HIGH FIVE 5K ROAD RACE IS ALMOST HERE- Join us on October 5th in Sandwich for the fun!We are now accepting donations.
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REAL STORIES
How do you know when it's time to ask for help? It is different for everyone. More often, we think we can handle something, afraid or ashamed to seek help until things get really bad. Sarah figured this out...just in time.
Here's Sarah's Story
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"There's a child in every one of us who is still a trick-or-treater looking for a brightly lit front porch."- R. Brault
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We believe in our mission of "supporting family success in every community" and hope you do too.
Please consider helping us advance our mission by making a charitable contribution to Family Continuity today.
View our donation options here.
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Greetings from the CEO,
Although January 1st is the time for New Year's resolutions, it seems that September and October are the time for getting back to business, to school, to work, and for starting new projects. So it is that this year. Family Continuity is excited to announce the rolling out of two new programs that reinforce the agency's mission to "support family success in every community". New partnerships with the Northbridge and Uxbridge High Schools and with the Tri River Health Center in Milford get underway this month that will provide access to our clinical services on site. These are examples of community partnerships that the agency is developing in all of the communities it serves, and an important set of new linkages to the schools and health care settings around the Commonwealth. Look for more announcements in the near future.
Finally, Saturday, October 5th is the date of our "High Five 5K Road Race" in Sandwich, MA. We are expecting a large turnout, but may still have a few registration openings, check out http://highfive5k.com for details.
Advice of the month: Don't let the boogeyman get you!
Sincerely, 
Earl "Skip" Stuck |
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Program Spotlight
School Based Mental Health Services are underway...
In September, Family Continuity and the Uxbridge and Northbridge public schools entered into an agreement to provide individual and group counseling services on site at their two high schools, two days/week on a regular basis. In early October, Family Continuity clinicians will start serving students referred by the schools and others. In addition, on-site psychiatry will be provided on a monthly basis. Agency staff will work closely with teachers, administrators and school officials, providing case consultation and training as well. It is expected that this service will grow at these schools, and Family Continuity is currently providing training for 12 other area school districts, and in discussion with several about similar clinic services in their towns.
This initiative stems from the work of the School Based Health Feasibility Committee which over the last year identified mental health services as their top priority. Their support and a grant of $38,720.00 that Family Continuity received from the Health Foundation of Central Mass, will provide start-up funding.
Many people worked hard to bring this initiative to reality. We want to especially thank Dr. Karen Kittredge, Feasibility Committee Chair, Superintendants Dr. Nancy Spitulnik of Northbridge, and Kevin Carney of Uxbridge, Ellen Freeman and CEO Francis Saba of the Milford Regional Medical Center, Sen. Richard Moore and Rep. Kevin Kuros, both of Uxbridge, and especially, Craig Maxim, Director of our Whitinsville Clinic.
If you want to learn more about this program, please contact Craig Maxim at (508) 488-5062
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Family Continuity announces Tri-River partnership...
Starting later this October, Family Continuity, through its Whitinsville Mental Health Clinic will also begin providing mental health services at the UMass Medical School affiliated Tri-River Health Center in Uxbridge, one day per week. This is a first of its kind relationship for the agency, creating an opportunity to bring individual and group counseling, and pediatric triage services to the Health Center's pediatric patients and staff. Through a grant received last summer through UMASS, staff will also provide informed trauma training to medical and support staff at the Health Center. Although this is starting with pediatric services only, discussions have begun to broaden the service to adults and to provide psychiatric consultation in the future.
Family Continuity wants to acknowledge the help and strong support from Pediatrician Dr. Safdar Medina of Tri-River, Dr. Jeff Lucas, Director of Pediatrics, and Business Manager, Rich DeSimone, as well as Craig Maxim and the Whitinsville staff for bringing this to reality.
Again, if you want to learn more, please contact Craig at (508) 488-5062
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Family Corner
Halloween Safety
Halloween is the one time of year when "Scary" is a good thing, witches and goblins are your friends, and parents willingly cart their kids around in the dark to stockpile disgusting quantities of candy. Very cool.
However, parents need to pay attention to be sure that "scary" doesn't become dangerous, and a night that embodies creepiness doesn't become truly creepy. How to assure that everyone is safe, without totally taking all of the fun out of it is a common dilemma we all face. As with everything, safety involves knowledge of the dangers that are out there and ways to protect against them. For parents, it involves setting reasonable limits for your kids and enough supervision to be sure they follow them.
It is a great night, dress up, make a fool of yourself, no harm is done. But your kids and other night visitors will love it!
Click to see some SAFE HALLOWEEN Tips from the Centers for Disease Control... Halloween Safety Tips For Your Kids! |
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News
Conference Announcement
3rd Annual Family Voice and Choice Conference
We are excited to announce that we will be sponsoring our the 3rd annual Family Voice and Choice Conference "Moving Toward Shared Decisions and Mutual Responsibility", set for Friday, October 25th from 9:15 AM- 4:15 PM at the Best Western Hotel in Marlborough, MA.
The conference started by Family Continuity, NFI Massachusetts, and PPAL has now expanded its sponsors to include the Children's Study Home, Devereux Massachusetts, the Italian Home for Children, and Walker Home and School, all members of the Commonwealth Alliance of Family and Children's Services. As always, it is a conference for families and people who care about them, parents, educators, state agencies and private service providers. This year, the program will pay special attention to the way we make decisions that effect families and how we can effectively share both authority and responsibility.
Click here to see the full conference brochure and registration information. We hope you'll join us!
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