Family Continuity Newsletter Spring 2017

Spring 2017

In This Issue

Greetings from the CEO

Groups

We believe in our mission to

support family success in every community and hope you do too.

Consider supporting
Family Continuity and help families
in your community!

Do your shopping through Ama z o n Smiles and designate Family Continuity as your charity of choice and a portion of your purchase goes to support our programs!

Shop Now!

Cape Cod Family Resource Center

1st and 3rd Saturday 10-11:20am - Transgender and Non-Binary Children's Support Group
Fridays at 11:00am -Music and Movement
Saturdays at 9"30am - Kind Kids
Mondays at 5:00pm - Active Parenting at Nauset Middle School
Saturdays at 9:00-11:00am - Playdate with Dad at Cape Cod Children's Museum

For more information about these events call: 508-815-5100

Whitinsville

Thursdays @ 4-5pm - Building Connections Social Skills for children ages 7-12
Thursdays at 6:45 - 4 Part Professional Development Series at Northbridge High School - Enhancing the Social-Emotional Well-Being of Young Learners
Beginning in June -Tuesdays at 6:30pm -DBT Skills Treatment Series for Young Adults ages 12-15
Beginning in June - Thursdays at 6:30pm - DBT Skills Treatment Series for Young Adults ages 16-18

For more information about these events call: 508.234.4181

April Vacation

How are you keeping the kids busy this April vacation? Click on the link below for a list of 10 family-friendly destinations in Mass. http://bit.ly/1Ngxsem

Message from the CEO

Dear Friends,

As I look over the last few months' highlights, I am struck by one word: Collaboration. As an agency that is focused on strengthening families and communities, we know that working in partnership is a critical component of our success.

Social Worker Awareness Month in March was a reminder that a cooperative spirit is a must and has an effect on how we collaborate as staff, the families we work with and the wider community. Our work is not about fixing problems, but about empowering, supporting and facilitating the positive change that already lies within us all. Supporting individuals and families through crisis takes a truly collaborative effort to make a difference.

As I look over the vast suite of programs we offer, I am heartened by the many corners of the communities our work touches and the many community partners we have inclusive of homeless shelters, police and fire departments, community health centers and houses of correction, to name a few.

I invite you to think about ways that you too can collaborate with others in your communities to affect positive change. Working together, I truly believe we can create a more just, supportive and nurturing world.

Until next time,

Barbara Wilson, LICSW

CEO

Program Spotlight

Family Continuity was recently awarded a new service contract from the Department of Developments Services (DDS). Strong Families Strong Communities, as the program is called, provides Intensive Flexible Family Supports to DDS families with children at risk for out o f home placement.

Parenting a child w ith a developmental disability can be stressful and isolating. This program will work with individuals and their children to develop achievable goals that empower sustained success. Staff will foster partnerships

with each family that builds trust and empowers them to direct their care, prioritize their goals, and build upon strategies that have been successful in the past. We will focus on the Family Partner model in our recruitment efforts to bring on staff who have faced and conquered similar challenges and can offer other families a new sense of hope and comfort.

Welcome!

Join us in welcoming Steve Zessis, our new Division Director of Behavioral Health. Steve will be overseeing our Peabody, Plymouth and Hyannis operations.

Graduatin

g with a n MSW from Simmons College of Social Work, Steve brings 20 plus years of experience working with families, youth and adults who have experienced trauma and issues with disabilities. Steve has done extensive work within the DCF system and has also worked in the Mass Health system for a number of years also. Steve was a CSA director for 4 years and is knowledgeable about the wraparound approach to working with traumatized families, youth individuals and caretakers to ensure supportive services are delivered in a holistic, supportive and strengths based fashion.

Stand Up to Stigma

April 9th - 4:00 - 6:00pm

Regent Theatre, Arlington, MA

We are honored to be partnering with our friends at Comics for Recovery to present "Stand Up to Stigma," an afternoon of comedy aimed at addressing the many myths surrounding mental illness and addition. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 40% of those with a mental health disorder and 11% with a substance use disorder receive treatment and there are approximately 10 million adults suffering from a co-occurring mental health/addiction disorders. Using humor, Comics for Recovery aim to put a spotlight on these issues and "Stand Up to Stigma!"

