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!
Announcements
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Offered in Cherryfield: see more about this critical October 12th training in the Event section below.
Senior Health & Safety Expo: Saturday, October 21st at the Maine Veterans Home in Machias. See more about this exciting new opportunity in the Event section below.
Gerontology Course at WCCC: Washington County Community College will be offering Introduction to Gerontology online starting October 2nd. See flyer for more details on this timely educational opportunity.
Hope Fund Conversation: The CCC invites partner providers who submit Hope Fund applications on behalf of clients to an informal celebration marking the launch of the Fund’s 6th year of operation. Join us on October 18th for some dessert and conversation in the large conference room at SCEC. We will discuss changes to the application form; answer questions on eligibility and interpreting the guidelines; share suggestions for how the Fund is linked to pre-established goals within your program; and ask for feedback on evaluating the impact of the Fund. Please RSVP to Christine before October 13th. Download a flyer to circulate to colleagues at your organization.
Finger Printing Service at UMM: IdentoGo is partnering with the University of Maine, Machias, to offer finger printing for people applying for educational positions – see flyer for details. This service is not applicable for federal applications, such as Border Patrol or TSA.
Scholarships available for POLST Training: Read about this October 6th opportunity for training on Physician Ordered Life Sustaining Treatment in the Event Section below. Registration deadline is this Friday.
Diabetes Prevention Coach Training: Healthy Acadia is pleased to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP) Lifestyle Coach Training. This training is for individuals interested in becoming certified as NDPP lifestyle coaches and will enable them to teach NDPP programs to community members at risk for diabetes. The training is free for all participants, and is two days long: October 14th 9-5 and October 15th 9-4, at the Harrington Family Health Center. To register for the training, please send your name, contact information (phone and email), and organizational details by Tuesday, October 10th to Angela Fochesato at Healthy Acadia (angela@healthacadia.org, 207-255-3441, ext.103) You are welcome to register multiple people for the training – please include each person’s name, contact information and organizational details.
Recovery Coach Training: Healthy Acadia is offering another opportunity for Machias area folks to take the Recovery Coach training – October 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th – 8:30 am to 4:30 pm – at the Machias Savings Bank Community Room. Contact Terri Woodruff for more information
Cooking Matters Classes: Healthy Acadia, in partnership with the Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center, is excited to offer “Cooking Matters,” a free, six-session healthy cooking class series in Calais and Eastport this fall. The series is specially designed for those struggling with a tight food budget while living with cancer. Pre-registration is required. See flyers below for details:
- Eastport (Flyer): Labor of Love Nutrition Center, 137 County Road, Eastport, ME 04631, Tuesdays, September 12, 19, October 3, 17, 24, and November 7; from 5:30 – 7:30 pm.
- Calais (Flyer): Calais Methodist Home, Inc., 116 Palmer Street Calais, ME 04619
Thursdays, September 14, 21, 28, October 5, 12, and 19; from 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Your announcement could go here: email the details to Christine by 5 pm Monday for inclusion in Wednesday’s Weekly Communiqué.
Updates
This is where we post updates on programs, initiatives and pending legislation.
LD 1321 “An Act To Promote Social and Emotional Learning and Development in Early Childhood” – the bill to support early childhood consultation statewide – passed, but funding wasn’t allocated from the current budget, so it will be carried over to the 2018 legislative session.
Events
Now listed chronologically, so make sure to scroll down for items just added!
Affordable Housing Conference: Registration is now open for the
2017 Maine Affordable Housing Conference at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland on September 22nd. This event will provide a forum for housing partners to gather and share information about what is being done currently – and what more needs to be done – in the affordable housing arena to bridge the gap between housing needs and housing availability. There will be a mix of keynote speakers and workshops to choose from that will be targeted to all partner groups.
A Dash of Color: Join Health Acadia on September 23rd for A Dash of Color – their annual recovery awareness 5K Run/Walk beginning at 8 am at Murdock Fitness & Aquatics Center. Proceeds will benefit the Downeast Teen Leadership Camp.
Repair & Winterize My Home: September 26th from 12 noon to 3 pm at the East Machias Community Center (same building as Firehouse). If you’re worried about making necessary repairs and improvements to your home before the winter, this is the event for you. Speakers from the USDA Rural Development, Washington Hancock Community Agency, Maine Seacoast Mission, and other organizations will talk about their repair and weatherization programs, answer your questions, and get you going to apply or enroll. This event is free. Download a flyer (revised) to share with friends, neighbors and clients. Register to attend here.
Animal Assisted Therapy: The CCC invites you to a fascinating brown bag lunch on the topic of Animal 
Assisted Therapy presented by ECCO Consultant and CCC trainer, Elin MacKinnon, LCSW, from 11:30 to 1 pm on October 4th in the large conference room at the SCEC House at 7 Ames Way. Read more here. Bring your lunch, we’ll provide beverages & dessert. RSVP to Christine and download a flyer to share with your friends.
