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National Foster Care Month (NFCM) 2022 has come to a close, but NYAP's non-negotiable commitment to doing what is best for youth and families amidst struggle remains strong. Witnessing NYAP Foster Parents, team members, community supporters and more come together once again during the month of May to show each other appreciation, kindness and love is always a high point of the year. Whether you wrote a letter, distributed gifts or held a magnificent event: thank you for your remarkable efforts and contributions to making this past month a little sweeter for those we serve. None of this can be done without them and none of this can be done without you!
If you have any NFCM stories or events not featured in this month's edition of the newsletter, please submit content to [email protected] to be included in next month's!
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We want to take the time to share our appreciation for various employees throughout the organization, knowing there is an abundance of passion and drive among our nationwide team. We are incredibly grateful for the following nominees! | |
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Whitney Conrad, Therapist I
Ohio
"Over the last four years I have had the privilege to work with Whitney in multiple capacities; from coworkers, to completing supervision for licensure hours and now as a supervisor. Over this time she has consistently displayed her tremendous compassion and empathy for her community and those she serves. Whitney is an asset to our region, consistently putting the needs of her clients at the top of her priority list, even if that need is not one she can personally fulfill. She truly cares about the people she supports and those she works with recognize the impact it has on their services. Recently a client reached out to the NYAP corporate office to express their gratitude for the work Whitney does. She is an incredible advocate and always has clients' best interests in mind. We are incredibly thankful that Whitney has chosen to work for NYAP to help those who are struggling."
-Kylie Carter
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Rebecca Ferreira, Therapist I
Florida
"In the year Rebecca has been with NYAP she has shined through and through. She puts the needs of our clients at the forefront and will stop at nothing to ensure their needs are met. She also ensures she completes her documentation in a timely manner. Rebecca works collaboratively with others and never hesitates to find adequate solutions. I am so proud to have her as a therapist on our team!"
-Shayna Redding
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Jessica Shaffer, Program Manager
Ohio
"Jessica is one of the most supportive and hard working supervisors I have ever worked with. She really does go above and beyond to support her staff, foster parents and foster youth. Jessica is always thinking of ways to improve the program, interdepartmental collaboration and overall job satisfaction. She works tirelessly and always displays a positive attitude."
-Amber Carson
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NYAP is incredibly grateful to these employees for sharing their unique skills and impressive talents to work toward our shared goal of caring for people, connecting communities and promoting peace. Thank you for your passion, efforts and commitment. Congratulations! | |
NYAP is excited to announce the following position changes within the organization: | |
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Tanya Shats
Jessica Brezovsky
Courtney Townsend
Nathan Koenig
Liana Gonzalez
Umulkheyr Hassan
Ashley Sammons
Pamela Walker Kurcz
Melanie Perez
Shayna Redding
Jill Rippy
Karen Harris
Gina Fleming
Lisa Davis
Virginia Pozzie
Jose Alvarado
Kristin Tordoff
Crystal Keogler
Sue Hart
Christina Graves
Shayla Garman
Regina King
Chance Mitchell
Aaron Hill
Katiana Dib
Geri Mangas
Angela Morgan
Daisy Lezama
Kaitlyn Ball
Kayley Wagner
Jennifer Moody
Kelly Wallace
Edwin Amagnoh
Nayriah Virden
Juan Nevarez Barron
Katiana Dib
Mindy Kuney
Sandi Shannon
Artrice Brewer
Jillian Caraballo
Victorya Christmas
Lizbeth Guzman
Justin McKinniss
Sara Middendorf
Congratulations!
