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 | Anthony has been enrolled with Tri County Care Management Organization since 2017 and has been in Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP) custody since 2011. Anthony had not had a stable, permanent living arrangement for most of his life following the loss of his grandmother. Anthony stayed at many resource homes. which never worked out long-term. Anthony is now 17 years old and has finally been connected with a wonderful woman, Nadia, who has welcomed Anthony into her family! Nadia provides Anthony with an accepting, loving and stable home environment, which Anthony has long deserved. Nadia was recently able to officially adopt Anthony! After the adoption, a celebration was held with many of Anthony’s current and previous providers in attendance to cheer him on. Anthony and Nadia felt so cared for and thankful for this support. Anthony is currently working on goals of becoming more mature and independent while adjusting to a permanent home. Anthony has also had opportunities to explore his interests and build his strengths since living with Nadia. For example, he has found interest in Katana, turtles and recently had his first job ever at Messina grounds. TCCMO is so happy that Anthony and Nadia found each other, and we wish them all the best as they continue thriving together as a family! We are proud to graduate Anthony successfully from our TCCMO services. |
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Getting to Know TCCMO...
Reginald Rosarion is currently the Director of Organizational Development for Tri County CMO headquartered in Branchburg, NJ. In this role, Reginald Rosarion is tasked with identifying, assessing, and implementing processes and projects that promote the overall health and growth of Tri County CMO as an organization and a great place to work.
Prior to this role, however, Reginald Rosarion held the title of Senior Director of the Education Department at Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan New Jersey. Reginald was responsible for the expansion of sexuality education programming (conferences, fee-for-service, grant-funded) in the schools, organizations, and other in-person and virtual settings in all three (Essex, Hudson, and Passaic) of PPMNJ’s service counties.
As a sexuality education professional Reginald Rosarion utilized an approach to sexuality education appreciative of the intersectionality of sexuality development. Reginald Rosarion believes that many aspects (race, gender, family-system of origin, religion) of individuals’ lived experiences impact the sexuality development they may experience.
Reginald has more than 16 years of sexuality education experience. He has worked with University of West Virginia and Carnegie- Mellon University on an interactive teen-pregnancy prevention research project piloted by the University of West Virginia. And has been a collaborator on sexuality education materials like “Teaching Safer Sex” (abridged edition-2020). He has planned more than 50 educational conferences and retreats.
Reginald has expertise in adolescent sexuality development and is a vociferous advocate for the reproductive rights of women, adolescents, LGBTQ folx and families in general. He has given testimony before the NJ State Assembly on the topic of family planning in the state of NJ. Reginald Rosarion possesses a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from New Jersey City University and an undergrad degree in psychology (Montclair State University). Reginald also has committed two years towards a doctorate in Human sexuality education from Widener University (nd).
Reginald Rosarion also teaches as an adjunct professor in the Social Sciences department of Passaic County Community College and at Kean University in the school of Health and Human Performance.
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Visit our Linktree today for more information, upcoming events and resources! | |
Friday Night at the Firth Youth Center- The Warren County Health & Wellness field day committee presented a free Friday Night youth event on September 30th for 6-12 grade students in Warren County. TCCMO sponsored Henna Artist INKenna at our resource table, allowing conversation and connection with youth attending. Food, DJ, dancing, art classes, nitro ball tournament with law enforcement, community providers and more made the event a success.
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From the Desk of…
James Parauda, CEO
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988 - a call to a safer tomorrow
On July 16th of this year, a new National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline telephone number was created by dialing 988. The goal of creating the three-digit number was to make it easier to access help for the many people suffering from suicidal ideation as well as other mental health crises. This is an important step in suicide prevention. This service is an additional access number to the lifeline known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline [800-273-TALK (8255)] which has been in service since 2005 and has proven to help many people over the years. The good news is that although the name has changed and an easier-to-remember number was added, the service itself has not changed, including the process to get help and the resources available for assistance. When you dial or text 988, you will be greeted by a crisis counselor who is trained to work with people experiencing a mental health crisis. The counselor will also have access to both acute and long-term mental health resources in your area.
