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Cape Cod Family Resource Center
- Fridays 9:30-10:30 am - Kind Kids
- Mondays 6-8 pm - Nurturing Fathers
- Tuesdays 5-7 - Active Parenting
- 3rd Wednesday of the month - 5:30pm - Grandparents Helping Grandparents Support Group
- 3rd Thursday of the month - 5:30pm - Single Parents Support Group
- 1st Tuesday of the month - 5:30pm - Parents of Transitional Age Youth Support
For more information about these events call: 508-815-5100
Whitinsville
- Wednesdays 6:00-8:00pm - Recovery Support Drop In with Blackstone Valley Connector Recovery Coach
- Wednesdays at 7:00-8:00pm (ongoing-May) - DBT Skills Treatment Series for Adults
- Tuesdays 4-5:00 (1/7-2/13) - Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Group Grades 1-3
- Thursdays 4-4:45 (1/4-ongoing) - Mindfulness and Stress Reduction Group Grades 4-7
Worcester
- Thursdays - 4 pm - Creative Counseling Social Skills Group
For more information about these events call: 508.234.4181
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Many thanks to everyone who supported our
High Five 5K race this year! It was one of biggest turnouts ever. Some firsts this year included special races and activities for kids thanks to our Family Resource Center and volunteers. Our sponsors stepped up big time and we were honored to have
Brandon Gunnoe of
7News - WHDH Boston MC this year's event. Check our our video to see some highlights of the day that truly deserved the highest five of all!
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Dear Friends,
Due to the seriousness of the opioid epidemic and our continued commitment to address this public health crisis, I thought it was important to share some thoughts from our Board Chair, Steve Boczenowski:
"A few weeks ago, I read a report that said the White House estimates the true cost of the opioid epidemic in 2015 was $504B. Most of these costs were attributed to health care and criminal justice spending, along with lost productivity. While it's interesting to put a dollar figure, many of us have already endured a personal cost to this crisis and the dollars and cents are rendered meaningless to us. But when the government assigns a number that big to this public health emergency, what they are saying it that it really does affect all of us, whether a loved one has been directly affected or not.
What can we do to get past this crisis? In our state, Gov Charlie Baker and Sec Marylou Sudders have worked hard and implemented many programs to help ease the problem. But despite their great work, the deaths continue to mount, and many people continue to be ravaged by opioid addiction. We have come to understand addiction as a chronic illness that needs to be treated, just like any other chronic illness. And so, while state and national programs are helpful, the difficult work to address this terrible crisis really happens at the local level, one story at a time. Our best chance for success are when several factors come together: well-trained health care providers using evidence-based treatments on patients who have a loving and supportive personal network.
For all of these reasons, I believe Family Continuity is well-positioned to make a positive impact on this terrible crisis in the communities we serve: we have a professional and committed staff, trained with the best practices, who work tirelessly to promote healthy families. And our mission statement highlights these values: "We believe a strong family circle promotes resiliency and supports healthy lives for individuals of all ages."
There may be more bleak days ahead of us in the opioid crisis. But I believe that as Family Continuity continues their fine work day in and day out, working with individual clients and client families, we will see progress in stamping out this epidemic of tragic addiction. Brighter days are ahead."
Until next time,
Barbara Wilson
President & CEO
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| Program Spotlight: Therapeutic Day Program |
We are proud and excited to be awarded a new contract to operate a Therapeutic Day Service Program for latency and adolescent age youth at our Hyannis site who are challenged by various social and emotional problems.
Funded by the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, the Therapeutic Day Program will provide a range of structured psycho-educational and recreational group activities that occur throughout the week and on most Saturdays. Activities and groups will be formed around the unique qualities of Cape Cod and occur regularly at both program sites and community locations. Group activities will include therapeutic support and are structured to strengthen youth resiliency and the development of skills related to mindfulness, emotion regulation, social engagement, interpersonal relationships, pro-social enjoyment, independent living, critical thinking and problem solving, healthy living, well being, self-efficiency, confidence, leadership, and independence.
Group activities occur in the community and expose youth to music, art and other enrichment activities/interests, volunteer opportunities, and outings that provide youth with the opportunity to practice and master skills as well as expand and strengthen their pro-social interests and talents.
If you are interested in learning more about this program call 508-815-5140.
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Sensory Treatment and Trauma
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Thanks to grants from East Boston Savings Bank and the North Shore Community Health Network (through funds from Lahey Health), we have a launched a Sensory Treatment and Trauma initiative at our Peabody site. This initiative will establish a Sensory Modulation Room and provide Sensory Connection Program training for staff at our Peabody site
to enhance our trauma informed support services in the area.
While sensory integration has been a cornerstone of treatment at residential facilities for years, FC has joined with renowned sensory trainer, Karen Moore to bring a sensory approach to an outpatient environment with a focus on using these techniques to support individuals and children overcome past trauma.
Due to regional health crises such as the opioid epidemic and domestic violence, and child
abuse and neglect , nearly 100% of the children we work with have experienced some level of trauma with a 25% increase in the number of children seen
at our Peabody site between FY16 to FY18.
Current research shows that these adverse ch
ildh
ood experiences, when left untreated, can have serious health implications for children across
their lifespan.
As an enhancement to our clini
cal treatment,
the tools and equipment in our sensory room and associated techniques will support tactile soothing, stimulation, body awareness, and moderate
agitation to help children self-regulate and bring them to a place where they are better able to engage in the therapeutic process. Additionally, we will create several sensory "kits" for clinicians to take with them on the road when they visit a family's home or one of our community p
artner sites.
