Happy Wednesday!

This is the Community Caring Collaborative Weekly Communiqué where we share announcements about trainings, meetings and other events, including announcements from our collaborative partners. Look for links to meeting minutes and agendas in the Meetings section, training registration forms and flyers in the Events section, and job postings and other items of interest in the Announcements section. Subscribe here to get the Communiqué. Make sure to add Community Caring Collaborative to your contacts at claurel@cccmaine.org. Gmail users, check for the Communiqué under the Promotions tab. This mailing goes out every Wednesday, so if you have announcements, please send them to Christine by 5 pm Monday to be included. Thanks!

Photo above: Join Eastern Maine Development Corporation & Sunrise County Economic Council to celebrate their partnership and the opening of EMDC’s new location on September 19th from 1 to 3 pm.

Announcements

Link for Live-streaming the Gubernatorial Candidate Forum: Meghan Wilson Duff has shared a link to to live-stream the forum at UMM this Sunday and asks that you please share with your networks to increase access to this forum.

Blaine House Conference on Service and Volunteerism: Registration is now open for the 2018 Blaine House Conference on Tuesday, October 9th from 8 am – 4:30 pm at UMaine, Orono. Time management expert and author Maryann Murphy will give the opening plenary address. Full registration fee is $90; Early Bird registration is $75 (ends Sept 29). More details and link to register here.

Communicating to Policy Makers Workshop: A key element to making early childhood education a top priority is how we communicate to policy makers and the public. The Maine Children’s Alliance invites you to better understand how to communicate and “frame” your message in support of early childhood. Lynn Davey from Davey Strategies will lead a workshop on Wednesday, October 10th from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm at Educare. Lynn Davey, Ph.D., is a psychologist and advocacy communications expert who helps others to implement evidence-based communication and advocacy strategies that will improve support for public policy solutions. More details to come on Lynn’s presentation.

Children’s Convention: The Maine Children’s Alliance hopes you can join us on Saturday, September 29 for the third Children’s Convention at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell. We have invited the gubernatorial candidates to join us and Dr. Neal Horen from Georgetown University will give the keynote address. You can find more details here.

DECH Health Fair: Down East Community Hospital is holding their annual health fair and adult flu vaccine clinic at the Lee Pellon Center in Machias on October 2nd from 12 to 6 pm. Exhibitors: email Kim McClure for an application form. Forms must be sent in by September 21st.

Learning to Play, Playing to Learn: The registration for the October 13th training Learning to Play, Playing to Learn is open! Here’s the link to register online through Maine AEYC. If you’d prefer to register by mail with a check, download this brochure with registration information. The cost for the day is only $10, and includes light morning refreshments, lunch, an event t-shirt, and a chance at many various door prizes (including a grand prize of a tuition waiver for a 3-credit course at WCCC!). Questions? Contact Theresa Fisk at theresa.fisk@maine.edu or 956-2070.

Yoga for Moms and Tots: Monday, October 1st 10 am for babies, 10:30 for 1 year olds and older at Peaceful Postures Yoga Studio led by Caroline Dilio of Maine Moon Kid’s Yoga. See flyer for details. Questions? Call Maine Families at 255-0481.

Calais Circle of Parents Playgroup:
The WC CAN Council with partner Maine Families is holding a playgroup on Tuesdays 11 am – 12 pm beginning in September at the Calais Recreation Center, 344 Main Street. “Get a chance to meet other parents while your kiddo gets some energy out.” Contact Mandie Pepperman with questions at is 263-5270.

EMDC Open House: Join Eastern Maine Development Corporation & Sunrise County Economic Council to celebrate their partnership and the opening of EMDC’s new location on September 19th. EMDC and SCEC have been working together with one common goal: promoting economic development activities in Washington County. EMDC just opened an office in SCEC’s building on 7 Ames Way in Machias, and we want to celebrate. Stop by any time during 1 pm — 3 pm to learn what EMDC and SCEC are up to in Washington County. From 1:30 pm-1:50 pm, join EMDC’s President & CEO Michael Aube and SCEC’s Executive Director, Charles Rudelitch for a brief program. The Women’s Business Center at CEI will also be on hand to talk about their programs. Light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to seeing you!

