By Denise Morganthall

Are you trying to lose weight or even fit into your summer clothes from last year? Have you felt tired lately and don’t know why? Are your children spending too much time in front of the TV and/or computer?

If you have answered yes to these questions, now is the time to get up and get moving! May is National Fitness Month, and you can make a change in your life starting today. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park your car far away from store entrances. Go for a walk once a day with your children, ride a bike, play Frisbee or even go fishing. Just making these small changes will play a large role in not only your physical well-being, but your mental health as well.

Research has shown that physical inactivity can lead to premature death, chronic disease and disability. Proper and adequate amounts of exercise boost brain activity affecting everything from the way we think to how we feel to what we do. Exercise can improve memory, not only in adults but in children as well. It makes it easier for kids to learn and boosts the brain’s capacity for knowledge. Exercise increases strength, flexibility and endurance. Research and statistics tell us that 20 percent of people have symptoms of mental impairment. By 2020, mental illness will be the highest cause of death and disability in the world. If those statistics are not enough to get you moving, I don’t know what is.

Don’t have time to go to the gym? Well you are not alone...no one does. But there are plenty of things you can do at home for exercise. Be creative in making exercise fun. Get your kids involved in sports, dance or even running with a dog, if you have one. If not, volunteer to walk the dogs at the local SPCA.

We can all use this month to raise awareness about the benefits of physical activity – both at home and work. Make a difference and spread the word about fun ways to get moving!

“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi 

This first full week of May is a time to honor two groups of professionals who embody service above self – nurses and teachers.

This year, for National Nurses Week, the American Nurses Association has chosen the theme “Delivering Quality and Innovation in Patient Care.” At KidsPeace, our nurses blend science and compassion every day, putting in long hours to make life a little easier for the children and adolescents in our care. And through tackling both the ordinary and extraordinary situations that arise each day, they have the chance to make a permanent impression not just on their patients, but also the families of those they serve. We are immensely grateful for the passion they bring to their vocation.

National Nurses Week began Monday and runs through May 12, which was the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who is considered the founder of modern nursing. Whether nurses are working directly with patients, educating those who are in the trenches or conducting research, their purpose is always to ease others’ burdens and provide high-quality, patient-driven care.

In addition to honoring nurses, May 6-10 is Teacher Appreciation Week. I’m sure everyone can recall at least one special teacher who went above and beyond to make learning enjoyable. Good teachers help their students by showcasing their strengths, teaching new skills and encouraging them to dream bigger for their future. At KidsPeace, our teachers work hard every day to ensure out students receive a well-rounded education. It’s never too late to thank a teacher for setting you on the right path. If you are a parent, you are probably even more aware of the crucial role teachers play. So take a moment this week to say thank you, volunteer in a classroom or nominate a teacher for an award.

Do you have a special way to honor a nurse or teacher in your life? Share it with us on Facebook or Twitter.

One out of five children suffer from some sort of mental health problem. Children’s mental health problems include ADHD, Autism, bipolar, depression and schizophrenia. May 5-11 is children's mental health awareness week.

As a parent, how do we know our child is suffering from a mental illness? Some red flag behaviors can be change in appetite, trouble sleeping, dropping grades, showing less interest in sports and taking unnecessary risks. Some behaviors may seem to parents like children are just going through a phase or “being a teenager.” Some parents are hesitant to get treatment because of the stigma attached to mental illness or they do not want to believe it is happening to them. However early intervention is critical to successful treatment.

Today mental illness is so prevalent that we are better at understanding what causes it and in turn being able to provide successful treatment. This week is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health and lending a hand to those who are struggling. Shame and stigma too often leave people feeling like there is no place to turn. We need to make sure they know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.

When you were a student, you may recall having had a peer mentor. This was someone you could look up to and turn to when you needed advice or were unsure of something. Maybe you had the opportunity to be a mentor for someone else as well. Peer mentors are becoming increasingly common in the mental health field and have been known to provide mental health patients with a successful recovery.

Peer mentors are a supplemental service to the primary care a patient receives. Here are some advantages a peer mentor can offer:

• Peer mentors have first-hand knowledge of what their mentees are experiencing, in that they had the same diagnoses and understand the pain and frustrations of what they are enduring. They are able to give sound advice and share how they overcame their illness.
• Peer mentors will teach basic life skills, such as how to get a bus, how to access a bank and where to buy groceries.
• Peer mentors will provide hope and motivation, which pave the way to recovery.

We all need encouragement at some point during our lives. Who better to give it than those who have been through it before, know how tough it can be and have a proven track record of overcoming difficulties and moving forward with their lives?

By Denise Morganthall

Hyperactive children can wreak havoc on your nerves…however, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, dealing with a hyperactive child can be very challenging, but it can also be rewarding when you see the positive results from all your hard work, dedication and love given to the child.

Hyperactive children cannot sit for a long period of time. They are always on the go and often find themselves in trouble at school, home and with their friends. Some children are hyperactive by nature; others may be that way because of their environment. Many children who are hyperactive also exhibit signs of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and struggle with paying attention for long stretches of time. So how do we deal with these children? Here are some techniques to try:

1. Set clear rules and consequences. Make sure he knows the expectations when you are going on a trip, whether to the park or the grocery store.
2. Consistency and structure are critical to managing a hyperactive child. There should be a regular schedule with time for meals, naps and fun.
3. Encourage exercise on a daily basis. Going for a walk with your child will benefit you as well.
4. Create a place where your child can relax and enjoy quiet time, away from activity.
5. Use positive reinforcement techniques. See the good rather than the negative. Positive praise goes a long way!
6. Avoid over-stimulation. Don’t allow television before bedtime, as this can rev up your hyperactive child.
7. Watch his diet, reducing the amount of sugar he consumes and avoiding caffeine.
8. Ask neighbors and others to help watch for any problems the child may get into. Help them to understand that he is hyperactive, not bad.

If your child exhibits unmanageable hyperactivity, you should see a doctor and have the child undergo appropriate testing to make a proper diagnosis for his behavior. Some children are given medication to control their behaviors. There are many resources available to help you and the child. 

By Kristen Fritz

Your first love, your first kiss and your first relationship are all memorable things that you can look back and reminisce and giggle about with friends. But how easy is it to talk about with our children? Thanks to changes in technology and popular social media sites, dating today is a whole different ball game.

To make sure your children are following the right path and making good choices, sit down and talk with them and follow the tips below to ensure an easier conversation.

Take it seriously. 

“These are their first relationships, and so they fall hard,” said Rosalind Wiseman, an educator and author of Queen Bees and Wannabes. It’s important not to dismiss your child’s relationships just because he or she is a teenager. What your child learns now will set the stage for healthy relationships in the future.

Use the media.

Talking to your child about celebrity relationships like Rihanna and Chris Brown can be great teachable moments, according to Dr. Jeff Gardere, assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Manhattan and creator of the Healthy Divorce app. TV shows, movies and YouTube videos can all be used as a sounding board to talk about what healthy and unhealthy relationship look like – without it turning into another lecture.

Set the rules together.

Although you already know what the rules will be about dating, curfews, parties and driving, it’s important to negotiate them together. So if your teen wants a 10 p.m. curfew, start at 8:30 p.m. and slowly increase the time when your child proves he or she can take on more responsibility.

Teach appropriate social media behavior.

So how can you make sure your kid isn’t sexting his or her latest crush? You can’t, according to Wiseman. So aside from confiscating cell phones, talk with your kid about what your family’s values are when it comes to technology in the hopes that he or she will make the right decision.

Lead by example.

Experts agree that the way you and your spouse treat each other strongly influences your kid’s relationship choices and how they will treat significant others in the future.

Face the truth.

The biggest obstacle parents have when dealing with dating is admitting that their child could be in a messy situation—as a target, victim, bystander or perpetrator, Wiseman said. Acknowledging this reality will allow you to keep the lines of conversation open and prepare your kid to respect and be respected.

By Denise Morganthall

Earth Day is a globally celebrated holiday that is intended to raise public awareness about a variety of environmental issues such as air and water pollution, climate change and habitat destruction. In the U.S. Earth Day has inspired the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Environmental Species Act and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

We need to commit to protect our environment so we can all have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink and a neighborhood safe from toxins. By making small changes, such as using less water and electricity, cutting down on pollution from commuting, reusing and recycling and picking up trash, we can have a big impact on our environment and our lives.

What does Earth Day mean to you? For me, it means preserving the earth for the next generation. It is a time to plant trees, recycle and be green! Find ways that you can help keep the planet clean and help protect our environment. Happy Earth Day!

By Denise Morganthall

April is the time to raise awareness about child abuse and neglect. Advocates throughout the U.S. work hard to promote awareness and are the lifelines for victims of abuse and unstable families.

Child abuse is the physical, sexual or emotional mistreatment or neglect of a child. This abuse may be committed by a parent, caretaker or anyone who is responsible for the child’s welfare. We as a community need to be aware of the signs of child abuse. If a child reports abuse to you, always take it seriously. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, you need to report it to either the local child protective services or law enforcement.

Keeping our children safe is only something we can do together, with the help of friends, neighbors and the community. As President Obama said, “All of us bear a responsibility to look after them, whether by lifting children toward their full potential or lending a hand to a family in need.”

While April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, we need to protect our children year round. Our mission at KidsPeace is to give hope, help and healing to children, families and communities facing crisis. Our trauma-informed care is meant to bring out the best in children who have been through the worst. Protecting children and keeping them safe is our first priority. Make it yours! 

By Kristen Fritz

Not only does winter bring snow and cold weather, but it also brings depression, mood swings and mental disorders. A new study was done that looked at and observed the search patterns of Google inquiries. Apparently, winter is a time where mental illnesses tend to increase. Who would have thought? We look forward to the summer not only for the sunshine, warmth, and the beach, but to bring positive thoughts and feelings.

The study appears in the May issue of The American Journal of Preventive Medicine. In both the United States and Australia, researchers found distinct seasonal patterns, high in winter and low in summer, in searches pertaining to anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, depression, suicide, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia.

Searches related to eating disorders varied the most — 37 percent higher in winter than summer in the United States and 42 percent higher in Australia. The smallest variations were in searches related to anxiety: 7 percent and 15 percent more common in winter than summer in the United States and Australia, respectively. The variations persisted after the researchers controlled for seasonal differences in Internet use, mentions of the diseases in news articles and other factors.

Such things as varying hours of daylight, variations in physical activity and seasonal changes in blood levels of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids are known to affect the mood of a person.

I think I can speak for everyone when I say, bring on the summer time!

Spring has arrived: flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and warmer weather is on its way (or at least we hope so…). Now is the perfect time to become proactive and begin to think about your physical health and fitness. Not only is exercise good for the body, it’s also good for the mind. Participating in exercise can help reduce stress as well as improve overall mental health benefits. So what better way to start than by hitting the gym or pavement, getting some fresh air outdoors and being on your way to a better and healthier you?

The following can benefit mental health, relationships and lead to a healthier and happier life overall.

Reduce stress. Take a walk or head to the gym for a quick workout. One of the most common mental benefits of exercise is stress relief. Exercise also increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress.

• Boost happy chemicals. Exercise releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. Studies have shown that exercise can even alleviate symptoms among the clinically depressed. For this reason, doctors recommend that people suffering from depression or anxiety (or those who are just feeling blue) pencil in plenty of gym time.
• Improve self-confidence. Hop on the treadmill to look (and more importantly, feel) like a million bucks. On a very basic level, physical fitness can boost self-esteem and improve positive self-image. Regardless of weight, size, gender or age, exercise can quickly elevate a person's perception of his or her attractiveness, that is, self-worth.
• Boost brainpower. Various studies on mice and men have shown that cardiovascular exercise can create new brain cells (aka neurogenesis) and improve overall brain performance.
• Help control addiction. The brain releases dopamine, the “reward chemical” in response to any form of pleasure, and exercise can help in addiction recovery. Short exercise sessions can also effectively distract drug or alcohol addicts, making them de-prioritize cravings (at least in the short term). Working out when on the wagon has other benefits, too. Alcohol abuse disrupts many body processes, including circadian rhythms.

Mental, emotional and behavioral health is a critical component of a child’s well-being. Almost one in five young children have one or more mental health disorders, and one in 10 has mental health problems that are severe enough to impair functioning at home, school or in the community. The good news is that children with behavioral health conditions and trauma histories can and do recover. Success in helping to improve their health requires family involvement.

Family involvement is essential to accelerate recovery. We tend to manage stressors better when we are not alone. There is a wealth of data supporting the importance of human connections for healing and the recovery from trauma or any mental health condition. As a health care professional, I know there is a clear connection between mind and body. The family is the key to the child’s success.

But sometimes it can be difficult for parents to be a part of the child’s treatment when they in fact are dealing with mental health issues themselves. They struggle to manage their parenting roles.

Being supported by an agency or health care facility that takes a whole family approach to supporting the child, their parents and other family members is essential. At times the parents may need special help to deal with their child. The clinician/mental health professional will work with the parents and child to help everyone develop new skills, attitudes and ways of relating to each other. Parents can take part in parent skills training. This helps parents learn how to deal with difficult situations and behaviors. Support groups can also help family members connect with each other. They know they are not alone, which is important since parents need this support as much as the child.

KidsPeace supports family involvement as evidenced in our wide array of services, programs and testimonials. As a parent you will be involved in your child’s treatment from start to finish, through treatment team meetings, therapeutic home visits and family counseling to make sure you and your child are on the same page and ready to live in harmony after his/her return home.

We've all seen the 'Stop Texting' magnets stuck to the back of vehicles, and it puts things into perspective when you look at the statistics. In 2011, 3,331 people were killed in crashes involving distracted drivers; in 2010, it was 3,267, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

It has become more common than ever to see drivers texting while driving. But it's no longer just teens; adults play a huge role as well. According to a new survey done by AT&T, 49 percent of adults surveyed said they text and drive even though 98 percent of adult drivers surveyd said they know that distracted driving isn't safe. But the popular trend is on the uprise as six out of 10 drivers said they never texted behind the wheel just three years ago, said AT&T.

While the survey showed adults were more likely to engage in the bad habit, 43 percent of teens also said they were sending messages while behind the wheel. One of the most common reasons why teens text and drive is rather simple: most text-message users, the survey said, expect a reply within five minutes or less.

AT&T found that not having a parental rule against texting and driving is among the greatest predictors that a teen will send messages while driving. Other factors included whether a teen had a full- or part-time job, owned a smartphone or usually sent more than 100 text messages per day.

Find more information on distracted drivers or request a "Stop Texting" magnet from Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Iyona Anderson knew one thing going into Tuesday’s Say Yes to the Prom event at Discovery Communications – there was no way she was going to select a ball gown. The feisty 17-year-old had dubbed her style anti-princess and was on the hunt for a sleeker look.

Fast forward a couple of hours, and Anderson beamed as she twirled in a blue creation of sparkles and tulle that would do Cinderella proud. She gushed that she was never taking it off as she hurried off to find matching shoes and accessories.

“She definitely said yes to that dress,” said Monte Durham, host of “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta.”

Durham had traveled to Silver Spring, Md., home of Discovery Communications’ headquarters, to be a part of the special day that gave 40 local high school girls a chance to select prom attire from a donated collection. The pre-prom event was modeled after the popular TLC show “Say Yes to the Dress.” Anderson was one of five KidsPeace foster teens from Maryland and Washington D.C. chosen to be part of the second annual event. Accompanying Anderson for the day of glamour were Christina Washington, 18, Annie Stitt-Johnson, 18, Sade’ Padilla, 16, and Aunica Shebex, 18.

Each girl was paired with a Discovery employee who served as mentor for the day. More than 800 dresses were donated for the event, and Discovery Communications staff transformed part of their headquarters into prom central. Dresses were displayed on garment racks, and an entire room was turned into a beauty salon. In addition to choosing their perfect dresses, the teenagers got to pick shoes, jewelry and handbags, all of which are theirs to keep. Seamstresses were on site to perform alterations, and the young ladies were treated to hair styling, makeup application and manicures.

Durham provided style tips and instructed the girls on how to carry themselves. He talked about “building the look beyond the dress,” and told the group that “accessories make or break the outfit.” He told them fit is the most important element when choosing clothing, and said standing in third position, with the heel of one foot positioned near the arch of the other, will help them have good posture. The young ladies took his advice to heart, heads held high as they ended the day with a red carpet runway walk to show off their looks. They chose a variety of styles, but every one of them eagerly said yes to the dress.

Watch newscasts about the event from CBS WUSA9 and Fox 5. Learn more about the event on Twitter under #SYTTP.

KidsPeace Photo | GINA SEYFRIED

From left: Aunica Shabex, Sade' Padilla, Annie Stitt-Johnson,Christina Washington and Iyona Anderson

Kids are curious about their health and how their bodies work; especially when they get to their teen years. The Internet has become a way of life when it comes to searching for information, but search engines may not always populate the most accurate information. So how can parents be sure that their children are accessing the right resources in regards to their health and wellbeing? Well, now there are various kid-friendly health websites that children can go to for reliable and helpful information that parents can feel confident about.

Some of these sites can even be accessed on the Kids Peace website, a great resource for kids and parents to use.

Kidshealth.org

This site provides a wealth of information for kids and adults. Kids can find what it means to hiccup or what it means to be "big boned," while there is a section that explains adult health problems such as Alzheimer's and heart disease. In the teen section, you will find more mature material, such as information on relationships, drugs and sexual health. Just so parents can trust the information their kids are reading, all information is created by health professionals and underwritten by the Nemours Foundation.

Go Ask Alice!

This website is geared more toward teens and college-aged students. Go Ask Alice answers users' health-related questions. There are more than 1,000 questions on file that fall into these categories: Alcohol & Other Drugs, Emotional Health, General Health, Nutrition & Physical Activity, and Relationships and Sexual & Reproductive Health. You can submit your own question if you can't find one that already exists. Each week, a panel of health professionals answers new questions, and answers in the database are periodically reviewed and updated. The site also contains quizzes and polls and is written and produced by Columbia University.

BAM! Body and Mind

Need to know how to deal with a bully? Ever wonder what fungus and bacteria may be lurking in the locker room? Well, this fun site is a perfect place for teens to explore health, fitness and social questions that includes an A-Z index at the top of the site. Articles and quizzes are written by professionals at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC Kids' Quest   

The CDC's Kids' Quest site offers basic facts on mental health conditions, such as ADHD, Autism and Tourette Syndrome, and physical health concerns, such as vision and hearing loss. It also includes quizzes that help kids sort fact from fiction and suggested books and bios of famous people who had these health challenges. This website was also created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) nearly 1.7 million people suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year.

TBI results from an external force such as a blow or jolt to the head. The severity can range from mild, such as a concussion, to severe, involving an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia. Brain injuries should be identified and treated as quickly as possible. Most people with TBI recover quickly and fully. But for some people symptoms can last for days, weeks or longer and in severe cases can lead to coma and even death. It takes time for the brain to heal, which is why repeated injuries, such as in domestic violence cases, are particularly dangerous.

Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a TBI, and the two age groups at highest risk for TBI are 0-4 year olds and 15 to 19 year olds. One example of a traumatic brain injury that could affect the younger set is Shaken Baby Syndrome.

While KidsPeace does not specialize in this type of treatment, we are aware that TBI is a critical health concern and recognize that it is critical for those who are injured to be seen by a healthcare professional immediately. And as with many conditions, family involvement can be an essential component to recovery.

By Dr. John DeGarmo

Perhaps one of the most difficult aspects of being a foster parent is the moment when your foster child leaves your home. When any foster child leaves your home, no matter the level of attachment, there will be emotions when it is time to say goodbye, for both you and the child. There are indeed several reasons why a foster child might be removed from your home. Whether the reason is reunification, adoption or the placement into another home, the transition will be a much easier one with a few simple steps by the foster parent.

How your foster child is told that he is leaving can be a difficult conversation. You and the caseworker need to decide how best to inform the child. Whoever should be the one to tell your foster child needs to do so in a way that is marked with care, sincerity, kindness, and honesty. If he is excited about returning to his home and his parents, celebrate this with him. Perhaps have a going away party, and celebrate his time with you. If he is concerned and full of anxiety about moving to another foster home, an adoptive one or even about moving back to his own home, speak to him in positive terms, keeping a positive attitude with him. Remind him that he is an important person and that you care for him and want the best for him.

Try to find out as much information about the situation as you can. If possible, acquire the phone number of the family he is moving to from your caseworker and call them ahead of time, introducing yourself to them. Allow your foster child to speak with them, getting to know them a little before the move. If permissible, arrange for a visit with the family, along with the caseworker, allowing all sides the opportunity to meet face to face.

Make sure you pack everything he owns, including everything he came with to your home. Include as many group photographs of him with your family as possible. Place some self-addressed, stamped envelopes in his suitcase so that he can write to you from his new home. Add some stationary, pencils and pens, so that he has everything he needs to write to you. Also, include contact information for him, such as your address, phone numbers and email address.

To help him in this time of transition, it is important to reach out and contact him. Call him on the phone and allow him to tell you all about his new home and new family. Write letters to him and send pictures of your family and family events to him from time to time. Remember birthdays and other important events in his life, including holidays and school events and send cards. If you live nearby, let him know when you can attend school functions and extra-curricular activities or programs of his. 

Saying goodbye is never easy for anyone, and may be especially difficult for you and your foster child. With the right preparation, this time of transition can be a little bit easier for all involved.

Dr. John DeGarmo has been a foster parent for 11 years, and he and his wife have had more than 30 children come through their home. He is a speaker and trainer on many topics about the foster care system, and travels around the nation delivering passionate, dynamic, energetic and informative presentations. Dr. DeGarmo is the author of the highly inspirational and bestselling book "Fostering Love: One Foster Parent’s Story," and the upcoming book "The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe and Stable Home." He also writes for a number of publications and newsletters, both in the United States, and overseas. Dr. DeGarmo can be contacted at drjohndegarmo@gmail.com, through his Facebook page or at his website.

By Kristen Fritz

They say a mother’s love is irreplaceable and undeniably pure, but being told that you are unable to have children can be heartbreaking and create emptiness. You want to fill a desire that cannot be met. Fortunately, for a Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., couple, their wish came true.

After adopting their first child; Ethan, Kristin and Will Banker hosted a boys’ choir from Kenya through their church. They fell in love with them, and their “eyes were opened” to the bleak outlook for the large number of orphans in the area, the couple states in a Northwest Florida Daily News article. They found 7-month old Tariku through their adoption agency and read his story and browsed through his photos. The moment the Bankers saw Tariku, they knew he was their son.

Kenya does not have an international adoption program, but Ethiopia does for 5 million children without families, Will said. Kristin felt a calling to adopt, and with time Will did as well.

“When God tells you to do something, you just do it,” Kristin said.

A new policy in Ethiopia requires prospective adoptive parents to make two trips. The extra cost and time required for travel seemed too much for them. They started to switch their paperwork to a domestic adoption, but after experiencing a multitude of “signs,” Kristin was convinced she was meant to adopt an Ethiopian child.

After regretfully turning down a little girl, they came across Tariku and instantly fell in love. International adoption in Ethiopia must be approved by local courts with the prospective parents present. After 13 long months, their adoption finally passed and they were able to go get their child.

They finally made it back home in early January. Their new life as a family of four has been an adjustment for everyone, but they’re settling into a new kind of normal. Their adoption journey was long and full of ups and downs, but the Bankers said they would do it all over again. 

By Dr. John DeGarmo

I have recently conducted several training webinars regarding foster care, and they are now available at my website. These webinars are free, and you are welcome to share them however you see fit. They include: 

• Preparing your Home for the Arrival of a Foster Child:  Tips, Ideas, and Strategies on how to be Best Prepared
• Handling Loss and Grief in a Foster Home:  Strategies for both foster parents and foster children when dealing with grief during a time of transition
• The Dangers of Online Technology and Social Networking for Foster Children. The many dangers that both foster children and foster parents face and strategies on how to best combat 

You can find them under the Speaking and Training heading on my website.

Dr. John DeGarmo has been a foster parent for 11 years now, and he and his wife have had over 30 children come through their home. He is a speaker and trainer on many topics about the foster care system, and travels around the nation delivering passionate, dynamic, energetic and informative presentations. Dr. DeGarmo is the author of the highly inspirational and bestselling book "Fostering Love: One Foster Parent’s Story," and the upcoming book "The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe and Stable Home." He also writes for a number of publications and newsletters, both here in the United States, and overseas. Dr. DeGarmo can be contacted at drjohndegarmo@gmail.com, through his Facebook page, or at his website.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Most of us have heard this popular phrase and many have probably used it at some point. Used as a common defense mechanism, does it actually hold true to its meaning? According to a recent study, the answer is no.

Results of a bullying study showed that victims of bullying at school, including bullies themselves, are not only more likely to experience psychiatric problems in their childhood, but can have lingering issues into their adulthood as well. To date, this has been the most comprehensive effort to establish the long-term consequences of childhood bullying, according to experts.

The study followed 1,420 subjects from Western North Carolina who were assessed four to six times between the ages of 9 and 16. Researchers asked both the children and their primary caregivers if they had been bullied or had bullied others in the three months before each assessment. Participants were divided into four groups: bullies, victims, bullies who also were victims and children who were not exposed to bullying at all.

Participants were then assessed again in their adulthood and researchers found that victims of bullying in childhood were 4.3 times more likely to have an anxiety disorder as adults, compared to those with no history of bullying or being bullied.

Bullies who were also victims were particularly troubled: they were 14.5 times more likely to develop panic disorder as adults, compared to those who did not experience bullying, and 4.8 times more likely to experience depression. Men who were both bullies and victims were 18.5 times more likely to have had suicidal thoughts in adulthood, compared to the participants who had not been bullied or were perpetrators. Their female counterparts were 26.7 times more likely to have developed agoraphobia, compared to children not exposed to bullying.

In the news article, William E. Copeland, lead author of the study and an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University Medical Center says, “Bullying is not a harmless rite of passage, but inflicts lasting psychiatric damage on a par with certain family dysfunctions. The pattern we are seeing is similar to patterns we see when a child is abused or maltreated or treated very harshly within the family setting.” 

If you know someone who needs help with bullying, check out the Anti-Bullying sections on TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net.

Most people will agree that customer service is one of the most important parts of a company’s overall strategy to conducting business since without customers there is no business. If this is the case, why is it that so many of us can easily cite examples of poor customer service in our daily lives?

Most companies like to think they have good customer service. However, if steps are not taken to ensure this is true, reality is often far from their perception. In today’s world, competition is tougher than ever. If you can’t provide services when somebody wants them, there is always someone else who will. You rarely get a second chance when you drop the ball.

At KidsPeace, our commitment to great customer service goes hand-in-hand with our Mission, Vision and Values. Do you know what they are? While the welfare of the client is always first, the revenue we generate helps us provide for the clients and helps pay staff and cover our organization’s bills. Great customer service builds a customer base that enables us to properly take care of the children we serve and our staff.

Customer service is part of the foundation of our business success. KidsPeace constantly strives for positive customer relations to maintain the integrity of our organization. We view ourselves as the Ambassadors of KidsPeace and realize that without our customers, we would not be here.

Adults participate in yoga to help reduce stress and to improve flexibility and posture. Now kids are using yoga as more than just a means of physical exercise, but as more of a lifestyle change.

While experiencing a dark time in her life, a local woman in Chicago works to help boost her children’s and other children’s confidence and ability to resist violence. Students at Nash Elementary School on the city's West Side are learning the principles and techniques of yoga through a program called Keeping the Peace, which is funded by the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority and aimed at students who have a parent who is incarcerated, according to an ABC news article. Meghan Olson started the program as a way to give back from her experience.

"My father was incarcerated in Puerto Rico. Our family had such support around us. I had always been involved with children on the West Side of Chicago and I saw the need there," Olson says in the article. "I see children who are shut down, mislabeled. I see children who are angry."

Students say the camaraderie of like-minded children and understanding adults offers invaluable support and help manage their emotions.

"I feel safer here and people can comfort you like when you feel sad and stuff. Like it was this one time when I was kind of sad then when I came in here everybody gathered around me and gave me a hug," seventh-grader Sania Franklin says in the article.

The program also helps keep them focused by following a different path.

"I feel that I should try to stray myself from doing anything wrong with an illegal intent and keep myself away from the gangs completely," eighth-grader Tyrone Fullilove, Jr., says.

Participants in Keeping the Peace also have access to individual mentoring and family counseling sessions in the evening.

As workplaces become more diverse the need to communicate properly becomes critical. Good communication between managers and employees, customers and employees and employees and clients is essential to operating a successful business. But though communication is recognized as key to a successful work environment, companies often struggle with poor communication. These are some deterrents to effective communication:

1. Lack of leadership: Employees look to their leaders for direction. If managers lack leadership skills, it can stunt the growth of a company.

2. Unclear goals and duties: Before an employee begins work each day, he should have a proper understanding of what is expected in his role.

3.  Under-trained employees: An untrained employee will cost the company more money in the long run when they leave to pursue a career with more options. The more a new employee knows about the organization, and how his role affects the overall success of the company, the better the employee is able to communicate with leaders and colleagues.

Employees are more motivated when they have the opportunity to provide feedback about day-to-day operations, share ideas or get involved in decision making. When employees become disengaged from the company, they lose sight of their goals and are less likely to become invested in the company’s success. Low employee morale is usually what causes an employee to feel this way and further inhibits good communication.

Another consideration is how we communicate, often relying on phone conversations or e-mail, which can be impersonal and lead to misunderstandings. Face-to-face communication is a better choice and allows for an exchange of ideas. 

Life is what is happening to you right now, not what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow. And the last thing you want to do is miss it.

Did you rush of to work this morning without really taking the time to taste that cup of coffee?

Did you rush through washing the dishes and miss what was going on in the yard right outside your kitchen window?

Taking the time to realize what you are doing, when you are doing it, is a key facet of slowing down and living a simpler life. But even more important is just taking the time to BE, at least once a day – taking it all in, enjoying the quiet, watching the clouds or enjoying a cup of your favorite tea while resting your body. Start enjoying the simple things in life.

By Denise Morganthall

A Residential Treatment Facility specializes in the treatment of chemical dependency; alcoholism; or psychological problems such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, personality issues, PTSD and self-injury. Eating disorders, sexual problems, violence and other behavioral issues may also be addressed in these facilities.

KidsPeace offers residential treatment in Pennsylvania, Maine and Georgia as well as at Mesabi Academy, a juvenile justice facility in Minnesota. There are a variety of specializations within RTFs, but overall they have the advantage of providing an environment that may be less threatening, and more healing, than a psychiatric hospital. In addition to counseling, clients receive education and experience therapeutic recreation to put them on a path to healing.

Clients and clinicians often function like a family, allowing for a much deeper connection. Residential Treatment Facilities also offer a personal atmosphere where the client is in the company of others who suffer from similar issues. This provides a strong support structure, which results in better awareness and more rapid healing and personal growth. This makes clients more likely to return to their families and continue on a successful path.

Scientists are interested in what children are thinking, but pinpointing their thoughts isn't exactly an easy thing to do.

Instead, a recent study in PLOS Biology was conducted in the hope it would help depict how the brain process works and reacts in educational settings. "Sesame Street" was used as a way to test what happens on a neurological level during a popular TV program specifically aimed at learning by comparing the brains of adults and children.

"We're kind of honing in on what brain regions are important for real-world mathematics learning in children," said lead study author Jessica Cantlon, assistant professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester.

Participants included 27 normally developing children, ages 4 to 10, and 20 adults between the ages of 18 and 25. Each participant took part in one or more of the three components to the study. Researchers focused on what happens in the brain during mathematical lessons by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the neural activity in participants.

Part of the experiment had children and adults watch the same 20-minute montage of clips from "Sesame Street," and the fMRI scanner measured their brain activity for the duration of the video. In a different task, participants had to determine whether the stimuli they were shown, such as faces and numbers, were the same. Some clips were related to counting, while others were about colors, animals and other non-math topics. The children were given standardized IQ tests after the scanning.

The results showed that adult-like brain responses tended to show up in kids who demonstrated higher math and verbal knowledge levels. A brain region called the interparietal sulcus appeared to be linked to mathematics, as activity in that area tended to increase during math-related "Sesame Street" segments. However, the researchers do not have enough evidence to know if these neural patterns are the cause or effect of learning.

January was a great month for children in foster care with KidsPeace in Indianapolis.

Fraternal twins Kinsey and Kelsey Mix, who are 7 months old, were born three months premature and had to face many adversities in their first days of life. Both children endured hernia surgery before they were released from the hospital, spent some time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and were fed via G-tube for several months. But now they are developing and growing quite well.

Kinsey is now feeding by bottle only, and Kelsey’s therapists are hopeful that she will pass her next feeding study and be able to feed via bottle as well. Both girls are able to flip from their backs to their stomachs and are smiling and giggling often. Foster parents Anna and JohnAllen Schmitt have been amazing in attending to the girls’ demanding appointment schedule and undergoing hours of training necessary for the girls to have a shot at a normal infancy.

KidsPeace Indianapolis would like to give a shout out to this family for their hard work and the excitement associated with the deveopmental advancements the girls have made since they entered the Schmitt’s care. We are proud to have individuals like JohnAllen and Anna as a part of our foster care system and hope that they inspire other parents in the Indianapolis community to consider fostering children. 

Fifteen years is a long time to reflect on, but as I settle in my chair and try to recall who, what and where I was 15 years ago, I come face to face with my 18-year-old self. I was halfway through her freshman year of college and fumbling to find my voice. I was the quiet observer taking in the stories of my peers while struggling to put words to my own. During that time in my life, I was so afraid of my own voice that I became good at listening to the voices of others and believing that because they were more vocal their stories had more value. 

I watched as my peers explored their sexuality, experimented with alcohol and other substances and rebelled against those things (whatever those things were back then) they felt held them back. I watched as my female friends and I battled with images of self-worth, self-love and self-respect. I watched as my male friends categorized the females they encountered based on criteria two which the average 18-year-old female is rarely privy.

During that time and the year prior I encountered stories so vastly different than mine but all requiring a listener just the same. There were questions that I, as an 18-year-old, could not answer. Who at 18 knows what to tell a friend questioning his or her sexuality? Who at 18 knows how to talk openly and honestly about reproductive health? At 18, do you truly understand that the friend always drinking or getting high is really crying out for help? Do you understand that the highs and lows that a person is feeling may be signs of something far more than just being a teenager?

At 18, where do you go with all of this information? Where do you send those seeking answers?  For me, I tried to be the best listener possible and to pay attention to when a listening ear would not be enough.

I think TeenCentral.Net is that resource for all youth, whether the quiet observer or the storyteller. It is where a teenager can go to learn more about the issues affecting their age group and know the information is safe and current. It is where that teenager tired of watching others get bullied can go to learn more about ways she can stand up for her peers. Or where she can go to regain confidence about her decision not to drink or experiment with drugs. It is where a teenager can go to learn more about what she cares about and figure out ways to make those things matter to others.

