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"What We're Doing to Help Area Families"
PATHWAYS, MI NEWSLETTER
MAY 2013
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Pathways, MI is proud to live up to our mission and continually transform the lives of children, families and our community each year.
"We continue to demonstrate our commitment to
providing innovative and comprehensive services to the growing and diverse population of residents in Western Michigan.
Children and families have enormous needs, but they are also remarkably
resilient and capable when given appropriate support and information. Pathways, MI provides this."
-Jeanette Hoyer,
Executive Director
Within our Annual Report, you will find that we have increasingly demonstrated our ability to impact thousands of people with the diverse services that we offer.
Click here to read the 2012 Annual Report!
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TERRORISM AND NATURAL DISASTER RESOURCES FOR CHILDREN
Recent tragic events such as the attack in Boston and the tornado in Oklahoma can affect children in many ways, even if they did not witness the events on a first-hand basis. Children simply want to feel safe and cared for. They are likely to get misinformation from peers, which may be scary and affect their ability to cope with these types of events.
During any tragedy remember to be mindful that too much exposure to the media can make a child feel confused and overwhelmed. A simple check in with how they are feeling is a great way to reduce their anxiety and offer them a chance to ask questions and learn the facts.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers several resources for parents and professional to help children who are exposed to several types of tragedies.
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CHALLENGE OF CHILDREN
THANK YOU to all of the exhibitors, presenters, volunteers and attendees who helped this year's conference a huge success on May 16th!
Challenge of Children is a free, one day conference for parents and caregivers held each year in May. The conference is dedicated to informing, educating, motivating, and offering support and networking on child development, child guidance, and other issues related to parenting.
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WINNER, WINNER,
T-SHIRT DINNER!
Well, you won't actually win a 't-shirt dinner'...but, you can win a cool neon Above the Influence (ATI) t-shirt!
Who can tell us what Tulip Time parade SLIC feature their newly designed, neon t-shirts in this year?
'Like' the SLIC Facebook Page AND post your answer on the wall to enter!
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6/14: Flag Day
6/15: Father's Day
6/21: First Day of Summer
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Invest Today in the Future of our Communities, Families, Individuals and Children
Please consider a financial gift to Pathways, MI and partner with us in believing in the power of focusing our attention on future generations. Help us to support and strengthen our young people, and in doing so, create hope for the future.
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Greetings!
For the first time in memory, Pathways will be starting a waiting list for people needing mental health services who have no ability to pay. This waiting list does not include people who have substance abuse issues. Our funding partner, Lakeshore Coordinating Council, still ensures access to substance abuse treatment services to all.
This year, the demand for free and reduced fee mental health services has far surpassed the funding we have available. Our budget was to provide $100,000 worth of counseling this year for those without ability to pay, and the demand this year is double that. A striking 85% of people who come to us for mental health counseling do not have the ability to pay for these services. We will continue service to those we are currently seeing, and will also continue to work from our waiting list as there is room available.
This action is indicative of a crisis in the area of mental health. In spite of the current spike in nationwide conversation about the need for mental health services, actually ability to access help is shrinking.
- Community Mental Health has had to raise the definition of who is eligible for their services. They only serve the severe and persistently mentally ill, leaving many people who don't quite fit that definition to find other community resources.
- Inability to pay and severity of need have continued to increase.
- More people have high deductible, unfunded health plans, which means that they are essentially unable to pay for counseling.
We hope that the waiting list is short lived and are working to make it so. In the meantime, we will be referring people to available support groups and to other counseling programs, recognizing that other programs also have limited capacity. It is the best we can do at this time, and that is an exceedingly painful reality.
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Jeanette Hoyer
Executive Director
Pathways, MI
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All of us at Pathways, both our Board and our staff, are exceptionally concerned about the impact that limited availability of mental health services means for the well-being of our community.
You can be part of the solution...please consider a financial contribution to Pathways for our "Accessibility Project," so that we can again ensure that ALL people have access to mental health services, regardless of ability to pay. ANY amount you can give helps!
Click here to help transform a life!
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SCHOOLS ALMOST OUT FOR THE SUMMER!
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Ringgggggggg...........school is ALMOST out for the summer! Elementary to High School aged students everywhere are making that run for summertime fun.
Wondering how your child can keep occupied this summer without going back to school with that 'summer mush brain'?
Here are some ideas and links to help your child get the most out of their summer:
- Local Libraries offer many reading programs and activities for children and teens. Find a library close to you!
- Cooking is a great way to help your child with fractions and not even realize it. Find quick, easy and cheap cooking ideas for kids!
- Jigsaw Puzzles challenge your dexterity, spatial reasoning, and logic. They work both sides of your brain simultaneously- the creative side works to see the finished product, while the logical side works to fit the pieces. Learn how to turn easily turn a family photo into a puzzle!
- Movie Making is perfect for your little 'performer'- writing a script, creating backdrops, acting, recording, editing and producing increase creativity, boost confidence, teach verbal/non-verbal communication and collaboration skills. Bring a story to life right at home with this movie making guide for kids!