DownEast Treatment Center Open House: On Thursday, September 13th from 11:30 am — 1:00 pm, community members are invited to tour AMHC’s newly-opened DownEast Treatment Center in Ellsworth. The DownEast Treatment Center (DTC), located at 406 State Street (Suite 2) is a treatment hub offering comprehensive medication assisted treatment – or MAT – services, for people with substance use conditions. DTC’s evidence-based treatment approach employs integrated behavioral health and medication management to help individuals achieve sustained recovery.The open house event will include an overview of treatment services and an opportunity to connect with members of the DTC treatment team and administrators. Attendees will also hear from community members in recovery willing to share their experiences with DTC and MAT services. A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for 12:45pm. Light snacks and refreshments will be available. DownEast Treatment Center services are confidential and open to anyone who meets admission criteria. DTC accepts MaineCare, private insurance, and self-payment. Grant funding is available for qualifying individuals to reduce self-pay fees. Appointments may be scheduled through AMHC’s Access Center by calling: 1-800-244-6431. Clinic Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 8am to 5pm. For more information about DTC, click here.

Recovery Coach Academy: Healthy Acadia will offer two classes in Ellsworth this Fall: September 25-28, 2018 and October 16-19, 2018. Become a CARR-certified Recovery Coach volunteer in your community! Register for either session here, For more info, click here or email Denise or Terri.

Learn about MaineSpark: the Washington County Educational Attainment Initiative invites you to a free a information session and discussion with Ed Cervone of Educate Maine on the topic of MaineSpark, a statewide commitment from education and business leaders to connect jobs and workers. This event will be held on Monday, September 17th, from 3:30 – 5 pm at the Machias CareerCenter, 53 Prescott Drive. More information and the link to register here.

Turkey-A-Thon: Classic Hits 92.7/95.3FM and The Border 102.9FM, in partnership with Healthy Acadia and sponsored by Dunkin Donuts in Calais and Machias, and VL Tammaro of Calais will be hosting the 14th annual Washington County Turkey-A-Thon on Friday, October 12, 2018 from 7 am to 5 pm. Seven sites throughout Washington County will be accepting monetary donations that will be used to purchase gift certificates from local grocery stores for Washington County food pantries.

Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué. Photos and links are appreciated (jpg, not gif or png).

Updates

This is where we post updates on programs, initiatives and pending legislation.

Changes at Wayfinder Schools [from letter by Martha Kempe, Head of Schools, and Board Chair Don Russell]
As we enter the 2018/19 school year, we are writing with several updates about our program. First, after operating for many years without the benefit of public funds, we are temporarily suspending our residential program. We hope to reinstate residential programming in the future. In the meantime, we are proud to continue to serve 65 Maine youth each year through our home-based Passages Program available in eight counties throughout Maine.

Secondly, we are happy to share with you that we have entered into an agreement with Morrison Center to purchase Opportunity Farm. Morrison is a sixty-two-year old Maine non-profit that provides an educational and therapeutic environment for youth with significant developmental disabilities. We will continue to operate our southern Maine Passages Program from the farm. We will also maintain our campus in Camden and our outreach office in Machias, continuing to serve the Maine youth who need us most.

Students who would normally apply for our Residential Program are encouraged to apply for our home-based program until our Residential Program is reinstated. In the meantime, we are pleased that the original mission of Opportunity Farm, to serve Maine youth in need, will continue, with both Morrison and Wayfinder residing on the hill in New Gloucester.

Our mailing address and other contact information will remain the same, as will our longtime mission: to provide students with the experience necessary to discover their strengths and skills, connect with their families, practice personal responsibility, contribute to their communities and earn a high school diploma.

Your support makes that possible. Thank you.

One-Time Events

Harm Reduction Conference:
September 14, 2018
Registration is now open for the 6th Annual Maine Harm Reduction Conference! This year’s conference will be held at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer on September 14. Join us for an information packed day. Our keynote speaker is Jess Tilley, founder of the New England Users Union. Topics include: Exploring Self-Injury: Harm Reduction Tips; Recognizing At Risk Drinking Habits; How to identify, respond to, and risk factors of an opioid overdose, and more. Registration fees are $60 for CME/CEU; $35 Not for Credit; and $15 for Students.

Dash of Color Fun Run/Walk:
September 15, 2018
Sign up for this Recovery Awareness activity coordinated by Healthy Acadia – details here.

Learn about MaineSpark:
September 17, 2018
the Washington County Educational Attainment Initiative invites you to a free a information session and discussion with Ed Cervone of Educate Maine on the topic of MaineSpark, a statewide commitment from education and business leaders to connect jobs and workers. This event will be held from 3:30 – 5 pm at the Machias CareerCenter, 53 Prescott Drive. More information and the link to register here.