Here are some staggering numbers from 988lifeline.org that outline the importance of the Lifeline service:
· suicide is the second-leading cause of death among young people
· every year in the U.S., more people die by suicide than in car accidents
· more suicide deaths occur than homicide and AIDS deaths combined
The Lifeline has been a big part of saving lives through the interventions provided by the crisis counselors. In fact, numerous studies have shown that callers feel less suicidal, less depressed, less overwhelmed and more hopeful after speaking with a Lifeline counselor. This can be a great resource for family members and friends who are experiencing an emotional crisis. The Lifeline has grown to receive more than 2.5 million calls in 2021 from just over 50 thousand calls in its first year. There are currently 200 call centers nationally and over time infrastructure will be added to regionalize the call centers. For the millions of individuals and families affected by mental health crises and suicidal thoughts, this lifeline provides hope for a positive outcome and future.
Here are some additional links to outline the plans for development of this important resource.
https://988lifeline.org/
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW9s8F7y4hE
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One Voice Summit Conference Highlights- TCCMO’s Community Resource Department’s Director Linda Zimmermann and Specialist Amanda O’Neill, along with their new Director of Organizational Development, Reggie Rosarian, attended the Shepherding our Youth with Hope event. The Mission of One Voice of Hunterdon is to bring together law enforcement and community partners with faith-based communities to have “one voice” to address substance misuse prevention and recovery, especially for youth, and other pressing issues that affect the health and safety of our community. One Voice was proud to partner with Drug Free Taskforce for this summit.
The vision of One Voice is that faith leaders raise awareness and provide support on a particular topic in every place of worship on the same weekend. The power of One Voice is reaching thousands of people in one weekend with an important message that affects Hunterdon County communities. This year, their theme is Shepherding our Youth with Hope taking place on the weekend of October 21-23.
One Voice believes that faith leaders, law enforcement, parents, grandparents, neighbors, and educators are all called to shepherd the youth they serve. Protective factors such as faith and hope help to prevent anxiety, depression and substance use disorder. They referenced a recent Gallup Study which showed American’s mental health ratings have sunk to a new low among all groups and demographics. They highlighted people who attend weekly religious services as the group that experienced the least dramatic drop in mental health.
For more information about this study: https://news.gallup.com/opinion/polling-matters/389510/religion-wellbeing-update.aspx
To learn more about One Voice, contact Peggy Dowd, Program Director, and inquire about the tools and resources such as electronic materials, hard copies and Spanish translations they have for this year’s event.
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Back to School Supply Donations- Somerset County’s Commission of Women supported ten of our Somerset County youth by providing back packs and essential back to school supply items. TCCMO is so grateful for their efforts in serving all Somerset County youth and their partnership with Somerset County Food Bank.
The mission states that the Somerset County Commission on the Status of Women shall advocate for all women in Somerset County by providing an effective forum to identify and address women’s issues and concerns. They aim to develop a greater public awareness of women’s issues by sponsoring informational exchanges and to enhance the quality of life for everyone.
This annual endeavor, entitled Project First Class Backpack Drive, provided hundreds of backpacks and school supplies for Somerset County students. For more information, please contact Chairwoman Karen Thomas or Vice Chairwoman Marietta Carter at [email protected].
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Dreamweaver Summer Camp Success | |
DREAMWEAVER Summer Camp by Marliese
TCCMO formed a collaborative relationship with Dreamweaver Equine Center in Ringoes, NJ during the planning of our Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day event last May. At the end of this summer, 11 of our enrolled youth had the opportunity to participate in a four-day camp at Dreamweaver Equine Center. The youth had the opportunity to practice social skills while connecting with animals, nature, and each other. They were able to spend time in the petting zoo with the goats and a miniature cow as well as a morning of yoga on the grass. The youth learned to ride horses or walk with the horses along the trail. The staff at Dreamweaver helped the youth learn about caring for animals and being kind to others. The campers reflected with Dreamweaver staff on the last day to identify their best memory from the week. This memory was making new human and animal friends!
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Register today for our upcoming November NHA Training opportunity!! | Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities | |
NHA
DREAMS & the Global Summit
Nine years after the start of the grant that brought Nurtured Heart Approach® to our Children’s System of Care (CSOC), TCCMO is still actively engaged in the practice and dissemination of this relational approach, a set of strategies that equips adults to guide youth of all ages in developing self-regulation and growing their greatness. Along with facilitating trainings for our youth, families, and providers, the TCCMO Nurtured Heart Approach® trainers also have two additional exciting opportunities!
