In This Issue
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The Family Corner: Grandparents, You Are Not Alone!
Program Highlight: Family Partners
Family Support Fund Update: Your contributions are making a difference
Upcoming Events
Real Stories: Pete's Story
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The Family Corner-Grandparents, You Are Not Alone!
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Families of all kinds need help sometimes. We all know that even raising children with all the support in the world can be challenging. But what if you are a grandparent or older relative who suddenly finds yourself as the primary caregiver for a young child. This happens in millions of families across the nation every year. It has usually been a while since the last time you've thought about raising children, you might feel isolated and alone, but you're not...
Follow this link to some ideas and support that may be available to you in your community:
Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Information
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Program Highlight- Family Partners
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Family Continuity has worked with other agencies throughout the state to provide services authorized by the Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI). These services are fully funded by MassHealth and currently are ONLY available to families insured through MassHealth .
The initiative broadened the availability of many services, and even allowed for the creation of new ones. Family Continuity is very pleased to have offered one of these, "Family Partners", since July 2009. Formally named "Family Support and Training", Family Partners provide peer support and help parents and caregivers to help their children achieve their treatment goals. Family Partners are parents or caregivers of children with special needs themselves - they've "been there". They understand what families go through, and can share their experiences. Working in partnership with case managers, clinicians, and a host of community resources, Family Partners help parents work through the challenges of supporting children with emotional and behavioral needs.
Starting small in our Hyannis office, with only one Partner and a handful of families, the program has grown quickly with the addition of six new Partners, currently serving over 80 Cape and Islands families.
We hope this year that additional funding will allow us to offer the program at other sites as well. We believe in this program, because it works! Feedback from our consumer satisfaction reports confirms that the Family Partners are one of our most effective services. As an example, see "Teamwork Works" from our February 2011 Newsletter.
If you would like to learn more about Family Partners, please see the program description on our website www.familycontinuity.org, or through our information line at 1-866-219-3320.
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Family Support Fund Update
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As we reported in last month's Newsletter, the Family Support Fund helps families in all of our service areas during the times of their greatest need. To provide this support, Family Continuity receives no funding, other than generous donations from friends, staff and Board members. This year's appeal is still in progress, but already it has exceeded last year's results. We want to acknowledge the support of some of our generous contributors, including:
$1,000 Donor
Partners Benefit Group
$500 Donors
401kQuote.com - Tom Lanahan
DSCI Corporation
Tobin & Sons Moving and Storage, Inc.
$100-$250 Donors
Cross Cultural Communication Systems
Eldredge & Bourne Moving & Storage
MP Roberts Insurance Agency
R&M Realty
The Drumlin Group
In addition, we received donations from anonymous donors, staff and Board members totaling $1,950. If you would like to make a donation please visit: Support Family Continuity.
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Upcoming Events-Save the Dates
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Getting Real About Family Voice and Choice
March 22, 2011
Bentley College
Family Continuity will be co-sponsoring this conference along with
NAFI (North American Family Institute), Massachusetts Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (MAMFT) and PPAL (The Parent Professional Advocacy League). It is a full day program for parents and professional staff.
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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.
PETE'S STORY
We are the parents of Pete, a 12 year old boy who is diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome, as well as some other learning disabilities. This has proven to be a real challenge for both Pete and us as parents, as we believe it is for many families. One of the most difficult aspects that we have faced throughout this long process has been in knowing about and accessing services. In most cases, services for children like Pete exist, but navigating through the roadblocks to gain access to these services can be very difficult, especially alone.
This is why we write this letter today, to express our sincere gratitude to the groups at CASSP (Child and Adolescent Service System Program) that have made our navigation to services easier. 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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