It is that thing I wish I had known about way back when. It is that tool that I hope every young person is aware of now. Happy 15^th anniversary TeenCentral.Net!

By Denise Morganthall

The mid-winter blues are common at the time of year. We all gather indoors, breathe dry furnace air and daylight is scarce. The February blahs can bring about mood swings, depression, sleep deprivation, lethargy and a number of other ailments.

To add to the February blues is what we would least expect – Valentine’s Day. I thought that was all about love, togetherness, candy and cards, but this is not always the case. Valentine’s Day can bring severe feelings of loneliness, disconnection and inadequacy, along with pressure to have a significant other. It’s a day that triggers some questioning about relationships and whether they are for real.

Just remember, Valentine’s Day can be fun without a significant other. Have fun with it – send funny cards to friends or children and buy yourself a gift. If you do experience any of these common feelings, know that you are not alone.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, as spring is on the way. Let’s think “February RENEWS” instead of focusing on the “February blues.” We’ll get through this together.

Back in September, a survey was conducted on the state of drug use among U.S. teens and adults that suggested drugs are still a big problem for many Americans. For the annual survey, researchers from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) polled 70,000 people ages 12 and older, asking them about drugs they may or may not have taken within the month. The survey, which looked at data from 2011, provides a look at current substance abuse around the country, according to its authors. 

The survey found a 14 percent decline in prescription drug use for non-medical purposes among people 18 to 25, which reflects 300,000 fewer young adults abusing such drugs compared with last year's survey. Prescription abuse rates among children 12 to 17 and adults older than 26 remained unchanged.

About 8.7 percent of Americans 12 and older were identified as current drug users -- similar to last year's 8.9 percent rate -- for a total of 22.5 million American drug users.

"Behind each of these statistics are individuals, families and communities suffering from the consequences of abuse and addiction," SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde, says in a press release. "We must continue to promote robust prevention, treatment and recovery programs throughout our country."

According to the Mayo Clinic, there are ways to prevent teen drug abuse. Common risk factors can include: a mental or behavioral health condition, such as depression, anxiety or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); early aggressive or impulsive behavior; a history of traumatic events, such as experiencing a car accident or being a victim of abuse; or low self-esteem or poor social coping skills. They suggest talking to your teens about reasons not to abuse drugs, ways to resist peer pressure, and even be ready to discuss your own drug use. 

Don't be afraid that talking about drug abuse will plant ideas in your teen's head. Conversations about drugs won't tempt your teen to try drugs. Instead, talking about drug abuse lets your teen know your views and understand what you expect of him or her. Other great resources are TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net, free online counseling forums where you can get advice and read stories from other people dealing with the same circumstances.

Thanks to the generosity of our Maryland Board of Associates co-chairs and their respective companies, KidsPeace has been entered into the PressBox Super Bowl Charity Pool for the chance to win $3,500 per quarter.

Check out the chart to find our numbers. We have five blocks and can win multiple quarters!

Thank you to Elizabeth Liechty and Charter Financial and Jacqueline Edwards and Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore. We're so grateful for your ongoing support of our organization.

KidsPeace

The autism walk is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. April 20 at Dorney Park. KidsPeace has had a team every year since Autism Speaks began its Lehigh Valley Chapter six years ago.

Anyone can sign up to join our team. Stay tuned for fundraisers throughout the spring to meet our team goal of $1,000. All money raised is used to support programs and research for Autism Speaks.

Register online today.

By Dr. John DeGarmo

The departure of a foster child from your home is often a difficult time. Because this can be a time of great difficulty and one of emotional upheaval, it is important to prepare beforehand when it comes to the transition of your foster child from your home into another. From the very first day you bring a foster child into your home, it is critical to remember that he will very likely not be with you forever. There will come a time when he will move to another home; whether it is reunification with his parents, his family members, another foster home or adoption. Therefore, planning for his departure begins when he first arrives.

One of the ways you can prepare is by organizing a lifebook for your foster child. This book can be a wonderful healing tool for your foster child as he moves to a new home. For some children, a lifebook is the only reminder they may have of previous houses and families they once called home. Essentially, a lifebook is a scrapbook of your foster child’s life, and is something he can take with him to his new home, and throughout his life. Sadly, when many foster children are placed into a foster home, much of their early life story is lost, and can never be retraced. A lifebook can not only help the child remember important aspects of his past, it can also bring to light memories that fade away when a child grows older.

When designing a lifebook for your foster child, make sure you include him in creating the book. Do your best to trace his early life; ask your caseworker for information, try to retrieve early pictures and information from birth parents and family members, if possible. Add pictures of the birth family, when possible, as well as any other foster parents he might have had. Include pictures of his friends and other important people in his life. Be sure to identify each person in the pictures. If you have any certificates of any kind that he might have earned or received, include these also. Letters from important people in his life would also be a great addition to his lifebook. Also, be sure to include any medical history you can locate. You may need help from his caseworker, along with his birth family, if possible. Also, any family history you can add would be very beneficial to him, both now and later on in life. This might include military service, education and accomplishments. Don’t forget to add information about his own interests and hobbies, with plenty of pictures of him engaged in activities. Finally, leave several blank pages in the back of his lifebook, so he can add pictures, information and even his personal thoughts later on as he grows, or perhaps even in his next foster home.

A lifebook helps a foster child recognize his or her individual worth, something that is so very important for each child in foster care. For many foster children, placement into foster care is a traumatic experience. Lifebooks can be a testament to their strength and their ability to overcome whatever challenges they may face while in care.

Dr. John DeGarmo has been a foster parent for 11 years now, and he and his wife have had over 30 children come through their home. He is a speaker and trainer on many topics about the foster care system, and travels around the nation delivering passionate, dynamic, energetic and informative presentations. Dr. DeGarmo is the author of the highly inspirational and bestselling book Fostering Love: One Foster Parent’s Story, and the upcoming book The Foster Parenting Manual: A Practical Guide to Creating a Loving, Safe and Stable Home. He also writes for a number of publications and newsletters, both here in the United States, and overseas. Dr. DeGarmo can be contacted at drjohndegarmo@gmail.com, through his Facebook page, or at his website.

Some people make such an impact on their communities that their work will live on long after they are gone. Such is the case with Inez Donley, who died Sunday at the age of 97, after dedicating nearly 70 years to volunteer work in the Lehigh Valley.

Inez and her husband, Edward Donley, were major supporters of KidsPeace, donating more than $1.47 million to our organization to help children and teenagers with behavioral and mental health challenges. Their names grace buildings on our campuses, a testament to their continued support of our work. Their historic gift of $1 million was used to create the Donley Therapeutic Education Center on our Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield, Pa., a place where children learn, play and heal.

For years, the Donleys supported the KidsPeace Children’s Fund and KidsPeace Auxiliary. Inez Donley’s family has encouraged people to donate to KidsPeace in her name. 

Inez, who served on the KidsPeace Board of Directors for 15 years, and also suggested other people who would be positive additions to the board, remained an honorary member until her death. Mary Jane Willis, chair of the Board of Directors, says the KidsPeace community has lost a special champion.

“Inez Donley dedicated her life to supporting programs to benefit children and education,” Willis says. “Her steadfast commitment to KidsPeace has given countless children and their families the help they needed to begin down a path to healing.”

Edward Donley, former CEO of Air Products, met his wife in 1943 when she began working as his secretary when the company was still located in Tennessee. They later followed the business to the Lehigh Valley, where they raised three children, and Inez became well known for her volunteer efforts in the Allentown area. Many of the major institutions in the Lehigh Valley were recipients of the Donleys’ goodwill – Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Cedar Crest College, the Allentown Library.

After Edward Donley retired from Air Products in 1986, he and Inez established the Donley Foundation, which issued scholarships and grants to educational programs and libraries. In 2009, KidsPeace created the Donley Society to honor our strongest annual financial supporters.

William R. Isemann, president and CEO of KidsPeace, expresses gratitude for the years of service and support from Inez Donley.

“The KidsPeace community offers our sincere condolences to the Donley family as they mourn the loss of this phenomenal woman,” Isemann says. “Her philanthropy and dedication to the children and families we serve has made an indelible impact. Her heartfelt commitment is an inspiration to the entire Lehigh Valley community.”    

By Kristen Fritz

On Thursday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held a hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. to discuss how to improve access to mental health care insurance benefits. The meeting was in response to the recent Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, focusing on how the United States could improve the handling of psychological problems that may lead to violence.

Pamela Hyde, the administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), noted at the hearing that “most people who are violent do not have a mental disorder, and most people with a mental disorder are not violent.” She also stated that “demographic variables such as age, gender and socioeconomic status are more reliable predictors of violence than mental illness,” according the committee website. “These facts are important, because misconceptions about mental illness can cause discrimination,” she said.

According to Hyde, patients and their families now get 69 percent of the cash used to pay for mental health care from state and federal government programs, 12 percent from their own personal resources, and 27 percent from private insurance plans. One of the major laws governing private health insurance benefits for mental health care, the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA), affects insured and self-insured group health benefits. It does not require an employer to offer coverage for mental health or substance abuse disorders. The rules state that if an employer with 50 or more employees does offer mental health or substance abuse benefits, then the financial requirements and treatment limits for the behavioral health benefits can be no more restrictive than the typical requirements for benefits for other types of disorders.

Another law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA), is set to require all non-grandfathered individual and small group plans to offer an “essential health benefits” (EHB) package that includes coverage for mental health and substance abuse disorder services starting Oct. 1. Michael Hogan, a former New York state mental health office commissioner and the chairman of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, said improving the mental health system “must begin with a realization that we have begun to take big steps away from an approach that was both separate and unequal.” The country also needs better programs to help people who are showing signs of having psychotic disorders find and stay on effective medications, and get and keep jobs, Hogan said. 

In December 2012, Russia closed their doors to all U.S. adoptions. That leaves the U.S at an all-time low for adoption rates, plummeting to a 20-year low after peaking at nearly 23,000 in 2004 and falling to 9,319 in 2011, according to the state department.

Russia was among the top three foreign countries to serve as the source of children to be adopted by Americans. Declines in adoptions from China, Ethiopia and South Korea are prompting some parents to look homeward. The number of U.S. infant adoptions (about 90,000 in 1971) fell from 22,291 in 2002 to 18,078 in 2007, according to the most recent five-year tally from the private National Council for Adoption. But the group's president, Chuck Johnson, says the number has remained fairly stable since 2007, citing efforts to promote adoption.

Today there are fewer children in foster care because more are reunited with birth parents or adopted by relatives and foster parents. The number waiting to be adopted fell from 130,637 in 2003 to 104,236 in 2011, according to the Children's Bureau. In an effort to help, KidsPeace continues to support their communities and families by helping to provide foster care to kids that need loving, deserving and caring homes.

With ongoing help from our community and society, we can continue to have a positive impact on our children and continue to make a difference in their lives. With a little bit of love comes an even bigger smile.

The Home Depot store in Whitehall Township, Pa., surprised KidsPeace with a $1,000 donation of hand sanitizer on Monday. Employee Cathy Rabenold delivered the product to KidsPeace Director of Development Patrick Slattery. The sanitizer will be used throughout our residential and hospital programs. Thank you to store Manager Rickey George and the entire Home Depot team for thinking of our children and staff this flu season. 

The first impression you create with your foster child is often vitally important to how the next few days and weeks will transpire.  This will probably not be the sweet little child who rushes into your waiting arms, laughing delightfully, as you might imagine. It is highly likely that your foster child will be scared and frightened, full of anxiety. He may have left his family moments ago, and is now told that you are his family, for the time being. Without a doubt, he is full of questions, as emotions swirl within him. Although it is impossible to predict how he will react when he first meets you, it is important that you approach this time with caution and care.

When the caseworker pulls into your driveway, go out to the car and welcome the caseworker and child, introducing yourself immediately, with a warm smile and soft voice. Inform your foster child who you are and the role you will now play in his life. He may very well not understand the foster care system, or what foster parents do. Do not insist that your new child call you mom or dad.  Allow your foster child to call you by your first names, if you feel comfortable with this, or by whatever name he feels comfortable in calling you. As the child may be scared, do not insist that he react to you right away. This is a time of extreme difficulty, and your foster child may be in a state of shock. As you help him inside with his possessions, take him by the hand, if he is a little one, or place a soft hand upon his shoulder, if he is a teenager. Actions like these can be reassuring that all will be okay, that he is in a safe and caring home. Do not insist upon hugging, as he may be too embarrassed or hurt to do so.

Show him where he will sleep, and where his clothes will be kept. Have a nightlight already on in the room, if the room is dark. Ask if he is hungry, and offer him some food. If he doesn’t want any food, do not insist upon it. He will eat when he is ready and hungry.

You will have to sign some paperwork with your caseworker, as well as go over any last minute news, details and information. If possible, do this away from the child, as this can be especially embarrassing and damaging to your new child. This is a good time for your foster child to eat, or be alone in his new room. If you have children of your own, it may also be a good time for them to engage in some sort of play with their new foster brother. Your foster child will likely be overwhelmed with the situation, so it is important that you make sure your home is as peaceful and quiet as possible. Allow your foster child to have some personal space and alone time. If it is late at night, do not insist that he go to bed immediately. After all, he is probably not only needing some time to reflect on the day’s events, sleep may be difficult to come by, as he is in a strange bed, in a strange home. Sadly, it is not uncommon for newly placed foster children to cry themselves to sleep during the first few nights. Do not be surprised if this happens. He may be scared and lonely.  Let him know that you understand how difficult it is for him, and that his tears are normal and all right. Read to him a bedtime story each night; place a nightlight not only in his room, but in the nearby bathroom, as well. Let him know that he can get up in the night and use the bathroom whenever he needs to.

Dr. John DeGarmo has been a foster parent for 11 years now, and he and his wife have had more than 30 children come through their home. Dr. DeGarmo wrote his dissertation on fostering, "Responding to the Needs of Foster Children in Rural Schools." He is a speaker and trainer on many topics about the foster care system, and travels around the nation delivering passionate, dynamic, energetic and informative presentations. Dr. DeGarmo is the author of the highly inspirational and bestselling book Fostering Love: One Foster Parent’s Story. He also writes for a number of publications and newsletters, both here in the United States, and overseas. Dr. DeGarmo can be contacted at drjohndegarmo@gmail.com, through his Facebook page or at his website.

In the case of Christopher Pelletieri, who was adopted by Christine and Peter Pelletieri from the Kingston FCCP office in 2009, it is heartwarming news. Pelletieri was recognized by The Saugerties Community Youth Awards Committee for good deeds and actions.

Ms. Fraske, one of his former teachers at Mount Marion Elementary School, nominated him, saying his “courage and bravery has touch my heart.” She adds that “after having a rough, challenging start in life, he has incredibly managed to grow strong emotionally, socially and academically over the past three years.”

The award is recognized and supported by the town and village of Saugerties, N.Y., the Saugerties Central School District, the Saugerties Boys and Girls Club and Family of Woodstock, a local social services agency.

Congratulations to Pelletieri! If you have a positive story you would like to share about any other former KidsPeace clients, please email kpinfo@kidspeace.org.

Denis Asselin, of Cheyney, Pa., stopped at KidsPeace while on a 552-mile pilgrimage to raise awareness about Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that robbed him of his son. His goal, with “Walking With Nathaniel” was to visit places where his son spent time before taking his own life. Nathaniel was at KidsPeace’s Children’s Hospital when he was 11 years old and first started battling BDD.

In a letter to KidsPeace, Asselin thanked those who met with him, saying their attentiveness gave him the confidence he needed to keep moving forward with sharing his son’s story.

Aselin was kind enough to share some of the statistics from his journey. He met with 145 professionals at hospitals and clinics and talked with more than 250 people while walking. He collected $24,782 for the International OCD Foundation, of which $9,000 has been earmarked for education and the remainder for research. Asselin and his family are already discussing with the Foundation the possibility of a walk in October 2013 that could involve other families from across the country who have been affected by OCD.

One group pitched in at the Buhl Public Library, where they moved furniture and books in preparation for new carpet installation then got the library organized after the installation. The library volunteers were very thankful for our help and invited the youth to the library’s open house.

Other youth have ben working at the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Virginia. The store manager, Vic, has been very supportive, as he has worked with troubled youth and adults from the community and understands the need for them to work in a positive environment. Mesabi youth recently helped open a new section of the store that had previously been used for storage. They cleaned, sorted through boxes of donations and installed shelving. They also helped display new items for sale, unload trucks and decorate for the holidays.

We look forward to continuing to serve our community.

At KidsPeace, we are acutely aware of the increasing needs of the population we serve. But as legislators grapple with the possibility of slashing mental health funding in an effort to avoid the "fiscal cliff," KidsPeace and other mental health providers are once again getting the squeeze.

Read more about the struggles facing organizations like ours in our latest Salisbury Patch blog and find out why mental health should be everyone's concern.

When Kelly Little, program manager for FCCP Williamsport was planning the annual holiday party and put out a call for donations, she was pleasantly surprised to receive gifts from some people she once served as a caseworker.

Brittany Weisenberger, now of Montgomery, Pa., was one of those former clients who donated gifts for a 3-year-old girl. Weisenberger entered the system in 1998, when she was 10 years old. She and her two siblings were separated, and she stayed in foster care for a few years until she started attending boarding school in Hershey. She knows how much support and love foster care children need.

“I know how it is not to have your mom and dad there,” she said. “I like to always give back to where I’ve been a part of.”

Weisenberger, now a stay-at-home mom to two children, 2 years and 8 months, is grateful to her foster parents, who she said showed their children “how to be a family” and with whom she still keeps in touch today. Her childhood experiences make her even more determined to take good care of her family.

“It makes me work harder so they don’t have to be put in the system,” she said. “They have a mom and  a dad and a supportive home.”

Electricity Maine has chosen KidsPeace as a recipient of their “Power to Help” program. This means that for every customer that enrolls in Electricity Maine's program and mentions KidsPeace as a referral source, the company will now donate $5 to KidsPeace. The funds stay in the local area to help families served by our Lewiston FCCP office.

This is just the beginning of the generosity of Electricity Maine. The staff members have sponsored our foster children and teenagers and are purchasing holiday gifts for all youth in our foster homes across the state. They also helped with a holiday lights contest for our foster homes and gave the house with the best display a month of free power. 

Mike Fisher, owner of Print Concepts in Allentown, Pa., has graciously nominated KidsPeace for a $5,000 donation through the Univest "Caring for Community Giveaway." Now we just need to rack up addtional votes to show Univest why our charity should be chosen.

If you'd like to help, please take a moment to visit the Univest Facebook page and nominate KidsPeace as well. This is a wonderful opportunity for our kids and would make 2013 a very happy New Year. Nominations may be submited until Dec. 31. Tell your friends, and log on today!

Virginia Foster Care and Community Programs had its first adoptive placement -- a boy from Texas -- in our Richmond, Va., office in October. We are providing services until his adoption is finalized in the next six months. We have also submitted a proposal to the Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) in Washington D.C. to facilitate adoptions for children in the custody of CFSA with families who reside in Northern Virginia. We are anxiously waiting to hear if we will be one of the agencies selected to do this work.

We have had five adoptions in Washington D.C. so far this year, and several more are pending in the next six months. We are especially thrilled to report that two of our youth who had been in foster care for more than 15 years have been adopted together by a family in Virginia.

We received our Maryland adoption license in the spring and passed our first licensing visit from the state's DHR on Nov. 29 with no citations. We have two adoptive families who have been selected to take a child from North Carolina and a toddler from Delaware. Once the out-of-state counties sign the contracts and interstate adoption is approved, we will be able to place both of these children with their new families. 

Are you thinking of bringing a child into your family, or do you know of a child who needs a home? Find out more about our adoption services.

For years the Showalters have supported the mission of KidsPeace and KidsPeace Foster Care. They have made their support known by sharing their voices and image in various KidsPeace PSAs as well as promoting KidsPeace during home games at Camden Yards. The Showalters invite all to the 5K Trick-or-Trot in Baltimore, Saturday, October 27, where all proceeds benefit KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs of Maryland and Washington D.C. 

Listen to the complete WBAL interview with Angela Showalter here: http://www.wbal.com/article/94952/10/template-marylandsnewsnow/Angela-Showalter-Talks-About-The-O-Mazing-Season-And-KidsPeace

It was wonderful timing for a Royal Visit as Miss PA's Outstanding Teen arrived in time for cake and coffee as KidsPeace celebrated it's 130th birthday on October 19, 2012.   Kaitlyn, Mia and Judy joined in the festivities for a little while and then were whisked away for a tour of KidsPeace (www.kidspeace.org).  Sean Klutinoty, Director of Marketing at KidsPeace took them to the Hospital and around the campus.  They then joined Julius Licata, Director of TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net for lunch.   They finished just in  time to head to the Donley Education Center where quite a few KP residents were waiting to meet and listen to Kaitlyn.   The kids seemed to fully enjoy her enlightening talk and then Kaitlyn was filimed talking about her role as Miss PA's Outstanding Teen and how beautifully TeenCentral.Net works with the organization.  All in all,  it was a busy but very eventful and beautiful day. 

Kaitlyn left wanting to come back and we can't wait for her next visit before she is forced to relinquish the crown to a new Miss PA's Outstanding Teen in June of 2013. 

Well, now there is a new fun filled opportunity that you won't want to miss.   It is the Family Fun Mud Run.  It will be held at the KidsPeace campus in Orefield on November 3, 2012.   What is a Family Fun Mud Run? 

It is a  family friendly event! Fun for all ages & ability levels! Participants will follow a 3.1-mile scenic trail & traverse through 10 obstacles (sand pit crawl, a cargo net climb, a tunnel crawl, a slip 'n slide and a mud pit). Youth under the age of 18 can choose the 1-Mile Run/Walk or the 5k. Youth under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult during the 5k run/walk. Children ages 4-6 can participate in a FREE 100-yard dash.

This is a chance for families to get some great exercise, have fun getting muddy and help  KidsPeace help others.  It promises to be a great event that you would not want to miss.   So often parents are looking for fun things to do with their children.  Here it is.

Simply log onto www.kidspeace.org/mudrun and you will get all the details you need to become a part of this exciting and fun filled day.   Bring the family and/or friends and have a wonderful time. 

We look forward to seeing you there.

We look forward to working together again the future! 

KidsPeace is hosting a 5K Family Fun Mud Run on Nov. 3 at our campus in Orefield, Pa.

Whether this is your first 5K or you are an avid runner, join us for a 5K, 1-mile, or 100-yard dash -- all with obstacles along the way. Join as a team and run together, helping each other through the obstacles, or as an individual, finding your inner strength to complete the course!

Mud Run trophies will be awarded for the teams that raise the most money and for the top male and female runner for the 5K Mud Run.

There will be a 100-yard dash for ages 4-6, a 1-mile course for those younger than 18 and the 5K (anyone younger than 13 years must be supervised by an adult).

Running and walking are great ways to stay healthy and happy! And, what better way to incorporate health than with your friends and family! 

Come enjoy KidsPeace's Orchard Hills campus on Nov. 3 and promote wellness! 

Register online today. Early Bird registration is available.

For me, interns hold a special place in my heart because I can recall that time in my life vividly. Returning to school to obtain my MSW was driven by my goal of working with foster youth in some capacity that would support and empower them. My internships helped to solidify my commitment to working with this population. Thankfully, I was exposed to opportunities that challenged and nurtured my professional development. It is with that in mind that I welcome our 2012-2013 MSW interns.

We look forward to supporting, challenging and nurturing you through this important milestone in your professional journey. This work is not easy and the rewards are not always visible but by the end of your spring semester I believe, wholeheartedly, that if you commit to the experience you will know more about yourself as a professional social worker. Over the next several months my expectation for each of you is to be open to learning. My expectation for the KidsPeace Maryland team is for us to be open to learning from each of you.

Here are some tidbits I picked up over the years (as an intern and also while working with interns):

1. Set realistic goals.
2. Be open to learning.
3. Ask questions, even when it seems obvious to everyone else around you.
4. Take ownership of your learning experience…this is your education.
5. You must be willing to master the basics before you can master the challenges.
6. There is no shame in failure unless you fail to learn from your mistakes.
7. Your goal is to become a professional social worker. One of your main objectives as intern should be learning from the professionals already doing the job.
8. This is training for you but this is also someone’s life so be respectful and diligent in everything you do.
9. Seek guidance when you do not know the answer.
10. Always try to leave things better than the way you found them for the next person.

Again, we are truly excited to have you on board and wish all of you a terrific year with us.

Written by Ericka Chukwuanu, LGSW- Child Placement Supervisor

9/7/12

But with an increasing number of families juggling two work schedules, daycare, school and myriad extracurricular activities, it's becoming harder to sit down together at the same time every night. In an effort to get families back around the table, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASAColumbia) started Family Day, to remind parents that "Dinner Makes a Difference!"

Family Day will be celebrated nationwide on Sept. 24, and all families can participate. Research from CASAColumbia has repeatedly shown that when parents engage their children in conversation during frequent family dinners, the children's chance of engaging in risky behaviors is reduced.

Family Day was started in 2001 and is always celebrated on the fourth Monday in September. So take the Family Day pledge today and continue to fight for healthier children and teens.

“From the moment I adopted her, it was constant problems,” said her mom, Paula Faro of Katiana, now 15. “We were handling it when she was smaller. I used to have to hold her down six times a day to calm her down.”

Still, her daughter’s situation began to spiral out of control, with flashbacks and violent outbursts leading to constant visits to doctors, changes in medication and years of therapy. She endured 10 inpatient hospital admissions before a case manager finally mentioned that the Faros might want to look into residential treatment programs.

Katiana ended up at KidsPeace, mainly because it was the closest option to her New Jersey home. She stayed from February to July 2011, and though some days are still rocky, her mom says she sees marked improvement in her daughter since she has returned home.

“It was just years and years and years of daily crisis.” Faro said of the time before KidsPeace. “That summer (after fourth grade) she just started talking about killing herself all the time.”

For a long time, it felt as though there was no end in sight as Katiana acted out then developed side effects including Tourette Syndrome and seizures from her medications. But it was after she dropped two of the family’s puppies on a tile floor, killing them, that her behavior got even worse.

“Once she admitted this, she said she wanted to go to jail, kill herself,” Faro said. “She went out on the roof; she started a fire; she threatened to run away … “Coming to KidsPeace was kind of our last straw. We didn’t know what else to do. We were getting to the point that we were looking at group homes. We had gone through so many years of this and it just wasn’t getting better.”

But at KidsPeace, Katiana told her family, she finally felt safe.

“She knew that they weren’t going to let her hurt herself; other people were not going to be allowed to hurt her,” Faro said. “There was always somebody there to talk to, so she felt cared for.”

Faro said her daughter complained at first and missed her family, but since she has been home, much of her negative talk has dissipated, and she’s not as obsessive.

 “I think new pathways were made in her brain, I really do, because she finally got it. It was like a miracle. I had lost a lot of hope, and obviously I don’t give up easily. But this was kind of her last shot,” she said.

Katiana is now in ninth grade, although Faro says she operates on a level more akin to a fourth grader. There are times, when she has gotten upset, that she’s actually called KidsPeace staff members to talk through her feelings. Faro said she wishes KidsPeace had a summer program to continue the positive experience her daughter had for the five months she was here because socially, she still struggles.

 “She doesn’t have any friends, so she’s isolated a lot,” Faro said, adding that her daughter’s hearing loss and developmental delays make it hard for other teenagers to relate to her. “There’s still a lot of loss. She won’t be able to drive. She knows that she’s not as smart as other people. She can’t go to a regular high school like she wants to. It’s sad. That’s why it’s important to keep up her self-esteem,” Faro said. “Maybe once she’s an adult, she’ll be more able to connect with people.”

Still, her mother looks at the positive changes that are impossible to ignore. Last year, for the first time in four years, Katiana didn’t have to miss school because of her health, and she got good grades. She trusts adults now and doesn’t try to push people away.

“Now that she’s calm for the first time, I want her to just keep building her confidence and learning and moving forward to be a productive member of society,” Faro said. “I see possibilities, whereas before I didn’t know what else to do. It’s good to know that KidsPeace is always there.”

Want to read other inspirational stories and keep up with KidsPeace news? Sign up for our e-newsletters.

Children and teenagers on the Orchard Hills Campus in Pennsylvania will enjoy an end-of-summer pool party and luau for Labor Day.

The fun kicks off at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the TEC pool, which has been turned into a cruise ship for the event. Staff members should register their units to reserve a spot for the event.

The boys will swim from 10:30 a.m. to noon with a cookout to follow. The girls' time slot will start at 2 p.m. All participants should bring swimsuits and towels.

Planned events include a musical hula hoop contest, the limbo, wacky water relays, beach volleyball, a splash contest and free swim. The cookout will be capped wth Sno-Cones.

The event is sponsored by the KidsPeace Facilities & Recreation Departments.

We have completed these sections and they are filled with very important information. Teens can benefit from this interactive section and can learn about the dangers of drinking and even why it is best to avoid it. Most people don't even realize when they have a problem and this complicates their situation because unless they realize there is a problem, they can't take steps to correct it. When teens go partying and overindulge, they often lose their ability to make good decisions. They can get into fights, end up with alcohol poisoning and even drive while under the influence. Any one of these can, at best, complicate their lives. At worst, it can take their lives.

Now, this is not meant to scare our teens or their parents, it is simply stating the facts. Both teens and parents have to learn as much as they can so that one or the other can make the best choices. Teens can learn why they should avoid drinking and parents can help the teens if and when they start to show signs of a problem. Recognizing a problem early is key to avoiding major issues later. Parents can learn how to deal with a son or daughter who is  experimenting or even involved with alcohol and how to get them help. While this may appear to be overkill, any time you deal with something that can potentially cause harm to a loved one or they can be responsible for hurting someone else, you can never do too much.

TeenCentral.Net is here for your teens and now, through ParentCentral.Net, we are here for parents. Together we can make some great changes and help our teens grow to their fullest potential. Log on -- work it out.

KidsPeace created National KidsDay in 1994 to celebrate childhood, demonstrate our commitment to nurturing children and prepare our kids for a healthy, happy future. KidsPeace wants to help build a nation where every child is strong, resilient and happy, surrounded by trusted adults who allow them the freedom to be kids.

KidsPeace proudly celebrates 130 years of helping children, families and communities overcome crisis. National KidsDay, which was recognized by the U.S. Congress and endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, is a simply reminder of children’s year-round need for quality interaction with adults.

So don’t delay. KidsPeace encourages all parents, grandparents and other caregivers to make a date with a child today and take time to participate in an activity that builds trust and love.

Not sure where to begin? Remember, you don’t have to spend a lot (or any) money on KidsDay. It’s about giving of your time. Here are some ideas for how to celebrate:

• Have a family scavenger hunt.
• Take a trip down memory lane by looking at old photographs and sharing stories.
• Create coupons booklets and tell children they can redeem them for fun activities throughout the year.
• Prepare a meal together.
• Have a family game night or head to the park for a round of kickball, basketball or even tag.
• Throw a National KidsDay party, and invite family, friends and neighbors to share in the special day.

Have more ideas? Leave a comment and tell us how you plan to celebrate this year.

My first interview was with a woman I would describe as hardworking, feisty and committed. She has been a foster parent with KidsPeace for five years. I have had the pleasure of knowing her for going on three years. What first struck me about her was how truthful she was with EVERYONE. It was refreshing and inspiring to hear the truth about a situation and then hear, “so what are we going to do about it?” As I took on this project of capturing the essence of KidsPeace, she was one of the first parents to come to mind.

Who inspires you as a foster parent? The kids. You hear a lot of different things and a lot of different views on what makes these kids do what they do. I like to see firsthand what motivates them and then see how with consistency they are able to grow and change. You don’t have to do much more than be consistent with them. A lot of people think it takes a lot of work or effort to raise a foster child but it doesn’t, it just takes being consistent with them because they really appreciate it.

What are some of the needs that you have seen with foster youth? They need a lot of different things. But the most important thing is consistency. They need role models, someone to show them rather than always telling them. We get so caught up in telling them things that we never seem to think of how important it is to show them how to do things. And if we can do the first two things then we have demonstrated the third thing that they need, which is love. But a lot of times adults get it wrong. We think we are to give love or say love when we need to show these kids love by being patient and kind. We cannot expect them to love us just because we are their foster parents and that they know they are loved just because we tell them.

If you could talk to policymakers and taxpayers about where funding should go for foster care, what would you tell them?  I’d tell them that the stipend we receive covers their basic daily living needs so it is not about putting more money in the hands of the foster parents. It is about putting money into sponsoring foster children in programs and activities that help provide them with a full life. Education is not just what they learn in school but what they are able to experience outside of school as well. If we are to give them the best chance in this world, we have to give them access to the best activities that help support their growth and development. And if there was something they wanted to do to help support the families, then fund respite homes to help give the foster parents a chance to reenergize and reconnect with why they became foster parents.

Why is it important for the community to care about foster youth?  Foster care youth are a part of our communities no matter where they got their start. They need to feel whole and they need to feel supported. People need to stop assuming that kids in foster care will destroy our communities. People spend too much time judging and we need to stop that way of thinking.

How would you describe your experience as a foster parent?  I have always had a wonderful experience as a foster parent. I have had a lot of different experiences, but overall it has truly been wonderful. Working with the kids has always been easy. Sometimes working with the adults and the business of fostering has been a challenge. I know it is for a reason that there are so many different people involved and so much paperwork but it can be overwhelming at times. A way to fix that would be to include foster parents in on the process of developing the forms and policies that they have to abide by.

Talking with this mom reminded me that we all are called to this field for different reasons and in different capacities but at the end of the day we are all working toward the same goals. 

To learn more about how to become a foster parent with KidsPeace please visit us online and like us on Facebook.

Written by: Ericka Chukwuanu, LGSW

The Office Depot Foundation has generously chosen to include KidsPeace in its National Backpack Program, an initiative to help students start the school year with confidence and prepare them for ongoing educational success.

The Foundation will donate 100 sackpacks to KidsPeace during a “Back-to-School” Celebration at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Office Depot store, 480 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., South Whitehall Township. Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet Impala in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, will attend the event.

Since 2001, the Office Depot Foundation has helped more than 2.9 million children succeed in school. This year alone, the Foundation will donate 3,000 new sackpacks to nonprofit organizations and schools in the Allentown and Pocono areas. The sackpacks are zippered pouches containing essential school supplies and are designed for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.

If so, it's time to clear the clutter and turn it into a profit. The KidsPeace Family Center is hosting a community yard sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Aug. 11, and time is running out to reserve a spot.

A $20 donation will get you a 19-by-8-foot space in the parking lot of our campus at 1650 Broadway in Salisbury Township. You may even purchase more than one spot. The only catch? You have to sign up by Wednesday to guarantee participation. Vendors must bring their own tables.

The sign-up fees will go toward costs associated with our community programs, and participants keep the proceeds from what they sell. The event will be held rain or shine, with an indoor location in case of inclement weather.