The 2022-2023 school year is off to a fresh start and that means that TCCMO Nurtured Heart Approach® trainers are jumping into the second year of the Developing Resiliency with Engaging Approaches to Maximize Success (DREAMS) Program. After statewide success during the 2021-2022 year school, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) and the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (NJDCF) were able to renew the grant for this school year, which will allow additional school districts to create a trauma-informed environment utilizing the Nurtured Heart Approach®. Each school district will have a DREAMS champion team which will include administration, teachers, support staff, etc. and they will meet regularly with the TCCMO Nurtured Heart Approach® trainers to develop an implementation plan and take a deep dive into the Nurtured Heart Approach®. Through the grant, the school districts will not only implement the Nurtured Heart Approach® into their schools, but they will have access to Six Core Strategy and Trauma trainings, and they will have the opportunity to attend the Greatness Project Curriculum training, where they will learn how to teach the approach to students. The school districts that participated in the program last year have been making great progress in creating healthy and healing school environments and we are looking forward to seeing the growth that this year will bring!
This December, the Nurtured Heart team at Tri County CMO will have the opportunity to participate in the Nurtured Heart Approach® 2022 Global Summit, "Voices of Greatness!" During this 3-day long all-virtual live conference, Howard Glasser (NHA creator) and his leadership team will present a varied, immersive program. TCCMO trainers Stephanie Suriani and Nicole Del Duca will join the Children’s System of Care and Rutgers in presenting Fanning the Flame: Fueling Greatness through Cross System Collaborations.
As part of the Promising Path to Success grant in New Jersey, TCCMO has had an incredible multi-year opportunity to immerse its Children's System of Care in NHA. We will be sharing how our cross system collaborations have enhanced growth within our own community and state, organization and with our families. TCCMO will be highlighting how NHA has been infused in our work with local schools through the DREAMS initiative and through providing training on the approach with many public and out of district schools. In addition, we will highlight collaboration with the Division of Child Protection and Permanency in providing their staff with Nurtured Heart Approach® training over the last few years; collaboration with out of home treatment providers in enforcing mutual accountability in the approach; collaboration with in-home and outpatient providers, including intensive outpatient programs; and of course, ongoing training and consultation with our CMO families. For more information about the Nurtured Heart Approach® Global Summit 2022, see https://nurturedheartinstitute.com/2022-global-summit/.
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Need help advocating? Check out this training opportunity. | |
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October
Bullying Prevention Month
One in five students reported being bullied during the school year – and those are just the students who choose to report their experiences. There are likely many more students who suffer in silence. Although the “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights” was signed into law in New Jersey in 2011, harassment, intimidation, and bullying tactics persist in public and private schools alike. Students may feel helpless when they find themselves the targets of bullying, but they should know that there are people on their side. Every district in the state of New Jersey has an anti-bullying coordinator or specialist who is charged with addressing matters related to bullying in their schools. Students can also disclose their experiences to another trusted adult, whether it’s a teacher at school or a family member at home. Adults aren’t the only ones who have the power to stop bullying behavior; statistics show that over half of bullies back down when another student intervenes. The best thing we can do to stop bullying is work together to create a culture of acceptance and accountability in our schools. We need to look out for one another and remind those who are struggling that they are not alone.
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November
National Career Development Month
The average adult will spend about a third of their life at work. That’s a pretty significant chunk of time, so you may as well try to spend it doing something you enjoy! National Career Development Month serves as a reminder to reflect on your career goals and what steps you’ll need to take to get there. If you’re in high school, consider what your plans are for once you graduate. There are endless opportunities for working towards a career post-graduation, including trade schools, colleges, and apprenticeships. And these opportunities generally have no age limits; if you, as an adult, are unhappy in your current job, take some time to explore what else is out there. The internet is a great tool for researching what you’ll need to do to get to where you want to be. For students with developmental disabilities, there are plenty of wonderful opportunities across the state for obtaining employment, such as the Center for Adult Transition (CAT) at Warren County Community College. This program supports young adults ages 18-24 in developing the skills they will need to become more independent in a job setting. For more information about the CAT, contact Karen Menke at (908) 689-1118 or by email at [email protected].
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Tri County CMO Board Members
Leslie Brusser-Board Chair
Melissa Fowler-Vice Chair
Don Atkinson-Treasurer
Erin Karl-Secretary
Pam Jacobs
Dan Kerr
Lynne Eaton
Lesley Schwarzman
David Yazujian
Sakina Ladha
Avril Okeke
Daphney Rene
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How to Get Referred to Tri County CMO
PerformCare can help a parent or guardian connect their child to Children’s System of Care services. PerformCare staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide assessment and guidance to families facing challenges to their functioning and well-being.
PerformCare / Contracted Systems Administrator (CSA)
1-877-652-7624
http://www.performcarenj.org/families/index.aspx (video guide)
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