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February 16, 2022

The Ally: Moving Things Forward
 

This week's edition of the Ally contains quite a bit of information about different topics, all of which we hope you find helpful. Most of all, we hope what we share this week, and every week, helps us work together to make things better for our children.  

We share a recently released data report about the early childhood system with you. The report describes strengths, as well as opportunities for growth, in our current system. I am glad the report recognizes the need to engage families as partners in decision-making and programming. We welcome families' input about the early childhood system and look forward to letting you know about opportunities to do so over the next few weeks. If you have thoughts you want to share, feel free to reach out to us.

Our legislative update provides more information about two bills and their relationships to family-driven practice, Families as Allies' core values, and our beliefs about families. We welcome your feedback.

I am grateful to all of the staff at Families as Allies, but this week I feel particularly grateful to Coreaner Price, family partner. She is kind, practical and humble. Her words often keep me grounded. As we continued to reflect on how to approach Black History Month in ways that change our lives throughout the year, Coreaner encouraged us to learn more about Taraji P. Henson and the mental health resources she shares. I hope you will find the experience as helpful as I did. 

Our Virtual: Bring Your IEP and Other School Questions is February 17 at 12:00 p.m. CST. Any parent experiencing challenges with their child's school is welcome to (virtually) drop by. Virtual Leadership Training is February 24 and February 25 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. CST. Anyone who wants to learn how to serve in decision-making groups is welcome to join. Don't forget the Mississippi Recovery Advocacy Project's Recovery Community Town Hall on February 22 @ 6:00 p.m. CST. Please visit our events section for more events and opportunities.

Don't forget to check out our resources as well. We are especially delighted to share a recent Northside Sun article about peer support, featuring our friends and colleagues, Stephanie Stout and Sandra Caron. 

Joy Hogge signature
 

[Top Photo courtesy 'Peace of Mind with Taraji' on Facebook Watch]

FROM OUR BLOG
 
In our Legislative Update for mid-February we track Mississippi bills of interests to families and followers of family-driven practice.
 
On January 28, we facilitated a virtual event to share results of a survey on early childhood partnerships and efforts in Mississippi.
 
On Facebook Watch see “Peace of Mind with Taraji,” where she and co-host Tracie Jade tackle mental health issues.

EVENTS
 
Join the MS Parent Training Information Center and learn seven important steps in the Special education process.
 
This webinar will describe the early factors that influence a child’s risk and resilience for substance use and what parents need to know.
 
The Mississippi Board of Mental Health Meeting will be held on Feb. 17 at 9 AM. on Lamar St. in downtown Jackson.
 
The Mississippi State Board of Education meeting will be held on Feb. 17th. Participants may attend live or view the meeting via live stream.
 
This hour is open for any family member to drop in for all or some of the time to ask questions or get feedback about IEP issues.
 
Join the MS Parent Training Information Center and learn how to have more productive IEP meetings and better outcomes for your child.
 
The 2022 Mississippi Trauma Informed Care Conference planning committee is seeking keynote presentations and breakout sessions.
 
Join community leaders at the Mississippi Recovery Virtual Town Hall Event Tuesday, February 22, at 6:00 PM.
 
Participants will explore a healthy lifestyle, create personal wellness goals and understand how to develop a plan to get and stay well.
 
Join the MS Parent Training Information Center and learn what you need to keep and tips on how to keep everything together.
 
This training is for parents, caregivers and staff members who are interested in learning to serve on decision-making groups and committees.
 
This Webinar will highlight the role of parents and families in supporting school safety efforts at the local and state levels.

RESOURCES
 
​​​​Committed to sharing credible information with your community? Consider applying to join the new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) parent ambassador program! We’re assembling a new, diverse group of parents and caregivers to share accurate, science-based information with other...
 
Teresa Mosley lost her daughter, Elisabeth, to suicide at only 15 years old. Since then, Teresa has dedicated herself to raising awareness for suicide...
 
Learning about the history of systemic racism during Black History Month - and all year - in the mental health system and movement and how it harms Black communities in the US and around the world is key for creating a mentally healthier world.
 
One in five people have a mental illness diagnosis and some in Mississippi have taken their own experiences with mental health and drug abuse and put it to use for good while helping others walk through what they once have been through themselves. Stephanie Stout and Sandra Caron are two of these...
 

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