view in browser
​    Share   ​​    Tweet   ​​    Share   ​

January 26, 2022

The Ally: Thank You For Celebrating with Us
 
Thank you to all who joined us for our virtual New Year Open House and Community Partnership Celebration! Congratulations again to the winners of our partnership awards: Rob Hill and the Human Rights Campaign, the National Wraparound Implementation Center, Shelia Vance with Community Counseling's Making a Plan (MAP) team, Taylor Vance with the Northeast Daily Journal and Steve Wilson with the Northside Sun. In addition to celebrating the last year, we shared our commitments for 2022:
  • Help providers across systems use parent peer support in ways that most benefit families.
    Support MAP teams and other committees and councils in state and federal law function as intended.
  • Ensure wraparound is family-driven and implemented according to state law and best practices.
  • Strengthen support for families dealing with school issues, especially child find and early intervention.
  • We look forward to meeting these commitments in partnership with all of you—and we have some opportunities this week to begin doing so. We hope you will join us for these activities and check out our events section for even more options.

Our Leadership and Policy Discussion is on January 26 at noon. We will discuss how to look up and read proposed legislation and some bills that might be of particular interest to families. Leadership training graduates are strongly encouraged to attend, but the meetings are open to anyone interested in learning more about policy.

Our Parent Peer Support Conversation for Anyone working with Parent Peer Supporters is on January 28 at 10:00 a.m. This conversation is for anyone working with parents or providing peer support to other parents in any system, such as Children's Services Directors, MAP Team Coordinators, Care Coordinators and Center Directors. We will share an overview of Families as Allies' parent peer support training curriculum and ongoing support and training. We want to hear your feedback on how we're doing and how we can be most supportive to you. We will also discuss issues in parent peer support, including how to pay for it, what employers should include in job descriptions and how to address questions that may arise.

Finally, please join Mississippi Thrive!, Mississippi Families for Kids and Families as Allies virtually on January 28 at noon for Data Release: Early Childhood Network Mapping Survey Results. As part of the Child Health & Development Project, we will share the results of a statewide survey of early childhood professionals regarding the status of early childhood partnerships and efforts in Mississippi. In partnership with Visible Network Labs, this survey was distributed by the Help Me Grow National Center on behalf of the Child Health & Development Project: Mississippi Thrive! and Mississippi Families for Kids. We encourage everyone to attend, especially families.
Joy Hogge signature

FROM OUR BLOG
 
On January 24th, the Families as Allies team presented a look at our impact in 2021, our goals for 2022 and we celebrate partners who did great work this past year.
 
With over 2,000 bills submitted by Mississippi legislators this year, we’ve organized an update on issues important to families.
 
Parent peer support is a parent/caregiver or using their experience to support other parent/caregivers going through similar experiences.

EVENTS
 
This meeting will focus on how to look up and read proposed bills, as well as some bills that might be of particular interest to families.
 
Join in as we share an overview of Families as Allies’ parent peer support training curriculum and ongoing support and training.
 
Hear the results of a statewide survey regarding the status of early childhood partnerships and efforts in Mississippi.
 
Speakers will inform, empower, inspire, engage, and aid teens in their quest in becoming a Fearless Hero during the Awareness Summit.
 
Join the MS Parent Training Information Center and learn more about parental consent.
 
Family members may drop in to share any concerns or get feedback from others about handling different situations.
 
Join the MS Parent Training Information Center and learn tips to help prepare for and have more productive IEP meetings.
 
Join other parents for a monthly meeting and online gathering to coach and support other parents in any system.
 
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 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.
 
The 2022 Mississippi Trauma Informed Care Conference planning committee is seeking keynote presentations and breakout sessions.
 
Participants will enjoy a training session on the basics of advocating for suicide prevention and current policy issues impacting our state.

RESOURCES
 
Last year, 14 states passed 36 bills that aim to improve children’s mental health.
 
Submitted bills provide funds to the Dept. of Child Protective Services, MEMA, National Guard, and Department of Mental Health. After the fall meetings of the Mississippi Senate ARPA Subcommittee, legislation has been filed regarding the suggested allocation of $1.8 billion.
 
Children at the Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center were abused, a lawsuit filed in 2011 alleged, which led to a federal consent decree forcing Hinds County to make changes to its operations.
 

created in Publicate