July 25, 2016

Forum on Families & Children

A Publication of the Butler County Family & Children First Council

ARE YOU GOING TO BE THERE??

It's almost time! The 2016 Butler County Resource Expo will be better than ever.

What you'll get if you attend:

Door prizes!
Information from over 60 agencies!
A bag to carry all of the information you'll collect
A printed directory of all of the agencies at the Expo
A tour of the Primary Health Solutions Dental Van
And much more!

We'll be releasing a newly created Community Resources Rack Card! Those in attendance will get a two-sided rack card with the most commonly accessed agencies for vulnerable populations. Take one for yourself or 100 to hand out to the individuals in your community.

The Fourth Annual Butler County Social Services Resource Expo will be held on Friday, August 5th, from 10 am to 1 pm, at Fairfield High School. Registration to attend is NOT required this year.

The deadline for agencies to register to have a table at this event is July 25th. Register your agency online here.

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT

The pHarming Effects comes to Butler County

Envision Partnerships is exciting to sponsor this evidence-based peer program and support youth development throughout Butler County. Thank you to the alumni from Licking County's Youth Leadership Council for training youth from the Coalition for a Healthy Middletown, the Coalition for Safe and Drug Free Fairfield and the Coalition for a Healthy, Safe and Drug-Free Greater Hamilton.

Seventeen Butler County youth are now trained in the presentation that includes: A definition of prescription drug abuse and misuse, a discussion of the insidious nature of addiction, the impact of prescription drug marketing as well as tips on how to think critically about this advertising, and relevant statistics and strategies for teens to initiate change in their homes, schools, and communities.

If your agency, classroom, or organization would like to host a youth-led pHarming Effects presentation, please contact Christi Valentini-Lackner, Project Coordinator for the Greater Hamilton Coalition at cvalentini@envisionpartnerships.com

UPDATES:

Bridges out of Poverty Coalition Meeting Scheduled for August 5th

The Butler County Educational Service Center, SELF and our partner agencies would like to invite you to the next Butler County Bridges Out of Poverty Coalition meeting on Thursday, August 5 at 12 p.m. at Fairfield High School (8800 Holden Blvd., Fairfield, OH) during the Butler County Social Services Resource Expo. Please join us and bring a collegue! Send inquiries to Beth Race at brace@selfhelps.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Butler County is Moving!

The offices of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County will be moving to a space that better fits our staff needs! Here are the details: On July 28, 2016 we will depart from 5539 Eureka Drive Hamilton, OH 45011 to our new location at 1755 S. Erie Hwy Suite B, Hamilton, OH 45011. Our office will be open during the move and all of our phone and fax information will remain the same. Learn more about BBBS Butler County on their website.

Butler County NAMI Support Groups

Butler County NAMI hosts support groups for family members and friends who have a loved one with a mental illness. There are 3 options to attend in Oxford and Fairfield. Also offered is NAMI Connection, a peer-facilitated group for adults living with mental illness which provides an opportunity to share challenges, strategies, and successes with others who understand. Participants gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others, and the groups are led by NAMI-trained facilitators who've been there. Learn more here. In addition, a new session of Family-to-Family starts on September 6th.

Ohio Dept. of Education Seeking Input/Webinars re: ESSA

You may review and comment on proposed revisions to Ohio's Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics through an online survey posted here. The survey closes Monday, Aug. 1. Click here to participate.

The Ohio Department of Education is pursuing a grant which would allow Ohio to expand and improve career-focused education that prepares students for high-skill and high-wage jobs. To prepare for the grant application, the department is conducting a survey to gather information from citizens throughout Ohio, including educators, parents, students, businesses and community organizations in order to learn about the quality of and access to career preparation resources currently available in schools. Access the New Skills for Youth Survey here.

Webinars about the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and stakeholder meetings have been scheduled. Click here to learn more.

New Behavioral Health Resources for Ohio's Deaf Community

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services' Disparities and Cultural Competence (DACC) Advisory Committee has released new behavioral health resources for Ohio's deaf and hard-of-hearing community. The DACC Committee partnered with Ohio Association of the Deaf, Inc. to record videos in American Sign Language that focus on alcohol and drug addiction, suicide prevention, and the impact of trauma on lifelong wellness. Click the following to view/listen to the videos.