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CCC Wednesday Communique – January 11, 2017

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!   

above photo is courtesy of Cheryl Hathaway

Announcements

Washington County Provider Meeting: Weather permitting, Child Behavioral Health Services is convening a meeting for all of their providers in Washington County on February 3, 2017, from 11 am to 12:30 pm at the Kay Parker Building in Machias. The agenda for this meeting is:

  • Welcome
  • Discussion and Brainstorming how to meet the needs of children waiting for HCT services in Hancock and Washington Counties
  • Discussion and Brainstorming how to meet the needs of children waiting for RCS services in Hancock and Washington Counties
  • Next Steps

If local schools or Bangor, Brewer, or Ellsworth Schools cancel due to weather, this meeting is cancelled as well without notice.

SCEC Open House: Sunrise County Economic Council invites you to visit their new offices at 7 Ames Way in Machias, next door to the Grange, for an open house on January 19th from 3 – 5 pm.  While you’re there, stop by the CCC’s new office on the 2nd floor to say hello!

New CCC Fax Number: Our new fax software is up and running, so please send your fax to us at 207-835-4500.  If you encounter any problems, please let us know asap!  You can also always email Hope Fund applications to Charley’s attention at cmartinberry@cccmaine.org.

Milbridge Play Group: Maine Families’ infant/toddler playgroup will resume on Wednesdays at the Women’s Health Resource Library (9:30 – 11 am) with an extended play time – now an hour and a half!  This is a great time for parents or caregivers to connect with one another while their littles are playing and exploring. For caregivers of children 0-3 years old, no registration required. (This playgroup is sponsored by Maine Families and the Women’s Health Resource Library)

Dementia Basics: Designed for all types of Direct Service Workers, this 4-hour training provides basic information needed for dementia care, the impact of changes to thinking skills and communication expressed through behavior. This course is one of the free online continuing education modules offered by the Maine Direct Service Worker Training Program.  Visit their website to learn about this and other courses.

Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué.

Events

Cultural Competency Training:  Save the date of February 15th for a FREE, four-hour training on Cultural Competency presented by Elizabeth Neptune and sponsored by the CCC, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm in the Assembly Room of Washington County Community College in Calais.  This training is geared for FFD staff and partner agencies, medical providers, mental health and social service providers, school guidance counselors and more.  Details and registration info coming soon.

Donna Beegle Institutes in Augusta: Donna M. Beegle, EdD, is coming to Maine this summer to hold a Poverty and Coaching Institute in the Augusta area.  Registration for these 2 trainings is open – visit her website for more information.

Recovery Coach Training: Healthy Acadia is offering Recovery Coach Training at the Hancock County Cooperartive Extension on January 14th, 15th & 16th from 8 am to 5 pm.  Registration fee is $100 (includes workbook and 30 CEUs pending course completion) – scholarships available upon request. More Information about Recovery Coaches is available at CCAR.  To register, contact Denise via email or phone 667-7171 ext 15.

FASDs Webinars:  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is offering a series of three 30-minute educational webinars focused on enhancing the education of pediatric primary care clinicians regarding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs). The educational webinars will feature clinical practices including identification, diagnosis and care planning for children with FASDs. The webinars are open to all clinical personnel, with practicing primary care clinicians strongly encouraged to attend:

Behavioral Health Home Parent-Peer training: G.E.A.R. Parent Network is currently accepting applications for the next scheduled BHH Parent-Peer training to be held January 2017 in Bangor. This is a 3-day certificate course fulfilling the required 22 hours of training necessary to work in BHH in Maine. Please download the informational flyer and application.  Space is limited so please send in your applications promptly. Contact Cindy Seekins, Director, at 441-7216 with questions.

Needs & Offers

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.

Now Hiring – Volunteer Coordinator Position: WHCA is seeking  a full time volunteer coordinator for their transportation programs.  Some of the duties of the coordinator include:

  • Develops and administers an effective volunteer recruitment program using local media, service clubs, churches and other organizations
  • Coordinates volunteer training with the Transportation Division
  • Works with other WHCA staff to make the volunteer driver program sustainable through fund raising and grant writing

Visit WHCA’s website for a full description, application form and instruction.

Point in Time Count:  Jen Trowbridge of WHCA is looking for volunteers to help with the point in time count on the night of January 24th (people in homeless shelters) and from January 26th-28th (people not in shelters) to gain a more accurate picture of homelessness in Washington County (download the flyer). Pre-identifying individuals and families who are homeless is another huge way to help with this effort.  Email Jennifer or call her at 610-5903. If you think you might be willing to help with the surveying, you will want to join the training webinar on January 18 at 10:00 AM.  Click here to register.

Prescription Assistance: MedHelp Maine is a non-profit organization that works with medical providers to enhance Mainers’ access to affordable prescription medicines. At no charge to patients, physicians, or institutions, MedHelp Maine coordinators guide the development of hospital-managed prescription assistance programs to identify the best sources of free or low-cost drugs and then manage the access process on behalf of both patient and prescriber.  Visit their website for more information.

Spanish Language Interpreters: Mano en Mano in Milbridge is increasing their interpretation services.  If your organization has need for an interpreter, call 546-3006.

College Access for Adults: Maine Educational Opportunity Center (MEOC) is a free program that helps adults and high school seniors with all aspects of getting to college, including: college applications, FAFSA filing, career counseling, and navigating the collegiate world.  James Hiers will be available in Washington County in Calais at WCCC every Tuesday and Machias CareerCenter every Wednesday to meet with participants.  Call or email at: 207-991-2851, james.hiers@maine.edu

CCC Moving Surplus:  The CCC is packing to move our office to new quarters (more about that later).  We have a photo inventory of surplus office supplies to give away.  View these items here and email Christine  if you or your staff could use any.

Request a training: The CCC offers trainings that can be tailored to organizations in and beyond Washington County.  Take a look at our menu of trainings and let us know if you would like us to present a topic to your staff or perhaps place a request for this topic to be covered at a brown bag lunch.  We are transitioning to a new website and will be developing a form you can fill out to request specific topics, but for now, you can email Christine with your request.

Meetings

CCC Visioning Day: On November 9, 2016, CCC partners, service providers and community members gathered at the Cobscook Community Learning Center in Trescott to celebrate and envision a brighter future for Washington County.  Read notes from this event and view the participant contact list.

Work Group & Poverty Busters: We are continuing to try out our new meeting format in which both groups share one meeting time from 1-3:30 pm with a 15-minute break mid-meeting for networking.  Our next meeting is on February 1st with special guest Cheryl Robbins, WHCA’s transportation director.  Cheryl will talk to us about WHCA’s new transportation program and review existing transportation programs.  It’s not too early to sign up for this meeting, and don’t forget – we have moved to 7 Ames Way, the white house with the anchor next door to the Machias Grange, at the bottom of College Hill.

St Croix Community Connections: The next meeting of this group will be on January 24th from 3-5 p.m. For meeting information, contact organizer Christine Morris.