Anyone interested in purchasing a space should contact Jen Mucellin at 610-799-8659 or Jennifer.mucellin@kidspeace.org.

The drive, organized through Miller-Keystone Blood Center, is scheduled for 9:10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Donley TEC parking lot.

Did you know that someone in the United States needs blood every two seconds, and more than 300 units of blood are needed each day in our regional hospitals? Most people who are 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds are eligible to donate.

If you're a first-time donor, you may not realize how simple the process is. Just register and bring valid photo identification. Then, a trained staff member will take your temperature, blood pressure and pulse and a drop of blood to check your iron level and ensure you are able to donate. You will be asked a series of health and lifestyle questions, the answers to which will be kept confidential.

The actual blood donation only takes five to 10 minutes, and all supplies used in the process are sterile and disposable, so there's no risk of contracting any disease. After donating, you'll be asked to stay for 15 minutes and have a snack to replenish the sugar and fluids in your body.

As an added incentive to donate in the summer, Miller-Keystone is giving donors the chance to turn pints into gallons. Through Aug. 19, all registered donors will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gas card (two will be awarded each week). You will also have the chance to win one of two four-packs of tickets and a parking pass to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs or the Reading Phillies. One lucky winner will also snag a four-pack of tickets and a parking pass for a Philadelphia Phillies game.

Contact Beta Bogaert, employee health nurse, at 610-799-8228 or gilberta.bogaert@kidspeace.org  to make your appointment today. Thank you in advance for your continued commitment to saving lives.

The tournament will be held Aug. 18 and 19 on our Orchard Hills campus in North Whitehall Township. Proceeds from the tournament benefit two KidsPeace websites: TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net.

Teams may submit online applications before July 30. The tournament is open to girls league teams U9-U19 and boys league teams U9-U15 playing in the upcoming Fall 2012 season. The cost is $410 for teams playing 8v8 in the U9-U12 divisions and $490 for teams playing 11v11 in the U11-U19 divisions.

We’re also looking for volunteers to help with the event. Help is needed for various tasks, including concession stands, field marshaling and traffic control. Volunteers will be used from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and may choose to give as little as two hours or stay the entire day.

Check out our YouTube video.

For more information or to register, email kpsoccer@kidspeace.org. 

Christina Warfel, a mobile therapist in our New Cumberland, Pa., office, lost all her family’s belongings when a fire broke out at their Harrisburg home on June 25. She, her husband and their three children – two boys ages 11 and 5 and a 3-year-old daughter – have been living with relatives since the blaze. The few rooms of their home that were not destroyed by fire sustained heavy smoke damage that prevented the family from salvaging any belongings.

If you would like to assist Warfel and her family, please consider donating to the Associate Assistance Fund. Checks should be made out to KidsPeace, with the memo line reading “Associate Assistance Fund (Christina Warfel),” and mailed to Gina Stano at KidsPeace, 4085 Independence Dr., Schnecksville, PA 18078. A lump sum check will then be written to Warfel.

It's even more unusual when the person calling is now 78 and spent four years at KidsPeace (then Wiley House) as a child.

But that's exactly what happened recently. Richard VanStrander, who now lives in Tennessee, called simply to say thank you for the care he received after he and his brother were pulled off the streets of Allentown when he was only 8 years old. VanStrander's father had died of Parkinson's disease, and his mother broke her hip and was unable to care for him.

He said he was not appropriately grateful at the time; he described himself as a child angry at the world. But years later, he's able to look back at his life and acknowledge that it could have had a very different outcome if not for the kindness and care he received during those four years.

"They took good care of me there,” he said. “Most of the time, except for the belligerence of my own self, it was a good place to be.”

Read more of VanStrander's story in the next edition of KidsPeace's email newsletter, "For the Kids," which will be distributed later this summer. Not yet a subscriber? Sign up now for our mailing list.

Do you have your own KidsPeace-related story to share? Post a comment or email kpinfo@kidspeace.org.

The 10^th annual KidsPeace Toy Run will happen July 21, rain or shine. The ride leaves at noon from Werry’s Pub in Marshalls Creek and goes to our Orchard Hills Campus in North Whitehall Township.

Immediately following the run, at Werry’s Pub, there will be live music, food, a pavilion and pool for children , and an auction and raffles. Organizers request a $15 donation for adults, $2.50 for children 12 and younger. Donations of new toys, clothes, videos and other items for children ages 10 to 18 are needed and appreciated.

For more information, call Owen at 570-223-9934 or 917-488-3957.

Directions to Werry’s Pub:

Take Interstate 80 to Exit 309 (Old 52) and follow Route 209 North for four miles. Go right, and Werry’s Pub is approximately 1.25 miles on the left, after the flea market.

From Route 84, go to the Milford exit (53) onto route 209 South. Werry’s Pub is about 32 miles on the right.

Inventor Center took the top prize for the money raised with $937.88. King House collected the most pennies, adding up to $291.42. 

The next challenge is our birthday card campus. Through July 31, all FCCP offices, residential and hospital, will ask children to make birthday cards for KidsPeace’s 130^th celebration. The cards will be judged, and the winner will receive a $100 gift card.

News about our Orchard Hills and Broadway campuses in Pennsylvania, as well as some general highlights of our organization, will now be featured on Salisbury Patch.

Patch, which has websites in communities around the country, is a news organization that focuses on hyperlocal events.

This is a typical morning in the garden at KidsPeace’s Temple, Pa., campus, where students have a chance to get their hands dirty, learn life skills and forget some of their troubles for a short time.

The garden plot, which has expanded every season since the first bed was created six years ago, is packed with organized sections of produce. Carrots, beets, spinach, lettuce, herbs, onions, garlic, broccoli and blueberries are planted in neat rows. Trellises surround cucumbers, pumpkins and gourds, and a bright patch of sunflowers and marigolds will soon line one side of the garden. See more garden photos.

Nearby compost bins stocked with worms – to speed the process of breaking down waste – turn food scraps and paper into nourishment for the garden. Strategically stacked piles of cinderblocks, wood and dirt scattered around the garden serve as houses for toads. Since the garden is organic, it’s important to utilize toads and other natural forms of pest control.

“It’s all kid-driven,” said Fred Indenbaum, a master’s level therapist who leads the garden project.

The advantages for the children who work in the garden are countless, Indenbaum says. Impulse control, self-esteem building, a sense of connectedness in a digital age, an appreciation for aesthetics, conflict resolution, problem solving and a commitment to hard work all go into the project. But the biggest part, he says, is how gardening teaches the children to look outside of themselves and consider the needs of others, a key element of healthy child development.

“For me, the empathy is probably the central part of this whole thing,” he said. “A lot of our kids lack that.”

The children are learning to care for another living thing, and they realize quickly the consequences of not giving it their all.

“They learn that when they put in, they get something back,” he said. “It’s an immense feeling of accomplishment.”

They also get paid in produce. The children on the Berks County campus are there for day treatment, as part of either an acute partial or educational program. When they go home in the evenings, they often take produce or flowers with them, eagerly sharing the fruits of their hard labor with their families. Much of what is grown in the garden also gets used in the cafeteria on campus.

Indenbaum asks the young gardeners for their ideas to give them the opportunity to own both successes and mistakes along the way.

“It helps to re-frame failure. It will be flawed. I want it to be flawed,” he said. “It’s important to see the whole process. Life doesn’t magically appear fully formed.”

Indenbaum points out the garden can give the children perspective into their own troubles too.

“Your mom abandoned you, your dad’s incarcerated. What do you do?” he asked.

“The garden is not a metaphor for life. It is life,” he said. “They get a lot of messages here that aren’t necessarily spoken, but are given.”

Two of the recipients the club honored for their contributions to their community were KidsPeace foster parents Juan Ballesteros and Amy Smallman.

The couple has fostered children of many races and ages by taking the necessary trainings to care for these children with specific needs. In the past four years, they have fostered 14 children who were emotionally and physically impaired. They cared for these children by showing them what it meant to be a part of a family.

An application submitted to nominate Juan and Amy lauds them for being team players who have always had positive relationships with case managers, agency staff and birth parents. They have constant communications with school staff to ensure the children’s educational needs are being met. In addition they provide support at all of the foster children’s court hearings and meetings and input on the best interests of the children.

Juan and Amy have also committed their time by getting involved with other foster parents and groups. They mentor new foster parents by providing them support when it comes to addressing certain behavioral issues. This goes to show that they are always willing to help out anyone in need.

Carl “Skip” and Ann Rice have been bringing foster teens into their home for 24 years.

They started their foster care journey when some of their children were still in high school. They weren’t initially with KidsPeace, but when we opened a foster care office in their hometown of Danville, Pa., they started working with our organization. They were among a group of foster parents honored Friday at the KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs’ 21^st annual foster parent recognition banquet.

“KidsPeace is a good company,” Ann said, adding that they have received tremendous support over the years from their caseworkers. “They care about their kids.”

The Rices, who have two sons and a daughter of their own, prefer to take in teenage boys, although they admit with a laugh most people don’t understand why. But in talking with the couple, it’s evident they love the children and treat them as their own. Ann points out that she never refers to them as her foster children, but calls them “my boys.”

“Some of them come in so tough, so heartbroken,” Ann said. “They don’t even know they are.”

But with the Rices’ gentle guidance and strict rules, the teens learn to trust them, open up and find a place they can call home, if only for a short time. The two boys who now live with them came into their home about two years ago. This is fairly typical, as most of the foster teens stay with the Rices for two to three years. In that time, they are encouraged to go to church and graduate from high school. Many keep in touch after they leave.

Ann started to tear up when she recalled one foster teen who had lived with them and became very good friends with their daughter. Shortly after the girl went back to live with her biological mother, she was killed in a car crash. Still, despite that particular tragedy and the many challenges that come with helping to raise foster children, the Rices say they will continue to be foster parents as long as they can.

“Sometimes I think keeping the kids around helps you stay younger,” Skip said, although he joked that the toughest part about fostering teens is “keeping your hair.”

His wife gave a more serious take on the challenge of taking in a vulnerable population.

“To see them go, I think that’s the toughest part,” she said.

Honey, 32, entered the foster care system at 18 months old in Belfast, Maine, and bounced around until she was 7. Two years later, the Pennsylvania couple who had brought her into their home adopted her.

“I really appreciate how much they did for me,” she said.

She shared her story Friday night at the KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs' 21st annual foster parent recognition banquet in Danville, Pa. May is National Foster Care Awareness Month.

Honey said after she was adopted, she had a normal childhood until her father unexpectedly died when she was 15. Still, she turned that hardship into a positive, working diligently to put herself through school so she could become an ICU nurse. She now works for Geisinger Medical Center and has two children of her own, who make her realize every day how much she has to be grateful for in her life.

Recently, a foster sibling from a family that had given her a temporary home when she was small reached out to her via Facebook, asking if she was the person who had lived in their house. Honey was touched to be able to say thank you to people who had helped to shape her early years, and she hopes other foster parents who guided her would be proud of where she is today and what she has accomplished.

She told the foster parents in attendance that even if they feel sometimes as though they’re unappreciated, they are making an enormous difference in the lives of children.

Ann and Carl “Skip” Rice have been fostering teenagers for more than two decades. Check back to read their story.

John and Joanne Dworsky raised a son and are expecting their first grandchild, but they continue to open their hearts and home to children through KidsPeace’s foster care program.

Since the Lehighton area couple became foster parents in 1997, they have had six long-term placements and a handful of respite cases. Three children got adopted from their care, and many still keep in touch. Joanne said she always wanted to be a foster mom, but when she broached the subject with her son when he was growing up, he wasn’t receptive to the idea.

Once he was in graduate school, the Dworskys took in their first child. Since they had one child of their own, they’ve found they do well with longer-term placements of one child at a time. But they have accepted some respite cases, where children stay for up to about a month to give other foster families a break. Though they have traditionally taken in teenagers, Joanne laughed when she recalled the time they got two 2-year-olds for a couple of weeks and she and John scrambled to keep up with them.

They have seen children from a variety of backgrounds – some have been abused, others have parents in jail, many have never been taught basic hygiene or study skills. But there is one thing the Dworskys have found all children need – structure.

John said many of the children were told for years that they were stupid or would never amount to anything, so he and his wife make it their mission to encourage each child to live up to his or her true potential.

“You can be anything you want to be as long as you’re willing to work at it,” he tells them.

While the children are in their care, the Dworskys make them feel like a part of the family. This may take the form of interacting with their teachers, taking them on outdoor adventures, doling out chores or making sure they have proper clothing.

“Most of them come with a plastic bag full of stuff, and half of it doesn’t fit,” John said. “They don’t have much of their own identity.”

Joanne has found that every child, no matter the age or gender, loves helping her in the kitchen.

“I think they just like anything that’s one-on-one,” she said. “When they think they’re doing something good, they just light up.”

John says the toughest part is often dealing with biological parents who don’t show up for arranged visits. Joanne acknowledges it can also be difficult to remember the children are with them on a temporary basis. She makes sure to never show her emotions when it’s time for a child to leave them.

“The whole idea for us was to treat them the way we treat our own child. So when you bring them in, they deserve everything you can give them,” she said. “The most meaningful thing I get out of it is that when the kids leave here, they’ve experienced a happy, safe home and they see they deserve it. I’ve planted a seed and somewhere down the road, they’ll see that.”

Right now, the Dworksys are serving as foster grandparents once a month for a 13-year-old girl whose grandparents live on the West Coast. Both laud their KidsPeace caseworkers and say they’ll continue taking in foster children as long as they’re able.

“For me, foster parenting has just given me a lot of joy,” Joanne said.

We are proud of this long history of making a difference and intend to celebrate in style. Today is the kickoff for a 130-day celebration. From now until our birthday party on the Orchard Hills campus in Orefield, Pa., on Sept. 12, we have fun events planned at all of our locations in 10 states and Washington DC.

Each day, visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kidspeace.org, where we'll be sharing little-known facts about the organization and offering some chances to win prizes.

Do you have a personal connection to KidsPeace? Post a comment here or on our Facebook page to share how the organization touched your life or helped someone you know.

One year ago, Asselin, of Cheyney, Pa., lost his only son, Nathaniel, to suicide after a 13-year struggle with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), a disease on the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) spectrum. Now, Asselin has embarked on a 500-mile pilgrimage from his Chester County home to Boston in an effort to talk to people about the disease and stop at places his son visited during his short life.

One of those places is KidsPeace, where Nathaniel was hospitalized when he was 11 years old. Asselin calls it the first chapter in the lengthy saga of his son’s illness. Asselin, who has been walking since April 24 and has logged about 130 miles, arrived at the Children’s Hospital today and met with members of the hospital team to share his story.

Right after his son died, he and his wife, Judy, and daughter, Carrie, walked the ancient pilgrimage route of Camino de Santiago in Spain. He described that as a deeply spiritual experience that helped him work through some of his overwhelming grief.

“I needed to ground my feelings from having lost Nathaniel,” he said.

His initial plan was to return to Europe to walk again in his son’s memory, but it didn’t feel natural. Instead, he said, he wanted to set out from his home, as a true pilgrim.  And so the idea of stopping at places that were both highlights and times of immense sadness in his son’s life – the hospital where he was born, an elementary school, his psychiatrist’s office, various hospitals – was born.

He has had some company along the way from people who have met him along his path. Anyone who is interested can track his progress in a blog on http://walkingwithnathaniel.org. His wife, Judy, is going to walk the Bethlehem to Easton leg of the journey with him this weekend.

While the walk, which he coined Camino de Nathaniel, brings him a measure of peace in the midst of his grief, Asselin’s greatest goal is to “bring brain disorders out of the closet.” As he walks, he carries with him a scallop seashell, which symbolizes that “there are many paths to one place.” The shell also adorns the cover of a pilgrimage passport his wife designed for him that he’s using to collect signatures of people he talks to along his journey.

BDD, which affects males and females equally, is often referred to as “broken mirror disorder,” Asselin said. Sufferers will fixate on their image, studying perceived flaws such as facial symmetry or blemishes that no one else would see. Nathaniel’s illness progressed to the point where his family had to remove all mirrors from their home. But when Nathaniel first got sick, the Asselins didn’t know their son was struggling with BDD. He was running compulsively, not eating as much and had lost a lot of weight.

“The whole idea was to get his body weight up and to find a medication that would quiet the messages he was hearing,” Asselin said.

It was years until professionals could pinpoint that Nathaniel was fighting BDD. Asselin got emotional as he described leaving his son at KidsPeace for that first hospitalization. He calls it the end of his son’s childhood.

“He was 11 years old. He was scared, and we were scared. As parents who love their children, you’d do anything to take that illness away from them,” he said. “As a parent, you live in the arena of that disorder. I had para-BDD.”

Nathaniel was put on medication that helped him for a few years, but it also came with side effects. He would tell his parents, “'Sometimes I feel like I’m moving through gauze,'” Asselin said.

The hardest part is that other people couldn’t see his illness. When they looked at Nathaniel, Asselin said, they saw a tall, handsome, intelligent young man. This is what Asselin wants to convey – that mental disorders need as much attention and are just as real as physical ailments.

And he said parents and caregivers need to be allowed to be involved in their children’s care. He and his wife often felt they were pushed aside by medical professionals who had more book knowledge of the disease, even though they lived with its manifestation every day.

He said his son, like others with mental illness, gave everything he had in the fight against BDD.

“He was a warrior,” he said. “There’s such integrity in a person’s mental illness. It’s not as if they’re not trying hard. He was always giving it all he had, but it wasn’t sustainable.”

He described it as a series of advances and backslides, but every time Nathaniel started to make progress, that just meant he had that much further to fall when the disease got the best of him.

Dr. Andrew Clark, the hospital’s medical director, said hearing Asselin’s story reinforces the work he does every day. He echoed Asselin’s sentiments that the public needs to appreciate the struggles of young people with mental illness.

“It’s the most vulnerable field, taking care of the most vulnerable patients,” he said.

Asselin left KidsPeace this morning, heading for Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York, where he has an appointment on May 13. His final stop is a June 7 rally in Boston, which is sponsored by the OCD Foundation.

Since Asselin has set out on his journey, he has found that when he shares his story, others often open up to him in return.

“It’s as if I’ve given them permission to say what’s on their heart. And if I’ve done that, I think I’ve already been successful,” he said. “I think Nathaniel would be proud of what I’m doing. He’s leading me.”

Photo Courtesy of Denis Asselin/These shells mark the path of Camino de Santiago.

KidsPeace's Autism After-School Program is hosting an Applebee's Flapjack Fundraiser on Saturday morning at the restaurant at 2109 Motel Drive in Bethlehem. Come out between 8 and 10 to help raise money for the program.

Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased from Alexis Harvey at alexis.harvey@kidspeace.org. All proceeds will be used to purchase new gym equipment and other curriculum materials.

When Jennifer Clifton, of South Whitehall Township, was planning her birthday party for earlier this month, she decided to ask her friends to donate to the children at KidsPeace in lieu of giving her presents.

The response was overwhelming, with $150 and two boxes of books collected for children on the Orchard Hills campus. One of her friends, whose mom used to work at KidsPeace, even wrote a personal note to accompany her gift.

Jennifer's mom, Gina Clifton, said her daughter has a history of helping organizations such as Goodwill and Children with Diabetes, and she also volunteers at school.

"She enjoys helping others," Clifton said. "But it was just her idea. It was the children and families who attended her party who really helped."

Though she has never been to our campus, Jennifer and her family feel a connection here. When she was 3, she was with her father when they were in a bad car accident. A KidsPeace employee donated a carseat since hers could no longer be used.

Team KidsPeace Kares will be participating in a walk for autism Saturday morning at the Lehigh Parkway in Allentown. The walk starts at 9:30 a.m.  

If you would like to participate, register at www.walknowforautismspeaks.org/lehighvalley.

Can't make the walk, but still want to help the cause? Register online to donate to the team's goal.

The Orioles donated 2,000 plastic Easter eggs filled with candy that will be tucked into baskets Sunday and hidden around campus for children in the residential program and the hospital.

KidsPeace has a relationship with the Orioles thanks to the generosity of manager Buck Showalter, and his wife Angela, who are avid supporters of the organization’s mission “to give hope, help and healing to children, families and communities.”

Other companies that contributed Easter candy to KidsPeace this year include Just Born in Bethlehem and a food bank in the Harrisburg area.

The speakeasy event featured Lehigh Valley pianist Dave Roth and West Coast standard singer Callie Cardamon performing hits of the 1920’s. Cardamon volunteers for TeenCentral.Net and wrote the ballad, “Love is on the Way,” for KidsPeace. 

The crowd of approximately 125 people enjoyed food prepared by Gala Gourmet Catering and had the opportunity for a souvenir picture. The event raised more than $27,000. 

Some of you may have been a "friend" of KidsPeace in the past, but we have switched over to a new page and won't be updating the old one anymore. To find us at our new home, visit http://www.facebook.com/KidsPeace.org and "like" that page.

Share this with anyone else who would be interested in following our page. We look forward to interacting with you.

Schnecksville, PA – KidsPeace has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™ for accreditation by
demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in
behavioral health care. The accreditation award, covering all KidsPeace’s Pennsylvania programs recognizes dedication to compliance with The Joint Commission’s state-of-the-art standards on a continuous basis.

KidsPeace underwent a rigorous on-site survey from August 15-17, 2011. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated KidsPeace for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of individuals served and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management. "In achieving Joint Commission accreditation, KidsPeace has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for the people they serve," says Mary Cesare-Murphy, Ph.D., executive director, Behavioral Health Care Accreditation, The Joint Commission. “Behavioral Health accreditation is a voluntary process and I commend KidsPeace for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

"With Joint Commission accreditation, we are making a significant investment in quality on a day-to-day basis from the top down. Joint Commission accreditation provides us a framework to take our organization to the next level and helps create a culture of excellence,” says William Isemann, President and CEO. “Achieving Joint Commission accreditation, for our organization, is a major step toward maintaining excellence and continually improving the care we provide.”

The Joint Commission’s behavioral health care standards address important functions relating to the care of individuals served and the management of behavioral health care organizations. The standards are developed in consultation with behavioral health care experts, providers, measurement experts, individuals served and their families.

Founded in 1951, The Joint Commission seeks to continuously improve health care for the public, in collaboration with
other stakeholders, by evaluating health care organizations and inspiring them to excel in providing safe and effective
care of the highest quality and value. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 18,000 health care
organizations and programs in the United States. The Joint Commission also provides certification of more than 1,700
disease-specific care programs, primary stroke centers, and health care staffing services. An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission is the nation's oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in health care. Learn more about The Joint Commission at www.jointcommission.org.

Orefield, PA. December 7, 2011 – Two charitable organizations that dedicate their efforts to helping kids have formed a partnership that will enrich the lives of deserving children and teach them important life lessons. Community Bike Works and KidsPeace are launching the inaugural "Community Bike Works at KidsPeace Earn a Bike” program at the Orefield, PA, campus. Selected boys and girls in KidsPeace residential programs will attend the three month program that will teach bicycle repair and maintenance, safety and teamwork. Each child who successfully completes the course will be given the bike he or she has fixed up, along with a helmet and a certificate of course completion.

Rob Scott, who is the Facilities and Recreation Supervisor at KidsPeace, read about Community Bike Works (CBW) on the Internet (www.communitybikeworks.org) and contacted Executive Director and founder Stefan Goslawski to see if the two nonprofits could work together. The more he learned, the more Rob believed that the program would be a great benefit to KidsPeace kids. “Last spring I took a few kids to attend classes at CBW in Allentown,” Rob says. “They did really well and were thrilled to have earned their own bikes to take home with them when they left KidsPeace.” There is a vocational aspect to the program that particularly excited Rob because the education department was able to obtain Title 1 funding, as well as a grant from Just Born to purchase supplies to run the program at the KidsPeace facility.

After that, Rob actively recruited KidsPeace associates as volunteers to start up the program on the KidsPeace residential campus in Orefield. Rob and the volunteers attended 12 weeks of classes at Community Bike Works and learned how to take bikes apart, repair them and put them back together. They also learned about Stefan’s philosophy and the more subtle aspects of the program that help the kids learn life skills and develop strong work ethics.

According to Stefan, a retired teacher and bike shop owner, he founded Community Bike Works in 1994 after reading about a similar program that taught parents how to fix their kids’ bikes and after receiving a letter from an elderly lady who urged him to teach Allentown kids important skills. With the assistance of the Allentown Conference of Churches, which helped him gain nonprofit status, Stefan launched the program.

Today, the 12 week program teaches students from the Allentown and Bethlehem School Districts at certain middle schools and at the organization’s headquarters at 235 North Madison Street in Allentown’s 18102. “It is the most enjoyable job I have ever had,” Stefan says with a smile. The program currently works with around 250 kids a year, and Stefan expects that number to reach 350 in 2012. “We really need more volunteers in order to expand even more,” Stefan adds. “It is hard because we need a 12-week commitment from our volunteers to facilitate one of our classes.”

Additionally, Stefan has a group of enthusiastic volunteers from Cedar Crest and Muhlenberg Colleges who help the kids with their reading skills through one on one tutoring. “It is so exciting when the school districts tell us that kids we have taught and tutored have increased their reading levels by one to four grade levels and have improved their state test scores dramatically,” Stefan reports. “We also teach our kids that working hard for something will be rewarding,” Stefan points out. “They need to sign a contract, make and fulfill a commitment, help others in the class with their bikes, take pre and post-class tests, learn safety rules, write a thank you letter to the bike’s donor and keep a journal in order to earn their bikes.” According to Stefan, there is also a vocational skills development component to the program that teaches kids how to read manuals, use tools and do repair and maintenance work. These skills may help them secure a job when after they leave school.

Stefan Goslawski asks the community to donate bikes (20 inch BMX bikes are particularly needed) or funds, but his biggest need is for volunteers to work with the kids and help them learn skills and values that will last them a lifetime. Contact him at 610-434-1140 or stefan@communitybikeworks.org.

Rob Scott encourages donations of 24” to 26” mountain bikes to KidsPeace. Rob’s number is 610-799-7487, or email him at Robert.Scott@kidspeace.org.

Raheem Khawaja* was a troubled boy who came to KidsPeace in the fall of 2009. Raheem’s family had emigrated from Pakistan shortly after his birth; he had no conscious memories of living in Pakistan and was grounded in American culture… skateboarding, cartoons and McDonald’s. Raheem had done very well at his local elementary school, which was located within walking distance from his new home. His father walked him to school in the morning, and his mother was waiting at home for him when he returned afterwards. Raheem did well academically and had many friends. It seemed like middle school would be a smooth transition. However, problems started almost immediately in the fall of his sixth grade year. Raheem was suspended twice for fighting on the bus. His grades dropped, and he became moody and unhappy. His parents grew concerned. What was wrong with their son? When they asked him, he had no answers. His pediatrician assured them that the onset of puberty often produced such changes in behavior… this reassured them, for a time. Then, following another bus incident, Raheem was suspended for bringing a knife to school. The guidance counselor insisted that the parents take their son to the emergency room to obtain a psychiatric evaluation. It was then that Raheem was admitted to the KidsPeace Hospital for treatment.


Raheem was pleasant and cooperative during his stay. He followed the rules and did not exhibit any behavior problems. The Treatment Team had a difficult time understanding why this cheerful boy was having such a difficult time at school. The therapist gathered a comprehensive history of Raheem’s experiences, and everything she was told appeared to support the story of a developmentally normal, healthy boy. Then she asked Raheem’s parents about their own lives. Suddenly, the picture began to change. Mr. Khawaja’s face grew troubled; his wife looked down at her hands entwined in her lap. In halting English, Mr. Khawaja began to talk about living in Pakistan during war. “We lost our home,” he explained, “As many did. Raheem was born in the basement of a building that had been bombed. There was nowhere safe to go, and my wife couldn’t travel in her condition. The neighbors helped us.” The clinician asked gently, “Did you lose many people who you cared about?” Mrs. Khawaja began to cry. Her husband merely responded, “It was very bad. Ever since we were young. We came here and were very happy to be in the United States.”
As the days went on, the clinician worked closely with the Khawaja family, and significant issues emerged. Living in a war zone where they feared for their lives, and the lives of their loved ones, every day had emotionally traumatized Raheem’s parents. Their experiences of terror, loss and catastrophe had shaped the way they responded to the world. They thought that all of these problems would disappear when they came to America, and what they found was that the fear and panic that they’d learned to live with came to America with them. Raheem’s parents lived every day in fear and he, living with them, did as well.


The events that this family experienced create a tragically familiar story to many of the professionals who work in mental health treatment. A traumatic event is defined as a single experience, or an enduring series of events, that completely overwhelm the individual’s ability to cope¹. Traumatic events include some of the experiences that we least like to think about: Violent crime, natural disasters, accidents, wars, community violence, child physical and sexual abuse, bullying and domestic violence. While there are many different situations that can be considered traumatic, these events have one thing in common: They are events that cause overwhelming feelings of fear, helplessness and/or horror.² Think of the victims of concentration camps; the earthquake survivors in Japan; Viet Nam veterans.


We are only beginning to understand the role that traumatic events play in the development of mental health problems, substance abuse and disruptive and dangerous behaviors. Severe and chronic trauma may lead to physical changes inside the brain and to the brain’s chemistry, which damage the person’s ability to adequately cope with stress. This is particularly problematic for children. Children who have witnessed or have been victims of interpersonal and community violence, have been neglected or have suffered terrible losses often present with a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems ³.


Children, like Raheem, can also suffer from secondary or “vicarious” trauma. This form of traumatization impacts people who are in a close relationship with traumatized individuals. Raheem’s parents’ experience of terror and loss had resulted in changes in their entire approach to life. Mrs. Khawaja in particular was afraid to leave the house. Moreover, she was terrified to let her child out of her sight and would panic when she put him on the bus in the morning. Mr. Khawaja was working two jobs and feared that he could at any time lose his jobs, and his family would again be homeless. Raheem told the clinician that he wished he didn’t have to go to school; he believed that he was safer at home, with his parents, and that they needed his help.


What is significant about Raheem’s situation is that the clinician asked this family about their history of trauma. In many cases, such information is overlooked as frustrated parents, overworked professionals and harried teachers focus on more immediate approaches to behavior. Often, the child is punished by suspensions or expulsions; various medications are tried without a thorough understanding of the problem; or the behavior is minimized or ignored until it becomes a significant threat to the safety of the community.


At KidsPeace, we recognize the role of trauma in the lives of the children and families who come to us for help, and we treat the entire family. The Sanctuary® Model, which is being implemented as the model of care at KidsPeace, provides the tools and the theory to help us to create a culture of safety, empowerment and positive change. This model teaches that, in order to recover from trauma, people need to live in a community of supportive people who are committed to their growth and healing. While KidsPeace strives to provide that for our children, we recognize that the best place for a troubled child to heal is in a safe, supportive family; and the best place for a troubled family to heal is within a safe, supportive community. KidsPeace is committed to using the Sanctuary Model, its theories and its tools to help our community become one where children and families, like the Khawajas, find peace.


For more information on the Sanctuary Model, visit the site http://www.sanctuaryweb.com or contact the author at 800-25PEACE.


¹Van Der Kolk, B.; McFarlane, A.; Weisaeth, L., Eds. (1996). Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society. New York: Guilford Press.
²Bloom, S. L. (1997) Creating Sanctuary: Toward the Evolution of Sane Societies. (1997). New York: Routledge.
³Farragher, B. and Yanosy, S. (2005). Creating A Trauma-Sensitive Culture In Residential Treatment. Therapeutic Community: The International Journal for Therapeutic and Supportive Organizations 26(1): 97-113.

Leslie Tenbroeck, LCSW, Sanctuary® Coordinator and Clinical Instructor at KidsPeace, has over 20 years experience working in the mental health field with a broad range of direct-care experience with children and families. Ms. Tenbroeck has extensive experience in crisis management; she has taught courses in Handle with Care and Professional Crisis Management and is currently a certified instructor for Life Space Crisis Intervention. She has taught courses in conjunction with the American Health institute, the Penn State Cooperative Extension and Norwich University. She is affiliated with the Sanctuary Institute and is an advocate for trauma-informed care. For the past nine years, she has been teaching and assisting in developing curriculum for direct care staff in multiple areas of instruction related to children’s developmental and behavioral health, including the treatment of self-injurious behavior, therapeutic relationships, group therapy and trauma treatment. She is currently the designated coordinator for the implementation of the Sanctuary Model at KidsPeace. Ms. Tenbroeck lives in Allentown, PA, with her husband and two sons.

The effects of trauma in children may linger and manifest themselves physically and behaviorally. Will Isemann, President of CEO of KidsPeace, and the clinical experts at KidsPeace have compiled a list of tips to help parents talk to their children about what has happened to upset them and look out for future signs of distress:

1. Listen to children. Allow them to express their concerns and fears.

2. Regardless of age, the most important issue is to reassure children of safety and security. Tell children that you, their school, their friends and their communities are all focused on their safety and that those around them are working for their safety. Have discussions about those dedicated to protecting them like police, teachers and other school officials, neighbors, their government and all concerned adults throughout the community.

3. When discussing the events with younger children, the amount of information shared should be limited to some basic facts. Use words meaningful to them (not words like massive devastation or sniper, etc.). Share with them that weather or geological shifting has caused a specific disastrous event in a certain part of the world or some bad people have used violence to hurt innocent people in the area. Discuss that we don’t know exactly why this has happened, but a natural disaster or violence has occurred. Do not go into specific details.

4. School-aged children will ask, “Can this happen here, or to me?” Do not lie to children. Share that it is unlikely that anything like this will happen to them or in their community. Then reiterate how the community is focused on working to keep everyone safe in the community.

5. Parents, caregivers and teachers should be cautious of permitting young children to watch news or listen to radio that is discussing or showing mass death or carnage. It is too difficult for most of them to process. Personal discussions are the best way to share information with this group. Also, plan to discuss this many times over the coming weeks.

6. When discussing the events with preteens and teens, more detail is appropriate, and many will already have seen news broadcasts. Do not let them focus too much on graphic details. Rather, elicit their feelings and concerns and focus your discussions on what they share with you. Be careful of how much media they are exposed to. Talk directly with them about the tragedy and answer their questions truthfully.

7. Although this group is more mature, do not forget to reassure them of their safety and your efforts to protect them. Regardless of age, kids must hear this message.

8. Be on the lookout for physical symptoms of anxiety that children may demonstrate. They may be a sign that a child, although not directly discussing the tragedy, is very troubled by the recent events. Talk more directly to children who exhibit these signs:
• Headaches
• Excessive worry
• Stomach aches
• Increased arguing
• Back aches
• Irritability
• Trouble sleeping or eating
• Loss of concentration
• Nightmares
• Withdrawal
• Refusal to go to school
• Clinging behavior.

9. Parents and caregivers should often reassure children that they will be protected and kept safe. During tragedies like these, words expressing safety and reassurance with concrete plans should be discussed and agreed upon within the family and can provide the most comfort to children and teens.

