The Coös Coalition for Young Children and Families works to promote optimal cognitive, physical, social and emotional development for children birth - 8 in the Coös region.

As we step into November and near the close of another year, I want to express my deep gratitude for all you’re doing to support children and families across our region. Your commitment, consistency, and care make such a difference, especially as we head into the winter months.

In late October, our partners at the Family Resource Center hosted Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander for a conversation about the strengths and needs of the North Country. Those in the room shared that they felt truly heard, able to lift up both the challenges we face and the creative, collaborative solutions that make this region so strong.

That same spirit of collaboration and shared purpose continues to guide the Coös Coalition’s work, expanding non-clinical behavioral health solutions, fostering early childhood transitions, and strengthening family leadership, developmental screening, and professional development and learning. Together, we’ve made tremendous progress, and I’m excited to see how this momentum carries us into 2026.  

With great appreciation,

Kelly Dussault

Executive Director

From left to right: Shannon Bartlett, FRC Director of Reunification and Recovery; Briana Shannon, FRC Director of Family Support; Congresswoman Goodlander; Kelly Dussault, Executive Director of the Coös Coalition for Young Children and Families & FRC Board Member; Chrissy Grant, Berlin Elementary School Social Worker & FRC Board President, and Kat Morris, FRC Director of Development

When a young child moved from Early Supports and Services (ESS) into preschool at the Meri Center, Raising Strong Families and the ESS team wrapped around the whole family, turning a scary change into a supported, hopeful next step.

For one Coös County family, the shift from home-based Early Supports and Services (ESS) to preschool felt overwhelming. They worried about their child’s attachment, new routines, and whether anyone at school would understand their child as well as their ESS team did.

Beginning in September, the FRC Care Coordinator and the ESS team walked alongside them every step of the way. Together with the SAU and Meri Center staff, they:



• Talked through the family’s concerns and hopes for preschool
• Arranged a tour of the Meri Center and an in-person Complex Care visit
• Completed a full evaluation with the new team
• Helped the family choose a special comfort item from home (a reminder of Dad) to ease the transition
• Created a plan for the Care Coordinator to join the child at preschool during those first days

Over time, the family moved from “We don’t want to transition at all” (which would have meant losing services) to imagining their child riding the bus and attending school four full days per week. The transition is set to begin in January—and the family isn’t facing it alone.

Real experiences help our region see the need, what helped, and what to do next. If you’re a parent, caregiver, youth, educator, healthcare professional, or community partner—we want to hear from you.

What to Share

💬 A moment when things felt hard—and what changed it

✨ A small win that gave you hope

🧭 A story about navigation help or a warm hand-off

🎒 A bright spot from pre-K → K transitions or a classroom/child care routine that worked

🤝 A time peer support or a caregiver circle helped you feel less alone

How to Share

📝 Online form: write a few sentences or a short paragraph

🎙️ Voice memo or Video: record 1–2 minutes on your phone and upload

🖼️ Photo + caption: one image and 2–3 lines about what it shows

Quick Prompts

👤 Who is the person/family? (first name or anonymous)

⚡ The hard part: what happened at the low point?

🌤️ Hope returns: what helped—big or small?

🧰 How support showed up: what did our community do?

🌊 The ripple: how could this help more families in Coös?

Where Stories Go

🌐 Website: selected stories on our “Share Your Story” page

📰 Newsletter: short, approved features so the whole network learns

🧭 Convenings & trainings: stories guide next steps (with permission)

Find what you need on our newly updated website!

• Get Support: one front door for help
• Find Resources: guides, ASQ, quick-reference tools
• Learn & Train: one PD calendar + on-demand materials
• Explore Priorities: what we’re moving county-wide

On October 14 at the Town & Country Inn, families, partners, and colleagues gathered to co-create community-driven, non-clinical supports that make help easier to find and use across Coös County. The day was rich, honest, and focused on practical solutions so we can stand up where families already are.

Priorities Identified

🤝 Peer Groups: welcoming circles in FRCs, libraries, and schools—learning together, feeling less alone.

🧭 Resources, Co-Located: navigators/CHWs/providers present in schools, FRCs, libraries, clinics, and rec centers, so support is “right there.”

🗂️ County Resource Hub/Guide: one easy, kept-current place to find help (with QR codes and a printable quick-ref).

🧩 Individualized Wrap-Around: coordinated help tailored to each family with warm hand-offs.

Next Steps

✅ Steering committee formation: Individuals identified at the convening are being contacted to confirm interest and availability.

✅ Working groups by invitation: Teams will align to each priority area to plan initial 60-day sprints and early wins.

✅ Progress sharing: We’ll report back via this newsletter and the website as milestones are met.

If you attended and didn’t receive the follow-up survey but want to engage at the steering level, reply to this email and we’ll connect you.