Professional Boundaries Webinar: The The Seneca Institute presents Professional Boundaries for Case Managers & Caregivers Webinar on October 4, 11:30 am to 1 pm (1.5 CEUs) for $15 if you register before September 20th ($29 after). Register here. Links for joining the webinar will be emailed 48 hours before the start of the event on October 4, 2017. You may request additional information at info@senecainstitute.org.
POLST Training: Physician Ordered Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) training is coming to Washington County for Providers, Professionals and community members / advocates. Link to register for this important training, scheduled for October 6th (8:30 am – 4:30 pm) at Calais Regional Hospital. Scholarships are available – just check the box when you register. The training will be provided by Maine Hospice Council and is supported by the Washington County Thriving in Place Initiative, funded by Maine Health Access Foundation, and the CCC. Please share this training opportunity widely with providers and professional staff. Registration must be completed by, Friday, September 22, 2017.
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training Offered in Cherryfield: Healthy Acadia is partnering with NAMI Maine to offer a Youth Mental Health First Aid course at the Cherryfield Academy Community Center, 53 Main Street Cherryfield, on Thursday, October 12, 2017 from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. Participants will learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and substance misuse and/or addiction concerns, strategies for how to help youth ages 12-18 in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help. All interested educators, counselors, healthcare providers, community members, and others who work with or interact with youth and teens ages 12-18 are welcome and invited to attend. See press release for more details.
Senior Health & Safety Expo: Saturday, October 21st from 9 am to 12 Noon at the Maine Veterans Home 
in Machias. Bring your medications and receive a free consultation with a pharmacist to look at dosage and drug interactions; browse displays of resources on health & safety with a cup of coffee or plate of fresh fruit; sample Eastern Area Agency on Aging’s 3D meals; door prize, plus a chance to share your tips to thriving in place. Download and share this flyer with your senior friends, colleagues and clients.
MRBN 2017 Conference: Save the dates of November 2nd and 3rd for the 2nd Biennial Conference of the Maine Resilience Building Network and the Bingham Program at Point Lookout Resort, Northport, Maine. See flyer for details. Registration opens September 18th.
Needs & Offers
Brown Bag Lunch Topics Needed: What topics would you like a brown bag lunch to cover? These are 60-
90 minute BYO lunch & learn events held on Work Group Wednesdays
(first Wednesday of the month) in the large conference room at SCEC. Send your ideas to Christine.
Volunteer Drivers Needed: WHCA is looking for volunteer drivers. Benefits include flexible hours, reimbursement at 44 cents a mile, AAA Plus at no coast to you. Volunteers must be at least 25 years old, have a valid, clean Maine driver’s license for 3 years, have a reliable, clean vehicle, and live in Hancock or Washington County. Call or email Joceyln Storey, WHCA’s Volunteer Coordinator, at 207-610-5940 or jstorey@whcacap.org, M-F, 8-5 pm.
Commodity Box giveaways: Eastern Area Agency on Aging (EAAA) receives 40 pound boxes of food to 
give away as part of the Maine Commodity Supplemental Food Program through channels and sites, such as food pantries. There are a lot of boxes unclaimed at some of these sites, and EAAA is asking your help. The program has some eligibility requirements (see application), and is offering $100 grocery gift cards in a contest for help identifying box recipients. Please circulate this flyer to colleagues and staff to spread the word.
Need for Diapers: Family Futures Downeast is delighted to welcome 28 new families to our program this 
fall. Families are enrolled in classes at both the University of Maine at Machias and Washington County Community College. We have many new students with children under 2 years old, and are looking for donations of diapers: newborn size for the Family Center at UMM and sizes 2-4 at WCCC. Donations can be dropped off with Marsha Sloan at the Sunrise County Economic Council office at 7 Ames Way in Machias, or with Jessie McPhail at the Family Futures Downeast office at WCCC. For more information, call Marsha Sloan at 255-0983.
Volunteer Child Care & Pet Sitters Needed: Next Step is in need of volunteers to provide child care for moms attending meetings/appointments/court dates, etc, as well as volunteers to watch pets. Please contact 255-4934 for more information if you can help.
Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.
Favorite Resources
This is a new section of the Communique where we post links to helpful websites and videos. Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers.
Meetings
Work Group & Poverty Busters: Next meeting is on October 4th from 1-3:30 pm at the SCEC House, immediately after Elin MacKinnon’s Animal Assisted Therapy brown bag lunch (look under Events for details). RSVP to Christine if you plan to attend both the brown bag lunch & WG meeting, just the brown bag lunch, or just the WG meeting.
St Croix Community Connections: This is Poverty Buster’s sister group in Calais, organized by Christine Morris. This group meets monthly – new members welcome!