10. If you are concerned about your children and their reaction to this or any tragedy, talk directly with their school counselor, family doctor, local mental health professional or have your older children visit KidsPeace’s teen help website, www.TeenCentral.Net, which provides anonymous and clinically screened help and resources for teen problems before they become overwhelming.|

In the last fifteen years, a number of large-scale attacks at schools have made the issue of school violence a prominent concern across the United States. Despite the massive attention focused on this issue, there are widespread misconceptions about school violence.

Frequency of Homicides at School
Perhaps the biggest misconception is that school shootings and other types of school-related homicides are common events and/or increasing in frequency. The reality is much different. According to Dr. Dewey Cornell, in his book School Violence: Fears Versus Facts, “the average school can expect a student-perpetrated homicide about once every 13,870 years.” In other words, most schools will not have a homicide within our lifetimes, or for many lifetimes to come.

The peak academic year for school homicides was 1992-1993. Since then, the rate has decreased significantly. The Youth Violence Project at the University of Virginia recorded 42 homicides on school grounds in 1992-1993. In the ten years from 2000 through 2009, the average was 6.3 deaths — a dramatic reduction. And, in both 2008 and 2009, there was only one homicide on school grounds each year.

What accounts for this decline? It is impossible to say for sure, but it is noteworthy that the turning point in the homicide rate occurred between the years 1999 and 2000. From 1992 to 1999, the school homicide rate averaged 30 deaths per year. From 2000 to 2009, it averaged 6 deaths per year. Perhaps this reflects the impact of the attack at Columbine High School that occurred on April 20, 1999. Although there had been large-scale rampage attacks at schools prior to Columbine, it was this attack that really made school safety a prominent national concern.

If this hypothesis is correct, it suggests that schools’ efforts to increase safety made a difference. Or perhaps students became more sensitive to warning signs of violence and started reporting their concerns to parents, teachers, counselors or administrators. Whatever the reason, the data clearly indicate that school-related homicides have become very rare events. On average, school is the safest place children can be.

It is hoped that the current economic climate does not result in reduced funding for schools. Budget cuts could potentially result in an increased risk of violence. Cuts to faculty, counselors, security officers and others might adversely affect the ability of schools to maintain the level of safety that has been established.

Who Commits School Shootings and Why?
Certainly, school homicides can take many forms including beatings, stabbings and shootings, but it is rampage school shootings that have received an overwhelming amount of attention. These attacks involve a student going to his own school and opening fire — generally at random people. Who commits such an act? Initially, researchers focused on identifying a profile of rampage school shooters. This effort, however, missed the fact that school shooters are not a homogeneous group.

Nonetheless, there are common misconceptions about school shooters. People often think school shooters are loners, victims of terrible mistreatment and detached from their schools and communities. It is also commonly thought that school shootings are acts of retaliation against specific people who tormented the shooters. In most cases, however, school shooters do not fit this description.

In almost every case, school shooters have friends. In most cases, they are not victims of bullying. They are often involved in activities at school and in the community. And they rarely target anyone who picked on them. So who are school shooters?

As explained in my book, Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters, the perpetrators of rampage school attacks fall into three categories:

• Psychopathic shooters. These are youths who are narcissistic and sadistic. They have deficits in the ability to experience empathy, guilt and remorse. They reject traditional values and morality and meet their own needs at the expense of others.

• Psychotic school shooters. These youths experience hallucinations and delusions. The most common type of delusion can be described as paranoid, although some of them also have delusions of grandeur. In addition to hallucinations and delusions, these youths have significant social and emotional deficits.

• Traumatized shooters. Whereas the psychopathic and psychotic shooters come from intact families with well-functioning parents, the traumatized shooters come from broken homes and dysfunctional families. They have parents with criminal histories. They have parents who abuse drugs and alcohol. These youths are victims of emotional abuse, physical abuse and sometimes sexual abuse. They bounce around from one relative’s home to another, sometimes ending up in multiple foster homes. Their lives are unstable and unsafe year after year, and eventually they reach the breaking point.

The fact that someone is psychopathic, psychotic or traumatized, however, does not mean he is destined to be a killer. In fact, most people in these three categories are not violent. The categories help us to understand the types of youth who commit school shootings, but the categories are not complete explanations. There are always other factors involved that shape the behavior of the perpetrators.

But if the attacks are not retaliation against bullies, what is the motivation? Motivations vary across shooters and, even within one shooter, there can be multiple factors driving him to murder. Sometimes shooters are seeking fame and to establish powerful identities for themselves. They may be lashing out at the world, unleashing pent-up rage and frustration. They may attack the students they envy — those kids who seem to have everything going for them. The shooters may be paranoid and believe their lives are in danger; thus, they lash out at others in an act that they conceive of as self-defense. They may hear voices telling them to kill people. Occasionally, there is a specific target, but this is not necessarily a bully. It is perhaps more likely to be a girl who rejected the shooter or a principal who symbolically represents the school.

What works in prevention?
When people think about preventing school shootings, they often think in terms of physical security measures: ID badges, video cameras, metal detectors and so on. Though these measures serve a variety of purposes, they do not stop school shootings. Rampage attacks have occurred at schools with metal detectors and even armed security guards. By the time a student enters a building, armed and willing to die, physical security measures will not stop the attack. Similarly, lockdown drills may help to minimize casualties during an attack, but they do not prevent an attack.
What can be done then to prevent school shootings or other school-related homicides? The best approach is to focus on educating students on the warning signs of violence. It is, of course, important to educate faculty and staff as well, but students are really the eyes and ears of a school. If someone is planning a violent attack, other students are most likely the ones who will know about it. If they are trained in what to look for and how to report their concerns, school shootings can be stopped entirely. In fact, the majority of foiled attacks have been stopped because students came forward with what they knew.|



Dr. Langman has worked with children and adolescents for over twenty years. He spent 12 years at KidsPeace and now consults to the organization. Dr. Langman’s book, Why Kids Kill: Inside the Minds of School Shooters, was named an Outstanding Academic Title of 2009 by the American Library Association. It has been translated into German and Finnish and is forthcoming in Dutch. He has been interviewed over one hundred times by media outlets in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has appeared on CBS-TV, CNN, Fox and the BBC. His research on school shooters has been featured in articles carried by The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Forbes, USA Today, Education Week, Junior Scholastic, MSNBC, Yahoo News, and thousands of other news outlets. Dr. Langman writes a blog for Psychology Today. His research on school shooters has been cited in congressional testimony on Capitol Hill. His website is www.schoolshooters.info. Dr. Langman received his B.A. in psychology from Clark University, his M.A. in counseling psychology from Lesley College, and his Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Lehigh University. In addition to being a psychologist, Dr. Langman is a poet and playwright.

Historically, the theme of stories told by those who have had encounters with conduct disordered kids, or the programs that house them, have all started with anger, which then led to aggression, which climaxed in violence. These stories pretty much have the same plot, one episode after another. Eventually, people tired of making up excuses for the vast population of kids who are misunderstood and labeled them “Conduct Kids.”

Today, the Conduct Kid still exists; he is your brother, cousin and friend. He is every teenaged kid opposed to the norms of society or the directives given by a parent and/or seeks to evade the long arms of the law. He has the potential to be wise but chooses to be misunderstood. He has the potential to be loved but chooses to be distant. He chooses nothing because, oftentimes, he has never been given a choice – or at least that’s how he sees it. >>Read More

This article appeared in the Spring/Summer Issue of Healing Magazine®. Download of PDF of the issue by clicking here.

KidsPeace, the 130-year old children’s charity, has opened its doors in Ithaca to help provide foster care to local children striving to overcome crises in their young lives. The new program will allow KidsPeace to serve children in foster homes in the local community, giving them an opportunity to stay near familiar surroundings, rather than moving farther away from home.

On Tuesday, November 8, KidsPeace hosted an Open House at its new office location, 179 Graham Road in Ithaca. Prospective foster parents, the local county Departments of Social Services, other local child service organizations and local businesses were in attendance.

Representatives from the offices of U.S. Congressman Maurice Hinchey and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand were in attendance. The start-up of the program is being funded by a federal grant secured by Representative Hinchey. "KidsPeace therapeutic foster care program is going to make a difference in the lives of countless children throughout the region," said Hinchey. "I was pleased to secure $250,000 in federal funding to help bring this program to Ithaca, because of the numerous foster children in need of the emotional and behavioral support this program will provide. Today's grand opening is only the beginning, and I look forward to seeing the work they do in the years ahead." Senator Gillibrand sent a letter of congratulations, which was read aloud during the presentation.

The special guest speaker for the event was the Honorable David M. Brockway, Acting Justice for Chemung County Supreme Court and Judge for Chemung County Family Court. Justice Brockway gave a special interactive presentation on “Judicial Perspectives: What Foster Parents and Caseworkers Should Know,” sharing his knowledge and vast experience, which foster parents and professionals alike found helpful and informative.

The KidsPeace Ithaca Foster Care & Community Program, the sixth foster care and community programs location operated by KidsPeace in the state of New York and the 36th of its kind in eight states and the District of Columbia, offers a specialized form of foster care known as therapeutic foster care programming, which provides caring, well trained, licensed foster homes and families to children with emotional and mental health needs who have great potential to be successful within their communities. The Ithaca program will recruit and certify local foster homes for children, providing the home- and community-based services they so desperately need to feel safe, heal from their emotional scars and experience a sense of home, family and community. A supportive, caring foster family can give youth in crisis a sanctuary and can prevent cycles of their past from determining the course of their future.
Understanding the effects of trauma experienced by the youth we serve, and recognizing the need to address these effects, KidsPeace has developed a Model of Care based on the studies and research around promoting resilience in youth. Toward this end, KidsPeace has been an integral participant in the development of a program called “Together Facing the Challenge,” participating in two NIMH- (National Institute for Mental Health) funded studies conducted by the Behavioral Health research staff at Duke University. “Together Facing the Challenge” is a training curriculum and program designed to further enhance therapeutic foster care and includes effective community-based treatment practices for youth with emotional and behavioral disorders. This skills curriculum was recently deemed a highly esteemed “Evidence Based Practice” through the California Evidence-Based Clearing House.

The KidsPeace Ithaca Foster Care and Community Programs will benefit from the resources and expertise of the nearly 130-year history of KidsPeace. KidsPeace, established in 1882, is a time-tested children’s charity dedicated to helping children overcome crises in their young lives. KidsPeace, whose mission is to provide hope, help and healing to children, families and communities, operates programs in ten states and the District of Columbia with a continuum that includes community-based programming, therapeutic foster care (36 locations), web-based counseling, residential treatment, educational services and inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.

To learn more about becoming a foster parent, please contact:

KidsPeace has received a $570,000 grant from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Department of Defense to provide mentoring and support to children and teens whose parent(s) are deployed in the US Military. This program will be offered through TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net to allow parents and kids to openly and anonymously discuss their fears, emotional struggles and insecurities about deployment of a parent and to understand that they are not alone and that many caring professionals and peers are there for them and willing to help them.

TeenCentral.Net (TC.N) is a website launched in 1998 by KidsPeace to help teens with their problems, concerns and issues. It is free, anonymous and safe. Receiving between 1.5 and 2 million hits per month, TeenCentral.Net has registered more than 479,000 young people as members since its inception. The site, designed and maintained by KidsPeace youth psychology and counseling experts, provides responses to teens within 24 hours and enables them to post stories about their experiences and share responses to stories in a "peer mentoring" atmosphere. No stories are posted before being reviewed and approved by a Master’s or Doctorate level Clinician.

ParentCentral.Net (PC.N) is structured similarly for parents and provides counseling, peer mentoring and valuable information to parents seeking advice. These free sites do not accept advertising. The two sites are directed by Dr. Julius Licata, who will lead this new program.

"KidsPeace is extremely honored to be selected as a recipient of this critical funding for our efforts to support the children of our military," KidsPeace President and CEO Will Isemann said. He announced that the grant will fund new sub-sections of the two websites -- TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net -- to establish the e-mentoring program (with components of team mentoring and group mentoring) for youth of military families and their parents. The initiative will address the emotional needs of youth whose parents are deployed and provide platforms for youth and their parents to openly communicate with e-mentors and with each other in an effort to mitigate emotional struggles and avoid juvenile justice behaviors related to a parent's deployment.

The Reason for the Grant
There are nearly 1.5 million active duty U.S. soldiers, an additional 850,000 in reserves and approximately 1.2 million children of military personnel. Children in military families experience emotional and behavioral difficulties and symptoms of anxiety above national averages. Unfortunately, the needs of teenagers whose parents are in the military and/or deployed often go unrecognized.

"Children in military families experience unique challenges that other children may never face, such as dealing with their deployed parents' extended absence and anxiety over their safe return," said Jeff Slowikowski, OJJDP Acting Administrator, in announcing the awards in Washington, DC. "Military families will now have a listening ear and caring support during a difficult time in their lives."

The award is in the form of a three-year grant. Work on the new sub-sites is expected to begin soon, with some components completed by late 2012.

KidsPeace is one of 19 Pennsylvania organizations that have been awarded grants from the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to support education campaigns aimed at preventing underage alcohol use. This $15,000 award was announced by Will Isemann, KidsPeace President & CEO. “KidsPeace is very honored to be selected as a recipient of this critical funding to assist in our efforts toward prevention of underage and dangerous alcohol use,” Isemann said. The grant will fund a new sub-section on TeenCentral.Net, a website that is operated by KidsPeace and directed by Dr. Julius Licata to assist teen members with issues, questions and information needs. This new page will address the dangers of alcohol use by teens and provide online counseling to teens who send posts for assistance.

The Way it Works
TeenCentral.Net has been helping teens since 1998 and has membership of more than half a million teens. To make use of TeenCentral.Net, teens join and make up a screen name that in no way identifies them. They post their questions to the site, and specially trained counselors review each post before it is made visible to other members. Within 24 hours, the teens receive a response from a counselor that includes empathetic acknowledgement of the problems as described and recommendations of how the teen can deal with the situation. Other teens can write in with encouragement and descriptions of how they faced similar issues. These posts are also screened by counselors, and if deemed appropriate, they are posted following the initial question.

The PLCB also awarded grants to 27 law-enforcement agencies, 26 college and universities and five school districts for underage drinking prevention efforts as part of its 2011-2012 Alcohol Education Grant Program.
“Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among young people, according to a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control,” said Jerry Waters Sr., director of the PLCB’s Office of Regulatory Affairs. “We know underage drinking has a tremendous impact on youth, families and communities throughout Pennsylvania, and we are committed to providing the resources necessary to help children make better choices.”
Developed in 1998, TeenCentral.Net is the groundbreaking, problem-solving website that offers teens a safe and confidential environment to share their questions and concerns about everyday challenges they face. The site, designed and maintained by KidsPeace youth psychology and counseling experts, provides responses to teens within 24 hours and enables teens to post stories about their experiences and share responses to stories in a “peer mentoring” atmosphere. Receiving between 1.5 and 2 million hits per month, TeenCentral.Net has registered more than 479,000 young people since its inception. The free site does not accept advertising and is anonymous for all users.

Highlights of the proposed TeenCentral.Net Alcohol Awareness Sub-Section will include:

➢ An interactive section will be created to demonstrate the effect of a specific amount of alcohol. Teens will be able to enter a number of drinks and the type of alcohol (beer, liquor-based mixed drinks, wine, shots, wine coolers, etc.) and determine intoxication levels.

➢ Teens may access the site 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and receive counseling within 24 hours of their submission. The site will offer an additional benefit to youth, providing them with responses to the thoughts they have written and offering the opportunity to read about other teens who face similar challenges with respect to peer pressure, their use and abuse of alcohol and drinking and driving.

➢ The TeenCentral.Net Alcohol Awareness Sub-Section will offer specific resources for adolescents, providing distinct and individualized support, as well as ongoing tools that they can utilize.

The new section of TeenCentral.Net is projected for completion in early 2012.

The Kingston, NY FCCP office will be hosting its 2nd Annual Fundraiser on October 10, 2011 at noon. The golf tournament and dinner banquet will be held at Blackhead Mountain in Round Top, NY, to raise funds for our Children's Resilience Fund to be used toward activities and necessities to build inner strength and self esteem, in our foster children. These activities include, but not limited to, sports, summer and arts camps, musical instruments,  enrichment activities, independent living skills-building activities and other “everyday items” all children should have. The event will be a great opportunity for golfers to get one last game in before the end of the season and to have the opportunity to golf one of the most beautiful courses in the Hudson Valley. Anyone interested in learning additional information can contact the Kingston, NY office. The $85 registration fee includes lunch, dinner, greens fees and golf cart. There will be great raffle prizes, and a wonderful time will be had by all.

Last year's event was a huge success and allowed the kids in our program to attend dance camps, take driving lessons, get senior portraits taken and many other things we were not able to do in the past. Please contact KidsPeace Foster Care, 200 Aaron Court, Kingston, NY 12401. Phone: 845-331-1815.

Fashions from Chico’s will be featured at the 25th Annual KidsPeace Auxiliary Fashion Show and Luncheon Sept. 21st, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Best Western, Rts. 512 and 22.
Since 1948, the KidsPeace Auxiliary has raised funds to support the work of providing hope, help and healing to children, families and communities. Originally founded as the Wiley House Ladies Auxiliary, the KidsPeace Auxiliary has assisted thousands of children for more than 60 years.
Tickets for the event are $30 and can be reserved by calling Evelyn Zumas at 610-868-5743. All proceeds for the 2011 show will benefit KidsPeace Autism programs.

Capitol area residents are invited to gather Thursday, Sept. 22, to give local children in need a taste of kindness. A special fundraiser and free wine-tasting at Corridor Fine Wine in Laurel will benefit hundreds of Washington, DC, and Maryland children in foster care and adoption programs operated by the national children’s charity KidsPeace.

The public is invited between 6 and 9 p.m. to enjoy the evening’s “Around the World Wine Tasting,” featuring wines and champagnes from five countries. The tasting is free and 30 percent of all “Winery Direct” sales will be donated to KidsPeace.

“This event is for people with a thirst--not just for the finer things in life--but for helping children, many of whom don’t have the basics, such as a home and a loving adult to guide their way,” said Steve Faith, Vice President of Wine Operations for Corridor Fine Wine.

“It’s not every day you get to take a trip around the globe,” Diane Sancilio, Regional Manager of Foster Care and Community Programs. “And at the same time, do a world of good to benefit our children.”

Event Detail: Sixth Annual Wine Tasting
Sept. 22 from 6-9 p.m.
Corridor Fine Wine
3321 Corridor Marketplace
Laurel, MD 20724
Directions: (301) 617-8507

Two Carroll County civic and community leaders have been named to the KidsPeace Georgia Board of Associates. The new members are Cynthia Langley, of Burwell, and Aaron McWhorter of Whitesburg.

KidsPeace Georgia operates a residential treatment center in Bowdon that serves children with behavioral health issues and also offers therapeutic outpatient services. According to Dick Tisinger, chair of the Board of Associates, Langley and McWhorter bring special skills to the group.

“We are honored to have such high caliber individuals join in our efforts here in Georgia,” said Tisinger, attorney with Tisinger Vance. “Both Cynthia and Aaron have already made tremendous contributions with other organizations and we are thrilled that they are lending their talents to our efforts for KidsPeace as well.”

Langley serves as coordinator for the Carroll County Juvenile Wellness Court and has worked for the Department of Juvenile Justice for 17 years. A graduate of Auburn University with a BA in social work, Langley also holds a master’s degree in public administration from West Georgia College.

Her community volunteer efforts have included serving as chair of the board of directors for the Live Oaks Children’s Shelter, a volunteer trainer for the Children and Youth Coordinating Council’s Juvenile Justice Training Network and for Carroll County’s Jumpstart program. A volunteer with the Carroll County Mediation Center, she also is a member of the board of directors of the Georgia Sheriff Youth Homes Pineland Campus, served on the school council at Jonesville Middle School and is a member of the Auburn Alumni Association and the Auburn University Parent Association.
Cynthia is married to Terry E. Langley and they have two daughters, Hannah and Billie, both of whom are attending college.

McWhorter is the owner and president of North Georgia Turf, Inc. of Whitesburg. A native of Heard County, McWhorter grew up on his parents’ dairy farm. He retuned to work there after graduating from West Georgia College with a BA degree in history and spending a few years teaching in Barnesville. In 1985 he launched his turf grass company, starting with 25 acres of Bermuda grass. NG Turf has grown to approximately 2,000 acres with farm locations in Whitesburg, Franklin, Clarkesville, Calhoun and Perry. In 1991 McWhorter incorporated a second company, Sports Turf Inc., to meet the growing athletic field construction business in the region. High profile clients have included the Atlanta Falcons training facility, Auburn Tigers, University of Alabama, Atlanta Public Schools and the 1996 Olympic Softball facility.

McWhorter serves on the boards for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Crop Improvement Association, the Sports Turf Managers Association, the Georgia Board of General Contractors, the Georgia Water Advisory Committee, the Georgia Middle Chattahoochee Regional Water Council, the Carroll County Water Authority and the Urban Agriculture Council. He and his wife, Linda, are the parents of three children, Mark, Merett and Natalie, and four grandchildren.

Anticipation is building as KidsPeace Foster Care in Baltimore fine-tunes plans for the Second Annual 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, October 29, 2011 through the neighborhood of Canton and Patterson Park. Click here to register online. The hosts of this fundraiser are Angela and Buck Showalter. They are enthusiastic supporters of KidsPeace foster care efforts to successfully place foster children and teens with carefully matched families.

The aptly named “Trick or Trot” race promises to be a wonderful family (and that includes pets) event with features that include:

• The first 400 registered runners will receive an Under Armour race t-shirt.
• Fantastic gift certificates for top runners and age group winners.
• Food and Halloween fun following the run/walk in O'Donnell Square with the Oriole Bird and the Chick-fil-A cow.
• Everyone is encouraged to dress for Halloween, and prizes will be given for best individual, family and pet costumes.
• Register as a team and raise funds for foster care youth; the top 3 teams that raise the most money win awesome team prizes like tickets to a 2012 Orioles game, a Wine Tasting for 20 or a large bar tab to a great Baltimore watering hole!
• Be a “Snooze Button Runner”; if you are not able to attend, "run" from the convenience of your bedroom.
• Attend a pre-race party on the Square Friday, October 28, where you can pick up your race packet, have a Natty Boh, listen to some great local music and enjoy the restaurants and shops on the Square.
• Every registrant will be entered into a drawing for prizes, with winners being selected at the awards ceremony after the race(must be present to win).
• There will be Trick or Treating and face painting for the kids courtesy of O’Donnell Square businesses
• Parking will be on streets surrounding DuBurns Arena and O'Donnell Square

Company and individual sponsors and volunteers will be very welcome. Please spread the word at work and home that every contribution and effort will directly benefit KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs of Maryland and help raise awareness and funds for youth in foster care in Maryland.


According to Program Director Diane Sancilio, last year’s event was a huge success, raising more than $25,000 in cash and from in-kind donations and sponsorships from businesses in the O’Donnell Square area. “Business owners arrived at the finish lines with their families to provide crafts for the children, food, beverages and even electricity for the speaker system from one enthusiastic restaurant. All of the merchants and volunteers truly embraced the race/walk and the foster children KidsPeace serves.”

For more information, to volunteer or to become a sponsor, please contact Gina Seyfried (410) 964-9329 or gina.seyfried@kidspeace.org.

On Saturday, August 20, KidsPeace officially received a generous grant from the Verizon Wireless HopeLine Program and the Verizon Foundation to fund a new anti-bullying section on TeenCentral.Net. The check was presented during KidsPeace’s 14th Annual Soccer Invitational, which was sponsored by Verizon Wireless to benefit TeenCentral.Net as well. Mario Turco, President of the Philadelphia Tri-State Region of Verizon Wireless, presented a $20,000 check to KidsPeace CEO and President Will Isemann and Director of TC.N and PC.N Dr. Julius Licata. Some 80 teams competed during the tournament, and all received information about TeenCentral.Net in their team packets.

Bullying is a serious problem that affects teens from every part of the world and is growing at alarming rates. The leadership at Verizon Wireless realizes that bullying is reaching epidemic proportions and chose TeenCentral.Net to reach out to the teens of the world to let them know that they are not alone and can receive help, counseling and information from the site to support them and help them cope with bullying by other teens at school, in their neighborhoods and in cyberspace. The $20,000 will fund the development of a comprehensive section of TeenCentral.Net to address bullying and its dangerous consequences.

Verizon Wireless has also donated funds to continue their support of the TeenCentral.Net Domestic Violence section on TeenCentral.Net.

Mario Turco, President of the Philadelphia Tri-State Region of Verizon Wireless,

presents check to Dr. Julius Licata and Will Iseman

About TeenCentral.Net
TeenCentral.Net is KidsPeace’s award-winning website for teens. It is anonymous and free, and is a safe site where teens can write in with their questions and issues and receive advice from Master’s and PhD level counselors within 24 hours. More than half a million teens are members of TeenCentral.Net where they “log in and work it out” about any topic. The site format ensures that all posts by teens are reviewed and approved by our counselors, and responding posts from other teens are screened before being published as well.

In addition to teen posts, TeenCentral.Net also contains pages that address important topics for teens such as domestic and dating abuse, weight issues, smoking cessation, books of interest to teens and news. Additionally, TeenCentral.Net contains stories from celebrities in sports and entertainment who experienced and overcame similar issues when they were teens.

Earlier this year, KidsPeace launched ParentCentral.Net to help parents deal with the issues of raising children in today’s world. Similar to TeenCentral.Net, ParentCentral.Net offers educational information and replies to posts by parents within 24 hours. The Bullying section on TeenCentral.Net will also be accessible to members of ParentCentral.Net, helping parents recognize the signs that their children are being bullied or bullying other youth.

The public is invited to celebrate the annual harvest of the Maine garlic crop at the 13th Annual MDI Garlic Festival Saturday, Sept. 17th from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Smuggler’s Den Campground, Southwest Harbor. Presented by Nostrano, owned and operated by chef Frank Pendola, the event will feature garlic dish tastings from numerous local restaurants, a farmers’ market, garlic growers, live music, and more.

In the fall of 1998, Pendola and a few of his friends gathered to enjoy a variety of foods cooked with garlic. They smoked meats and made “Garlic Festival” t-shirts. The following year, the chef and his friends cooked for 100 people, and 350 friends and neighbors showed up. Since then, the festival has grown and has raised thousands of dollars for local nonprofits.

“Life is good,” says Pendola. “I’ve been blessed and it’s time to give back. This festival is a perfect way to bring my chef friends together and put on a good show of our specialties for the public to sample – all for a great cause.”
Chris Sylvester, Admissions Manager and Client Services Representative for the KidsPeace Graham Lake Campus, is grateful to the local chef and his dedication in organizing this festival.

“Frank has inspired others to become involved in this event and is tireless in his time and energy spent to make this a success. KidsPeace is extremely grateful to be the selected charity to benefit from this festival.”

Sylvester explained that the proceeds will benefit the Autism program that provides treatment to manage mental health issues and teach functional living skills to improve the quality of life for local children. The Graham Lake residential and day treatment programs serve from 25-30 children at any given time.

Event sponsors include: WNSX 97.7 FM, Smuggler’s Den Campground, Darling’s AutoMall, Granville Rental, Subway, Clarke’s Portable Toilets, Time Warner Cable, Maine Camp Outfitters, United Bikers of Maine, Keybank, CTI, Trenton Flooring, Annie’s Pride Farm, Pepper’s Pub, Sylvia’s Café, Ellsworth Chiropractic, Main Street Auto Care and Hale and Hamlin, LLC.

For information on sponsorship opportunities or ticket information, visit www.nostrano.com.

The KidsPeace Foster Care office in Ithaca, NY, has been very fortunate to be the focus of a month-long fundraiser by Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurant in Ithaca. Every Wednesday in August, KidsPeace has been distributing information about the foster care program to customers. There is a table at the entrance staffed by KidsPeace Foster Care employees, and KidsPeace posters and balloons adorn the restaurant. This is a wonderful source for recruiting potential foster parents and educating the community about the mission of KidsPeace Foster Care. 

As part of the promotion, each time a customer turns in a KidsPeace “ticket” as they pay their bill, Buffalo Wild Wings is donating a percentage of that sale to KidsPeace. If anyone forgets to hand in a ticket, the restaurant staff has been wonderful about reminding them to ensure that KidsPeace receives a share of the total sale. It has been a great introduction to the community, thanks to Family Resource Specialist Jo Ann Myer-Foland  and her son Mark who works at Buffalo Wild Wings.

Additionally, Buffalo Wild Wings has donated items including bottles of their famous wing sauce to go into a basket that will be raffled off on August 31. There are still two Wednesdays left to sample the delicious wings and contribute to KidsPeace Foster Care. The restaurant is located at 410 Elmira Road in Ithaca.

KidsPeace is very excited that Buffalo Wild Wings will be holding a similar fundraiser for KidsPeace Foster Care in Elmira soon and at another site later in the fall. 

KidsPeace is very grateful to Buffalo Wild Wings Restaurants for their kindness and assistance to the children of Ithaca who are waiting for a loving foster home.

Visit Soccer Tournament August 20-21

KidsPeace has locations in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Georgia, Maine, Minnesota, North Carolina, New York, Nevada, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, some small and some large. The Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield, PA, is the largest, set on 262 wooded acres in a rural setting. This location houses the KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital and several residential centers for the care of young people with emotional, behavioral or mental health issues.

Every year for a weekend in August, this campus becomes a very busy location as soccer players, coaches, family members and neighbors who all come together for the KidsPeace Annual Soccer Invitational. This year will be the 14th, and will be held on August 20 and 21. Teams from across the state gather for this first tournament of the season, where U9-U15 boys and U16-U19 girls compete.

KidsPeace is a welcoming host, providing activities, entertainment, food, a camping area and a pristine setting with great views of the Lehigh Valley for all attendees. Typically, some 4000 kids and adults visit the campus that weekend, and everyone comes away with a positive opinion of KidsPeace and its employees.

“The soccer tournament is a great opportunity for the teams and the community to visit KidsPeace,” says KidsPeace President and CEO Will Isemann. “It is a great opportunity for us to show off our beautiful campus and give back a bit to the community that supports us.” KidsPeace gives back to the community throughout the year, Isemann adds, in many measurable and intangible ways.

The proceeds of the Soccer Invitational will help support the good works of TeenCentral.Net and ParentCentral.Net (both described below) over the coming year.

KidsPeace invites our neighbors in the Lehigh Valley to visit our Orchard Hills campus and watch some great soccer on Saturday and Sunday, August 20th and 21st. The entire event will be staffed by KidsPeace employees who volunteer their time to help with this popular event. Admission is free.

KidsPeace Contributes
KidsPeace was founded in Bethlehem, PA, in 1882 to provide a home for children orphaned by a smallpox epidemic, and has had a close relationship with its neighbors ever since. From its humble beginnings, KidsPeace has grown to provide hope, help and healing to children, families and communities in PA and across the nation. Last year alone, KidsPeace and its more than 1100 staff in the Lehigh Valley provided care to 2840 children.

KidsPeace employees are wonderful role models to the kids in care. They are enthusiastic volunteers for many causes and invite the children to participate with them. The employees and kids in the Lehigh Valley contributed many hundreds of volunteer hours to the community including:
• Participating in numerous walks to raise money for autism, ALS, suicide prevention and more
• Bake sales to raise money for local organizations
• Volunteering at food banks
• Helping at a farm for older animals
• Visiting nursing homes
• Performing for guests
• Assisting with campus cleanups.

KidsPeace makes a large contribution to the local economy as well. Last year, KidsPeace:
• Paid $1,760,000 in local and state payroll taxes
• Provided $10,400,000 in free and under-compensated care to children
• Spent $5,000,000 on food, clothing and other products purchased in the Lehigh Valley
• Paid employees $44,000,000, which were spent in the Lehigh Valley.

Additional Contributions
KidsPeace opened it brand new Family Center last year on the Broadway site in Bethlehem, PA. This facility provides community based outpatient treatment to children and their families. Many services are coordinated through the Family Center, which provides free initial assessments of children, family and individual therapy, pediatric assessments, nutritional assistance and an array of services for children on the autism spectrum.

KidsPeace also offers two exceptional prevention and intervention websites that help teens and parents in the Lehigh Valley and around the world. TeenCentral.Net is a free, anonymous site where teens write about issues that are bothering them, receive advice from Master’s or Doctorate level counselors, read celebrity stores, learn about important issues such as domestic violence and weight awareness and post comments to other teens’ questions. All posts are reviewed and approved by a counselor before they appear on the site.

ParentCentral.Net is a website for parents that is also free and anonymous and operates similarly to TeenCentral.Net. No topics are taboo, and parents can receive answers to their questions in 24 hours from trained counselors with expertise in family issues.

KidsPeace.Org contains a wealth of information for mental health professionals, educators and parents, including the award-winning Healing Magazine, brochures and fliers on parenting, information about KidsPeace services and locations and newsworthy articles.

FosterCare.Com provides everything one needs to know about becoming a foster parent and providing the care that treatment foster children need. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, you can fill out a form and get response from the nearest foster care office.

Baltimore, MD… KidsPeace Foster Care of Maryland is excited to announce a great upcoming recruitment fair/fundraiser for the entire family. On August 20, 2011, families are invited to hang out at Ultrazone on the lower level of the Eastpoint Mall. Come celebrate National KidsDay – an annual event to celebrate the inherent value and worth of children -- and help foster kids in the Baltimore area. Attendees will have the opportunity to play laser tag and learn about foster care during this four-hour event at Ultrazone. Thanks to the generosity of Ultrazone, Dominos Pizza® and Coca Cola®, families will enjoy 2 for the price of 1 Laser Tag games, pizza and drinks from noon until 4:00 p.m., and face painting, sculpted balloons and arcade games and more will also be available. A small donation may apply to some of these activities.

According to Program Manager Sandy Rappeport, this event will be great fun for families and give KidsPeace Foster Care an opportunity to reach out to adults who might be candidates to become foster parents. “This event will also raise much needed funding for our KidsPeace Empowering Youth to Succeed (KEYS) and mentoring programs for foster teens. These programs teach foster teens who will be aging out of the system skills for independent living,” Sandy explains. “We teach these kids how to develop and stick to budgets, save money, apply for jobs, rent an apartment, get insurance and many other skills that they probably haven’t learned in the foster care system.” The teens receive a small stipend at each class, and KidsPeace saves an equal amount for them for when they leave the foster care system.

“There are so many children waiting for foster homes in the Baltimore area,” Sandy continues, “that we reach out to potential foster parents every chance we get.” There are many misconceptions out there about who can be a foster parent, but in general:
• You don’t have to be married
• You don’t have to be rich
• You don’t have to have kids of your own (but having some experience with kids is preferred)
• You do need a safe home with a space for privacy for your foster child
• You need earned income that meets your personal needs
• You need a background free of violent crime
• You need an insured car or other reliable form of transportation to take your foster child to appointments
• You need a flexible schedule and time to spend with your foster child
• You need a loving heart to share with your foster child.