Comics for Recovery was founded 11 years ago to help raise much needed funds for the under-served world of addiction treatment. Local comics, both those who are in recovery as well as those impacted by addiction in other ways, have signed on over the years to spread laughter. As host and founding member, Jack Lynch puts it, "One of the first things to go in addiction is laughter. After a show, people come up to me and say that was the first time they'd laughed since being in recovery."

We hope you can make this exciting event.

For tickets visit: regeththeatre.com for more information about Comics for Recovery visit: www.comicsforrecovery.com

Coming Soon...New Website!

We have been doing some

spring cleaning here at Family Continuity; dusting off our old marketing and communication channels and making them fresh and new. Working with the amazing talent of Carol Sanger from the Webdivision - our new website is almost ready for launch! One of the most common responses we get from people we talk to about Family Continuity is, "You do all that?" We hope this new platform will present all the important work we are doing in our communities and allow for better engagement with our programs and services. Stay tuned...

Groups

Groups bring people together. Providing a safe place to connect with others that are going through similar challenges can be life changing. While not intended to replace treatment, a support group can give individuals a chance to share their experiences and hear advice and perspectives from others and learn skills to manage stress and emotions..

Our sites strive to provide support groups and workshops for a variety of situations that target the different experiences of individuals and families. Many of our groups are collaborative efforts, bringing together voices and talents from different entities to provide a space that draws support from participants' own community. From our Playdate with Dad group to the Social Skills workshop, these gatherings help people find community and work through challenges. Below are just a few of the groups we are currently offering.

Southeast

Family Resource Center, Hyannis, MA - For more information contact 508-815-5100

Music and Movement

A free Music and Movement program for children 5 and under and their parents, Fridays from 11 - Noon with certified Music Therapist Amy Wyman

, Registration recommended, call Nicole at 508-815-5100.

Kind Kids

Join Pitter Patter Programs on Friday mornings for a walk-in group for 3-5 year olds. We'll build community awareness, empathy and generosity each week when we're given opportunities to create/do something for someone in our community that helps and inspires others. Brainstorming, creative and giving will all be included in this special experience.

Transgender

This group is a great opportunity to get a chance to get to know other transgender identified/questioning children (under 12). We meet as a support group and provide socializing and self-esteem building.

Playdate with Dad

Calling all Dads and Father Figures! Bring yourselves and your children ages three to seven for a FREE playdate at the Cape Cod Children's Museum in Mashpee from 9 - 11 a.m. Registration IS required for this free group.

Active Parenting

Collaborating with Nauset public schools, this free six-week class begins April 3rd, for parents of preteens and teens provides training and support for families experiencing the dynamic changes of teenage development. This class will also help parents and other care givers prepare teens and preteens to survive and thrive in a democratic society, learn about discipline, building communication, and how to prevent risky behavior. Dinner and child care are provided. Pre-registration required, location to be determined. For info or registration, please contact Nauset Middle School.

Central Massachusetts

Whitinsville Clinic - For more information contact 508-234-4181

Building Connections Social Skills Group

For boys and girls age 7-12, this groups focuses on managing anxiety, navigating friendships effectively, awareness of own feelings and the feelings of others, emotional regulation, impulse control, and self-care. Meets Thursdays from 4-6p.m. at our Whitinsville office through May.

DBT Skills Treatment Series

Learn more effective ways to manage stress, emotions, relationships and yourself. Sessions will focus on mindfulness and distress tolerance skills. This ten session series will be offered in two groups; one for young adults ages 12-15 and one for ages 16-18. Beginning in June, meets Tuesdays from 6:30-8p.m.

Save the Date

We are honored to partner with a group of volunteers to benefit Cape Cod children who have been displaced and otherwise affected by addiction in their family. Visit https://www.thecapedcodfishingtournament.com/ to learn more!

Stay Connected