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Treatment Resource Family Training and Development Manager
Foster Parent Retention and Growth Coordinator
Treatment Resource Family Recruiter
Treatment Resource Family Recruiter
Talent Acquisition Strategy Partner
Family Services Coordinator II
Human Resources Coordinator
Family Service Supervisor
Administrative Assistant_JOR
Regional Clinical Director
Director of Social Media Impact
Medical Records Manager
Family Case Manager III
Treatment Coordinator III
Licensing Supervisor
Case Manager I_JOR
Executive Director
Team Leader I
Licensing Supervisor
Family Case Manager I
Therapist I
Student Mentor
Reimagine Outreach Specialist
Treatment Advocate I_ANC
Education Coordinator I LTFC_JOR
Care Coordinator Supervisor_OhioRISE
Family Services Coordinator I
Director of the Center for Adolescents and Families
Therapist I
Therapist I
National Continuous Quality Improvement Coordinator
Family Case Manager II
Family Case Manager II
Family Case Manager II
Case Manager III_JOR
Education Coordinator I_LTFC_JOR
Administrative Assistant
Therapist I
Program Manager
Case Manager I_JOR
Team Leader I
Case Manager I_JOR
Therapist III
Director of Program Administration
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Message to NYAP Team Members
Board of Directors
The organization's board members convened this past month to discuss pertinent matters and get updated on how the company's performance. Consequently, the board shares the following message:
"As members of the Board of Directors for the National Youth Advocate Program, it is always an honor to learn about our talented and fascinating staff. Your hard work has been evident for years. More importantly, your commitment to the children and families we serve is outstanding. We are aware that this work challenges each of you in different ways, it’s work that requires head and heart. We are pleased to have such a selfless, courageous and willing team that makes NYAP the best among many! Thank you for giving your ALL to make it a better day for those we serve with excellence. We appreciate and are proud of the work you do!"
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Updated Resources
Communications
At the beginning of May, Communications hosted Lunch & Learn sessions to walk team members through the process of ordering printed material through NYAP's main vendor, Morgantown Printing and Binding (MPB), also known as MPB Print & Sign Superstore. The recording of one of these sessions is on SharePoint and linked below for employees to refer back to at any time. An updated step-by-step instructions PDF is also being released soon.
To stay on top of all Communications updates and resources, join the Microsoft Teams group by clicking the button below. Here you will find our latest toolkit stocked with summer items, including Pride material for June!
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New and Improved Employee Resource Groups
Culture and Social Justice Engagement
In February, NYAP's Culture and Social Justice Engagement Department announced three new employee resource groups (ERG) for team members to engage in conversation with other members of their cultural and social communities. Since these groups have formed, participants have discussed the official title they wish to be referred to as, which has brought changes to two of the groups.
Moving forward, the three ERGs will be addressed as follows:
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Settings remain private in this group to ensure confidentiality. | |
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The Return of Summer Fridays
Human Resources
May 27 marked the first Summer Friday of the 2022 season! NYAP endorses a flexible work schedule and seeks to support all team members through this benefit. Commonly referred to as Summer Fridays, summer hours or Fri-yays, employees are given the opportunity to have extended weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day. This allows full-time team members to clock in four additional hours each week if they accomplish their typical workload within 36 hours.
To learn more about the logistics and guidelines of this benefit, please reach out to an HR representative or your supervisor. Conversations between leaders and team members regarding the utilization of these hours is highly encouraged.
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Louisiana
May 1, 2019
This May marked three years since Louisiana's official incorporation. This small but mighty team currently consists of two employees along with the help of a seasoned NYAP team member in West Virginia. The state is based out of a small room within a suite on Westfork Drive in Baton Rouge. While things are still getting started, Program Director Robin Guillmette always remains incredibly optimistic.
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Nevada
May 23, 2018
Nevada celebrated its fourth year since its official incorporation. NYAP team members are often confused by the anniversaries of states, mainly because the process for getting a new one up and running starts long before most people are aware. The process to becoming a licensed provider in each state can be a tedious journey, even in the best of times. Largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nevada's journey to becoming an officially licensed care provider was a long one.
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A Peach of an Accomplishment
Georgia
Stacie Conliffe-Hoskins, Executive Director for Georgia, has been officially nominated and appointed as secretary for Together Georgia, a network of child and family service providers dedicated to promoting welfare across the state. Stacie has been a member for several years but is excited to explore her new exposure to more senior leadership and insider knowledge.