FC is collaborating on this initiative with several of our community
par
tner sites including Higgins Middle School, Beverly Children's Learning Center, and Citizen's Inn.
FC
currently works with these partners by providing clinicians who see children at their sites. Sensory trained staff and mobile sensory kits will allow clinicians to bring a form of this treatment to these community settings and support their staff in the utilization of sensory tools in their everyday work with children.
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Why Be an Ally?
-Grant Pike
Why be an ally? The simple answer is "because I can and am able to". The more complex answer involves much of the same reasons why we devote our careers to work for oppressed and marginalized populations. We know that everyone deserves fundamental human rights, and by working in community based mental/behavioral health, we align with our core values. The concept of ally-ship is one that, outside of
the social justice movement is little known.
To be an ally is to stand with, and in back of those who are facing oppression. To be an ally may seem daunting and uncomfortable. It may also be a new term for some of you who have been doing this for years.
To be an ally means to empower and enhance the lives of those who need it and let silenced voices. Again, we may all doing th
is and by having this term, you can go forth and empowe
r others.
The basics of being an ally are:
· To not speak over targeted populations
· To stand in support with these persons
· To honor diversity and not culturally appropriate*
*this can be seen by the example of dance style of voguing, which Madonna popularized and was taking from the Black and Latino Ballroom scene in the 1980's (for a view on this see "Paris is Burning").
Being an ally is not to feel uncomfortable when mistakes are made, it is to ask que
stions and let the oppressed person know they are heard and valued. As this is the basics of ally-ship, know that within Family Continuity we are making social justice a core value and making the necessary changes to create a
n agency that is truly culturally aware and diverse.
_________________________________________________________________________
Grant Pik
e currently is the Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee at Family Continuit
y. In addition, he has conducted in-house trainings and outreach counseling at the agency for over 3 years. He holds a BS in clinical
psychology and is a candidate for an MSW from Simmons College. He has worked for LGBTQ rights and advocacy for over 17 years, and is highly motivated to continue social justice through his work at Family Continuity.
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Staff try our various sensory tools at our recent Sensory Connection training with Karen Moore. Some examples of the tools that we explored were aromatherapy kits, stress balls, and weighted blankets.
What a great staff turn out this year! We had staff representation from every site for the first time. Here we all are with our friends the Mullet Marathoners!
We had the honor of presenting our Sensory and Trauma Initiative at a recent North Shore Community Health Network meeting. Networking opportunities like these are how we strengthen community through partnerships.
Staff attended a fundraising event to support the peopl
e
of Puerto Rico affected by Hurricane Irm
a and Maria. All be
nefits and proceeds will
go to a non-profit organization located in Puerto Rico (Waves Ahead) that supports the development and formation of stronger segments of all communities in Puerto Rico am
ong them LGBTQ , seniors, homeless , and others ; in order for them to
transform their quality of living .
Thanks to East Boston Savings Bank Charitable Foundation for their
su
pport of our Sensory Initiative in Peabody as well as their hospitality at the grant presenta
tion breakfast.
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A total of 516 people lost their lives to opioid overdoses from 2000-2016 in the Cape region, according to the most recent state health data. In 2016 alone, 82 people died on the Cape and Islands from opioid overdoses - a nearly 8 percent increase from 2015. And Barnstable County ranked No. 3 statewide for fatal overdose rates in 2015 and 2016.
Sadly, children are unwitting victims of this crisis.
A group of community members on Cape Cod, passionate about lessening the impacts of substance use on local families, wanted to do something to s
 upport these children. Taking up the charge, they put together the first annual Caring Cod Fishing Tournament to raise funds to support the unmet needs of children on Cape Cod who may have been displaced or otherwise impacted by addiction and the tragedy of this crisis.
If a child you know on Cape Cod is struggling due to addiction in the family, contact Tori Rosati at [email protected] to find out how these funds can make as difference in a child's life.
Save the date: Caring Cod Fishing Tournament is Saturday June 9, 2018.
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Occupational Therapy and
Mental Health Recovery
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Family Continuity's Cultural Broker Program has been hosting a bi-weekly support group for Iraquí and Syrian Women . The practice of occupational therapy and it's role on mental health recovery was dis
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| Gahda Siddik_ Dr. Lucas _ Indira Gumbe |
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cussed during one of the group sessions.Chery B. Lucas Ed.D
, OTR/L and Assistant Professor at Wo
rcester State University and Graduate Coordinator, presented information on the role of occupational therapy with persons with PTSD and why refugees and asylum seekers need occupational therapy. As a result of this connection with Dr.Lucas, some of our group members are now participating in cultural presentations and work groups with OT students at Worcester State University. Much thanks to Ghada Siddik for reaching out and providing this opportunity for Syrian and Iraquí Women involved in our Cultural Broker Community Support P
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Students_ FC Staff_ and Group Participants at Worcester State University |
rog
ram .
The practice of occupational therapy , like the recovery model , is based on the philosophy and evidence that individuals diagnosed with mental health conditions can recover and lead meaningful , satisfying, and productive lives. It is the professions emphasis on a holistic approach to fiction , participation , and partnership that is used to help support people with mental illness to develop skills , engage in activities of interest , and meet individual recovery goals .
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We hope you
w
ill join us this year and SUPPORT FAMILY SUCCESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY! Below are four ways you can help:
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