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June 2, 2022

The Ally: Working Together and Helping Each Other

 

I know we are still reeling from the Uvalde school shooting and its aftermath and holding all of those families close in our hearts. Last week, I shared some thoughts and resources that I hope are helpful, and we've added some more from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network in this week's resource section. We will add more in the coming weeks.

I continue to urge everyone to be careful in how we discuss mental health and its relationship to violence. I also encourage everyone to consider that just because one idea or approach might be helpful doesn't mean another idea, especially one from a different perspective than ours, isn't valuable too. More than one thing can be true.

We've filled this week's edition of the Ally with information and opportunities to work together and help each other: one person helping another at a conference; one parent helping another with a school issue; all of us working together at the state and national levels to coordinate services and supports for each other.

There is no way to touch the grief and agony of the past week, especially for our children. Still, perhaps in those big and small ways we find to support each other, we can also find human connections that remind us that life has meaning and purpose even during this time of great pain and questioning.

Our special thoughts and love are with the family and friends of Margaret (Meg) Schweitzer Tucker, who died May 20. Her funeral service is at 2 p.m. on June 2, 2022, at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Jackson.

Our virtual Drop-In Family Support Time is June 2 at noon CDT. Please join us. We want to be there for each other. Please check out our events section for more opportunities to learn and be with each other.

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FROM OUR BLOG

 
Margaret (Meg) Schweitzer Tucker passed away on May 20, 2022. She was 57. She made a difference to all of us at Families as Allies.
 
In the last few weeks, several families have called us because their school suspended or expelled their children right before Summer Break.
 
Families as Allies applauds HHS for its emphasis on a coordinated approach to children’s mental health across state and federal agencies.
 
We need you as a Conference Buddy at the Mississippi Disability Megaconference. Earn public service hours and have a great experience.

EVENTS

 
Family members may drop in to share any concerns or get feedback from others about handling different situations.
 
Participants will explore cultural self-awareness across cultural differences with families facing severe mental illnesses.
 
Learn evidence-based, effective strategies that you can use to create positive and lasting solutions for your family.
 
Motivational Interviewing is a person-centered strategy that engages clients, elicits change and evokes motivation to make positive changes.
 
Join other parents for a monthly meeting and online gathering to coach and support other parents in any system.
 
Policy experts give key legislative updates and raise awareness on critical issues surrounding mental health and substance use treatment.
 
The event takes place over two days – June 10th and 11th from 9:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. Participants can attend any sessions they choose.
 
Sessions will enhance students’ ability to assess real-life situations and learn to make positive choices.
 
Presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors will share information and innovations at Mississippi’s largest cross-disability conference.

RESOURCES

 
After multiple delays, federal officials are plowing ahead with a long-awaited Medicaid rule establishing standards for what counts as home and community-based services for people with disabilities.
 
Describes how school-age children may feel when struggling with the death of someone close and offers tips on what caregivers can do to help.
 
Julie Beckett fought to care for her daughter at home in the 1980s, bringing about a fundamental change to the federal Medicaid program that ultimately improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of children with complex disabilities nationwide. She died in Cedar Rapids on Friday at the age of 72.
 
Calling all teens: Join us in Summer 2022! Planet Fitness is offering a free summer membership for high school students. Get the High School Summer Pass.