programs to its services. As part of our partnership with Eliot Human Services, we have assumed management of Department of Mental Health (DMH) residences, The Cabot Street Group Home in Beverly, and the Andover Street Group Home in Peabody. Each program has a solid reputation for their services to DMH adult and transitional aged clients. For more information about our Adult Specialized Group Home Care programs click here. We are looking forward to having these new programs join the Family Continuity team. |
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Tool Kit |
 The Parent/Professional Advocacy League has created a handbook, Police Pocket Guide: Responding to Youths with Mental Health Disorders for local police officers to use. Please visit www.ppal.net/default to download a copy of the full version or click here to download a copy of the abbreviated version.
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Wish List |
We are in need of the following items. If you are interested in donating an item, please call Ginny Irving at 508-815-5120 or email girving@familycontinuity.org.
Sports equipment
Wheelchair
Sofa, chairs, coffee table for waiting room
Chairs and table for conference room
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Real Stories |
| Real Stories are submitted by clients who want to share the success they had thanks to the support and services provided by Family Continuity.
ANTONIO'S STORY
My name is Antonio and I am currently 18 years old. I grew up in a rough neighborhood in Lawrence with my parents and three siblings. I witnessed a great deal of violence and drug abuse both inside my home as well as out in the community. As far back as I can remember DCF has been a part of our lives. I recall being evicted from our family home on numerous occasions and being bounced around from place to place. My mother was really struggling with substance abuse and DCF finally became our guardians. Although some things were better for us, it was really hard because all of my siblings were not able to be together. Despite being separated we still remained close because we went through so much together as a family.
Unfortunately, I found myself living in a DYS lock up facility when I was fifteen. This really scared me, but I did what I needed to do and was fortunate enough to earn an interview at Family Continuity's SAIL Program. Read more. |
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Family Continuity's Mission Statement:
Supporting family success in every community by empowering people, enhancing their strengths, and creating solutions through partnerships to achieve hope, positive change and meaningful lives.
Agency Values: Family, Community, Advocacy, Leadership, and Change Treatment Philosophy, founded on the belief that positive change is always possible:
* The most effective treatment provides a continuity of care, acknowledging that connected, relevant supportive services to clients/client families promote recovery, stability, self advocacy and permanency in the midst of changing needs.
* Therapeutic change occurs in the context of a dynamic treatment partnership between clients and helpers that is founded on choice, respect, honesty, and a shared responsibility for and participation in the development of solutions.
* Effective treatment is empowering and strength-based, recognizing that all clients possess resources for change and that change is possible when these resources are utilized.
* Creating meaningful lives starts with identifying goals and connecting that to individualized, flexible and creative treatment planning that incorporates a client's family/community relationships, culture, and context. |
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| Upcoming
Events |
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8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Hyannis, MA
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