Youth making decisions

December 8th Several youth (Angello, Eric and Jarvis) participated in the One Com-munity Partnership govern- ance board’s sustainabil-ity plan retreat. Youth played an integral part in planning the future for the differ-ent components of the OCP grant.

December 22nd TAC conducted a holiday drive by volunteering for 4 hours at the Broward Coop-erative Feeding Center lo- cated on Broward Blvd. and 33rd St. This activ-ity increased youth’s awareness of poverty in America. TAC mem-bers then went to the movies and viewed “The Pursuit of Happiness”, which depicted the life of a homeless father and his son. We also conducted a Teen Advocacy Coalition organizational retreat, where we dis-cussed plans for the upcoming fiscal year.

January 21st Some of our youth participated in an 8 hour mentor training program and are now certified to become youth mentors. This certifi-cation qualifies them to obtain paid positions at Smith Community Mental Health Associates.

Teen Advocacy Coalition (TAC) ccfefefYouth Involvement Coordinator’ Corner

TAC Workgroup meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month at the Boys & Girls Club located at 3025 W. Broward Blvd. We begin at 6:00 pm. Outreach is conducted on the 2nd Friday of each month.

Social Outings are conducted on the 4th Friday/Saturday of each month (youth are required to attend at least 2 Friday activities, not including the outing, in order to qualify for attending an outing) for more details visit:

www.broward.org/onecommunity

There is currently a position open for a youth on the One Community Partnership Governance Board. Any youth with a DSM diagnosis, who is currently receiving, or who has previously re-ceived, mental health services from Broward County, may apply. For more information please call:

Tamara Moore, MSW.

Youth Involvement Coordinator: (954) 741-0291

TEEN ADVOCACY COALITION/FAMILY INVOLVEMENT NEWSLETTER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

One Community Partnership January/February/

March 2007 Smith community mental health associates & mental health

association of Broward county

Youth posing with TA Partnership President

Tamara Moore, MSW. Youth Involvement/TAC Coordinator

A Message from the Youth Coordinator: I am pleased to announce that we have enrolled approximately 32 youth in our Teen Advocacy Coalition (TAC). We are looking forward to ex-tending our services by hosting weekly meetings at Whispering Pines and Sunset Schools. The TAC program is currently located at the Boys and Girls Club, 3025 West Broward Blvd., Fl. 33311, where we meet every Friday from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Youth who are interested in enhancing their lead-ership skills are given the opportunity of conduct-ing a TAC meeting each week.

During this quarter, the youth have participated in several leadership trainings. These trainings increased the participants’ scores on the L.E.Q. Outcomes Measure Test, an instrument which assesses leadership skills.

Update: December 1-3 One youth (Jamie Rogers), and her mother, attended the Federation of Families and the Children’s Mental (FFCMH) conferences in ST. Louis, Missouri. She reported that she had a wonderful experience.

.

Jamie- “Expression through art”

Volume 2 Issue 1

Calendar of events Announcements

Youth giving back

January 26-28 Three youth went to Tallahas-see in order to engage in an advocacy training pro-gram on how to connect the dots between com-munity, state and world. This training was conducted by The Watermark of Student Leadership Organization. We visited the State Capital and sat in the seats of the House of Representa-tives.

“Jarvis in the Florida House of REP.”

January 30-Feburary 2nd Three youth at-tended the SAMHSA National Conference which was held in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of this years conference was, Collaboration, Connections, and Creativity: The 3 Cs for Sus-taining Systems of Care.

Teen advocacy coalition “tac”

Family Involvement Workgroup

Dear Parents & Caregivers: January is often a time of new resolutions, some in our personal lives, others for our professional lives. It is my hope that we, as a group, become more aware of educational opportunities in our com-munity and take advantage of them. Invite another parent to attend these trainings with you! Edu-cated parents are our best parents. I think this is especially true for parents of mental health consum-ers and their families. Many community agencies have expressed interest in having parents/ family members attend their meetings to provide input. If you are interested in serving in this capacity, please contact me, or check out the MHA website for meeting times and locations.

February is traditionally a time to express our love to those closest to us. Remember your child or youth in a special way. Youth of all ages need us to reach out to them and remind them of their spe-cial place in our hearts. Happy Valentine’s Day to all!

February is also a time to begin planning for Mental Health Month, which is celebrated in May. Last year, we joined in a special event for all families and community members at Sunset School. It was well attended by over 300 families and professionals and received positive press. Our youth show-cased their abilities in a special talent show which was an inspiration to all who were present. Once again, let’s show the community once again the positive strengths our youth possess. It takes many hands to prepare such a successful event. If you have a few hours to donate to this cause, please contact me. Planning will begin later this month.

Recently, Tamara Moore, Youth Coordinator, and I had the chance to collaborate with other commu-nities on a statewide network grant that provides funds for a family and youth statewide coordinator. If funded, the coordinator, to be housed in W Palm Beach would help provide training opportunities as well as inform us on policy issues that affect us all. We feel strongly that by working together, we can strengthen families and link them throughout the state. With or without the grant funds, we plan to continue working together to ensure family voices are heard.