EMDC Open House:
September 19, 2018
Join Eastern Maine Development Corporation & Sunrise County Economic Council to celebrate their partnership and the opening of EMDC’s new location. EMDC and SCEC have been working together with one common goal: promoting economic development activities in Washington County. EMDC just opened an office in SCEC’s building on 7 Ames Way in Machias, and we want to celebrate. Stop by any time during 1 pm — 3 pm to learn what EMDC and SCEC are up to in Washington County. From 1:30 pm-1:50 pm, join EMDC’s President & CEO Michael Aube and SCEC’s Executive Director, Charles Rudelitch for a brief program. The Women’s Business Center at CEI will also be on hand to talk about their programs. Light refreshments will be provided. We look forward to seeing you!

Health Needs Assessment Community Forum:
September 20, 2018
The Downeast Public Health Council is hosting a community forum in Machias to ask you to review and discuss the Washington County Health Profile and together, identify what health issues you think are important for the health of your community. 8:00 – 10:30 am at the Maine Veterans Home (32 Veterans Way, Machias). Pre-registration is requested – download flyer.

Walk for Recovery/Candlelight Vigil:
September 21, 2018
Healthy Acadia is coordinating this event from 5:45 pm – 7 pm beginning at the Machias Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. More details here.

Dawnland Documentary:
September 24, 2018
Dawnland is a “documentary about cultural survival and stolen children: inside the first truth and reconciliation commission [TRC] for Native Americans.” The TRC members met with people from the Maliseet, Micmac, Passamaquoddy, and Penobscot tribal communities in Maine to listen to and witness families stories about the impact of child welfare practices that separated native youth from their families, communities, cultures, and identity. Dawnland will be shown at 6 pm in the PAC. Denise Altvater will be joining us to talk and answer questions after the film. Website for further information: http://dawnland.org/.

Recovery Coach Academy:
September 25-28, 2018
One of two classes offered by Healthy Acadia this fall in Ellsworth. Become a CARR-certified Recovery Coach volunteer in your community! Register for either session here, For more info, click here or email Denise or Terri.

Health Needs Assessment Community Forum:
September 26, 2018
The Downeast Public Health Council is hosting a community forum in Calais to ask you to review and discuss the Washington County Health Profile and together, identify what health issues you think are important for the health of your community. 4:00 – 6:30 pm at the Washington County Community College (1 College Way, Calais). Pre-registration is requested – download flyer.

Children’s Convention:
September 29, 2018
The Maine Children’s Alliance hopes you can join us for the third Children’s Convention at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell. We have invited the gubernatorial candidates to join us and Dr. Neal Horen from Georgetown University will give the keynote address. You can find more details here.

Yoga for Moms and Tots:
October 1, 2018
10 am for babies, 10:30 for 1 year olds and older at Peaceful Postures Yoga Studio led by Caroline Dilio of Maine Moon Kid’s Yoga. See flyer for details. Questions? Call Maine Families at 255-0481.

DECH Health Fair:
October 2, 2018
Down East Community Hospital is holding their annual health fair and adult flu vaccine clinic at the Lee Pellon Center in Machias from 12 to 6 pm. Exhibitors: Email Kim McClure for an application form. Forms must be sent in by September 21st.

Safety Day at Eastport Health Care:
October 5, 2018
WIC, Maine Families and Eastport Health Care are teaming up for a day of family safety. Maine Families is holding a car seat safety check during WIC’s outreach clinic at Eastport Health Care. The seat check is from 10 am — 1 pm. Get a free raffle ticket for a brand new car seat for each car seat checked. See this flyer for more details.

Blaine House Conference on Service and Volunteerism:
October 9, 2018
Registration is now open for the 2018 Blaine House Conference from 8 am – 4:30 pm at UMaine, Orono. Time management expert and author Maryann Murphy will give the opening plenary address. Full registration fee is $90; Early Bird registration is $75 (ends Sept 29). More details and link to register here

Communicating to Policy Makers Workshop:
October 10, 2018
A key element to making early childhood education a top priority is how we communicate to policy makers and the public. The Maine Children’s Alliance invites you to better understand how to communicate and “frame” your message in support of early childhood. Lynn Davey from Davey Strategies will lead a workshop on Wednesday, October 10th from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm at Educare. Lynn Davey, Ph.D., is a psychologist and advocacy communications expert who helps others to implement evidence-based communication and advocacy strategies that will improve support for public policy solutions. More details to come on Lynn’s presentation.