Please join us at Ultrazone on August 20 to celebrate your own children and help our kids become independent adults.

For more information, call KidsPeace Foster Care at 410-261-3232 or click here.

Good parenting is very subjective. Who is to say that one person is superior to another in such a personal role? Families are more untraditional today than ever before, meaning that it is even more difficult to apply labels to a parent.
• Is a child being cared for better because there are two parents in the household? Not necessarily.
• Is a child eating a good diet and getting enough rest and exercise? Hard to tell if he or she is in day care.
• Do you spend enough time with your child? What is enough? If a parent is working 2 jobs to make ends meet, he or she is really tired and may not have time to just play.
• Does your child watch too much television or chat with friends on the computer too much? What is too much – an hour, 3 hours?
• Do you have time to monitor him or her to make sure he or she isn’t viewing inappropriate subject matter? You can put alerts or controls on the television or computer, but there are ways around such things.
• How do you discipline your children? You know that you should never strike or shake a child as punishment or make him or her consume something that will harm him or make her sick. You can also harm children by yelling and screaming and making afraid of you.
• Does your child witness abuse between you and your spouse or other family members? That should never happen; studies show that seeing such behavior can be very traumatic to your child.
• How is your child doing in school? Have her grades changed recently? Is he getting in trouble or being suspended from school?
• Are you a grandparent or aunt or uncle raising a child because the parent isn’t up to the task? Would this child be better off in foster care or living with you in a modest home?

ParentCentral.Net hears questions like these all the time and understands the concerns of parents or parent figures. If you need some reassurance or advice on parenting, you can write your story and send it to ParentCentral.Net. Within 24 hours, you will receive a response to your post that has been written by a trained counselor and reviewed by a Master’s or Doctorate level expert.

The reply you receive will give you an objective assessment of your problem and provide you with resources you can contact for more information. You may also receive responses from other parents who have been through the same issues you are facing. These are also reviewed by our professionals before being posted anonymously.

These services are safe and free and can help you get through a difficult time. ParentCentral.Net also contains articles on different parenting issues as well as podcasts that speak to the kinds of issues you and your child are facing. No subject is taboo, so you can feel comfortable discussing questions you have about sexuality, drug and alcohol use, abuse, punishment or your relationship with your child.

ParentCentral.Net was developed to meet the needs of the many parents who often wrote into TeenCentral.Net, a website that has been advising teens since the late 1990s. Also anonymous and free, TeenCentral.Net helps teens with any concerns they choose to write about, from trouble with a boyfriend to teen pregnancy to bullying to body image. We believe that every question is deserves a respectfully answer not matter what the topic. This is why TeenCentral.Net has nearly 500,000 members and has been helping teens for well over a decade.

Now parents have a site of their own site, their own podcasts, their own informational articles and their own resources. ParentCentral.Net will help get you through whatever issues you face, safely and with total privacy. Log in today.

National KidsDay KidsDay® will be celebrated around the nation on Sunday, August 7th. KidsPeace created this annual event to encourage the adults – parents, grandparents, relatives, neighbors, teachers and other caregivers – to spend more meaningful time with America’s children and to honor and celebrate the inherent value and worth of all kids.

National KidsDay is an opportunity to:
• Celebrate childhood
• Demonstrate our commitment to nurturing children
• Inspire our nation, our communities and our families to love and appreciate children
• To make our children feel loved and valued
• To guide our children toward a healthy, happy, successful future.

What You Can Do
There are so many different ways that you can celebrate this day with children in your care. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to let your children know that you love them. They will appreciate your time and uninterrupted attention so much more.

Plan to do something fun with your children, like a picnic or a long walk in the park, or an arts and crafts project or baking something delicious. Go to or rent a movie, start scrap booking together, take a bike ride. Whatever you plan to do, tell your children about it early so they have the fun of anticipation. Breakfast in bed? Why not? You may want to spend part of National KidsDay volunteering together at a local food bank, cleaning up the yard of an elderly neighbor or organizing a neighborhood scavenger hunt.

It is also a day for aunts and uncles, grandparents, family friends and community members to recognize the importance of the children in their lives and stand in for parents who may have to work or are away. Foster parents are encouraged to participate in the celebration of this day with their foster and biological children. Many KidsPeace Foster Care offices sponsor events that bring foster families together as one large community that creates one large family for all members. There are also many children in residential care at KidsPeace facilities in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maine and Georgia. If their families cannot visit, KidsPeace staff members plan events for the children in care.

These may include:

• Take the kids in your care outside for a picnic – arrange this with food services so that it can be a special treat
• Play ball or Frisbee with them
• If possible, take them for a hike in the nearby woods or fields
• Look at flowers and try to see how many varieties you can identify
• Bring in an age appropriate video to watch in the afternoon
• If possible, arrange for a donation of water ices or ice cream or a cake from a local business
• Do an arts and crafts project and hang up or display their works of art
• Have a sing-along.

Why America Needs National KidsDay
For decades, children across America asked their parents, grandparents and guardians why America celebrates "Mother's Day" and "Father's Day," but has no "Kid's Day." National KidsDay fills that gap and seeks to provide a reminder of children's year-round need for meaningful time and interactions with adults.

Please join KidsPeace and a growing number of organizations and businesses in making National KidsDay

Background Information

National KidsDay® was created by KidsPeace to encourage adults to spend meaningful time with America’s children, and to celebrate their inherent worth and value. Recognized by the U.S. Congress and endorsed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National KidsDay is a registered trademark of KidsPeace to ensure the day is always used for the benefit of children.

KidsPeace is a 129-year-old national children’s charity dedicated to helping America’s kids avoid and overcome the kinds of crises that can strike any child – from traumas to neglect, depression and the stresses of modern life. Founded in 1882 in Bethlehem, PA, KidsPeace helps thousands of children a day at centers nationally and millions more through public education and outreach with the support of celebrities. KidsPeace was called “the outstanding organization” of its kind by the American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children and “a prototype of what we need for all children everywhere” by family expert Dr. Lee Salk. For more information, go to www.kidspeace.org.

“The trouble with things these days is, you’re not ALLOWED to keep your family under control. You can’t hit your wife or kids anymore, or you’ll go to jail.” The father sat in front of me, distraught, as I tried to wrap my brain around the words he’d just spoken. The KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital had just admitted his fourteen-year-old son after an assault on a teacher, an assault that resulted in arrest and legal charges. The boy had been hospitalized the evening before, and this was the first meeting between the family and me, the clinician. The boy’s mother sat next to her husband, nodding sadly. “Could you repeat what you just said?” I asked the father. He looked uncomfortable as he answered, “Well, what I meant was, what am I supposed to do? I’m trying to keep my family in line, and these kids just do whatever they want. Now look what’s happened.” I took a deep breath and tried to look beyond the father’s words (far beyond.) Here was a father who did truly love his family, who wanted them to do the right things. He was feeling helpless and out-of-control like most parents of a child admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Yet, there was much that was different about this family … or so I thought.

It wasn’t until later meetings with the family that I learned the whole story. This was a family in which there had been significant physical abuse and domestic violence, so much so that there had been an open Child Protective Service case for a number of years. The parents, fearful of losing their children, had complied with the steps outlined by the Caseworkers and had eliminated physical violence from the home. CPS closed the case with some satisfaction, believing their mission had been accomplished. Indeed, it had; they’d succeeded in making the family one in which the children were safe. But what then? What kind of legacy would years of physical, verbal and emotional violence leave for this family? The answer was becoming clear. Their son, the oldest child, was in constant altercations in the schoolyard and was known as a bully. He had been suspended frequently. The parents were starting to suspect that he’d been using drugs and alcohol. Their daughter, age eleven, was in therapy with a history of depression and truancy—she refused to go to school. What was happening with these kids?

This family was acting out the very reality that investigators and researchers into child maltreatment know to be true: Certain forms of victimization, such as family violence, create vulnerability for bullying, perpetration or victimization. This is known as trauma reenactment. For instance, some youth who are maltreated by their families might learn that violence is the way to deal with interpersonal difficulties, and therefore physically bully their peers at school(1). In one study, 700 fifth grade students were interviewed and asked about their experience of bullying:
• 14% reported that they had bullied others
• 12% reported that they were the victims of bullying
• 8% stated that they’d been both bullies and the victims of bullying
• 66% stated that they were not involved in bullying.
When the same respondents were asked about their history of maltreatment, this is what the researchers found:

• Children who were both bullies and victims of bullying reported the most child maltreatment (44%), which included experiences with physical and psychological abuse and neglect.

• Bully-victims also reported the highest rates of sexual victimization (32%), which included experiences with sexual harassment as well as sexual abuse, and included familial and non-familial perpetrators.

• Bully-victims witnessed higher levels of victimization within their homes (e.g., domestic violence) and communities (e.g., witnessing attacks) than other youth (59% for bully-victims, 61% for bullies)(2).

In addition, studies have shown that maltreated children are at least twenty-five percent more likely to experience problems such as delinquency, teen pregnancy and low academic achievement(3). Bullies who have been identified by age eight are six times more likely than others to be convicted of a crime by the time they reach the age of twenty-four. They are five times more likely to end up with serious criminal records by age thirty(4). Things were looking grim for this family, if the statistics held true. But I was more confused by the dichotomy in front of me. Clearly, these parents loved their family and wanted the best for each other. How could that fit with a history of physically harming each other?

One answer to that question comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In 1995, the CDC collaborated with Kaiser Permanente's Health Appraisal Clinic in San Diego on a groundbreaking study called the ACE Study (http://www.acestudy.org/.) Co-principal investigators Robert F. Anda MD and Vincent J. Felitti MD conducted perhaps the largest scientific research study to analyze the relationship between multiple categories of trauma, or adverse childhood experiences, and health and behavioral outcomes later in life. More than 17,000 white, middle-class, college-educated adults were asked about their history of adverse childhood experiences (ACE’s) such as physical and emotional abuse, physical and emotional neglect, sexual abuse, substance abuse in the home, domestic violence, incarceration of an adult, untreated mental illness. Almost two-thirds of the study participants reported at least one adverse childhood experience, and more than one in five reported three or more. Clearly, the experience of childhood trauma is not an exception to the rule. The short- and long-term outcomes of these childhood exposures include a multitude of health and social problems, as follows.

The ACE Score is used to assess the total amount of stress during childhood and its life-long impact; the study demonstrated that as the level of stress increases, the risk for the following health problems increases in a strong and graded fashion:

• Alcoholism and alcohol abuse                          

• Risk for intimate partner violence
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• Multiple sexual partners
• Depression                                                     

• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
• Fetal death                                                     

• Smoking
• Health-related quality of life                             

• Suicide attempts
• Illicit drug use                                                 

• Unintended pregnancies
• Ischemic heart disease (IHD)                           

• Early initiation of smoking
• Liver disease                                                   

• Early initiation of sexual activity
• Adolescent pregnancy

The evidence clearly suggests that the more adverse childhood experiences (childhood traumas) that people experience, the more likely they are to have a number of problems, such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and depression. But what about the role of “traumatic reenactment?” Why would someone play out the same terrible experiences throughout their lives? Here’s what I learned:

Re-enactment of victimization is a major cause of violence. Many traumatized people expose themselves, seemingly compulsively, to situations reminiscent of the original trauma. These behavioral reenactments are rarely consciously understood to be related to earlier life experiences. Some traumatized people remain preoccupied with the trauma at the expense of other life experiences and continue to re-create it in some form for themselves or for others. War veterans may enlist as mercenaries, victims of incest may become prostitutes, and victims of childhood physical abuse seemingly provoke subsequent abuse in foster families or become self-mutilators. Still others identify with the aggressor and do to others what was done to them. These behavioral reenactments are rarely consciously understood to be related to earlier life experiences(5).

So how do we help families understand the impact of violence, trauma, and traumatic reenactment? It starts with education; families need to be provided with what is called “psychoeducation.” Our first step in working with this family was to help them understand the interactions among childhood trauma, parenting, child maltreatment, and children’s behavior. They needed to learn about the long-term patterns of violence that occur from one generation to the next, and how to stop the cycle. We encouraged the parents to talk to their children about the role that violence plays in their family; we asked them to allow the children to ask questions, even ones that made the parents uncomfortable. They needed to allow respectful dialogue, even when the subject was painful. The parents were taught to set clear limits on unsafe physical, emotional and verbal behavior within the family and as the family interacts with the community. Next, the family needed to learn the skills of managing their emotions when interacting among themselves and others; they developed and practiced these skills in the home. With the help of a family-based team of counselors, they learned techniques for managing anger; they developed safety plans for times when emotion threatened to lead to unsafe behavior; they developed communication skills, conflict resolution skills and problem-solving abilities. They worked with a number of providers to create a sense of community within their family, where everyone felt a sense of belonging and safety.

Family members were encouraged to visit ParentCentral.Net to share their experiences and receive advice anonymously from Master’s and doctorate level clinicians. There is a tremendous amount of reading material on this site, as well as a community that supports its members. Teens can visit TeenCentral.Net to discuss their thoughts and feelings after discharge and to read stories by celebrities and peers about how they overcame issues while they were growing up. Advice is also given by Master’s or doctorate level counselors within 24 hours. KidsPeace offers these two websites free of charge to all parents and teens who use their services.

Just as this courageous family did, all families who are struggling can and should seek professional services to help them take these steps. Every family has the ability to become a place where all members can seek shelter from the stressors and pressure of the outside world. Every family has the ability to make their home, instead of a place of fear and violence, a place of sanctuary.
To

(1) http://www.education.com/reference/article/bullying-child-abuse-sexual-domestic-violence/

(2) Holt, M., Finkelhor, D., & Kaufman Kantor, K. (in press). Hidden victimization in bullying assessment. School Psychology Review, 36, 345-360.

(3) Kelley BT, Thornberry T P, Smith CA. In the wake of childhood maltreatment. Washington (DC): National Institute of Justice; 1997.

(4) National Resource Center for Safe Schools. (1999, Winter). Mixing age groups reduces bullying. Fact Sheet Number 4. Retrieved August 20, 2001 from http://www.safetyzone.org/publications/fact4_article2.html

(5) Van der Kolk, BA. The compulsion to repeat the trauma: re-enactment, revictimization, and masochism. Psychiatr Clin North Am 1989; 12(2):389-411.

COLUMBIA, MD JUNE 30, 2011 – KidsPeace, a 129-year-old national children’s charity with offices throughout the Maryland, Virginia and District of Columbia areas, today announced a commitment from Baltimore Orioles Manager William “Buck” Showalter and his wife Angela to lend their voices in support of the organization’s mission. KidsPeace provides Foster Care and Community Services to hundreds of children with mental and behavioral health issues. The organization, based in Pennsylvania, also offers residential treatment facilities and a unique psychiatric hospital serving children from age 3 to 21.

Showalter, the two (2) time American League “Manager of the Year”, was named manager of the Baltimore Orioles last July. Showalter and his wife have committed to be featured in a Public Service Announcement for KidsPeace; while Angela Showalter has agreed to serve as a volunteer member of the KidsPeace Board of Associates for Maryland.

“We are thrilled that the Showalters have made this personal commitment to KidsPeace,” said William Isemann, KidsPeace President & CEO. “We thank them for recognizing the importance of our mission to bring hope, help and
healing to children and families everywhere and we look forward to their future involvement.”

“Angela and I are very honored to support KidsPeace in their efforts to provide children and families, in crisis, needed programs and services throughout Baltimore and the surrounding communities,” said Buck Showalter, Baltimore Orioles Manager.

The city of Baltimore has more than 4,000 children in foster care. “The needs of our local foster youth are immense. KidsPeace partners with the city and surrounding counties to find homes for many of these children and to give them hope,” says Sandy Rappeport, Maryland Program Manager. “Foster youth who age out of the system are faced with staggering realities: only 46 percent complete high school, 40-50 percent are homeless within 18 months, and 25 percent are incarcerated within 24 months.” Critical KidsPeace programming works to address those realities but can be even more successful with increased local community involvement.

In addition to placing foster youth with loving families, KidsPeace provides services to foster youth. “There are many ways that foster youth can be supported—through providing homes, becoming a mentor, or by contributing financially to support programs,” says Rappeport. One such activity is a mentoring program for children and adolescents in foster care, providing support through group activities and one-on-one relationships. “We are working to build our volunteer mentor program because it helps youth develop a strong sense of self worth and strengthen their ability to interact with others in positive ways,” says Gina Seyfried, Volunteer Coordinator.

Another activity, the KEYS program, provides life-skills training for foster youth ages 16-20, who face uncertain times as they prepare for their transition from care to independent living. The KEYS Program provides training in various life skills areas, including: goal setting, personal values, self-awareness, banking and money management, employment and others. “Few young adults leave home at 18 ready to care for themselves, so they rely on their adult support system to provide them guidance, emotional support, housing and financial assistance,” says Seyfried. “But a young person in foster care often misses out on these supports. The KEYS program is here to offer tangible, hands on activities to unlock their future success.”

Supporters of annual events, including a 5K Run and Fun Walk held in October and a Winetasting Event in September, help fund KidsPeace foster youth programs.

“Our local community has shown that they have big hearts and we are hoping we can continue fostering relationships that help them see the joys of connecting with a child who needs their help,” says Rappeport.
The Showalters have also agreed to serve as honorary chairs for the KidsPeace Annual 5K Race & Fun Walk to take place in Baltimore Oct. 29th, 2011.

Family Scavenger Hunt
On National KidsDay morning, slip note cards under everyone’s pillow to start the scavenger hunt. Direct them where to go for a trail of treats and promises. Hide special goodies and notes around the house (each note provides a clue for the next card or treat). Promise notes can be as simple as “You can stay up late to watch a movie” or “You can decide where we eat tonight.” Save and redeem these promise coupons, spreading the togetherness for months to come.

Down Memory Lane
Relax with the kids and enjoy looking through old childhood photographs of you growing up and the kids as they’ve grown up. Share your favorite memories and activities you enjoyed as a child. Take pictures on National KidsDay and start to organize, with your children, scrapbooks they can share with their kids in years to come.

Healthy Kids Chart
A fun activity that promotes good health. Create a colorful chart to keep track of healthy habits, using poster board and markers. Brainstorm with the kids about what habits should be listed (perhaps eating healthier, eating more vegetables, tooth-brushing, flossing, hair washing, etc.). Along the side of the chart, write the healthy habits. Across the top, write each family member’s name. Draw spaces to check off or apply stickers whenever the healthy habits are followed.

The Big Coupon Reversal
Instead of kids making coupons for parents, adults make a coupon for the kids. Develop a list with the kinds of things your family hasn’t had time for lately. Together, create a coupon booklet. Then kids redeem the coupon any time they want a little extra attention.

National KidsDay Bash
Celebrate National KidsDay with family, friends and neighbors. Send party invitations and ask everyone to bring their kids’ favorite dishes to share. Have the kids create artistic table decorations and colorful placemats. Create a group graffiti board where everyone writes or draws special National KidsDay messages. Host a parent-child talent show or turn on some music and play musical chairs. Mark your calendars for the first Sunday in August and make this an annual, fun-filled event.

Sounds Like …
Play Charades as partners, teaming up at least one adult and one child. The first pair draws a movie title from the hat and leaves the room to plan how they will act out the clue. (You decide how long they get to prepare.) That pair acts out the title while the other team guesses. If the opposite team correctly guesses the clue, they are up next. Be sure to time each pair (allow 90 seconds). At the end of the game, the team with the shortest total time wins!

Neighborhood Carnival
Get together with other families in the neighborhood to plan a National KidsDay carnival! Have the kids organize games and events such as: bucket toss, face painting, beanbag toss, craft table, funny photo dress-up booth, etc. Play a friendly game of tug or war or parent-child sack races, three-legged and wheelbarrow races or egg-on-spoon race. Remember to partner grown-ups with children and have a terrific day.

Take a Hike
What a wonderful way to share time and nature with our children. Parks are wonderful places to explore with your child. Many have trails marked as to their difficulty. Bring backpacks w/lunch, plenty of fluids to drink, cameras, a compass, maps, insect repellant and sun block. Let your child use the compass to determine your path. See how many birds you can identify. Look for interesting insects to observe. Make sure you aren’t too ambitious in the distance covered so your child does not get too tired.

Have a Picnic
An ordinary lunch can turn into a delightful memory if you pack it up and go to a park or lake or special place to enjoy it with your child. Cut your sandwiches in amusing shapes, include healthy food and have your child prepare one item. Relax and talk with your child. Bring a ball or Frisbee and get some exercise with your child.

Enjoy a Movie Day
Spend the afternoon with your child watching one or two of his favorite movies. Afterwards, review the movies with you child being as positive as possible about the content, acting, theme, music, animation, etc. This is a great activity for a rainy day.

Volunteer Together
Help out at a local charity or raise funds through a lemonade stand and donate the proceeds to her favorite cause. Making volunteerism part of your child’s life is the best way to teach her to help others when she is an adult.

Do something nice for a neighbor
Help a neighbor out by pulling some weeds, sweeping, watering the plants or another act of kindness you and your child can do together. This is another valuable lesson to teach your child while having some special time for the two of you.

Clean up Toys
Take the time to go through your child’s toys together, separating out the ones he no longer plays with to donate to children who are in need. During this time, reminisce about how your child played with his different toys and share your memories of some fun times. Wash up all of the toys, whether they are being kept or donated.

Plan a Menu
Let your child plan a meal for that day. Then go out together and purchase the ingredients and prepare the meal together. While shopping, point out nutritional values of the foods you are buying and suggest healthier substitutes if appropriate.

Attend a Sports Event
What can be more fun than cheering on your favorite team? Find out when games will be played in your neighborhood and attend a baseball, softball or soccer game being played that day. Cheer loudly for friends and classmates and enjoy snacks together while watching.

Have an Arts and Crafts Day
Ask your child what she would like to make and spend part of the day helping her be creative. If it is a sloppy project, do it outside and then clean up with a hose, spraying each other if it is really hot out.

How will you celebrate with your kids? Please email us with some new and creative ideas at KPinfo@kidspeace.org. Just remember, however you celebrate National KidsDay, it is the closeness and fun that your child will remember.

One special feature of this year’s tournament is a silent auction featuring a variety of sports memorabilia and autographed items, including signed items from golfers Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, Anika Sorenstam and Chi Chi Rodriquez, an autographed Marc Andre Fleury Winter Classic jersey from the Pittsburgh Penguins, a Washington Red Skins autographed football, a Jimmy Johnson autographed NASCAR hat and a Dan Marino signed Hall of Fame hat. Other major items in the auction will be a week at a North Carolina beach house, Flyers, Phillies and Yankees tickets, and tickets to the Journey and Foreigner concert at the Allentown Fair.

Non-golfers are welcome to attend the event banquet. For information on the tournament or sponsorship opportunities call Terry Callaghan at 610-799-7990.

 by Leslie Ann Jackson, Program Manager, KidsPeace Foster Care, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 

The first week of May is National Child Mental Health Week, and, this year, the Raleigh and Durham FCCP offices in North Carolina got everyone involved in celebrating the themes of the week. The official color of the week is green, which, in the 1800s, was used to label people who were considered "insane" but is now used to represent the new life, new growth and new beginnings that are the goals of mental health treatment. Throughout the week, KidsPeace staff and foster parents wore green ribbons in recognition of this idea, and, on Tuesday, May 3, all staff dressed in green to show their support.

In addition, the staff, foster parents and children in the Durham-Chapel Hill program enjoyed a planting activity at the office. Those in attendance planted flowers to represent each of the children enrolled in the therapeutic foster care program and also planted seeds in cups to take home and nurture. The weather was perfect, and delicious refreshments rounded-out this fun, family activity.

The Raleigh office chose to celebrate by inviting children who attended SpringFest (a training day for foster parents) to participate in a poster contest, using the National Child Mental Health Week theme of "The Diversity and Resilience of our Families. The children were taught about diversity and resilience before they began and created bright, colorful and thoughtful representations of these concepts. All children were rewarded for their participation, and winners were selected by age group. Most importantly, everyone enjoyed the togetherness and fun of the activities held in each of these offices and were reminded of all there is to celebrate in the world of Child Mental Health.

For more information about foster care in North Carolina as well as Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, Maryland, Virginia, Indiana, Nevada and the District of Columbia, visit fostercare.com, kidspeace.com, or call 866-4-KIDSPEACE (866-454-3773).

On June 5, KidsPeace Foster Care of Danville and Williamsport, PA, will be answering telephones for the Children's Miracle Network telethon from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to support the community and a worthy cause. It will also raise awareness of KidsPeace Foster Care in this part of PA.

Thanks to The Second Mile, KidsPeace of Danville foster families and staff will have the opportunity to enjoy a fun-filled "Family Day" day on June 16 at Knoebels Amusement Resort, in Elysburg, PA.

Finally, on August 12, KidsPeace Foster Care of Danville will be hosting its 2nd Annual Golf Tournament. It will be structured as a four man scramble with a shot-gun start at 9:00 a.m. Golfers can sign up teams at $70 per golfer, $280 per team. The tournament will be held at Rolling Pines Golf Course in Berwick, PA, and the sign-up fee includes: a round of golf, a cart and a meal at the end of the tournament! There will be an opportunity to win a car as a hole in one prize, and $5,000 in a putting contest. The proceeds of this tournament will benefit foster kids and parents throughout the year. For more information on this fundraiser, call 800-876-0590 or email melissa.kern@kidspeace.org.

If you are interested in becoming a foster parent, visit fostercare.com.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy

According to the National Foster Care Month website, there are more than 400,000 children and teens currently in the foster care system, and the need for families to care for these young people is great. May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize foster parents for their extraordinary work with this nation's foster children. It is also a time to recognize how difficult life is for most foster children when they are taken from their families and schools and placed in new households for temporary or permanent stays. Finally, it is a time to note the efforts of the professionals who work in foster care, recruiting and training foster families, placing children in good homes, providing support and treatment to foster children and always being available to foster parents if a problem arises.

KidsPeace is committed to helping find permanency for foster children, which is in line with federal and state guidelines. We are also committed to helping foster teens make the transition from foster care to independence when they age out of the system at 18. We provide life skills training programs to older foster kids to help them prepare to find a job and an apartment, buy, register and insure a car, open and track a checking account, pay bills on time and learn many other skills that help them face life on their own. KidsPeace also ensures that foster children receive the mental health and tutoring services they need to be successful in foster placement.

KidsPeace carefully matches each child to a family that will best suit their needs and with which he or she will be a good fit. It is extremely hard on children to be moved from one house to another until a good match is made. “The federal mandate is to reduce ‘drift,’ which means kids being placed in home after home, which is very damaging to their ability to attach and their self-esteem. It is therefore the job of organizations such as ours to be extremely selective when interviewing potential foster families and providing them with in-depth training and support to deal with any crises that arise, 24/7,” according to Foster Care and Family Services Regional Director for KidsPeace Ken Olson. “At KidsPeace, we do everything in our power to make our placements successful. We want our kids to stay in one foster home until they are returned to their families or are adopted, often by their foster families.”

You are never alone if you join the KidsPeace Foster Care team. Our training is extensive, we are always there to help you and your foster child and you become a member of our Foster Care Community, where you will meet other foster parents, participate in KidsPeace sponsored events and know that you are a vital member of the child's foster care team. We often have sibling groups that will be so happy if a family takes them in together. KidsPeace especially encourages you to agree to take in a teen to guide to adulthood.

If you have ever thought about what it might be like to be a foster parent, please take step toward foster parenting this May. KidsPeace invites the you to consider becoming a foster parent by reviewing these questions:

1. Would you like to make a difference in the life of a child in need?

2. Can you open your home to a foster child who has been closely matched with the dynamics of your family?

3. Are you loving, patient, understanding, nonjudgmental and warm, and do you respect each child as an individual?

4. Would you like to be treated as a full member of the professional team focused on your child's best interest?

5. Can you provide your foster child with a safe environment that allows privacy and personal space?

6. Are you over 21?

7. Do you have a source of earned income that is sufficient to support your family?

8. Do you have a fully insured automobile and the time to transport your foster child to appointments, activities and family visitations?

9. Are you available to attend extensive training about foster parenting?

10. Do you have a background that is free of crime against children?


If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may be eligible to become a foster parent. For more information, visit KidsPeace Foster Care at Fostercare.com.

In 1882, when KidsPeace was born, the primary goal was providing shelter and care to children orphaned by a smallpox epidemic. Now, KidsPeace has grown and evolved to meet increasingly complex developmental, emotional and behavioral issues unlike our predecessors ever imagined. Each generation of children at KidsPeace has experienced problems that reflect society, health care, the economy, the political atmosphere, the environment and the state of the family.

Institutionalization has given way to community care; neonatology saves the lives of babies who would never have survived a decade ago; children have electronic access to all the information in the world – and to a world of dangers; medicine has exploded with prescriptions that can make life more tolerable but also have the potential for great abuse; and, in the opinion of many, the violence that permeates the media is having a profound influence on the behavior and values of our youth. Are the issues kids are facing that much more complicated today, or are we just better at diagnosing and assigning labels? It would appear that the answer to both questions is yes.

For a variety of physical and environmental reasons, kids today are presenting with serious mental and behavioral health symptoms that often require intense, long-term treatment. Children suffer from an array of pervasive developmental delays, ADHD, depression, Autism Spectrum Disorders, anxiety, oppositional/defiant disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, severe anger, eating disorders, learning disorders, bipolarism, schizophrenia, Savant syndrome, addictions, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and a variety of other serious issues. Many of our children are neglected, sexually and physically abused and abusive, suicidal, anti-social, unwanted, self-harming, habitually truant, frequent users of drugs or alcohol, in constant trouble with the law, gang members, sexually active, involved in extremely risky and /or violent behavior and seemingly unaware of socially acceptable behavior.

Keeping Up
Fortunately, private organizations like KidsPeace, government agencies, mental health professionals, educators, counselors and others are devoting increasingly greater efforts to:

• Improve diagnostic techniques

• Develop individualized, appropriate treatment modalities

• Ensure that follow-up services exist in the community to help kids continue to heal after initial treatment

• Work in the community to reduce risks and offer alternatives to harmful behaviors

• Educate kids about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, gangs and unprotected sexual activity

• Provide educational programs to meet the needs of all children

• Offer school-based testing, counseling, special needs classes and after-school programs to give children alternative recreational opportunities

• Make Internet sites accountable for the protection of children and teens who post information

• Inform parents about the risks their children face every day

• Report to authorities if children show symptoms of abuse or neglect

• Recognize the signs of suicide ideation and intervene if a
child appears to be at risk

• Understand that trauma can cause serious psychological damage that may present itself in many ways

• Provide safe places where youth can turn for help like TeenCentral.Net

• Find safe, loving foster homes for children who are unable to thrive in their family homes

• Make the safety and care of children everywhere a top priority of the nation and the world.

Great strides are being made every day in finding causes of and designing treatment for developmental disorders, emotional and behavior issues, learning disabilities and mental health problems.

And Yet …
Kids are still kids, and they are resilient and yearn to have the opportunity to grow and learn and fit in and be loved. Their basic needs of food, clothing and shelter have grown to include acceptance, safety from predators, mentors to fill in when parents are absent or unable to guide them, safe havens, mental and physical health education and support from the media and society to face the challenges of growing up in the 21st Century.

Dr. Licata co-founded and has been directing TeenCentral.Net since 1998. This website is free, anonymous and very safe for all teens who log on to “work it out.” Licata has seen a concerning rise in bullying incidents and issues reported on TC.N recently, as well as the distress and helplessness it causes victims. In this article, Licata explores the dangers of bullying and the signs of bullying for which parents should watch in their children.

Dr. Licata recently launched ParentCentral.Net to assist parents in dealing with the issues they face and receive advice from Master's or PhD level counselors. The site also provides access to podcasts and relevant information on parenting.

Social standing and fitting in are very important to teenagers. All too often, maintaining that comfortable role in a group can be ruined by bullies. Bullies are typically bigger physically, but they may also be bigger in terms of personality or viciousness. They typically intimidate through physical or sexual means, but they also can be more subtle and use verbal abuse to inflict pain and intimidation on their victims. They target the weaker, shyer, sensitive kids and usually repeat their hurtful behaviors over time with one goal: to increase their own stature at the cost of destroying the victim’s self-esteem.

Clearly, bullying is far more than simple teasing; it is an aggressive, destructive and very dangerous behavior that also includes harassment and can ruin someone’s life. The victims of bullying and harassment often do not tell parents or report this behavior because they fear retaliation, feel embarrassed about what is happening or just feel so put down that they see no hope of this situation ending. They also fear retaliation if they try to stand up for themselves and frequently attempt to befriend the bully, just to make the punishment stop. This can often result in feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, depression and even thoughts of suicide ... >>Read More

KidsPeace is delighted to announce the launch of its new website for parents, www.ParentCentral.Net from the creators of TeenCentral.Net. This new site is a response to the many emails received by KidsPeace on the corporate website, KidsPeace.org, and through TeenCentral.Net from parents who are in need of advice about their parenting issues. The new site also supports the KidsPeace mission of providing hope, help and healing to children, families and communities. KidsPeace invites you to visit ParentCentral.Net and register today. Then start posting about your parenting issues, questions and observations and communicate with counselors and parenting professionals and receive answers to your questions within 24 hours.

 Dr. Julius Licata developed TeenCentral.Net in 1998 to respond to the needs of teens around the world who needed a safe, anonymous place to openly discuss their problems and receive advice from specially trained counselors. Licata recognized the same need for assistance in the parents who contacted KidsPeace through TeenCentral.Net and KidsPeace.Org to seek answers to their questions.

“We designed ParentCentral.Net much like TeenCentral.Net,” Licata said. “Parents write to us about their parenting problems or issues they may be having with their children and receive sound advice and guidance from our counselors.”  Emails are posted on the site, along with replies they receive, to help other parents or guardians with similar issues.

“Parents drive the content of the site,” Licata added. “No subject is off limits. We respond to parent questions and answers once they are reviewed by a counselor.” The site also contains podcasts on important subjects like how to speak with your son or daughter, dating, peer pressure and how to have a healthy relationship with your child.

The site also features articles and discussions about punishment, suicide prevention, dating violence, self-control, preventing child abuse and parenting standards. Helplines are listed and the content is updated weekly. “Visit ParentCentral.Net and discover all that the site has to offer. It’s free, anonymous and a wonderful resource to guide parents everywhere,” Licata added.

William Isemann, President and CEO of KidsPeace

The tragic shooting in Arizona last month should be a wake-up call for us all because it could have been prevented. It was alarming to learn that gunman Jared Loughner exhibited behavior indicative of mental health issues for several years, but had never received the help he needed.

Alarming, but not surprising, in light of the fact that funding for mental health services has been drastically reduced over the same time period.

Young people, who should be hospitalized or in residential treatment facilities, are being referred to an overloaded outpatient system or, like Loughner, expelled from school because they are seen as threats to the student body and faculties. Without treatment, the issues troubling these kids worsen, escalating into the type of tragedies we witnessed in Arizona and more recently, in California, where a school shooting resulted in the death of a school administrator.

