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. Gmail users, make sure to add Community Caring Collaborative to your contacts so this newsletter doesn’t end up in Promotions. 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 Courtesy of Julie Redding
Announcements
Unstable Housing Survey: CCC Work Group & Poverty Busters have developed a tool for providers to capture data on individuals & families that are in unstable housing situations, including couch-surfing — the Unstable Housing Survey. This is an easy online questionnaire that viewers can also use to self-report. A paper version is available for providers to bring on home visits. If you use the paper version, you will need to enter the responses into the online survey later. Please share the link and the paper form to help us paint a more accurate picture of homelessness in Washington County.
NH-ME LEND Program: Applications are being accepted for the 2017–2018 New Hampshire-Maine LEND Trainee Program (deadline to apply is April 1st). This is a long-term traineeship requiring a minimum of 300 hours over a 9-month period, geared for:
- Graduate students in audiology, early childhood special education, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, pediatrics, public health, physical therapy, social work, speech language pathology, family studies, or other related disciplines.
- Professionals working in the community supporting children with special health care needs and their families (i.e, early support and services, school administration, general and special educators, related service professionals, and healthcare providers).
- Family members of a child or youth with a disability and/or special health care needs
Learn more about this program at the Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies website. Competitive scholarships are available to qualified applicants with funding provided by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau.
Sexual Assault Helpline: the sexual assault helpline is moving to the Statewide Answering Service effective February 1st. Same great service, same number – just a different process for folks to reach us. We are STILL part of AMHC. For all of you awesome people that have been with us for years – it’s the same process we had years ago when we were Downeast Sexual Assault Services:
- When calls are made to 1-800-871-7741 – it will be answered by the On Call Answering service – asking for a name & number and county for which you need an advocate. (i.e. Hancock & Washington). Also identify what hospital, police dept. etc.
The AMHC Helpline will still be our back-up, as well as have access to our schedulebase for on call. We are combining with Aroostook Co Advocates for support calls, and staying separate for response calls.
Washington County Leadership Institute: The 21st class of the Washington County Leadership Institute (WCLI) begins February 17th! Have you thought about attending, but you’re just not sure? According to Sigma class participant Crystal Hitchings, Washington County Council of Governments and DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism, “My life will never be the same. There is nowhere to go from here except forward.” This could be your year! If you have questions or would like more information, call Jen at Sunrise County Economic Council: 255-0983. Applications and a course brochure are available online at www.washingtoncountyleadership.org, as well as SCEC’s Calais office at Washington County Community College and Machias office at 7 Ames Way (beside the Machias Grange).
Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué.
Events
Last day to register: Today is the deadline to register for the CCC’s free February 15th Cultural Competency training presented by Liz Neptune from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm in the Assembly Room of Washington County Community College. Read more about this training and sign up now.
Bridges Out of Poverty Webinar: one-hour webinar, “Bridges Out of Poverty,” uses the lens of economic class to provide concrete tools and strategies for individuals, organizations, and communities to alleviate poverty.This webinar will provide an introduction to a comprehensive approach to understanding the Bridges Out of Poverty constructs. Thursday, June 1, 2017, 11:00am-12:00pm CDT (not Eastern time). Register here.
Parent-Peer Leadership Institute: The G.E.A.R. Parent Network is currently accepting applications for 
the next scheduled Parent-peer training being held on March 10, 24, and 31st in Augusta. Read the flyer and download the application. Do you have 4 or more parent –peers requiring certification? If so, please contact me to schedule this training at your organization.This Parent-Peer Provider training has been approved by DHHS.
Play Therapy Workshop: By The Sea Seminars will be hosting a Roundtable workshop, Play Therapy 
Interventions to Teach Coping Skills (on a shoestring budget) March 31, 2017, 9 AM to 4 PM at the Harrington Family Health Center. Robyn Greene, LCPC, will be the presenter. Space is limited to 16. CEU’s will be offered. For more details and to register, visit By the Sea Seminars website.
G.E.A.R. Workshop: The G.E.A.R. Parent network has scheduled the following new workshop free to all parents/guardians/caregivers of children with emotional and behavioral health needs:
- How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop on March 15th
Cynthia Cullinane will facilitate from 9 – 11 am at Downeast Horizons, 77 Union Street, Ellsworth. To register, email Cynthia or call her at 1-800-264-9224 or 266-9523.
Needs & Offers
Dream Fund Open: Are you working with a young person (ages 5-18) whose opportunity to pursue their dreams is limited by family financial circumstances? The CCC is thrilled to announce that the Dream Fund is now open and ready to help create access to those opportunities! Read more about this legacy of CCC founding director, Marjorie Withers, and how to apply.
NYU Dental Clinic: Save the dates of April 3-7 for this free dental clinic sponsored by the Washington County Children’s Program of Sunrise Opportunities. Details coming soon.
Family Future Downeast: Registration is open for the 2nd cohort of students – learn more about this incredible 2-gen educational opportunity here.
Fuel & Utility Assistance – don’t pass this up! Energy benefits like LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) exist to help people get through our rugged winters, but the majority of residents in Washington County who qualify never apply. Did you know that the average benefit in our area between fuel and electric is $920? Here are some facts about eligibility you may not know:
- If you or your spouse is 60 or older, you can earn up to a total of $2270 monthly and still qualify.
- A single parent with a child less than 2 years old can earn up to $27,234 annually and qualify.
- A family of four can make up to $36,450 annually.
For more information on this program, call WHCA at 664-2424 or visit their website.
Meetings
Work Group & Poverty Busters: The February 1st meeting was cancelled due to snowy conditions. Next Month (March 1st) Cheryl Robbins, WHCA’s transportation director, will meet with us to introduce the new transportation program and review current programs. Let us know if you are planning to attend. These two groups meet at SCEC’s building in Machias at 7 Ames Way (next door to the Grange) from 1-3:30 pm.
St Croix Community Connections: This is Poverty Buster’s sister group in Calais, organized by Christine Morris. This group meets monthly on the 4th Tuesday from 3-5 pm. Next meeting is February 28th. New members welcome!