Turkey-A-Thon:
October 12, 2018
Classic Hits 92.7/95.3FM and The Border 102.9FM, in partnership with Healthy Acadia and sponsored by Dunkin Donuts in Calais and Machias, and VL Tammaro of Calais will be hosting the 14th annual Washington County Turkey-A-Thon on Friday, October 12, 2018 from 7 am to 5 pm. Seven sites throughout Washington County will be accepting monetary donations that will be used to purchase gift certificates from local grocery stores for Washington County food pantries.

Learning to Play, Playing to Learn:
October 13, 2018
The registration for Learning to Play, Playing to Learn is open! Here’s the link to register online through Maine AEYC. If you’d prefer to register by mail with a check, download this brochure with registration information. The cost for the day is only $10, and includes light morning refreshments, lunch, an event t-shirt, and a chance at many various door prizes (including a grand prize of a tuition waiver for a 3-credit course at WCCC!). Questions? Contact Theresa Fisk at theresa.fisk@maine.edu or 956-2070. This training is for early childhood professionals and out-of-school time practitioners at WCCC from 9 am to 3 pm. Sponsored by WCCC, Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network, & MaineAEYC.

Iron Jawed Angels Movie & Discussion:
October 16, 2018
Based on historical events in the later 1910s, young suffragists Alice Paul and Lucy Burns crank up advocacy efforts to get women’s right to vote in the US. At times they clash with the older generation of suffragists, despite their shared goal. Ultimately women and men had to change the mind of enough legislators’ minds to make it happen. This involved a lot of work and national scandal. Spoiler: The 19th Amendment passes and is ratified in 1920. Iron Jawed Angels will be shown at 6 pm in Science 102. Associate Professor of History Kay Kimball will be present to respond to questions and facilitate discussion. There will be voter registration onsite before and after the movie. Sponsored by UMM Student Life, Psychology & Community Studies Program, & League of Women Voters of Maine.

Caregiver Basic Skills Training 2:
October 16, 2018
Registration is open for the 2^nd training in the CCC’s Caregiver Basic Skills series: Responding as a Caregiver, from 9 am to 12:30 pm in the large conference room at Sunrise County Economic Council, 7 Ames Way, Machias. Rosemary Nevala, RN and Pamela Grant, CNA, reprise their roles from the first training as presenters. This free training focuses on communication styles, dietary tips, caregiver stress and other topics family caregivers struggle with. Space is limited to 20 participants so please forward this flyer to staff, colleagues and family who may benefit from these skills. Registration deadline is October 9th or when the class is filled, whichever comes first. Register on the CCC’s website via the calendar of events or link on the home page. The Caregiver Basic Skills training series is part of the Washington County Thriving in Place Initiative, funded by the Maine Health Access Foundation.

Recovery Coach Academy:
October 16-19, 2018
One of two classes offered by Healthy Acadia this fall in Ellsworth. Become a CARR-certified Recovery Coach volunteer in your community! Register for either session here, For more info, click here or email Denise or Terri.

Tai Chi for Kidz of all Ages:
October 20-21, 2018
Healthy Acadia is sponsoring a 2-day “Tai Chi for Kidz” instructors/leaders training workshop with master trainer Linda Arksey at the Moore Community Center in Ellsworth. See this flyer for details, and check out this video of Linda’s work!

Health Needs Assessment Community Forum:
October 30, 2018
The Downeast Public Health Council is hosting a community forum in Ellsworth to ask you to review and discuss the Hancock County Health Profile and together, identify what health issues you think are important for the health of your community. 8:30 – 11:00 am Moore Community Center, Ellsworth. Registrationy coming soon – download flyer.

Fraud Prevention Seminar:
October 30, 2018
The Washington County Thriving in Place Initiative is offering a free seminar with Q & A on the topic of Fraud Prevention from 12 to 3 pm at the Kay Parker Building in Machias. This will be a panel presentation with Joseph Connors, Financial Coach with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Hilary Fernald, Downeast Senior Safety Net Attorney with Legal Services for the Elderly; and Jeanine Mallar-Heald, Financial Services Officer with Machias Savings Bank, focusing on ways we and our family members can be susceptible to financial & identity fraud, tips for how to avoid becoming a fraud victim, and how to recover stolen assets if necessary. Register here. Download flyer to share with staff, family and friends.

Serial Classes, Groups & Play Dates

CAN Council Fall/Winter Classes:
Washington County’s CAN Council is holding 3 new series of classes this fall/winter:

Just for Dads – Mondays from 5-7 pm in Machias, beginning September 10th
Active Parenting – Wednesdays from 3-4:30 pm in Machias, beginning Setpember 12th
Prenatal Program – Tuesdays from 5-7 pm in Calais, beginning September 12th.