As President and CEO of KidsPeace, a Lehigh Valley, PA-headquartered nonprofit that provides mental health care to children, teens and young adults, I have witnessed dramatic transformations.  I’ve seen children who were literally “saved” by well-trained medical staff and clinicians applying tailored treatment plans of counseling, medication, education and hard work. The complexity of needs we see today is unprecedented and often demands that we intervene quickly to provide care -- wherever they are needed to save a child.

Budget reductions by federal, state and local entities, as well as reduced insurance payments, have had an enormous impact on services for children. Fewer and fewer emotionally and mentally impaired children are receiving the identification, diagnosis and treatment they need. There is little funding available for outpatient treatment, and much less for hospital or residential care that would help children heal and become productive members of our communities.

Schools must also take a more proactive role in identifying students with mental health issues, ensuring that they are referred to counselors, physicians, psychologists, social workers or clinicians for the help they need.  If parents refuse or are unable to recognize signs of illness in their children, our schools need to inform the proper social services, medical or law enforcement authorities that a child is spiraling out-of-control and possibly toward a violent act.

Prevention is key.  We are calling on all public and private schools to adopt a “Threat Assessment System” which outlines symptoms, available help and procedures if any incident takes place.

Dr. Peter Langman, KidsPeace psychologist and author of the book,

“Why Kids Kill:  Inside the Minds of School Shooters,” recommends schools implement a plan based on Guidelines for Responding to Student Threats of Violence published by Cornell and Sheras.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett is standing firm in his commitment not to increase taxes for our residents.  He and his new Cabinet are currently reviewing state expenditures to determine where reductions should be made. Adding our voice to the other 130 agencies throughout the state that provide services to support tens of thousands of at-risk children and families, KidsPeace is urging our new governor to maintain revenue for Children and Youth services at the current level. A total of 59% of KidsPeace funding comes through the state.  Those reductions would have a very significant negative impact on hundreds of children who depend on KidsPeace and other providers to serve, heal and help children grow.

Removing money today from mental health care budgets will only cost more in the long run – both in financial and human costs. There is a strong linkage between mental health disorders and juvenile justice behaviors.  Research shows that approximately 70% of children already involved with the juvenile justice system have a diagnosable mental health disorder, and approximately 25% of children have a mental health disorder so severe it interferes with their ability to function. 

The system failed a young man in Arizona and he unleashed terror on his innocent victims. Other young people out there deal with similar demons.  Are we willing to allow the system to fail them as well?  Some act out by bullying, torturing animals or terrorizing their families.  Others bring guns to school football games, search the web for plans to build bombs or attempt suicide. They are unable to deal with their anxiety, depression or other emotional or mental problems without treatment from professionals.

As a society, as a nation, as a community – we must hear their cries and make a firm commitment to provide the hope, help and healing they so desperately need.

KidsPeace Introduces New Art Therapy Program in PA Residential

By John Muraco, Art Therapist

At the Inventor Center on the Orchard Hills campus in Orefield, PA, art therapy is a fairly recent addition to an already dynamic expressive and recreational therapeutic program. If you ask an art therapist, “What is art therapy?” you are sure to receive a different response from every individual. Some views on this creative therapeutic modality have been shaped by the vision of the art healing process that offers individuals a way to self-understanding, behavioral change and emotional reparation[1]. This vision, coupled with specific therapeutic goals and clinical understanding, can guide a therapist in presenting a client with a way to process emotions, explore his or her life story and build self-esteem.

KidsPeace has provided the expressive team with an opportunity to develop ways of fostering creative growth, emotional awareness and self-expression. As an art therapist, my intention has been to provide our teens with a safe therapeutic space that allows them a degree of free and healthy exploration of their adolescent impulses. Such a space provides clients with a platform for choice making: It gives them the time necessary to gain some mastery of a chosen medium, and encourages the use of images to express emotions that cannot be communicated in words. The sessions even allow them the freedom to sit silently and rebel. As an art therapist working within the residential milieu, I have grown increasingly aware of the importance of striking a balance between the developmental teenage need for freedom and a respect for the structures and boundaries. In the search for approaches that encourage this balance, I began to incorporate the use of photography in art therapy sessions.

In her very useful book[2] Judy Weiser explores the use of photography in therapy. She specifies that clients who utilize phototherapy techniques do not need to be camera-savvy and that personal exploration and discovery are welcome while using this medium. A client can use photography as a stepping-stone for creative expression, insight and emotional communication, thus promoting personal emotional communication as central and to encourage it in every way.

To accomplish a photography exercise, I dug up three digital cameras at home that I had received from friends and brought them into a session. Working in groups of three, the girls spent the first session getting used to their cameras at their own pace and with freedom of choice: They were able to take as many or as few pictures as they wanted. The theme for the second session was “Relationships.” The girls were asked to first think of a relationship they have with another person, positive or negative and then to take pictures of subject matter that represented them and the other individual. They were allowed to explore their outdoor environment, making certain that they were within my visual field but still able to walk a distance ahead of the pack if they wished. They marveled at their surroundings and focused in on details in nature.

A number of them used the camera and pictures to process major events in their lives. Client M wrote a letter to her friend who had died and then buried the letter (that contained what she wished she could have expressed to this person) in a ceremony that she photographed. She was able to use the photography sessions as a way to “say goodbye” to her friend who passed away during M’s stay at KidsPeace. Another client, S, took pictures of the clouds, sky and sunlight that prompted her to start a conversation with her about death and loss. S was also able to write down some of her feelings about this process in a piece she titled “Heaven.” She wrote: “In photography, I have learned ways of expressing my feelings in photos, I’ve learned what some meanings to things are and I’ve learned that some things in nature can relate to others relationships.” Through their images, these teens are confronting deep emotional truths that will help them move forward. The process of taking photographs and the physical evidence of their accomplishments, build self-esteem.

Photography is the first digital medium these teens have explored in art therapy, and their emotional responses to it have been important (strong and rewarding). I look forward to watching our expressive team grow and bearing witness to the emotional communication of the boys and girls at KidsPeace.

The Sanctuary Model at KidsPeace

By Leslie Ten Broeck, LCSW, KidsPeace Sanctuary Coordinator

KidsPeace is totally committed to implementing the Sanctuary Model at all levels of care, with implementation beginning in residential programs in Pennsylvania. Sanctuary is a model of trauma-informed care and organizational change that is important to the care and treatment of all clients. The Core Team for Sanctuary at KidsPeace numbers 37 members and includes seven subcommittees (called “Action Groups”), which address different aspects of Sanctuary at KidsPeace.

The Sanctuary Institute in New York has developed a certification process, which includes a published list of standards that need to be met in order to be certified. KidsPeace is working toward SI certification in 2012. The certification process is lengthy and culminates in representatives from the Sanctuary Institute spending several days at our site reviewing records and practices, observing the daily functioning of all departments of the organization and interviewing staff, administration and clients.

What is the Sanctuary Model?

Sanctuary represents a trauma-informed method for changing an organizational culture in order to provide an ideal therapeutic environment for everyone who is a part of that environment. This model reflects the understanding that trauma can be experienced by all members of an organization, staff and clients, and that the agency as a whole is dynamic and can be negatively impacted by experiences within the organization. Thus, Sanctuary seeks to create a culture of physical, psychological, social and moral safety for all who are part of the organization.

The Aims of Sanctuary:

•       Increased perceived sense of community through the creation of a nonviolent environment

•       Increased degree of “social immunity” to the spread of violence

•       Increased capacity for “social learning”

•       Increased democratic decision-making and shared responsibility in problem-solving and conflict resolution

•       Ability to deal with complexity

•       Opportunity for all clients and staff to experience a truly safe and connected community

•       Opportunity for troubled clients to have corrective emotional, relational and environmental experiences

•       Reduced episodes of violence including verbal, physical and sexual forms of harassment, bullying and violence on part of staff and clients

•       Reduced critical incidents

•       Improved job satisfaction

•       Reduced staff turnover

•       Improved client satisfaction

•       The promotion of collective recovery, healing and growth.

The goals of Sanctuary are to guide an organization in the development of a trauma-sensitive culture with seven dominant characteristics, all of which serve goals related to trauma resolution and model good relational and parenting skills.  These are known as the Seven Commitments:

o      Commitment to Nonviolence: to understand what different forms of violence do to children and adults

o      Commitment to Emotional Intelligence: to promote an increase in emotional self-awareness

o      Commitment to Social Learning: to promote a therapeutic teaching and learning environment where we learn from past experience

o      Commitment to Shared Governance: to develop a community of shared decision-making and discussion

o      Commitment to Open Communication: to be courageous enough to speak openly, honestly and respectfully, in order to resolve problems in a supportive manner

o      Commitment to Social Responsibility: to develop a therapeutic community of justice, fair play and responsibility

o      Commitment to Growth and Change: to help develop a community of creativity, imagination and hope for a better future.

By Tom Culver, State Manager, KidsPeace North Carolina Foster Care and Community Programs

One of the greatest challenges facing agencies that provide services to high-risk children and families in community settings is the need to have a well defined Model of Care that is understood and implemented by all involved in service provision. The need for a well defined Model of Care that is supported by research to demonstrate a positive impact on the life outcomes of the families and children we serve becomes increasingly important as the effects of both child welfare reform and mental health reform demand that foster care and community services serve clients who may have otherwise been served in a more intensive residential treatment setting. KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs (FCCP) has embraced a Model of Care that is based on Resiliency Theory.

Resiliency Theory arose from the study of the characteristics and life histories of those high-risk individuals who experienced adversity yet managed to avoid poor life outcomes such as: substance abuse; dropping out of school; social and relational problems; mental/emotional problems; problems with law enforcement; and vocational instability. The studies contributing to the theory of resilience refer to various cross-cultural lifespan developmental studies on the lives of children who were born into families and environments that provided serious risk and adversity to the healthy development of the child. Studies include: children born to parents who suffered from mental illness and/or severe chronic substance abuse problems; children raised in homes that subject them to severe neglect and /or abuse; and children raised in environments with severe poverty, crime and instability. Surprisingly, the findings from these long-term studies were that at least 50% - and often closer to 70% - of youth growing up in these adverse conditions developed the life skills necessary to overcome the odds and lead successful lives.

The greatest benefit derived from this research on children who have overcome significant adversity and have thrived in spite of it, is a list of common characteristics found in the lives of these individuals. The list of common characteristics known as “protective factors” has become a focus in the KidsPeace Model of Care as these characteristics appear to counterbalance the adverse effects that “risk factors” have on a developing child or on any individual struggling with excessive levels of stress brought on by too much risk/adversity. <<Read More>>

Jordan Burnham is a confident, articulate young man who makes appearances to speak about mental health awareness and encourage youth to seek help when things are bothering them. Jordan speaks from experience and from his heart, which is why the kids who hear him pay close attention and feel comfortable asking him questions.

Jordan recently visited Dr. Julius Licata, Director of TeenCentral.Net, and graciously gave a talk to the teens who are in treatment at KidsPeace in the PA Residential Programs, making quite an impression on the kids and adults who heard his presentation. He also talked to the members of TeenCentral.Net via videotape, hoping to help teens feel more comfortable about admitting they have problems and seeking help.

Jordan’s Story

Jordan learned early on that wearing a happy mask was the best way to keep up appearances and pretend to be “normal.” His true feelings were deep inside and only came to the surface when he had consumed a lot of alcohol. His “cover” for seeming happy included sports, jokes and dating. He became very popular and won the election to be class president in 9^th grade. All the while, he was hiding feelings from his family and friends. Then he failed his driving test for the third time and lost his cool for the first time, yelling, screaming and cursing at his father. His mother took him to a counselor, but he found it hard to relate to her. He was diagnosed with depression in 10^th grade.

Jordan Burnham

As Jordan entered 11^th grade, he felt more pressure to do well on his standardized tests and make sure his slipping grades got better in order to get accepted by a good college. It was in 11^th grade that he started thinking about suicide. He was taken to a “mental hospital” after telling his girlfriend that he was going to take pills to end his life. Hearing about the problems of the other youth in the hospital made Jordan feel that his issues were minimal and actually apologized in group for “only” suffering from depression. The hospital counselor told him that his depression was a serious issue that needed treatment just as much as the conditions of the other youth.

After he was released, Jordan experienced great guilt for doing things that in his mind disappointed his parents, both of whom are educators. He drank more and more and was caught drinking illegally twice. The final blow was when he threw a party while his parents were out of town, serving alcohol to school athletes. The party was broken up by the police, and Jordan felt he had truly hurt his parents with his behavior.

Senior year arrived, with Jordan being nominated to the homecoming court and playing golf so well that he was headed for the playoffs. His parents confronted him with two duffle bags of alcohol that were in his trunk. They were sad and disappointed.

Jordan felt terrible about letting his family down. He went to his room and jumped from his 9^th floor bedroom window, fracturing his pelvis, tibia, fibula, jaw, femur and ribs and waking up after a 5 day coma with a tracheotomy tube in his throat to allow him to breath. Doctors were amazed that he had survived, but they were not optimistic about his ever walking again. Imagine being in your senior year of high school and being confined to a hospital and then a rehabilitation facility.

A reporter heard about Jordan and asked if he could write his story. Jordan insisted that the focus of the story be on mental health issues and the importance of getting help for problems no matter how young a youth is. The article was published on the front page of the newspaper, and Jordan began receiving many calls and emails thanking him for sharing his story.

Jordan attended his senior prom in a wheel chair and used a walker to receive his diploma. Today, Jordan walks on his own, but with difficulty.

See a video of Jordan's presentation at www.TeenCentral.Net

Speaking Out

Jordan has made it his mission to take his story to audiences that will benefit from hearing about his struggles. He has appeared on CNN, ESPN, “Good Morning America,” “The Doctor Phil Show,” “Good Day Philadelphia,” “The Early Show” and the Phil Eskin radio show and has nearly 1,000 of fans on Facebook. He also appeared in a documentary directed by Joe Pantoliano called “No Kidding, Me Too!” and was featured in a People Magazine article that highlighted “The Heroes Among Us.”

To Jordan, his most important role is as a speaker for Active Minds, a nonprofit that promotes the discussion of Mental Health issues through chapters on college campuses. Jordan travels the country for individual speaking engagements and is a panel member with other members of the elite group of Active Mind speakers called “The Heard.” He has had people who have heard him speak contact him to say that he helped dissuade them from suicide, a wonderful byproduct of being on the speakers’ circuit for Jordan.

And what does the future hold for Jordan Burnham? At 21, he would like to finish writing a book about his experiences this year and continue to reach to as many young people as possible with his presentations and appearances. He has been invited to appear on the Oprah show, as well. Jordan takes medication for his depression and still sees a therapist. He will eventually return to college to finish his last 2 years, but, right now, helping others is the most important job he can imagine.

Child Welfare and Children’s

Mental Health Services:A Decade of Transformation

By Ken Olson, LCPC, Executive Director, KidsPeace National Centers of New England

In the most recent decade, both of these have undergone significant transformations: Underlying philosophies have been questioned, and new paradigms have emerged. Providers of these services to children and adolescents have scrambled to adapt, to differentiate “fad” from “trend” and to remain true to organizational mission, vision and values. The changes have been, at times, tumultuous, with mature agencies going out of business and new agencies and new models of care growing and disappearing rapidly. Other new models have become a new standard of excellence, with long-standing providers of one service in one location adapting and diversifying into multi-service, multi-state and multi-regional providers. While there has been loss, there has also been a real opportunity to better serve children and families with new and more effective strategies and interventions. >>> Read More >>>

On Friday, January 7, 2011, KidsPeace was fortunate to be visited by the reigning Miss PA’s Outstanding Teen, Jocelyn Gruber, and her mom, Paula. The pair braved the snow in the morning to meet with Director of TeenCentral.Net Dr. Julius Licata and tour the KidsPeace residential facilities and schools in Orefield, PA, and film Jocelyn speaking about her own teen years and the problems she has encountered before and after winning the state pageant. 

Jocelyn is a beautiful, energetic and personable young lady who is filled with the desire to bring the pageant to people everywhere in the state. She has a strong ethic and a loving, caring attitude that aims to please. For many reasons, this was a very special visit for Jocelyn, as she spent her first 10 years being raised at a facility that is similar to KidsPeace because both of her parents were counselors there. Growing up with her brothers in this environment may explain her keen understanding of kids’ problems and wisdom beyond her 17 years.

Paula Gruber is the effervescent mom who is obviously very proud of her daughter’s accomplishments and quickly informs the listener that she is equally proud of her two sons now serving in the Navy. Both graduated from Annapolis, and they are currently serving their country.  Jocelyn, who beams whenever her brothers are mentioned, echoes the closeness of this family. She is quick to let you know that her dad is her greatest fan.

Jocelyn toured Headquarters and then went for a tour of the KidsPeace Hospital where she met with staff and children. Anyone with her immediately realized that her love for the children was very strong.  She met with the youngest group and asked if they knew who she was. The answers ranged from the President to the Queen of PA, which, I guess, is not that far away from who she is or how she felt with these children. They enjoyed the visit and were able to touch her crown, ask questions and just talk to her.

Her next stop was to the Donley Education Center where she met with about 15 teens. These teens were, at first, quite reluctant to speak, but after about 5 minutes, they became totally involved and shared stories, asked questions and laughed along with this outstanding teen.

Jocelyn then returned to headquarters and to the TC.N office and spoke to teens via video camera about her life and difficulties and how you have to be ready to sacrifice for what you really want. Her message was loud and clear as she encouraged teens to go for it all.

“You can have it all, you just can’t have it all at one time.” 

Both Jocelyn and Paula plan to come back again soon to meet with more teens and to possibly film Paula for ParentCentral.Net. After a brief visit of just 4 or 5 hours, one can be assured that there is no shortage of stars in this family.

What is Miss Pennsylvania's Outstanding Teen?

The Miss America's Outstanding Teen title is earned through local, regional and then state competitions presented by this scholarship-based program that offers accomplished teens opportunities to win funds for college. Outstanding young women compete on their scholastic achievement, creative accompli

shment, healthy living and community involvement. In the past five years, the organization has awarded more than $3 million in college scholarships.  

Jocelyn earned the title of Miss Greater Johnstown Outstanding Teen and then won the competition in June to be crowned Miss Pennsylvania’s Outstanding Teen. She also won the talent award for her piano performance. In August, Jocelyn was honored as one of the top 10 at the national competition for Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, winning a $1,500 scholarship.

Each competitor has a platform, and Jocelyn’s is: “A Call to Service:  Motivating Today's Youth through the United States Public Service Academy.” She hopes to encourage other teens to participate in public service. Jocelyn is a member of the National Honor Society, "Who's Who in Foreign Language," Outstanding Achievement in Foreign Languages, National Young Leaders Council and the Fast Track program at Slippery Rock University.

Julius Licata is thrilled to have Jocelyn as a supporter of TeenCentral.Net and is happy that the relationship between the Miss Pennsylvania group and TeenCentral.Net has been strong since 2002, when Autumn Marisa, the current Executive Director of Miss PA’s Outstanding Teen, was Miss Pennsylvania herself. To learn more about the program, visit http://misspaoteen.org/meet.htm.

Jocelyn visits with Executive Vice President for Business Development Michael Slack and TeenCentral.Net Director Julius Licata at KidsPeace

Callie Cardamon is a talented artist with a generous heart and deep love for children everywhere. She has a background in counseling and was searching for volunteer work that she could do from her home computer when she found TeenCentral.Net, the KidsPeace website that gives teens a safe, anonymous place to write about their feelings and receive sound advice from trained counselors. Callie signed up as a volunteer, received training and began spending at least two afternoons a week responding to posts from troubled teens.

In the process, Callie began corresponding with Julius Licata, Director of TeenCentral.Net, and a wonderful friendship developed between them. As she got to know more about Julius and learn about the KidsPeace mission and many wonderful programs, Callie decided that she should write a song for KidsPeace that could serve as source of hope to our children and persuade donors to dig a little deeper to help our kids. It was important to Callie to finish this song in time for Thanksgiving and have it be her gift to KidsPeace and Julius.

The result is a beautiful ballad entitled “Love Is On The Way,” which can be heard on Callie’s website,
http://www.calliecardamon.com/publicfiles/Love_Is_on_the_Way.mp3. Callie is donating 100% of the proceeds of this song to KidsPeace in hopes that the song will give KidsPeace and TeenCentral.Net more exposure and inspire people to donate to the organization. “It never occurred to me not to donate 100% of the song’s profits to KidsPeace,” Callie said. The very first letter I answered on TeenCentral.Net said ‘please send hope as fast as you can,’ and that really touched me. Even the possibility of hope can help kids hang on a bit longer. I hope all of the teens who post on TeenCentral.Net will get some hope from this song.”

Callie was not sure that the song was finished, but, when she learned that Julius had been ill, she knew it said what she wanted to say, so she recorded it in order to get it to KidsPeace by Thanksgiving. Callie recorded the song with Kimberly Kim, a former student who moved to friend and colleague. “That is Kim’s angelic voice singing the high harmonies on the song,” Callie told us. Callie has become a second mother to Kim who works for the American Red Cross and has spent months and months of her young life helping out on international health campaigns.

A resident of Pasadena, CA, Callie records her beautiful interpretations of jazz and American standards and shares her gifts on her website, www.calliecardamon.com. KidsPeace feels blessed to have Callie on its side and expresses heartfelt thanks for her amazing contribution. 

Treating Foster Children for Psychological Issues

By Gerald A. Zimmerman, Ph.D.

Many children are placed in foster care as a continuing step in helping them and their families readjust and make changes so they are safe and protected in the home environment. The placement comes about because the Children and Youth authority learns that the children were neglected, physically abused, emotionally abused or sexually abused. Each of these categories has specific definitions. For example, emotional abuse refers to non-physical, gross maltreatment that results in the child being humiliated, demeaned or degraded in some way, or failure to respect the dignity of the child as a worthy human being. The impact of the abuse and neglect of the child has implications that remain for many years to come.

A child who experiences neglect will respond in different ways depending on his characteristics. There are two main types of developing characteristics in children: the active, outgoing type and the reserved cautious type.  Drs. Stella Chess and Alexander Thomas have identified these children in a comprehensive developmental study of children. Not all children react the same, and it is the interaction of their environment and their personal characteristics that results in unique responses. For a neglected child, the response may be seen in an outgoing, assertive and bold child to take charge of his experiences and try to prepare meals and comfort the younger children. For a cautious and fearful child, the response to neglect may be to withdraw and become anxious and cower in the corner. With long-term neglect, the patterns become established, and the responses become characteristic of the child, even after the child is given the opportunity to live in a more stable, predictable environment. It takes a great deal of time for the child to make changes and become comfortable and trusting of those around him or her in the new environment.

Regardless of the types of abuse and the child response style, when a child experiences the neglect or abuse, the effect is to lower the sense of self-worth. If the parent is unresponsive to the needs (neglect), the child develops a sense of worthlessness. If the parent is unreliable and inconsistent, the child develops a sense of the environment as unsafe and experiences anxiety. If the child is the victim of sexual or physical abuse, the response is often to fear the adult and to experience the self as weak and ineffective. The different child characters, however, may react to these experiences in different ways. The cautious child may become even more nervous and upset and develop mental health problems, whereas the active child who engages his environment may make attempts to become more aggressive and controlling and develop behavioral problems. 

Children who react to the inadequacies of parenthood may develop mental health and behavioral disturbances. The behaviors become routine ways of responding. Some children may develop a sense of inadequacy, demonstrating a dependency more pronounced than would be expected typically at their age. The children may vary in severity of disturbance, but almost all experience some type of difficulty because of the problems identified in the dysfunctional family.

All children experience a great deal of transitional stress when they are first contacted by the children’s authority in the county for the purpose of removing them from the home. It is my experience as a therapist for these children that they usually vividly remember the details of the day they are removed. Whether the caseworker comes to the home or the school or the police are involved, the scene is not good for anyone, but is a necessary step in the protection process and also begins the healing process. These transitional episodes can leave an emotional mark on the child, creating apprehension and anxiety, but this is alleviated to a moderate degree once the child becomes familiar and comfortable with the foster parent resource.

Despite the slow development of trust with the new family, behaviors and emotions continue to be present with the child. Often, the children who reacted in a characteristic way in their home of origin will begin to react similarly in the new home, meaning that a child who has become aggressive and demanding in the unstable environment at home will start doing the same thing in the new environment, expecting the parents to react in similar ways to their parents’ behaviors. They try to create the environment they knew. It takes a great deal of patience and experience on the part of the foster parents to help the child through this period of adjustment, as the child learns that the needs will be met without these behaviors.

Typical Problems

Signs of problems in children can be many and varied.  Four categories are identified here: 

The anti-social child may initially present as charming and compliant but, after the shock of the transition wears off, will become passive-aggressive, manipulative and resentful and untrusting. He may demonstrate:

• Sadistic behavior and violence

• Compulsive lying and stealing

• Obsessions about sex

• Seeming lack of empathy or conscience

• Oppositional behaviors

• Defiance

• Controlling behaviors.

An overanxious and insecure child may demonstrate panic when separated from those who take care of her. She might show school avoidance, night fears, thoughts about losing a parent and often ambivalence in the relationship with the caregiver. She may demonstrate the following:

• School anxiety

• Trouble falling asleep at night

• Fear of being alone

• Depression when separated from a parent

• Worries about illness, injury or death

• Nightmares with the theme of loss

• Intense love-hate relationships with caregivers.

The asocial and withdrawn child may have become cool and indifferent and show a remarkable lack of anxiety about his isolation from others. She has developed a thick emotional barrier to protect herself from hurt from the agony of separation from those with whom the child has been intimate. The child appears emotionally blunted and inept socially and may have developed a deep distrust of others. The characteristic features of this type of child may be seen in:

• Defects in the capacity to develop relationships

• Lack of strong social desire

• Lack of concern for isolation from others

• Few observed needs for affection and emotional attachments

• Lack of spontaneous emotional expression

• Oblivious to others

• Lack of self-awareness.

The inadequate/dependent child clings to caregivers and exhausts the foster parent with unbounded needs. She can cling to anyone instantly but is usually superficially attached.  She requires guidance and constant attention. The child may be submissive and show no signs of rebellion or a difference of opinion. She demonstrates very little confidence and may show:

• Insatiable neediness

• Submissiveness

• Learned helplessness and low self-esteem

• Lack of interest in negotiating the environment

• Flatness of emotion

• Lack of vitality

• Sense of apathy and futility, and emotional voids.

There are still other children who demonstrate a combination of factors, and, as such, their behaviors may be hard to predict. Children may demonstrate differing degrees of reactions, with some strong in their reactions and others milder. It is likely that most children who are placed in care will demonstrate some reaction to the transition to care and carry over their legacy of responses from the home of origin. It is the struggle of foster parents to help the child become less reactive in a negative way and to learn to trust and feel secure, safe and encouraged to grow through the stages of development to experience self-worth, confidence and an ability to cope with new stress in a meaningful and effective way. 

Much of the information provided in this article is from the foster parent-training segment for the KidsPeace Foster Care and Family Program. t

Resources:

Chess, Stella and Alexander Thomas (1996). Temperament: Theory and Practice. Psychology Press, Taylor and Francis Group, New York.

Reistroffer, Mary (1972). What You Always Wanted to Know About Foster Care But Didn’t Have the Time or the Chance to Bring Up. Child Welfare League of America, Inc., New York pp 2-3.

Rex, Elizabeth L. A Letter to a Foster Child, in Children Today,  Child Welfare League of America, Inc., New York, May-June, 1973, pp 1-2.

Dr. Zimmerman received his Ph.D. in Psychological Studies from Temple University and has been a Clinical Psychologist with KidsPeace since 1982. He performs clinical assessments and conducts group therapy and consultations and works with children in residential treatment and foster care.

By Loren Buckner, MSW, LCSW

More than ever before, doctors are prescribing antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications to kids and parents who are overwhelmed by how they feel. Practically every day, newspapers are filled with stories about families and children in crisis. Overeating, under-eating, addictions of varying kinds have become common ways of coping with unwanted feelings.

Parents can change this trend. Emotions, even the painful ones, need to be understood instead of avoided. Hateful feelings don’t have to become destructive. However disagreeable, feelings can be talked over, worked with and tamed. Learning to be curious about emotions, instead of afraid or critical, can make accepting them much easier.

Dedicated parents are better informed than ever before about what their kids need. Understanding their child’s psychological, emotional and physical development is one of their highest priorities. How to handle potty-training, temper-tantrums, learning disabilities and the stress of adolescence are all pressing issues parents never feel they know enough about.

Parents have a tendency, though, to pay much less attention to understanding their own emotional lives, missing an important link in the process of conscientious parenting. Of course, reading about how to best raise kids is important. But how can parents help their sons and daughters feel comfortable with their feelings if they are uncomfortable and frightened by their own?

Parenthood stirs up a wide assortment of emotions. Mothers and fathers eagerly look forward to the delightful and satisfying ones. But there are others – feelings that rock parents to their core. The painful nature of parenting is not a topic most parents like to talk about, but, because the parent-child relationship is so intense and so personal, these feelings are inevitable and nothing to be ashamed of.

It is not uncommon for parents who have done their “preparing for parenthood homework” to feel frustrated and disappointed in themselves. Knowing what to do and having the ability to do it are two very different skills. Parents know they should be consistent, for example, but how do they accomplish this when what feels acceptable can change from day to day depending on how tired they are or on what side of the bed they awakened? Parents know that they should not lose their tempers, but it is something that happens to all parents. How do parents cope with the guilt, worry, disappointment, anger and loss – as much a part of family life as the joys and rewards – without these feelings fueling self-doubt and ruining their most important relationships?

The first step is to recognize that feelings – even the painful ones – are a normal part of parenting. Painful feelings are disturbing and confusing, but even good parents sometimes feel bad about themselves and do not always feel loving toward their children and partners either.

Maybe a child has a different temperament from his parent, gets into trouble or doesn’t like school, sports or playing a musical instrument. Maybe she won’t be as religious or choose the life-partner or career the parent had hoped for. These are just a few of the many possible disappointments parents must learn how to accept without letting their feelings overwhelm them or their children.

Parents must also find a way to put their worry into perspective. There’s no escaping this feeling either. Parents can’t wait until their children can walk, but then they’ll worry about them wandering away. Parents worry about their children making the right friends and doing well in school. They’ll really worry if their child gets into trouble or becomes ill. And in addition to their never-ending concerns about their kids, parents periodically question themselves. Sooner or later all parents, regardless of their particular situation, ask, “Am I a good enough parent?” Worries like these, to one degree or another, begin with pregnancy and continue throughout parents’ lives. 

Guilt is another emotion with which parents are quite familiar because they do lose their tempers, say the wrong thing, give in when they know they shouldn’t or feel grouchy because they’re tired or upset. Parents often know they’re not living up to the good parenting advice they’ve read about over and over and therefore feel guilty, angry and disappointed in themselves. This, too, is parenthood.

Conscientious parents know how important it is to provide kids a home filled with safety and security. But as they’re building this solid foundation for their kids, they are also establishing a strong bond to their kids. Bravely encouraging children to begin individuating means parents will battle feelings of being left behind. The experiences of separation, letting go, watching as children develop independence, are rewarding for sure. But it also triggers feelings of sadness and loss – emotions parents must accept without making their kids feel guilty or afraid. The pain this creates may be another aspect of parenting for which mothers and fathers feel completely unprepared.

Anger is a feeling parents expect to have, but they are often shocked by its intensity. Hateful feelings directed at the people parents love the most are painful and difficult experiences, but managing them is crucial. Although seemingly contradictory, it isn’t so bad for parents to occasionally lose their tempers, as long as they don’t lose control. Saying or doing something damaging to self-esteem or their children’s ability to trust them is the kind of anger to avoid. Protecting children, no matter how upset the parent is, is essential because hurtful words and frightening scenes have long echoes.

It is a parent’s obligation to recognize when there’s a problem. Self-doubt, and even worse, self-hatred are depressing, distracting and not very conducive to effective parenting. And when parents, in spite of their efforts to do otherwise, have frequent emotional outbursts, find themselves retaliating against their children, or when family trust and stability have become undermined, then it’s a good idea to seek help.

Emotions, however powerful, don’t define a person’s character – it’s how parents react that’s important. Parents love their kids but sometimes can’t stand them; they wouldn’t trade places with anyone but, from time to time, imagine walking out and changing their names. They struggle with painful, distasteful feelings alone, believing that something is wrong with them. These darker emotions are far from what young couples imagine when they decide to take the leap into parenthood. But this is parenthood.

Parents have an important life-defining opportunity – teaching children how to incorporate feelings into their lives instead of judging, ignoring or hiding them. They can help kids understand that anger, worry, sadness disappointment and fear are not signs of weakness but are signs of life. Before parents can do this for their kids, they need to learn this for themselves. It’s only after parents are comfortable in their own skins that they can teach their children to be comfortable in theirs.

Loren Buckner lives in Tampa, Florida, and has been a psychotherapist in private practice for more than 20 years.  She is the author of a forthcoming book on parents and their emotions. She can be reached at 813-915-0076 or at lorenb@tampabay.rr.com.

The View from the Other Side of the Desk: Are you a ‘challenging parent?’

What special education teachers want you to know

by Ellen Notbohm

As transitions go, my son’s transition to middle school had been smoother than any parent with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) in hand could hope for. It had been a very good year with very good teachers. But, as the year wound down with alarming speed, the scheduling of the annual IEP meeting just wasn’t happening. Repeated requests – at increasing decibel level – to resource teachers went unresolved amid scheduling problems, administrative issues, illnesses and other roadblocks. When we finally did meet, five days before the end of the school year, I told the excellent resource teacher only half-jokingly, “You’re almost there. Only five more days and then you are done with me.”

And this excellent teacher stopped in his tracks and looked at me with surprise. “Oh no,” he said.  “No. I have had some challenging parents this year, and you are not one of them.”

At that, it was my turn to stop in my tracks. What, I wanted very much to know, constitutes a “challenging” parent?  It was too intriguing a thought to leave on the table so, a few months later, we came back to it. His very thoughtfully painted portrait of a “challenging” parent led me to ask other special educators, teachers of students aged toddler to high school across several different school districts, the same question. And, while each came from his/her own unique situation, the common threads in their thoughts were striking. A number of these common threads formed the basis for my book Ten Things Your Student with Autism Wishes You Knew. Here then is the view from the other side of the desk, the voice of your special education teacher:

Be team-oriented

A combative attitude does not enhance our ability to make progress with your child. Our relationship should be an alliance, not an adversarial face off. We are all here because of the child; he or she is our common interest, and it is important not to lose sight of that. It is not about me or you, or whether we like each other. 

Give me the courtesy of a clean slate. You may have had bad experiences with previous teachers or schools, but putting past conflicts or issues onto me, coming in with guns blazing before you even have a chance to get to know me or my program is counterproductive. “This is what has happened in the past, and I expect the same from you” is looking for trouble where it is possible that none exists. 