I look forward to hearing from you and meeting many of you at the May event. Stay tuned for details.

Beverly Wilkinson, MSW

Family Involvement Coordinator

Beverly@mhabroward.org

(954) 746-2055

Upcoming Events:

2-15-07; 5:45-7:30 pm. Whispering Pines Parent Support Group, Sharon Todd, Juvenile Probation Officer Supervisor, “DJJ and the SED Student”. Dinner & child care provided.

USEFUL WEBSITES:

Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health www.ffcmh.org

Mental Health America

www.nmha.org

Mental Health Association of Broward

www.mha.broward.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness

www.nami.org

One Community Partnership

www.broward.org/onecommunity

Mental Health Association 7145 W. Oakland Park Blvd.

Lauderhill Fl. 33313 954-746-2055

Hi, my name is Tamara Moore, I am an employee of Smith Community Mental Health and the Youth Involvement Coor-dinator for Broward County’s Severely Emotionally Disturbed (SED) and Emotional Disturbed (EH) Youth. As a part of this position, I am also the coordinator for Broward County’s Teen Advocacy Coalition (TAC). My role in the community can be very exciting. We work to help teens to gain the skills necessary to be successful as they reach adulthood. I would like to inform you of several opportunities that are available to our targeted youth who have a mental health diagnosis. The Teen Advocacy Coalition (TAC) is a dynamic group of teens. This youth group has participated in several leader-ship and advocacy projects at a local and National level. We encourage youth, ages 13-22 years, to be a part of this youth movement to learn to advocate for themselves and other youth with similar challenges.

The new Youth Resource Center (YRC) is located at the Boys & Girls Club at 3025 W. Broward in Ft. Lauderdale. The Center provides opportunities for youth to develop their physical, social, emotional and cognitive abilities through the provision of youth development activities. Youth, ages 11-22

years, are welcome to enjoy the services available. The YRC is open 6 days per week, Monday through Saturday.

The Transitional Young Adult Project is a new housing pro-ject sponsored by Gulf Coast Community Care and Nova Southeastern University in partnership with the Department of Children & Families. SED youth, ages 18-23 years, who participate in the program will receive mentoring and job coaching to develop independent living skills, get jobs or continue their education. Housing opportunities will be avail-able.

For more information call:

Tamara Moore 954-741-0291—TAC

Samantha Tovar 954-741-0291– YRC

Wendy Stanley 954-369-7639 — Housing

Sharing CornerSharing Corner

AN INVITATION TO KINSHIP CARING

Throughout human history, grandparents have raised the young while parents supplied the basic needs for survival. Parents and grandpar-ents served as a family team supporting and nurturing their offspring. Even today, when parents falter, nature has arranged it so children naturally fall into the laps of their grandparents.

Today caregiver grandparents are a diverse group ranging from their thirties to their seventies who are ready to simplify their lives and slow down. Giving that up and taking over the re-sponsibilities of being a primary parent again, although rewarding, can be very stressful. The emotional and financial burdens can be signifi-cant. Culture shock at having to deal with chil-dren and adolescents of a different generation can be challenging.

Too frequently, neither of the child’s biological parents are present. In most cases, children taken care of by grandparents move in with them as infants or preschoolers and remain with them for five years or more. Being a part of a support group helps grandparents know they have assis-tance in meeting daily challenges.

They can be strengthened through sharing informa-tion and knowing others have walked in their shoes and survived and even grown!. Support groups also provide the social opportunities to help allevi-ate the isolation often experienced by caregivers.

Healthy families no matter what the biological ties depend on good parenting and well cared for children. By cultivating a strong support network, grandparents will be better equipped both from a psychological and an informational perspective to assist their grandchildren in maturing well. Finding others who understand these experiences can be very helpful and the emotional support from others can yield good results.

We invite you to join together with other grandpar-ents and kinship caregivers raising children in a support group sponsored by the FISH program (Families Invested in Support and Health). Our group will meet at 1:30 pm, February 28th, at the Mental Health Association, 7145 West Oakland Park Blvd., Lauderhill.

FISH offers parent/family support in vari-ous locations throughout the county. If you are interested in joining a group feel free to contact:

Christine Fitzpatrick,

FISH Coordinator

Mental Health Association (954) 746-2055

FISH BowlFISH Bowl

St. Louis, Ms. (Dec.) Tallahassee, Fl. (Jan.) Atlanta, ga. (Jan.)

Youth Corner: Two of our youth would like to share their stories about positive things that have happened in their lives since the New Year began. Here are their stories:

Brittany Cuffie—Hi, I'm Brittany. I’m 18 years old and currently attend Sunset School. I am a member of TAC and I recently moved into my own apartment which was spon-sored by the Department of Children and Families, Gulf Coast and Nova Southeastern University. Hurray!!

Eric Mueller—I’m Eric and I just got mainstreamed. I used to attend Sunset and now I’m attending Plantation High. The work is harder but I’m doing well.

Places we’ve been recently…Places we’ve been recently…