Marvena Twigg, NYAP President and CEO, shares her joy: "I am glad her commitment and leadership has been recognized in this way. I know they will not regret their decision. You have done us proud!" Congratulations, Stacie!
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Welcome to Broadfield Center!
Indiana
On Thursday, April 14, the Merrillville team had an open house for visitors to get acquainted with the new office and staff members. Those who dropped by included Lake County Department of Child Services (DCS) representatives, local foster parents and their kids. NYAP treated guests to a tour and refreshments. DCS employees, Regional Manager Charlotte Jones and licensing staff SueAnne Klein Procopio and Sylvia Corpus are pictured to the left. Administrative Assistant Gayle Miloshoff shares everyone "had a lovely time getting together at our new NYAP Home."
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Wrapping Up an Amazing School Year with Teen REACH
Illinois
Peoria's Teen REACH program had a busy month in April! Program Manager Marcola Owens and her team worked with program participants to volunteer at Midwest Food Bank, keep the environment litter free and decorate cookies. NYAP team members also set up an Easter egg hunt for all the youth to enjoy.
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Kids smile with their bags of trash after picking up litter around the school | |
Participant shows off his basket full of colorful eggs from the hunt | |
More recently, the Peoria program celebrated the close of the 2021-2022 school year with a carnival. Activities included a fish bowl toss, bounce house, potato sack races, limbo and more. Marcola, Fabiola Mendez, Jasmine Moore, Marlon Wade, Regina King, Maurice Russell and Marissa Briggerman deserve all the praise for this incredible event. According to the team, these kids were smiling the entire afternoon, which you can see in the photo below. Thank you to everyone who put this day of fun together. Special congratulations to all the eighth grade graduates heading onto their next academic chapter! | |
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Living Bravely
Indiana
During the last full weekend of April the Indiana team had a training conference with their foster parents, many of whom they had not seen in person for over two years. Jill Rippy, Director of Social Media Impact, explains "it was truly a family reunion. These are some of the most fiercely passionate people I know."
Attendees, some who drove over four hours to come, learned about living bravely in their foster care journey. Topics included bias and the way this fear can impact assumptions made about children before meeting them. Everyone exchanged laughs, tears and ate lots of food from Monterrey Mexican Bar and Grill, who hosted the event. Jill, Training Coordinator Sarah Payovich and Marla Godette, founding mentor of Mentoring Moments LLC were keynote speakers. Thank you to the Indiana team and all participating foster parents for coming together to make such incredible memories!
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NYAP Foster Parents having a discussion | |
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Coming Together for Child Abuse Prevention and Local Support Group
South Carolina
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South Carolina team pictured during Child Abuse Prevention Month community event
Front row: Therapist Cara Swisher, Executive Director Cathy Milless, Treatment Coordinator Amy Binau, Program Manager Terri Southard, Therapist Satura Long and Office Specialist Courtney Canton
Back row: Senior Director of Program Administration Emma Galligan, Vice President and General Counsel Pete Milless
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With support of a grant provided by Children’s Trust of South Carolina, the local team hosted a community event for Child Abuse Prevention Month on Thursday, April 28. Recognizing how protective factors strengthen families and knowing what resources are available, NYAP invited the community and over 10 organizations to our North Charleston office for folks to share resources and supports, and, most importantly, to connect with each another. Pictured to the right are community partners from South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation and MAD PARK. Other attendees included our partners at South Carolina Department of Social Services (DSS), program participants, current and prospective foster parents and more. | |
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The team made sure folks walked away feeling empowered and informed. Emma adds: "When we work together, we know our communities are stronger and families safer. We sincerely appreciate the work of our team and community to be #ChampionsForChildren all year long!" | |
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Additionally, in partnership with Epworth Children’s Home and through a contract with Children’s Trust of South Carolina, this NYAP team is trained in the Circle of Parents® model and offers a parent-led support group. The group provides a friendly, supportive environment where parents are the experts. This is a place where anyone in a parenting role can openly discuss the successes and challenges of raising children and find and share support (Circle of Parents).