There is a difference between being assertive and being aggressive – and there is a cost. Teachers appreciate parents who are knowledgeable, effective advocates for their children. Knowing your rights and knowing the facts of your situation, and requesting services and accommodations firmly but respectfully are light years removed from being a fist-pounder.

We are not here for the money or the recognition. We are here because we love these kids. In an ideal world, I want to share with the parent any inside perspective I have about ‘the system’ and how it affects decisions made about their child. But, if I sense in any way that the parent will use the information in a way that comes back on me or threatens my job, it is only natural that I will not share.

Undermining me undermines your child’s learning.  Communicating to your child that everything that is going wrong is the school’s fault undermines your child’s ability to trust me, to comply with necessary classroom boundaries and, ultimately, to learn.

All children, even special needs children, need to assume some level of responsibility for their behavior and its consequences. We are sometimes faced with parents who say, “I cannot believe my child would do such a thing. It must be somebody else’s fault. If you had been doing this, he wouldn’t have been doing that.” Sometimes that’s the case. However, when a parent insists it is always the case, I need to gently suggest that a closer look be taken at what is actually going on.

Step back and listen as open-mindedly as possible when faced with information that makes your blood pressure rise. It’s very common for children to exhibit a different set of behaviors at school than they do at home. 

Having to be both teacher and case manager can put me in a very difficult position. Especially in early childhood education, it often falls on the teacher/case manager to identify the fact that my particular classroom or program isn’t the best fit for your child.

Please know that, when I tell you we need to transition your child to a different setting, it isn’t because I ‘don’t like him.’ Hear me as objectively as possible when I tell you that he is struggling too hard in the current placement and would benefit from a different setting, that we need to modify the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or IEP and find a better environment.

Don’t assume I know everything about your child. I may only have the prior year’s academic information, and perhaps no personal information at all. Tell me anything you think is important for me to know about your “whole child.” Be a resource for us, a bridge between programs.  Share with us what has worked or not worked with your child in the past.

We cannot do everything for your child. Your child is entitled by law to a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive setting. That is not equivalent to the best possible education. Think of it this way: You get the Chevy; you don’t get the Cadillac. You get safe, reliable transportation, but you don’t get the CD player and the leather seats. It’s a distinction many parents don’t understand that special education is intended to provide for adequate growth, not maximum possible growth.

Federal law mandates that we make sure that kids who have a disability are making adequate progress, as defined and measured yearly in their IEPs. The idea behind it is that, without accommodation, they wouldn’t make adequate progress in general education, and therefore would not be getting a free and appropriate public education.

Let’s say you have a fifth grader who is reading at a 2nd grade level. It happens; teachers commonly look at their classes and see a developmental range, so there are kids who end up in 4th or 5th grade reading several grade levels behind. So we set a goal, in a calendar year, for the child to make a year’s growth, which is what his peers would make.  But he is still behind; he is not catching up. In order for him to catch up, he would have to outpace his peers. Some kids do that, but it’s very difficult and not realistic.

We have many commitments to multiple content areas. If we were to spend half the day on reading alone – sure, we could catch the kid up. But that’s not appropriate because we give up everything else. And so we always have that discussion every year in an IEP meeting. We have a certain amount of time. How do we set goals? How much time do we need to meet each goal? How much are we going to be able to accomplish given math, science, social studies, all of these other content areas required and from which kids benefit?

Your child is not my only student. When I am meeting with you, when we are in a discussion and problem-solving mode – in that moment, your student is the only one I am concerned about. But back in my classroom, I have anywhere from a few to a few dozen other students in my caseload, and I have the scheduling restrictions that naturally come with that caseload. It simply is not possible for the needs of one child to dictate my entire day. Asking that of me is painful for both of us.

Early intervention works

Here is an extension of a universal truth:  The earlier the better – and the better the earlier the better. Catch things early, intervene well and include your family, not just the school. No one was ever sorry they intervened early, but legions of families regret “waiting to see if he outgrows it.”

See the positive in your child

Have an honest understanding of what the range of your child’s disability means, but also recognize his strengths. Too often, the most difficult parents to work with are the ones who cannot see the positive qualities of their kid. Their focus is stuck on what the child can’t do. Perhaps they do not want to have a child with a disability. Perhaps they are stuck in the grieving process. But, for the teacher, it is very hard to deal with. 

Promote independence. Help your child learn to do things for himself, rather than doing them for him. Many teachers are parents themselves and understand the time stress families are under. But, whether it’s homework or personal organization, expedience in the moment will impede his learning to be independent in the long run. If you pack and unpack his backpack for him every day, how will he learn the importance of being organized, knowing where things are when they are needed, how to find items or information? The parents who are most effective are the ones who teach as well as parent. The two are synonymous.

© 2006 Ellen Notbohm. This article is based on the book Ten Things Your Student With Autism Wishes You Knew, a 2006 iParenting Media Award winner.

Ellen Notbohm is author of Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew, a ForeWord 2005 Book of the Year Honorable Mention winner, and co-author of the award-winning 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching and Raising Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. For article reprint permission, book excerpts, to learn more or to contact Ellen, please visit www.ellennotbohm.com.

Children’s Psychotropic Medications: Communication is key

By Pat Sullivan

Millions of children take prescription psychotropic medications to treat a wide range of conditions that can destroy their quality of life. According to Dr. Adnan B. Zawawi, Psychiatrist at KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital, it is imperative that parents and physicians establish open communication early in a child’s treatment. “At KidsPeace, we provide parents with written information on any medications we might prescribe in the admissions packet so that parents can make informed decisions regarding their children’s treatment. They must give us written consent before we start any medication,” Zawawi says. He also wants to dispel a common myth: “These are not drugs; they are medications. Just as we prescribe medications for hypertension, diabetes or infections, we prescribe medications for illnesses of the mind.”

There are several classes of psychotropic medications that are typically prescribed for youth:

Antidepressants

• Tricyclics – Older drugs. These medications (some brand names include Adapin, Elavil, Pamelor and Tofranil) are typically only used when SSRIs (see below) are ineffective.

• SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) – Newer antidepressants (some brand names include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Lexapro) used more commonly because they restore deficits in certain neurotransmitters that facilitate communication between brain cells (neurons) and return the brain to normal functioning with few side effects.

Dr. Zawawi emphasizes that depression is a serious medical problem that causes the brain to function differently from those of individuals who are not depressed. The benefits of taking antidepressants far outweigh the risks associated with them. Dr. Zawawi also notes that NIH studies have shown that patients treated with a combination of SSRIs and therapy had higher success rates than those taking SSRIs alone or those undergoing therapy alone.

Typically, antidepressants are used for a year or two, with cessation being gradual and closely supervised by a physician. One should never abruptly stop antidepressants. Dr. Zawawi emphasizes that starting a child on an antidepressant or other psychotropic medication is a major decision that is based on improving the child’s quality of life, happiness and productivity.

Mood Stabilizers

• Lithium – A salt that has been used since the 1970s to treat bipolar disorder, particularly manic episodes; depression while on Lithium may indicate that a higher dosage is needed. It is important to monitor levels of Lithium (some brand names include: Cibalith-S, Eskalith, Lithane, Lithobid, Lithonate and Lithotabs) in the blood stream and to consult with prescribing doctors before taking any medications, including, but not limited to, ibuprofen, antihypertensives, muscle relaxers and diuretics.

• Anticonvulsants – Helpful in controlling mood swings, although their main use is to prevent seizures (some brand names include Depakote, Topamax, Tegetrol, Lamictal and Clonazepam).

• Atypical Antipsychotics – Used alone or in combination with mood stabilizers can be quite effective, although it is very important to use as directed (brands include Abilify, Navene, Risperdal, Seroquel).

Bipolar disorders in adults are marked by wide-ranging mood swings from deep depression to unbridled mania, but, according to Dr. Zawawi, children experience fewer “top of the world” highs and deep troughs. Instead, bipolar children are typically irritable, cranky and miserable, with sometimes explosive mood swings that can result in unhappiness, difficulty in school and trouble with the law. “Mood disorders require medication,” Zawawi says. “Lithium is the standard and has been used for a long time, but the atypicals are gaining popularity. All mood stabilizers must be used as directed.”

Antipsychotics

• Antipsychotics – Older medications that effectively reduce symptoms of psychosis but can have severe side effects and do not control mood swings (some brands include: Thorazin, Mellaril, Haldol and Prolixin.)

• Atypical Antipsychotics – Very effective in controlling psychosis and mood swings (brands include: Abilify, Zyprexa, Theraciule, Geodan and Clozoril).

Psychosis and schizophrenia are serious conditions that cause people to experience visual and auditory hallucinations and delusions. The side effects of some antipyschotics can be very serious, but schizophrenic patients need to take them long term in order to function within society. The two most serious types of side effects, although rare, include: (1) extraperonial symptoms such as rigidity, stiffness, tremors and tardive dyskinesia, which is uncontrollable movement of the mouth, arms and other body parts, and (2) metabolic disorders such as diabetes, high cholesterol and weight gain. Therefore, Dr. Zawawi warns that anyone taking antipsychotics have regular blood sugar, lipid and liver function tests, as well as family history screening and close supervision. Zawawi stresses that doctors are very careful about putting children on these medications and try to use antipsychotics for as short a time period as possible.

Psychostimulants

Psychostimulants are used in the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and have been the standard for many years. Zawawi explains that these medications are not addictive and can be used into adulthood to help patients focus and control impulsivity. Although classified as stimulants, these medications (including Ritalin, Concerta and Adderal) have a calming effect on patients who suffer from ADD/ADHD. Side effects may include sleep problems and weight loss, but psychostimulants help children perform better in school, engage in less impulsive behavior, focus on tasks, have more positive social experiences and generally stay out of trouble. Zawawi says that dosage and symptoms should be closely monitored and appropriately adjusted.

Anxiolytics

Many children suffer from extreme anxiety and school phobia, which can incapacitate them socially and academically. Medications that treat anxiety are used short term for acute panic attacks because they can be addictive. Anxiety disorders are more frequently treated with SSRIs and therapy, but anxiolytics such as Xanax, Librium, Atavan and Valium can help children through especially difficult periods. Zawawi warns that use of these medications must be closely monitored and carefully tapered off in terms of dosage to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Communication

Dr. Zawawi stresses that parents must communicate with all of the physicians who treat their children regarding prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. “Parents think that they are bothering their doctor with calls to see if it is safe to give decongestants or cough syrup or even pain and fever relievers to their children, but, believe me, we would rather answer your question beforehand than have to treat serious side effects after the fact,” he says. Combining psychotropic medications with others medicines can cause serious and even life-threatening reactions. “Be sure to tell your family physician about any psychotropic medications your child is taking and encourage them to contact the psychiatrist if there are any questions,” Zawawi says. Many psychiatrists monitor a child’s psychotropic medications for a few months and then turn administration over to the family physician, who is more familiar with the child’s history.

In general, antibiotics and asthma medications are safe when taken in conjunction with psychotropics, Zawawi explains, but it is still important to report all new prescriptions to all of your child’s doctors. Steroids and birth control pills can cause serious medication interactions with some psychotropics, as can fever reducers and decongestants.

Many parents do not realize that herbal and natural supplements can cause severe interactions with psychotropics as well. Dr. Zawawi tells parents that he respects their decisions if they want to try the natural route to treat their children, but herbals should not be taken in combination with any of the psychotropics. Also, parents should not administer larger doses than suggested by the manufacturer of natural or herbal remedies to their children. The adage, “if a little’s good, a lot’s much better” does not apply to natural or herbal supplements.

When it comes to alcohol and street drugs, Zawawi is very clear with his patients. He tells them if they combine alcohol and street drugs with their prescribed medications, they can suffer extreme sedation, excessive irritability, seizures or comas. It can truly be a lethal combination.

School

It can be difficult to make a decision to inform teachers, counselors and school nurses that a child is taking psychotropic medications. There are several points to keep in mind:

• Most schools do not allow children to carry and take medications of any kind in school. If your child needs mid-day administration, this has to be done by the school nurse, and the medications must be kept under lock and key in the nurse’s office.

• Teachers often spend more waking hours with your child than you do. If they know what your child is taking and the possible side effects or reactions, they can watch for anything out of the ordinary and report to you and the school nurse.

• Investigate confidentiality issues in your school system to increase your comfort level. Having an illness does not mean that your child will be “labeled” or suffer discrimination of any kind. There are laws that protect against this.

• Teachers can make adaptations to accommodate your child’s condition, including reduced homework, tutoring, modified tests, frequent visits to the nurse or rest room, the need to eat more frequently, rest periods in the nurse’s office if overly tired, reduced physical activity, not going outside, etc.

• Often, teachers or school counselors were the first to pick up on your child’s condition and referred him or her for an evaluation in the first place. They are trained to recognize possible problems.

• Teachers can arrange for your child to have a quiet place to go during over-stimulating activities, gym or even lunchtime.

• Your child may be more comfortable knowing that the teacher, nurse or counselor understands what he or she is going through and is approachable if the child does not feel well.

• Teachers can “run interference” if your child is struggling with a social or academic issue and make the situation less stressful.

• Your child may be eligible for placement in a smaller class that better meets his or her needs on a short- or long-term basis.

Involvement

Dr. Zawawi stresses the importance of parents being as involved as possible in their children’s treatment, medication, school life and healing. Acknowledging that parents are very busy and often do not have a great deal of time to spend with their children, he says that, at the very least, parents must:

• Monitor and administer their children’s medications

• Communicate regularly with all professionals involved in their children’s treatment

• Spend time with their children to observe and discuss how they are feeling, progressing, regressing, reacting to medication and getting along in school and socially

The 5K fundraiser was the first of its kind for the Baltimore foster care office, and the participation and enthusiasm of sponsors, volunteers and runners was wonderful. From employees of the Baltimore, DC, and Virginia KidsPeace foster care offices to staff from as far away as Pennsylvania, volunteers to the Board of Associates that supports the efforts of the office, to local businesses and sponsors, everyone worked extremely hard to make the event profitable and lots of fun for all who attended. The positive media coverage has attracted the interest of more individuals and businesses that would like to become involved in future fundraisers.

The most exciting outcome is the nearly $25,000 in cash donations and in-kind sponsorships from the businesses in O'Donnell Square in Baltimore where the finish line was set up. Many people in the running community commented that this was an impressive amount for a 5K to raise. Business owners arrived at the finish lines with their families to provide crafts for the children, food, beverages and even electricity for the speaker system from one enthusiastic restaurant. All of the merchants and volunteers truly embraced the race/walk and the foster children KidsPeace serves. Many of the sponsors also volunteered to work with our teens to help them with interview skills and internships in the future.

Baltimore City DSS was very supportive and an active partner.  Ray Syndor from the Philadelphia Eagles was part of the event and was so impressed with KidsPeace that he is working on continuing a partnership in the form of a camp and other programs for our kids. One of the event's very generous sponsors (a local hotel) wants to partner with KidsPeace for next year to help plan the event. The Baltimore Foster Care Office Board of Associates and their families were very generous with their time and their donations, and Chairperson Lee Anderson provided immeasurable professionalism for the post race program. Each board member worked side by side with  staff to make this event such a success, and their dedication to KidsPeace is very inspiring. Board members, interns, staff and their family members were joined by folks from Johns Hopkins, Baltimore students and local community members.

The foster families who attended and volunteered were amazed at the magnitude of the race and the community involvement on their behalf. One of the foster children summed it up by saying "Wow, This is all for us!" A big thank you to everyone who helped out and an invitation to bring friends and family to make next years race an even bigger hit.

Some 52 volunteers worked very hard on the planting, including 10 youth who are in residence at the Bowdon facility and several KidsPeace Georgia associates. State Forester Joe Burgess was there to instruct the volunteers on how the trees should be handled, planted and tended. Adding great energy to the event was KidsPeace Georgia Board of Associates Chair and KidsPeace National Board Member Dick Tisinger, who organized the army of volunteers with staff from his law firm, Tisinger & Vance, and his Agape Sunday School class from First United Methodist Church.

On Friday, October 29, Fletcher Landscape of Carrollton planted 29 larger trees, which Gene Hughes provided to KidsPeace at a huge discount. Additionally, Landscape Architect Chris Threadgill donated many hours to plan exactly where the trees would go. Carroll County EMC donated more than 30 loads of wood chips, which were placed under the ropes course to make landings softer and used as mulch around the campus.

According to Carol Doyle, a KidsPeace Georgia Board of Associates member and the person who made this entire event possible, the adult volunteers told her how much they enjoyed working with the KidsPeace kids. It was a great opportunity for them to get to know the kids and relate on a more personal level to understand exactly what KidsPeace is accomplishing with these boys and girls. It was also a great chance for the kids to see that people are willing to donate their time and efforts to make life more pleasant for them. 

Scott Merritt is very appreciative to all of the volunteers and donors who made this major planting event possible and is delighted that the kids took such an interest in making their surroundings more beautiful and more pleasant for their daily activities and visits from family members, community members and neighbors.

KidsPeace Schools in Orefield, PA, are offering a new weekly class to students in residential treatment – Character Education. Teacher Michael Brady has been passionate about introducing this concept for six years and wrote his Master’s Thesis on the subject. “It is experiential education that focuses on building positive relationships and setting the students up to be successful,” Michael explains. Having been a teacher for 12 years, Michael realized that students needed more than content that is assessed at the end of the year to determine if the class was successful.

The students begin by sharing information about themselves with the class and developing a values agreement that they all sign to indicate their acceptance. The kids then use their own words to describe the elements of their learning environment including cooperation, trust, problem-solving, working together in safety, positive communications, discussing emotions and reacting to and accepting student feedback.

Michael has the students suggest projects that they could work on together such as student newsletters, after school programs, incentives similar to those offered in the residential houses, on-campus jobs, creating a music studio, working in a garden or working with animals. He visits each class only once a week, but his goal is to empower the students to feel comfortable with trying new things as a group.

Naming the idea after the program outlined in his thesis, Michael is hoping that the Epiphany Project will become a marketable product that can be introduced in schools and agencies around the Lehigh Valley and the nation. Michael envisions marketing the program to local schools and agencies as workshops for kids or a series of programs throughout the year, but that will be in the future.

Right now, Michael spends an hour a week in each classroom, but that time will increase as the students become more involved in the program. It is very rewarding to Michael that the students are actively participating in the classes, especially when considering that these kids are all in residential treatment at KidsPeace because of emotional, behavioral or mental health issues. Furthermore, the composition of the classes changes as children move through their treatment steps and change levels of care as they progress. Students who come from the Diagnostic Program are only at KidsPeace short term, so class members turnover often.

Michael uses a number of resources in the classes including books full of activities and quote books. He often starts class with a fun activity and then introduces a quote or writing prompt to get students thinking and talking. They are all journaling as well, learning to put their feelings on paper. The students have all created cover pages that contain their hopes, dreams, fears, self-portraits and things that are important to them.

“All in all, the kids are doing real well with this project, and I believe that character education will benefit them all while here at KidsPeace and later in life.” This program is another example of how the KidsPeace Transformation is leading to innovation and interesting programs to help our kids learn and grow and heal.

Saturday, October 30, 2010

KidsPeace invites you to "Put your Best Face On" for Baltimore's Foster Teens. Join us for a fun event for children and adults of all ages. Wear your Halloween costumes, dress up as a family (and that includes your 4 legged family members too) and walk or run for a great cause

Register online until October 28, 2010, or register the morning of the event.

Start (and registration) at DuBurns Arena (Corner of S. Ellwood Ave. and Boston Street) in Canton, 1301 S. Ellwood Ave. Baltimore, MD 21224

Registration begins at 7:30 am Race begins at 9:00 am Fun walk begins at 9:05 am
Course is throughout Canton and Patterson Park ending in O’Donnell Square.

The purpose of the race is to assist KidsPeace in offering training and mentoring to older foster teens as they prepare to become independent adults. All money raised goes directly to benefit kids.

For more information, contact Erin Doyle at 410-964-9329

Registration: $25 in advance/ $30 on Race Day (includes a free t-shirt)
$20 for families who are walking together (day of event )
Foster family/Foster child walk free* (day of event)

Premium t-shirts for all registered runners - size and availability NOT guaranteed on race day. Limited t-shirts available for purchase by walkers on the day of the event.

Awards: Overall Male and Female - 1st $250; 2nd $150; 3rd $100 Various prizes for age group winners: Gifts and gift certificates from Fairfield Marriott, Baltimore, Field House, the Big Screen Store, James Joyce Tavern, Starbucks, the Maryland Science Center, Applebee’s and many others.

Prizes for best dressed family, most creative costume for an adult, child and pet and best “face.”
Every registrant will be entered into a drawing for prizes. Winners will be selected at the awards ceremony. Must be present to win.

Trick or Treating for the kids from O’Donnell Square businesses and face painting.

Parking: On streets surrounding DuBurns Arena and O'Donnell Square.

Great refreshments in O’Donnell Square.

Volunteer: If you are unable to run or walk, please consider volunteering to help on the day of the race. Contact, Gina Seyfried at 410-964-9329.

This event is always a big hit, and competitors work very hard to win the best wings in town title. In addition to visitor ticket purchases, the wing cookers pay an entry fee and secure a spot to set up and cook their best. Foster families and children attend, and the entire community comes out to support the kids. 

For more information on the event and to learn how to participate or make a donation, please call 910-223-0949.

KidsPeace has expanded and broadened its services with the opening of a new outpatient facility at its campus located at 1650 Broadway in South Bethlehem. 

The new KidsPeace Family Center at Broadway will offer a spectrum of services for children and families, including a new 24-hour toll-free phone number that will serve as a referral source for parents who need help.

The Family Center will offer:  Diagnostic Services, Autism Services, (Including the Sarah’s Smile Summer Camp and After School Therapeutic Programs), Outpatient Therapy, Behavioral Health and Rehabilitation Services (BHRS), Drug and Alcohol Treatment, In-Home Treatment, Allied Professional Services and Referrals.

“We are very proud today to announce an exciting new chapter in our organization’s 128-year-old history,” said William Isemann, KidsPeace President & CEO. “This initiative expands our services to provide much-needed programs in the Lehigh Valley and broadens our mission to provide hope, help and healing to children, families and communities.”

As part of this new center, KidsPeace is also launching a new toll-free phone number in the Lehigh Valley that will serve as a referral source for parents who may be struggling with their children and need assistance.  888-KP-Helps is staffed by KidsPeace Admissions Associates who will assess the caller’s needs and help them navigate the system to find the best resources.  At times, those callers will be referred to KidsPeace diagnostic or treatment services.  Other calls may be referred to another Lehigh Valley agency better suited to meet a specific need. Help may also be accessed through a new online form at www.kidspeace.org.

The 50 children who previously resided on the Broadway Campus have been moved to the newly renovated Pioneer Center on the Orchard Hills Campus, Orefield, and have begun the school year along with all other KidsPeace residential students.

The newly constructed 9,500 square-foot center on the southwestern end of the campus will serve as the operation hub where assessments can be conducted, appointments provided and where families can access help navigating the system to locate the best resources to meet their needs.

Built on the original site of the former Wiley House, the center was completed this summer and reflects the original design of the home that began as a children’s orphanage in 1882.  Space in the other buildings on the campus will also be utilized for classes, services and a variety of programs and therapies.  At a total cost of $3 million, the project included extensive curbing, driveway access and street renovations by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Approximately 117 full and part-time KidsPeace Associates will staff the KidsPeace Center and Broadway Campus.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is holding its fifth annual fundraising walk in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania on Sunday, October 10th at the Lehigh Parkway in Allentown. KidsPeace Senior Psychologist Peter Langman, PhD, is the president of the Lehigh Valley Chapter and is very active in raising awareness of suicide through this event. "Someone dies from suicide every 16 minutes in the US," according to Langman, "and suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15 - 24 year old in this country."  

The walk is held every year to increase awareness of suicide, raise funds for suicide prevention and support those who have lost a loved one to suicide. Hundreds of adults and children walk in honor of friends and family members who have been lost to suicide and receive donations from supporters who sponsor their walk.

KidsPeace has a growing team of associates, their family members and youth in residential programs who walk to keep awareness of suicide high. At the end of the walk, there will be music and a chance to mingle and offer support to each other. Walkers are urged to bring a picnic lunch and blanket. Light refreshments will be served.

If you would like to join the KidsPeace team or form a team of you own for this inspiring event, visit www.outofthedarkness.org to register or to make a donation through a registered team. Search for team names by clicking on the Participant/Team Search link. All donations and walkers will make a difference and help AFSP reach out to and educate our neighbors and community members.

OREFIELD, September 16, 2010 – Attendees will time travel to 1940’s Morocco when KidsPeace presents “An Evening in Club Casablanca” Saturday, Oct. 2 at the KidsPeace Orchard Hills Campus, Orefield.  Cocktails are at 5:30; dinner is at 7 p.m.

            This year’s gala will feature décor, food and drinks all inspired by the classic Academy-award winning movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.  The big band sounds of Steve Lippia and his 10-piece orchestra will perform “Simply Sinatra” and the evening will include a casino, silent auction and a raffle for a luxurious trip to Morocco.

            Gala honorees for 2010 are J. Jackson Eaton III, attorney with Gross McGinley, and Robert and Susan Allen, long time supporters of KidsPeace.  Simply Smooth of Allentown is catering and staging the event.

For more than 128 years, KidsPeace has been the nation’s leading charitable organization, dedicated to children.  KidsPeace provides a full continuum of mental and behavioral health programs for children and their families. 

“We are excited to present this unique movie-inspired event and to also have the opportunity to honor and thank Jackson and the Allens for their continued and dedicated support,” said Will Isemann, KidsPeace President and CEO. 

Guests are invited to wear 1940’s inspired dress or elegant black/white/grey attire.  For tickets, sponsorship or more information, contact Sheri Weber at 610-799-8071 or sheri.weber@kidspeace.org.

About KidsPeace

Founded in 1882, KidsPeace is dedicated to serving the behavioral and mental health needs of children, preadolescents, teens and young adults, offering a comprehensive range of residential treatment programs; accredited educational services, and a variety of foster care and community-based programs to give hope, help and healing to children, families and communities.  KidsPeace offers services in Georgia, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and the District of Columbia

September 15, 2010

Fashions from Coldwater Creek will be featured at the 24th Annual KidsPeace Auxiliary Fashion Show and Luncheon Sept. 15th from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Bethlehem Best Western, Rts. 512 and 22.

Since 1948, the KidsPeace Auxiliary has raised funds to support the work of providing hope, help and healing to children, families and communities. Originally founded as the Wiley House Ladies Auxiliary, the KidsPeace Auxiliary has assisted thousands of children for more than 60 years.

Tickets for the event are $25 and can be reserved by calling Sheri Weber at 610-799-8071. All proceeds for the 2010 show will benefit KidsPeace Autism programs.

KidsPeace provided another summer filled with fun and games for 150 children teens on the Autism Spectrum. Sarah's Smile is a popular camp-like day program that offers autistic children the opportunity to have fun and increase social skills in a safe and nurturing environment. The groups go on field trips, play games, make wonderful art, interact with caring staff and make many friends.

"This was a great summer for the kids," said Program Manager of Community Autism Services and Blended Case Management Paige Keeter. "We brought the older kids up to the Orchard Hills Campus every week to give them a changed of scene and a lot of room to run and play." Competitive games of Capture the Flag were great fun and became eagerly anticipated weekly events between the Lions and the Alligators. It was so popular, Paige added, that one boy who moved out west during camp called her to ask who captured the flag the next week.

Sarah's Smile was able to accommodate 126 children a day, which required careful planning by staff to ensure that vacations were factored in to provide some camp to as many kids as possible. The children, who attended four days a week, filled 14 classrooms at the KidsPeace CDCRT located on Broadway in Bethlehem. Paige was delighted that 80% of the staff were returning from the previous year, which speaks well of the program. Many have been counselors for many years, moving up in title as they complete college and receive certifications. "They form relationships with the children and with each other," Paige continued, "which only makes the experience more meaningful for everyone involved."

Field Trips

Each week, the classes go on field trips that educate and are very enjoyable. In addition to trips to the more rural Orchard Hills Campus, the kids went to several great places. They visited Flint Hill farms where they learned about milking cows, making butter and cheese and what dairy farms are all about. They also went bowling at the Rose Bowl in Allentown and got to attend a day game of the Iron Pigs baseball team. The week before the game, they took a tour of Coca Cola Stadium to see where the game would be played, where they would sit and how the facility operated inside and out. They participated in an onsite petting zoo and had a carnival to mark the last day of camp. There were moon bounces, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, a dunk tank and games they could play for prizes. It was a great day for the kids and staff.

The kids and staff played their last capture the flag game on the day before the carnival and had a picnic at Orchard Hills. Paige invited KidsPeace associates who do not typically interact with the kids to attend the picnic because their support throughout the summer and the entire year make it possible to serve these wonderful kids. She paired staff members up with kids as lunch buddies, and new relationships were formed that allowed the kids to ask lots of questions and meet yet more caring KidsPeace employees.

For More Information

As this summer closes, Paige is planning for next summer's Sarah Smile program. "Each year we hope to expand to accommodate more children," according to Paige. "The kids love it and so do the parents, who are great supporters." There are always many more applicants than there are spaces, so Paige keeps a list of interested participants throughout the year and always sends prior attendees invitations to apply for the following summer. The mailing is sent out in late January, and the spots are all filled by March 1.

To receive more information on Sarah's Smile Summer Program, contact Paige Keeter at 610-799-7357 or email at Paige.Keeter@KidsPeace.org.

• Girls - PASC Premier and WVSC for Under 10; PASC Rockets and WVSC 99 Navy for Under 11, WVSC for Under 12, WVSC 97 Girls and GCVSA Cosmos for Under 13; Palisades for Under 14; Danubia for Under 14/15; and Bethlehem Soccer Club Under 14 for the Sportsmanship Award.

• Boys -- PASC Premier and WVSC 01 Boys for Under 9; Triboro for Under 10; WL United and WVSC 99 Boys for Under 12; Southern Lehigh for Under 13; Muhlenberg and Pottsgrove for Under 14; MUSC Strikers for Under 15; and FC Freedom Under 12 for the Sportsmanship Award.

The real winners were the members of TeenCentral.Net, the anonymous, free website offered by KidsPeace to teens around the world where they can log on and work out their problems and concerns with advice from Master's and PhD level counselors. The site also gives teen members a safe place to add comments to other teens' posts, which do not go live until they are checked by counselors, learn about celebrities who may have experienced similar issues while growing up, read news that is relevant to them and visit pages that provide honest information about weight disorders, domestic abuse and smoking.

KidsPeace would like to thank Verizon for sponsoring the tournament, as well as the celebrities from Channel 69 News, B104 and WLEV 100.7 radio stations. We would also like to thank Susan Corbett, wife of the candidate for Attorney General Tom Corbett, for attending the tournament and touring KidsPeace facilities. The Corbetts are big fans of TeenCentral.Net, and Mr. Corbett is focusing on Internet safety for kids, which TeenCentral.Net certainly represents.

The tournament ran very smoothly and more than 4,000 people visited our campus that weekend and enjoyed the beauty of our facilities and the feeling of community that prevailed during the games. KidsPeace would like to thank all of the associate volunteers who helped with setup, helping visitors and cleanup after the games. We would also like to thank the many kids from our programs who did an amazing job helping visitors and participating in all aspects of the weekend.

KidsPeace received very positive feedback from coaches and attendees on the way the tournament was run and how well they were treated by everyone from KidsPeace. Next year's tournament will be held on August 20-21, and we hope to attract an even larger turnout for our 14th Invitational.

KidsPeace Foster Care associates and capitol area tastemakers will be gathering in Laurel, MD, on Thursday, Sept. 23, to help local children in need.  A special fundraiser and free wine-tasting at Corridor Fine Wine in Laurel will benefit hundreds of Washington and Maryland children in foster care and adoption programs run by the national children’s charity KidsPeace.

The public is invited between 6 and 9 p.m. to enjoy the evening’s “Around the World Wine Tasting,” featuring upscale wines and champagnes from five countries.  The tasting is free, and 30 percent of all wine sales generated that night, as well as all silent auction proceeds will be donated to KidsPeace.

“This event is for people with a thirst, not just for the finer things in life, but for helping children, many of whom don’t have even the basics such as a home and a loving adult to guide their way,” said Steve Faith, Vice President of Wine Operations for Corridor Fine Wine.  

“It’s not every day you get to take a trip around the globe,” according to Diane Sancilio, KidsPeace Manager of Foster Care and Community Programs. “And at the same time do a world of good to benefit our children.”

Save the date and plan to attend to feel good while doing some good and benefit hundreds of children in the Baltimore and Washington areas. The event is on September 23 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at 3321 Corridor Marketplace, Laurel, MD 20724. For directions, call 301-617-8507.

KidsPeace set up a karaoke machine that allowed children and teens to express themselves by singing for the crowds. As evening turned to night, more teens and even a few adults came to the booth to stretch their vocal chords. The booth contained many fun giveaways for the kids and adults that sported the KidsPeace and TeenCentral.Net logos. Volunteers also gave away brochures and information about KidsPeace, TeenCentral.Net and Foster Care.

KidsPeace raffled off two beautiful skateboards designed specifically for the event by the very talented Shawn Parker, Manager of Creative Services. One carried the KidsPeace colors and logo, while the other contained artwork that appears on TeenCentral.Net, the anonymous website that KidsPeace offers to teens seeking professional advice regarding their issues and problems. The raffle raised nearly $200 for KidsPeace and TeenCentral.Net.

A dozen KidsPeace and TeenCentral.Net associates from all parts of the organization participated in greeting visitors and talking about their work at the nonprofit organization that has been serving Lehigh Valley since 1882. The best part of the event for KidsPeace associates was thoughtfulness of kids and adults who stopped by to relate how KidsPeace had helped them and their families. Among them, one father stopped to say that KidsPeace had "saved his son's life," a grandmother expressed tearful thanks for turning her granddaughter's life around, and a courageous young man who told volunteers personally how KidsPeace had helped him.

KidsPeace continues to reach out to the community to inform families about how the charity can help children and young adults of all ages and from any background. TeenCentral.Net visits community events, schools, libraries, tv and radio shows and anyplace where they can get the word out to teens about how the site can help them, educate them and give them a place to safely communicate with other teens and Doctor's and Master's level counselors.

84 Teams Converge to Raise Hope, Funds for Local Charity

 at 13th Annual KidsPeace Soccer Invitational

----

Free Admission for Public – Proceeds to support TeenCentral.Net

WHAT:     The 13^th Annual KidsPeace Soccer Invitational

More than 80 teams will bring 1,000+ players and hundreds more fans and neighbors intent on having a good time and raising money to benefit TeenCentral.Net, the unique website developed by KidsPeace that allows teens to write anonymous posts about their problems and concerns and receive free online advise from Master's level counselors within 24 hours. The site also contains resources, news and information about domestic violence, obesity and smoking cessation.