Behavioral Health Professional:
September 10 through December 17, 2018, Mondays 9:00 -11:45 am
UMM will be offering a Behavioral Health Professional course with State Certified BHP Instructor, Barbara Koch. The course will be video-conferenced with WCCC. WCCC attendees will be charged their tuition rate. Please contact the Registrar’s Office, (207) 255-1223 or ummreg@maine.edu.

American Sign Language:
5:30 – 8:30 pm
WCCC will be offering an American Sign Language course beginning September 5th that will meet every Wednesday night. The course will cover ASL vocabulary, fingerspelling, numbers, visual-gestural communication and more! Cost is $363.88 + text book. Call 454-1000 to sign up. More info on this flyer.

CNA Certification Training:
5:30 – 8:30 pm
Axiom Education & Training Center has rescheduled the cancelled CNA Certification Training with instructor Rosemary Nevala, RN, to begin on September 10th. Read this flyer for more information on this 180 hour evening course in Machias.

Community of Practice Groups:
6-8 pm
Maine Roads to Quality invites Early Care & Education professionals to join one of 2 community of practice groups (see flyers below):

Calais area – 6-8 pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at WCCC, room 301
Machias/Harrington/Milbridge area – 6-8 pm on the 3rd Monday each month at a Machias location tbd

For more information or to register, please contact Theresa Fisk, District Early Childhood and Youth Coordinator – 207-956-2070 or email: theresa.fisk@maine.edu

Standing Meetings

Calais Area Breast Cancer Support Group: meets on the 4th Friday of each month at 3 PM at the Calais United Methodist Church, 849 Main St. (downstairs parlor), in Calais. This free “gathering” is a comforting and safe environment to find encouragement and hope. Open to all that have a breast cancer diagnosis. FMI call Marianne at 454-0501. Download a flyer for more information.

Caregivers Support Group: Join other family/informal caregivers monthly for a supportive meeting at the Maine Veterans Home in Machias, facilitated by Lisa King, LCPC, on the first Friday of the month from 2-4 pm. Contact Lisa King for more information.

Work Group & Poverty Busters: Join this meeting of direct service providers to share resources and network with other providers in your area. Notes from September meeting coming soon. It’s not too early to RSVP for the October 3rd meeting at SCEC from 1 — 3:30 pm.

Needs & Offers

Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.

Evening Positions Needed: Downeast Community Partners, early childhood partner with Family Futures Downeast, is currently seeking the following positions for their evening program:

Food Service Technician, Calais – 8 hours per week; Tuesday and Thursday 3-7 pm
Assistant Preschool Teacher, Machias – 10 hours per week; Tuesday and Thursday 4-9 pm
Preschool and Infant/Toddler float staff (additional to teaching staff) – Machias and Calais – 10 hours per week; Tuesday and Thursday 4-9 pm

Download this flyer for application information.

Foster Families Needed! Many people may have seen the 2000 pinwheels at UMM representing the 2000 children in Maine in foster care. Many more Foster parents are needed across the entire state, as explained in this article shared by Rose St. Louis of Community Health and Counseling Services. In Washington and Hancock Counties Contact Jennifer Johnson at 610-8016 to learn more about ways you can support Foster Care.

AmeriCorps RecoveryCorps Coaches Needed: Healthy Acadia is excited to be launching Maine RecoveryCorps, an AmeriCorps program that will expand recovery coaching to strengthen recovery support services in our communities and to improve recovery success among individuals facing substance use disorders. This grant will support 30 AmeriCorps “RecoveryCorps” members (18 full-time and 12 part-time) who will serve as recovery coaches throughout Northeastern Maine. Each RecoveryCorps member will serve at an organization in one of these regions and provide peer recovery coach services to those seeking recovery. We are currently accepting applications from individuals who are interested in serving as RecoveryCorps recovery coaches, either full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time (6-8 hours per week). Please see the RecoveryCorps application instructions and position description here. Applications will be reviewed immediately and will continue to be accepted until positions are filled. Service terms begin on September 24, 2018 or October 15, 2018. Download a flyer to share with interested friends and colleagues.

Favorite Resources

Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers.

NEW! Down East Recovery Resource Guide (2018 edition) compiled by Healthy Acadia. Download PDF

CCC Wednesday Communique — September 12, 2018