Participants include NYAP's Strengthening Families Program (SFP) graduates, rooted in the principles of trust, reciprocity, leadership, personal accountability, respect, parenting in the present, shared leadership, responsibility and non-violence. Together, those involved have established the group name, meeting guidelines, an opening and closing ritual and the topics and resources to cover each meeting.
Emma elaborates:
"This group is a true embodiment of caring for people, connecting communities and promoting peace as everyone journeys through grief, laughter, healing and everything in between. To watch our parent-leaders Rhonda and Krystal in action is awe-inspiring. They care so deeply about their fellow parents and are so generous in sharing their experiences and learnings with and for others. Our facilitators Courtney and Barbara Collier do a phenomenal job promoting parent leadership and supporting everyone."
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NFCM Appreciation Picnic
Ohio
In honor of National Foster Care Month (NFCM), the Dayton team held an appreciation picnic at JFK Park in Kettering on Saturday, April 30. There was lots of food, corn hole, foster parent gifts and raffle prizes. Although the weather was not ideal, everyone had a wonderful time.
To the left is a photo of local team members. Other attendees not pictured included NYAP Foster Parents and their children. Thank you to everyone who made the most out of this event for your local caregivers!
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Mayoral Proclamation
West Virginia
The Charleston team was presented with the following proclamation on May 1 from Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin. This recognition is given to organizations and individuals who help youth in foster care. Congratulations on this achievement!
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Front row: Therapist III Michele Fischer, Program Director Rachael Sigafoose and her daughter, Aliyah with family
Back row: Administrative Assistant Tabitha Myrick
Not pictured: Office Specialist Verna Estes and Treatment Advocate Daniel Breitenbach
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Together for Mental Health
Ohio
Aliyah Brandy, Community Resource Coordinator, rallied her fellow members of the Cincinnati team to participate in NAMIWalks on Saturday, May 14, in Sawyer Point Park. The movement is put together by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and is currently touring across the country. The goal of each event is to raise awareness and show solidarity for those dealing with mental health issues. Related posts can be found on social media under the hashtag #Together4MH.
The team wore special NYAP t-shirts to show the organization's support for productive discussions and innovative programs related to mental health. To learn more about the movement, check out this website. Cincinnati: kudos for representing the organization at this event!
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Back to Our Roots
Ohio
The Tallmadge and Youngstown teams held their first in-person Back to Our Roots town hall on Thursday, May 19, to inform the community on how to better advocate for foster teens. Denise Goodman, prominent foster parent educator, mentor, recruiter and friend of the organization, joined the team to speak at the event. Courtney Townsend, Foster Parent Growth and Retention Program Manager, says many impactful stories were told by panelists, which included foster parents and a former foster teen. Courtney and Denise can be seen pictured on the right.
| The gathering took place at The NEW Center at Northeast Ohio Medical University. Inspired by an event originally put on by the Cincinnati team, offices throughout Ohio have been hosting these town halls over the past year. The title Back to Our Roots calls back to NYAP's beginnings of serving older youth and engaging in teen advocacy, ultimately aiming to teach the public how we wish to expand our impact. | |
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Appreciating Naperville's LTFC Foster Parents
La Jornada
Naperville, the Illinois office that offers Long-Term Foster Care (LTFC) within the La Jornada program, had a foster parent appreciation gathering on Saturday, May 21. The morning started early with the office beautifully decorated, including a children’s area set up in the conference room with educational activities and games. There was brunch food, gift bags and raffles. Esperanza, a children's band, performed a song called Thank You.
The families came right on time, filling the office with everyone eating, talking and having a great time. Elizabeth proceeded to tell a story that touched everyone’s heart. The families, wanting to know more, asked lots of questions which brought on valuable discussion. After this the raffle ushered in lots of fun energy. There were laughs and prizes for everyone.