- Family Picnics are a great way to teach kids several valuable skills. Let your children plan a healthy menu, give them a budget (Farmers Markets can help children compare), let them shop for the food and pack everything. Take it a step further and have them list nutritional values. Find a local Farmers Market!
- Comic Book Creation is a fun way to develop language arts skills. Have your child create a 'Family Superhero' comic book online!
- Gardening is a great outdoor science activity which also teaches patience skills. Grow your child's mind by letting them grow a garden!
- Craft making can use several different skills. Let your child search online or at the library to find 'crafts using trash' that interest them, they can even invent their own. There are endless possibilities.
By now your 'wheels' are sure to be 'spinning' with ideas that can sneak some educational value into any activity! Just remember that balance of outdoor and indoor activities, as well as the chance to read for pleasure and play without the pressure of academics or competition is important.
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BAVOLEK NURTURING PARENTING CLASS
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The Nurturing Parenting Program (Bavolek) is a family-centered initiative designed to build nurturing parenting skills.
This class includes topics important to parents such as child development, discipline, communication and problem-solving.
The next class begins on Tuesday, June 11th in Holland! This FREE 10-week class is for parents of any age child.
Click here for more information!
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SOBER OLYMPICS
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Most Ottawa County Youth live ABOVE THE INFLUENCE! We are celebrating this with the SLIC Above the Influence Sober Olympics!
 On June 8th students will compete on teams in many 'Olympic-type' events. Snacks and beverages will be provided and of course, as in any competition, there will be prizes!! This event is open to all Ottawa County students entering 9th grade (Fall 2013) through students who are graduating this month! Students should RSVP for the event by June 3rd. Click here to register now! Learn more about SLIC and Above the Influence campaign here! |
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MARANDA PARK PARTY LINE-UP ANNOUNCED
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 Maranda's Park Parties offer an unforgettable afternoon of free fun including games, rides, on-stage entertainment, food, prizes and more.
And as always, everyone is invited and everything is free and there have been 2 NEW LOCATIONS added to this year's schedule!
Click here for dates and locations!
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TOTAL TREK QUEST (TTQ)
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Additional photos can be found on the TTQ webpage!
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Congratulations to all of the Total Trek Quest athletes who participated in the final 5K during Tulip Time this year! We had boys finish the race in just over 20 minutes, and we had boys finish in close to 50 minutes.
Wherever the boys finished, the point is: THEY FINISHED! Way to go!!! Complete results can be found at http://www.tuliptime.com/run.
This race concluded our 10 week season in which we ran, walked, and ran some more, and then did some push-ups (and other strength exercises), followed by some great games to help us understand how to make healthy choices.
This was a challenging Spring season because of inclement weather limiting outdoor running time, but our coaches did an amazing job with helping our 17 teams and 250 TTQ boys stay motivated to keep running! This season would not have been possible without the talents of our 53 dedicated coaches- a HUGE thank you to them for sharing their passion for running and for mentoring the boys!!
Just because the season is over doesn't mean that TTQ is done. We're already gearing up for the Fall 2013 season- schools and coaches are being recruited, trainings are being scheduled, plans are being made for the Fall Kickoff Event and much more! But, WE NEED YOUR HELP!
To make sure the high-quality TTQ program continues at your school here's what you can do:
- Tell your school's principle how great TTQ is and that you and your child want it to continue next school year.
- Recruit coaches! TTQ can only guarantee coaches for one season per school year. You can even coach your child's team or ask your friends, family or church members to help TTQ continue at your child's school for the next fall and spring seasons.
- Assist at your son's practices!
- Donate snacks for practices (please contact the coach)
SAVE-THE-DATE
Mark your calendars now for the Fall TTQ Kickoff Event & Registration on Saturday, September 14th from 10am-12pm!
You can also sign your son up before the next school year begins to beat the rush and avoid being put on a waiting list! There's even a coupon for $5 off the $40 registration fee (increased from prior years) if you submit your application and payment before August 31st! Registration is on a first come first served basis. Registration forms can be downloaded online.
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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
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Check out the great professional development opportunities from the Great Start to Quality Western Resource Center!
Upcoming topics include:
- Communicating with Respect and Understanding Feelings
- Building Social-Emotional Connections with Children
- Shaken Baby Syndrome/Mandated Reporter
- Computer Basics for Providers
- Strengthening Families/Protective Factors
- ABC's of Bullying Prevention: Addressing Bullying in Community Settings
- Actividades artísticas para niños 0-5 (en español)
We look forward to providing you with training designed to enrich the lives of children!
Click here to register online!
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 Pathways, MI was formed in 2006 through the merger of Child and Family Services of Western Michigan and Children's Resource Network, Inc. Together, Pathways, MI represents over 80 years of experience serving communities throughout ten counties across Western Michigan. As an organization, we are committed to demonstrating excellence in all that we do and assuring that we provide responsive and compassionate service to all individuals, families and communities who seek our assistance. We do this through a wide array of services, including Counseling, Early Childhood programs, Great Start Western Regional Resource Center, Parent and Family Support and Education, Foster Care, Adoption and participation in community efforts to improve life for children and families.
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