Not a single family wanted to leave when the event was supposed to end. They asked if they could do this more often, to which the team replied "of course!"
Claudia Shultes, Foster Parent Growth and Retention Coordinator, says:
"Our families going through this journey are so loyal and excited to continue their path to getting licensed. I am immensely grateful for the Naperville and Gurnee teams!"
Kudos to both teams for coming together to put on this fabulous event for local youth and families!
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Happy National Foster Care Month (NFCM)! Did you know that nearly a third of children in foster care are being raised by kin? As we know, this helps children retain family bonds and creates a sense of cultural identity, both vital to a child’s wellbeing.
These past few years have been very difficult, disproportionately impacting youth in foster care. In the past year Congress passed the Supporting Foster Youth and Families through the Pandemic Act to help foster youth aging out of the system gain access to services to stay in school, participate in job training programs, pay rent and other bills and transition to adulthood. They also funded grants that help us connect kinship caregivers and foster parents to programs and services for children in care.
To honor NFCM, here is some important legislation to look out for:
The Mental Health Reform Reauthorization Act of 2022 would reauthorize key block grant programs, expand access to pediatric mental health and boost the mental health workforce. The legislation, as mentioned in the Weekly Roundup, would offer a major boost in funding to states under the Mental Health Services Block Grant. Another key provision would be to expand access to the federal government’s Pediatric Mental Health Care Access Program, which enables families to get mental healthcare for children.
Pride in Mental Health Act would require the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to deliver a one-time report to Congress on the mental health of LGBTQ+ youth involved in foster care or other federal social services programs.
Build Back Better, introduced by Sens. Patty Murray and Tim Kaine, involves
- A proposal to funnel $72 billion to the existing Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program for more robust child care subsidies;
- $18 billion to a new grant program that would help states expand access to pre-k;
- $12 billion to the Head Start program to raise wages for teachers over six years; and
- Spending an additional $50 to $100 billion on a pilot program within CCDBG that would cap childcare expenses for families making up to 250% of their state’s median income so they would spend no more than seven percent of their income on care for children up to the age of 5
We will continue to inform you on the status of this legislation. Thank you for all your hard work serving our children, youth and families.
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National Foster Care Month allows us to appreciate parents, whether biological or otherwise, for all the hard work they do to support our youth. Whether you are a caregiver or not, it can be hard to remind ourselves to loosen up. Striving to be a little more carefree and have fun, which kids so often demonstrate, can be a great self-care practice. This allows individuals to learn new things, make the little moments enjoyable and stay optimistic. Here are a few ways to embrace your inner child:
Revisit your childhood interests
Think back to the hobbies and extracurricular activities you participated in and enjoyed as a child. Used to take a ballet class every week? Go see an performance by a local dance academy. Love the Harry Potter series? Consider rereading the books or rewatching the movies. The possibilities here are endless.
Play games
Board, card, video, you name it. Puzzles count, too!
Take a trip down memory lane
Bust out that middle school yearbook. Flip (or scroll) through photos of yourself and loved ones from years ago. The most fun way to do this is to share these moments and memories with a friend or partner!
Make art
The key to this activity is to let go of expectations. Whether you choose to doodle, finger paint or just scribble on a page of a coloring book, do not worry about drawing straight lines or making anything perfect. Explore what you can create when you release your inhibitions!
Reconnect with old friends
Consider texting, calling or writing your best friend from elementary school or your favorite teacher. You might even want to think about family members you have not seen or spoken to in a while and reach out to them to see how they are doing.
If this inspired any fun ideas not mentioned or if you take part in any of these activities, please share your story by emailing NYAP Communications!
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The NYAP Communications Department is ALWAYS looking to share inspiring and uplifting stories that happen within the workplace! We also welcome any news related to major life events among our teams such as marriages, births, graduations and more.
Submit your story and any unedited photos to Madeleine Argust using the button below to be included in future communications.
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