Admission is free, so come on down, pull up a chair, and maybe buy a t-shirt or a hot dog in support of this annual event.  There will be fun games, music, visiting attractions, food, and activities.  Verizon Wireless is the tournament sponsor.

WHEN:     Saturday & Sunday, August 21-22, 2010

Exciting kicks, blocks, and goals from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm both days

B104 Crew & Bee – Saturday from Noon to 2:00 pm.

WLEV 100.7 FM – Sunday from Noon to 2:00 pm

WFMZ TV 69 and interactive fun for kids, 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m., both days

WHERE:       KidsPeace Orchard Hill campus, 5300 KidsPeace Drive, Orefield, PA 18069

                  (DIRECTIONS:  From I-78 take Rte 309 north 7 miles, turn left on Old Packhouse Road.

Campus is ahead on left).  For weather information, please call 610-799-8315.

“Come on down and support local kids and the team of your choice,” says KidsPeace President & CEO Will Isemann. “And for two straight days, everyone will be a winner!”

SPECIAL NOTE:  In addition to great competitive soccer, there will be a coaches’ clinic on Friday, Aug. 20 conducted by Fernando Carrizo, head coach of the Northwestern Lehigh High School Varsity Boys Soccer team and assistant coach of the FC Sonics. The clinic has a minimal fee and is open to all participating coaches and to coaches who do not have teams in the tournament.  Sessions will be conducted from 5 to 8:30 p.m.  For more information or to register, contact Jenelle Perich at 610-799-8493.

KidsPeace operates Foster Care and Community Programs offices across the country. While referral agencies attempt to achieve permanency for these children through placement with other family members, they still have many children to place in treatment foster homes with highly trained families like those recruited and trained by KidsPeace.

With shrinking tax revenues and diminishing funds to take care of the needs of foster children in care, KidsPeace associates often feel frustration with having sufficient families to meet needs of referred children. Program Manager Jennifer Brown of the KidsPeace Merrillville, IN, FCCP office has decided to be innovative in motivating and encouraging her eight-person team of associates.

Jennifer has created two award programs that she bestows on her dedicated staff members: the Pit Bull Award and the Crusader Award. These recognitions encourage associates to fight their daily battles fearlessly, and to be strong advocates for the children in the Foster Care program.

“People who work with me have always characterized me as a pit bull because I fight hard and never give up on getting as much assistance for our children as possible,” Jennifer said. “This gave me the idea for the Pit Bull award, which is presented to an associate weekly.” The initial award is a Pit Bull pin with the associate’s name on it, and subsequent awards include adding dog bones to the pin, a dog bone bracelet and a dog bone tiara.

The Crusader Award includes a helmet, sword, breastplate and shield and has been given only once so far to Jen Gaskill for sticking with it and winning the battle for a particularly difficult case. The other associates are now vying for the honor of taking the Crusader gear from Jen and claiming it as their own.

“I believe that this is a very positive incentive that has everyone excited about our ‘Save a Kid Challenge’ campaign that is both fun and empowering,” Jennifer said. She has gone to the community for prizes, and businesses have donated manicures and haircuts, with more to come.

This was Jennifer’s plan to build resiliency among the associates who deal with frequent policy changes that send children home too soon only to see them back in crisis and in need of another foster home. Congratulations to Jennifer for being innovative and encouraging to the associates in her office.

The winning foursome scored 61 and included Joe Lennert, Caruso Benefits; Rich Kovacs, Kovacs Benefits Group; Doug Leonzi, National Penn Investments Services; and Kevin Burgess, KidsPeace. There were 144 golfers, but the raffle tickets were sold across the area. The awards dinner was great fun but became very touching when a KidsPeace Foster Care client addressed the group and told his story and warmed everyone's heart with his description of how KidsPeace had changed his life and helped him become the fine young man he is today.

Highmark Blue Shield was the tournament's premier sponsor, and event title sponsors were PrintConcepts and Tallman, Hudders & Sorrentino.  

State Manager Tom Culver

State Manager Tom Culver will present opening remarks and discuss how the new office will be serving the community and the many children in need of therapeutic foster care. He will also explain the process for becoming a KidsPeace foster parent and describe the extensive screening and training KidsPeace provides all foster parents in our programs. He will then introduce guest speaker, Dr. J. Eric Vance, chief psychiatric consultant to the New Hampshire Division of Juvenile Justice Services and former clinical consultant to the mental health office of the NC Department of Health and Human Services, who will present a training entitled, "Practical Applications of Resiliency Theory Treatment Foster Care and Intensive In-Home Services." Dr. Vance's program will assist anyone who provides assistance, support or services to at risk children and families by clearly describing the importance of developing resilience in children to improve their outcomes in foster care.

KidsPeace has Foster Care and Community Programs offices in Raleigh, Fayetteville and Aberdeen, NC, and across the country. The new office is located at 180 Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Suite 112 in Durham and serves children from the counties of Durham, Person, Orange and Chatham.

For more information on the event and to register for the free training, please call 919-872-6447 or visit us on the web at www.fostercare.com or www.kidspeace.org.

The weekend will be filled with competitive soccer, and every team is guaranteed three games, more if they make the semi-finals and finals. Sponsors are still being welcomed to help defray the costs of the tournament. Please call Sheri Weber at 610-799-8071 for more information on how you or your organization can help sponsor this great community weekend. The tournament is free to the public, so neighbors and friends are invited to visit the KidsPeace campus to join in the fun.

"We also need volunteers to help with registration, marshaling, parking, food and souvenir sales, assisting visitors and setup and cleanup," said Operations Coordinator Jenelle Perich. To offer your assistance for part or all of the weekend, please contact Kelly Fritzinger at 610-799-8370 or Kelly.Fritzinger@kidspeace.org.

In addition to great competitive soccer, there will be a coaches clinic on Friday August 20 conducted by Fernando Carrizo, head coach of the Northwestern Lehigh High School team and assistant coach of the FC Sonics. The clinic is free to all participating coaches and for a small fee to coaches who will not have teams in the tournament. There will be camping on the grounds of KidsPeace for teams and their families, but there are also several area hotels that are close to the tournament and to Dorney Park.

During the weekend, the Verizon Street Team will be on campus as will Schuylkill Valley Sports, radio station personalities from B104 and representatives of WFMZ Channel 69 News. There will be something for everyone during the weekend and all to benefit a very important resource for teens in need of assistance.

With more than 590,000 members, TeenCentral.Net provides a forum for teens to write in about what bothers them and receive answers within 24 hours from highly trained volunteers whose posts are reviewed by Master's level professionals before appearing on the site. "Because TeenCentral.Net is safe and anonymous, teens can express their private thoughts and receive great free advice that is tailored specifically for them," Licata says. "Other teens read about what their peers are experiencing and benefit from the advice. Many teens write their own advice to help out other teens, and, according to Licata, these get posted as well after Master's level counselors read the posts and ensure that their contents are appropriate." Celebrities like actress Amanda Seyfried and famous athletes or popular singers also tell their stories on TeenCentral.Net so that teens can see that their lives are not that different from those of the people they look up to. Licata also discussed all of the resources available on the site for teens, including special pages on obesity, smoking cessation and domestic violence, as well as news just for teens, suggested reading and giveaways.

The webcast will be aired on Wed., June 30, from 2:00-3:00 p.m., and be available to hear any time thereafter at  http://www.radiosandysprings.com/

 CELEBRATION HONORS NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH

KidsPeace FCCP office in Duncansville, PA, joined with Arrow Child & Family Ministries of Hollidaysburg to honor area foster and adoptive families at a recognition banquet May 20^th from 6- 9 p.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park in Altoona.

Thanks to a generous grant from the Adoption Coalition of the State of PA, Department of Public Welfare, a total of 125 adults attended the event and enjoyed a wonderful meal and informative presentations.

The event included a dinner and awards followed by a panel discussion featuring:  Mark Tennant, Founder/CEO, Arrow Child & Family Ministries; Maryanne Burger, Administrator, Blair Country Children, Youth & Family; Kim Walkingshaw, Statewide Adoption Network (SWAN); President Judge Jolene Grubb Kopriva; Paul and Maribeth Mills, KidsPeace Resource Family; Troy and Jodie Campbell, Arrow Ambassador Family.

“This event was be an excellent way to show how valued these families are and to amplify the need for more families to come forward to care for children in need of foster care or adoption,” said Melinda Shea, Program Director, Arrow Child & Family Ministries. 

According to KidsPeace Program Manager Tammi Yeckley, speakers included KidsPeace and Arrow Child &  Family Ministries Staff, Judge Jolene Kopriva, Director of Blair County  Children, Youth & Families, Maryanne Burger, Kim Walkingshaw from SWAN (Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network). Other attendants included several Blair CYS Supervisors and caseworkers, representatives from Bedford Bounty CYS, a couple of Guardian ad litem attorneys, and many foster and/ or adoptive families, as well as families interested in beginning the process of becoming foster or adoptive parents. The local YMCA provided child care service for all of the foster/adoptive families’ children.

Gift baskets and certificates were provided to all attending and active resource families; CYS caseworker awards were also given to those that were nominated. Food was excellent and feedback we have received thus far has been really wonderful.   

The evening also included “Heart Gallery,” featuring a video and photo gallery of Pennsylvania children who are available for adoption.  The event is funded through a grant from the Adoption Coalition of the State of PA, Department of Public Welfare.

For more information on how to become a foster or adoptive parent in Pennsylvania, please call KidsPeace at 888-336-7708.

In honor of National Foster Care Month, the KidsPeace Raleigh, NC, Foster Care and Community Programs office is celebrating the work that our families are doing with the children/teens placed in their homes. Families enter a weekly drawing to win a gift card by answering a “Question of the Week.” We thought that sharing their thoughts with you would help us honor them further and display how the work they do daily is giving hope, help and healing to our children, families and communities. A few of the responses appear below:

Question of the Week for May 3^rd:

What do you see as your main strength as a Foster Parent?

I am very passionate about young people and often have difficulty defining what many may consider my "strength" as a Foster Parent. I will say that I always meet the youth where they are with respect to assuring them that regardless of their circumstances that we can work together to find viable solutions and identify the appropriate resources to assist them with moving forward. I believe in empowering youth and equipping them with skills and processes to achieve goals and master accomplishments. I am a good listener and I only offer solutions when prompted by the individual. I strive to provide opportunities wherein youth can utilize their abilities to problem solve and create positive outcomes with limited assistance from adults. This process creates strengthened self-esteem and a new-found awareness of how to deal with adversities and challenges. Youth are our most valuable asset, and the process by which we lend our talents, skills and experiences as adults helps prepare them for this journey called life. There is no blueprint for being a foster parent, but there are definitely best practices...and they seem to work for me. Evelyn S.

Question of the Week for May 10^th:

Tell us about a special memory that you have of a child placed in your home (past or present).

The first thing I thought of when I read this question was Christmas morning 2008 with S.J. We were at my sister’s house and all my family was there. S. was sitting on the couch beside me not expecting any gifts since we had celebrated our family Christmas before going to my sister’s home in Virginia.  I will never forget the look on her face when she got her first gift from one of my sisters, she almost cried. I don’t think she could understand how complete strangers could accept her and treat her like one of the family so easily. It was wonderful and she had a great day. Sandy C.

A special memory of a child that was placed in my home is when this child took the time to say thank you for all that you are doing for me. She acknowledged the fact that, although her biological parents were not there for her, she still had a chance. She said to me she felt as though she has a chance as long as she keeps in touch with her foster family. Theresa S.

"We show our appreciation to our dedicated foster parents throughout the year, but, in May, we try to reach out and thank these families with special events, picnics, dinners and individual recognition of all that they do," says KidsPeace Executive Director of Foster Care and Community Programs Ray Culp. "It takes very special people to open their hearts and homes to children who have been separated from their families and need adults to give them structure and guidance during a very difficult time in their lives."

Foster families provide homes for children who are stepping down from residential treatment facilities, have been removed from their homes because of abuse, neglect or emotional, mental or physical issues that cannot be addressed in their homes. They often require many types of treatment and counseling outside the foster home, and foster parents spend many hours driving them to appointments, participating in counseling sessions and taking them to visit family members. It is not an easy job, and many children take a long time to adjust and learn to trust their foster families.

There is a growing number of older children and teens who need foster homes, and these kids who need the care the most are often the hardest to place. These children need assistance learning independent living skills, planning their educations, or finding employment after they have graduated. KidsPeace assists foster children prepare for the future and stresses the importance of education and training.

KidsPeace foster care offices actively recruit foster parents through a variety of media and then carefully screen these volunteers and provide extensive training to help them care for the children who will live in their homes. Our associates are available 24/7 to assist foster families and children with any questions, issues or services that may be needed.

During this special awareness month, KidsPeace Foster Care encourages adults who are over 21, have flexible schedules, can provide privacy and supervision, have a means of support, have room in their homes and hearts and a means of transportation to contact us to learn more about becoming a foster parent. Call 866-454-3773 for more information or visit the foster care page on this site.

We thank the hundreds of foster parents who provide love and support to our foster children and acknowledge the hard work and loving care they give our children and teens every day.

Parents, pediatricians, family practioners and counselors may now call the KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital directly to receive telephone screening and pre-certification for admission. If the youth meets admission criteria, the youth will be given an appointment to come directly to the Psychiatric Hospital for admission completion. The Psychiatric Hospital serves males and females ages 4 to 21 who require acute care in an intensive, secure, safe setting that will stabilize presenting problems.

Admitted clients include individuals who have been evaluated by a private therapist, physician or school counselor and deemed in need of Inpatient treatment. KidsPeace screens these individuals to ensure that they are not under the influence of substances and are not in need of significant medical treatment. If the youth cannot be admitted, KidsPeace staff will discuss alternative treatment options with the family. In some cases, families will be directed to visit an emergency room for evaluation prior to coming to KidsPeace.

This new admission process will lead to smoother, more efficient acceptance to the KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital and allow many clients to be come directly to KidsPeace in times of crisis. Please be sure to call KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital before coming to the facility. For more information, please contact the Admissions Staff of the KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital at 610-799-8990.

KidsPeace CFO/Treasurer Tim Richards joins Rob Harvey and Paige Keeter from Autism Services to walk with KidsPeace team

OREFIELD, April 13, 2010 – Nearly 100 KidsPeace employees, families, clients and friends will make up the “KidsPeace Kares Team” in the Walk Now for Autism Speaks event this Saturday in Allentown’s Lehigh Parkway. 

KidsPeace has participated with a team since the walk was launched in the Lehigh Valley three years ago.  Individuals are securing pledges to walk in the event and the team raised more than $300 toward the cause during a recent hoagie sale.

KidsPeace provides community autism services in the Lehigh Valley and also conducts “Sarah Smiles,” a summer day camp for Lehigh Valley children with autism.

“Our employees are very excited about participating,” said Paige Keeter, Program Manager, Autism Community Services for KidsPeace, and team director.  “ Walking with some of our clients and their families will make our efforts especially meaningful.” Keeter added that this year’s team will also be joined by several on-air personalities from WLEV 100.7 FM.

To support the KidsPeace effort, visit www.walknowforautism.org and locate the “KidsPeace Kares Team” button. 

Fact is, half of the 500,000 children in the foster care system nationwide are 12 or older and they need homes, help, and love just as much as younger kids – maybe more, because they’ve been waiting so much longer.

With 130,000 children entering the foster care system each year – many of them 12 or older – KidsPeace is calling on those with room in their homes and in their hearts to consider taking in an older foster child.

 Local Campaign Launched

"We welcome Sharon and know she will be an asset to our KidsPeace team of associates," said KidsPeace Executive Vice President Michael Slack when announcing the appointment. "Her knowledge of the Lehigh Valley and her strong expertise in fundraising and national media relations will help us further advance the KidsPeace mission."

In her new role, McCarthy will direct all fundraising activities for the organization and manage all local and national media and public relations. Originally from Pittsburgh, McCarthy has more than 25 years of experience in communications and fundraising, directing efforts for non profits ArtsQuest, WDIY 88.1 FM and Via of the Lehigh Valley. She also managed corporate communications for the former First Union Bank and community relations for Rodale, Inc. Her contact number is 610-799-7797.

Designed in a graphic novel format, this section is very gripping and stark in its presentation. It discusses the feelings teens have about abuse, simple examples of what constitutes domestic or dating abuse, where to turn for help and how to stand up to an abuser and find a safer place. "We tried to answer potential questions teens might ask about the subject," Licata explains, "and give them all of the information they need to contact a person or organization for support and extrication from the situation." He adds, "It is never easy to stand up to abusers, whether they are parents or the person you are dating, especially since there are typically self esteem issues for the abused teen. We hope that we can convince our members that they are valuable people who do not deserve abuse. We also want to instruct all teens to look for signs of abuse in family members or friends and offer their support."

Another feature of this new section is an interactive board game that allows teens to learn about domestic and dating abuse through a series of questions, which, if answered correctly, move your play piece around the board. If a teen does not do well in the game, she can re-read the information and try again until she wins. "We hope to change the lives of many teens who are suffering needlessly at the hands of adult or peer abusers and encourage friends to recognize the signs of abuse and offer assistance to a peers who are in abusive relationships," says Licata. The development of this new section was made possible by a grant from Verizon.

TeenCentral.Net is a free, anonymous website sponsored by KidsPeace, the organization that has been providing services to children and adolescents since 1882. TeenCentral.Net has always been a forum where teens could express their every thought and receive nonjudgmental answers to their most intimate questions. Master's level counselors read each posting before publishing and respond to every posting within 24 hours. The site contains postings from many of its 590,000 members, celebrity stories about overcoming problems in their teens, news aimed at teens, a section on weight awareness, a guide for quitting smoking and recommendations about books that appeal to teens. Hundreds of volunteers assist in the operation of this website, and the growing number of monthly hits speaks to the popularity of this site. Access the site at http://www.teencentral.net/ and learn about all of the features that appeal so to teens. The site also has a Facebook page that has a growing following as well.

In addition to his regular duties at KidsPeace, Al is also a pastor who has his own church in Allentown, PA, and who volunteers after work to listen and give hope to the children at KidsPeace. He was sorely missed while he was gone, and his flock and co-workers did not forget him. In fact, they held a fundraiser to help defray his medical and living expenses while he was recuperating. Al spent three weeks in the hospital and another three weeks at a rehabilitation center before going home for the long journey back to full strength. He had surgery again in October to insert a plastic plate in his head to protect the injured area. He went through months of physical and occupational therapy before being pronounced ready to drive and return to work last week.

The 48 year old Barnes was overwhelmed by the happiness the KidsPeace staff showed when he returned. "People told me they were close to tears over seeing me," Al confides. "I can't get over how many people are so glad to see me!" It was no different at his church. After he left the rehabilitation center, Al went to a Friday night service and planned to stand to address the congregation for five minutes. Twenty minutes later, he stopped talking because he voice was going, but his energy felt limitless. Al's church is the Kingdom Roadhouse, where he preaches every Friday evening to visitors from all denominations and faiths. Many members are bikers who really relate to Al's biker persona. The children at KidsPeace are drawn to Al's calm and spiritual nature and turn to him for spiritual guidance. Al volunteers with the Spirituality Committee and participates in events such as Gospelfest.

When discussing his miraculous recovery, Al says that he "received a do-over from God, and God remade me into a better person." He says that his faith is stronger than ever, and that he he can hear God better than ever before. Now that he is running on all cylinders again, Al plans to visits victims of motorcycle accidents in the hospital and rehab centers to provide counseling and offer prayers. "I have a unique perspective now, and very few people could fill that space like I can," Al says with a smile.

With more than 490,000 members, TeenCentral.Net is very popular with teens from around the world. "No matter where a teen lives -- in cities, small towns, busy suburbs or other countries -- the problems are pretty much universal," says Dr. Julius Licata,  director of TeenCentral.Net. Teens have questions or issues they feel they cannot discuss with their parents or friends, and TeenCentral.Net offers a safe environment to express themselves and receive advice from Master's level counselors." Licata helped create the site in 1998 and has been shepherding its growth ever since. He is extremely grateful to the volunteers who screen and answer the posts and ensure that no one can be identified by anyone who visits the site.

TeenCentral.Net is always adding new resources and interesting content to the site, including a news section that is relevant to teens, videos and stories about celebrities who experienced the same things members are experiencing, books of interest to teens and helpful information about weight awareness and how to stop smoking. "Right before Christmas, Amanda Seyfried, the popular actress from 'Mean Girls,' 'Mama Mia,' and 'Big Love,' visited TeenCentral.Net in Pennsylvania and filmed a short video that tells teens why she is a fan of TeenCentral.Net and has been since she was a young teen," Licata adds. "There are sports stars, musical groups and other celebrities who support us and take the time to tell their stories on our site."

There is also now a FaceBook page about TeenCentral.Net that keeps teens up to date on what is happening on the site, and new teens join every week. Although there is not a separate site for adults, parents can write for advice and receive private emails with the information they need or recommendations about where to go to find answers. 

Teens post about family issues, boyfriend or girlfriend troubles, problems with friends, school difficulties, sexuality and concerns about friends who are need help. No subject is taboo, and counselors provide factual, non-judgmental answers to each post within 24 hours. Many teens have posted that the advice they received from TeenCentral.Net changed their lives, helped them out of bad situations and directed them to service providers in their areas that could help them with serious problems.

Licata encourages educators, parents, mental health services providers and counselors to guide teens to TeenCentral.Net so that they can "Log on and work it out," whatever their problem may be. For more information about the site or to order cards to distribute to teens, email teencentral@kidspeace.org or call 610-799-7912. "Make this a safe, less troubled year for the teens you know," Licata says.

The 60 Auxiliary members and KidsPeace associates who attended the dinner were treated to holiday songs by several of the KidsPeace children. Auxiliary members presented each child with a holiday gift and were very touched by the gratitude expressed by the children. The Auxiliary has been supporting KidsPeace with its generous donations these many years and always provides holiday and birthday gifts for the children in residential treatment at the Pennsylvania campuses. "We are so blessed to have the support of this wonderful group of women who conduct fundraisers throughout the year on behalf of our children," said Director of Advancement Sharon McCarthy.

A parent of a former student of the KidsPeace Academy recently had some positive feedback to offer our staff. The young man, whom we shall call Richard, was enrolled at the KidsPeace Academy for more than 8 months and made enormous strides in controlling his aggressiveness, impulsivity and defiant behaviors. Richard’s mother describes her son as having difficulties since he was 18 months old and being on medication and in psychotherapy from the time he was 4. As he grew older, the family and therapists realized that it was not safe for Richard to be at home, and, at age 12, he was admitted to a juvenile facility far from home that was very strict and showed him how difficult and unfair life could be. His continued defiance of authority made his life very unhappy at this facility as he made no progress and could not earn any home visits. His parents missed him so made the long trip to visit him every 6-8 weeks, which disrupted their personal and professional lives.

“Richard learned that life could be ugly if you don’t follow the rules,” according to Richard’s mother. “He hated being there, but he needed a wake-up call to make him realize that life can be unfair.” After several months, the family contacted the KidsPeace Academy about admission. Once the Academy had accepted Richard, his family immediately brought him to Orefield, PA, which was closer to home and a much different environment.

“He liked it immediately,” says Richard’s mother. The campus and facilities are clean and beautiful, and he felt safe and secure there thanks to the structure and staff.” The KidsPeace Academy has an entirely different approach to interacting with the students enrolled there, Richard’s mother explains. “The staff is warm and flexible and everyone works hard at developing relationships with the children there.”

Indeed, Richard was happier at KidsPeace than anywhere else he had gone for treatment and education. His mother was thrilled with the flexibility of the staff and especially appreciative that they included Richard’s private psychiatrist on the treatment team, allowing her long-standing understanding of him to help them adjust his medications and tailor his therapy. “KidsPeace also welcomed my husband and me as part of Richard’s treatment team and were in constant touch with us. We visited weekly and were part of treatment planning sessions and family therapy that was very helpful to all of us.”

Richard and his mother agree that staff members at the KidsPeace Academy are caring and truly fond of the teens in their care. They build relationships and are so involved that the students want to succeed in part for their counselors. “And the rules at the KidsPeace Academy are strict, but they are based on reason and responsibility, and they are clearly spelled out and communicated. The students must meet certain goals to progress, and they understand that,” Richard’s mother explained.

Richard’s family was also very pleasantly surprised that when Richard attained his goals and the parents and private clinician felt that it was time for him to move on. The KidsPeace Academy staff were just as accommodating in terms of arranging his discharge as they were in getting him enrolled. “We were so impressed with the professionalism and graciousness of all the KidsPeace Academy staff and how they made Richard and his father and me feel. It was a positive experience all the way around, and we are very grateful.”

To learn more about the KidsPeace Academy at Orchard Hills, please visit our website or contact a Customer Relations Representative at 610-799-8388, email TheAcademy@kidspeace.org or fill out the KidsPeace Academy questionnaire. 

For those who have never visited TeenCentral.Net, the site is visually appealing to teens and contains a large variety of subject matter to appeal to youth from around the country and around the world. The site is totally anonymous and constantly monitored to ensure that no identifying information is posted by any members. Teens write posts about what is bothering them or just what is on their minds and submit these posts for review by TeenCentral.Net volunteers and counselors. Each submission is answered with encouragement and advice for the member who wrote, and all posts and responses are reviewed by a Master's level counselor before being posted. Other teen members respond to posts with their own observations or advice, and these replies are also reviewed by Master's level counselors before being posted. The result is a community of teens from urban and rural areas, a variety of lifestyles but a common theme of trying to overcome the problems of growing up.

The Director of TeenCentral.Net from its inception, Dr. Julius Licata, observes that this time of year sees an increase of postings by teens who may not be anticipating the holidays. "There are teens who have lost parents or other loved ones, whose parents have divorced, who have moved, who are having peer relationship difficulties, are depressed, are in foster care, have eating disorders or substance abuse issues or are members of families facing hard economic times. The holiday season seems to intensify their negative feelings, and they write down how they feel and seek empathy and encouragement." According to Licata, TeenCentral.Net counselors are prepared to respond to as many postings as the site receives, sharing their precious holiday time with teens in need.

TeenCentral.Net also contains many features to keep teen visitors engaged, including celebrity stories about overcoming adversity to become successful later in life, a weight awareness section, recommendations of books that are aimed at the age group, helplines for emergencies, news that is relevant to teens and a page to help visitors stop smoking. All of this information is free to teens, and there is even a section for parents who are concerned about their children to seek advice. TeenCentral.Net is funded by contributions and grants, and Licata is hopeful that generous donors will remember this wonderful service to teens in their holiday giving.

At the Real World Event, teens were each given an occupation based on their interests and completed assessments. The occupation information provided a monthly and annual salary. Participants were challenged to use their salaries and develop budgets based on everyday needs such as food, insurance, utilities, transportation and rent. A “KidsPeace Real World Event” checkbook that included checks and a register was also provided. The teens each received a “Life Happens!” card with an emotional or accidental situation printed on it to make the event even more reflective of life in the real world. Individuals were encouraged to handle all purchases and costly situations within their salaries. Once participants finished “shopping,” they visited the Auditor’s booth. If they over spent or did not purchase a required amenity, they were sent back to the exhibit area to renegotiate their budgets.

To conclude the event, interns, participants and volunteers convened to reflect on the surprises and struggles that participants faced while budgeting their costs. Everyone shared whether or not they had been able to stay within their assigned budgets. All of the teens said they had fun and enjoyed taking on the task of staying within a budget. A special “Thank You” to Matt Leggett of CapTrust Financial for volunteering to play the role of Auditor during this event. The KidsPeace Raleigh foster care office looks forward to the next “Real World,” which will take place in Spring 2010.

In late November, KidsPeace invited a group of legislators to a gathering to thank them for their assistance and support for the project and to take them on a tour of the construction site. Each state legislator was presented with a plaque to express KidsPeace's gratitude and taken on a tour of the new building, which will serve as a temporary home for children receiving treatment for such issues as depression, attachment disorders, self injury, abuse, eating disorders, ADHD and a variety of other conditions that require residential treatment. The legislators were grateful for their plaques and impressed with the new building.

The attendees at this warm morning of appreciation  included: Representative Karen Beyer, Representative Joseph Brennan, Representative Julie Harhart, Representative Jennifer Mann, Representative Doug Reichley, Representative Steve Samuelson, Senator Patrick Brown and Kurt Derr, District Chief of Staff Senator Lisa Boscola. On hand from KidsPeace were President and CEO Will Isemann, Executive Vice President for Marketing and Business Development Michael Slack, Executive Vice President and CFO Tim Richards, Operations Director Paul Tewes, Vice President of PA Residential and Hospital Programs Susan Mullen, Vice President of Programs Grace Fornicola,  Director of HR Kevin Burgess and Interim Director of KidsPeace Hospital Bud Megargee.

 New Building at Broadway Campus

 Will Isemann discusses building layout with State Senator Patrick Brown and Representative Steve Samuelson and Susan Mullen

To thank all of these volunteers for their important contributions, KidsPeace hosted an appreciation breakfast this week to thank all of those who spend their time with the children. Among the attendees were pastors and chaplains of a number of Lehigh Valley churches and associations,  members of the Parkland Ministerium, volunteers who teach and advise the children and KidsPeace associates who are members of the Spirituality Committee. Several KidsPeace children attended as well to express their thanks to the wonderful volunteers who help them so much. One young man performed a rap he wrote encouraging others to pray and try hard, while a young woman sang a poignant song and told her story of life before KidsPeace. Another young lady told her story, thanking Marian for all of the help she provided to her in her recovery. Katya, a volunteer, sang a song she composed for the KidsPeace children that asks that all be released from the darkness and see God in others. Another young man discussed how Islam has turned him into a better person and praised volunteers from the Muslim Association of the Lehigh Valley who teach teens about the Koran, prayers and how to model Islamic behavior.  One of the pastors spoke about bringing God to the children, giving them the courage to open up and trust others.

After enjoying a wonderful breakfast with KidsPeace associates and several youth, the volunteers joined into a prayer circle and sang along with Marian to give thanks for all of their gifts from God. It was a touching tribute to these unselfish men and women who work so hard to bring the kids peace and healing.

Marian Schappell joins Deacon Charles Coyle and Msgr. Robert Wargo at KidsPeace appreciation breakfast.

Spanish TV station Telemundo covered the open house for its 6:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. newscasts and also posted the story on its website, spreading the message that there is a dire need for foster families in Northern Virginia, particularly bilingual Hispanic families. Also in attendance were staff from local departments of social services, members of SCAN VA (Stop Child Abuse Now), Carmen Fernandez of HACAN (Hispanics Against Child Abuse and Neglect) Rosalia Fajardo of PEATC, Barry Londeree from Congressman Jim Moran's staff and Pat Donnelly of CWLA.

Will Isemann commented that he was happy for the large turnout and hopes that KidsPeace will fill a large void in the NOVA area. "KidsPeace has been caring for children in need since 1882," Isemann said. With more than 40 foster care offices around the country, KidsPeace will fill a void for the foster children of Northern Virginia and apply our outstanding matching process to the foster parents and children in this area. We strongly believe that careful matching results in fewer unsuccessful placements and happier families."

For more information on foster parenting and children who are waiting for loving homes, contact KidsPeace Foster Care and Family Services at5100 Leesburg Pike, Suite 302, Alexandria, VA 22302, 571-403-9260, or complete and submit our online form.

KidsPeace President and CEO addresses visitors at open house

Cristie was PAC Player of the Year twice and an All American two times as well. She has the fourth highest career scores for the school, 1,479 points, and was Most Valuable Player at the ECAC South Championship as a freshman. She also leads in career assists, steals and is second in free throws and free throw percentage. Cristie also ran cross country at Alvernia and was named most valuable runner and All-PAC for her efforts.

Cristie is a wonderful role model for the children she support at KidsPeace, showing girls in particular that they can succeed if they work hard and persevere in developing their talents. She works late night at the KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital, averting potential crises and providing intense assistance when crises do occur. The kids respect her for her achievements and for her work with them at KidsPeace.

The KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital is located on the beautiful Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield, PA, only a short distance from all Lehigh Valley Emergency Rooms. The rolling hills and more than 255 acres of peaceful countryside add to the healing environment of the hospital, and our clients respond positively to the modern facilities and highly experienced staff.

KidsPeace offers treatment to for most DSM-IV diagnoses, as well as behavior and emotional issues, but is not equipped to provide detoxification services or to treat medically unstable clients. Referrals come to the hospital from a variety of sources, including hospital emergency rooms, private physicians and psychologists, schools and colleges, and other professionals who understand the level of acuity KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital handles. KidsPeace accepts private insurance or government funded coverage and quickly determines level of payment prior to admission.

For more information or to make a referral to the KidsPeace Psychiatric Hospital, contact Customer Relations/Admissions at 800-8KID-123 (800-854-3123).

Make a donation of $200 to KidsPeace and receive coupons to pick up a hot, delicious pizza, a bottle of wine and 6 wonderful cupcakes and stay at home and share the feast with your friends and families. Pizzas will be available from one if 3 locations of Penn Pizza at two locations in Allentown or Rosanna's in Bethlehem; the wine from two Clover Hill Vineyards & Winery locations; and the cupcakes from The Flour Shop in Bethlehem. The ball takes place from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on December 10th, and the children at KidsPeace will be having a pizza party right along with you. Additionally, your gifts to KidsPeace will help provide winter outerwear, toiletries, books and games and holiday gifts to children who will not be able to be home for the holidays, whether in one of our residential centers or in foster care.

Can't afford $200? KidsPeace will gratefully accept donations of any size to bring smiles to the faces of children who, in many cases, have experienced very little kindness in their lives before coming to KidsPeace. For more information, please contact Colleen Kulp at 610-799-7906 or Colleen.Kulp@kidspeace.org.

Enjoy an evening with your family and help the children at KidsPeace at the same time.

• Compassion
• Courage
  
• Courtesy
• Fairness
• Honesty
• Kindness
• Loyalty
• Perserverance
• Respect
• Responsibility.
  

They advised parents to read books to their children that contain characters who portray values and take responsibility, and to use teachable moments to discuss the topic with older children. Additionally, all adults who interact with children in the community should take responsibility for teaching positive character traits to our future physicians, attorneys, educators and business leaders.

Isemann explained that, at KidsPeace, "All  associates reinforce character attributes to the children we care for in treatment and in our schools. We model character for our kids at all times and provide them with tools that will help them learn to incorporate these attributes into their lives." KidsPeace hosted a conference for Kids of Character at the Orchard Hills Campus in Orefield last month

Pongracz pointed out that character is mandated by "No Child Left Behind," and urged parents to contact their schools to learn how this mandate is being carried out and ask for more character attributes to be incorporated into curricula.

Isemann added that KidsPeace is partnering with Kids of Character because it is the right thing to do as a business and as responsible members of the community and he urged other businesses to support the organization in any way possible.

KidsPeace National Centers of Georgia is very lucky to employee a dedicated group of staff members who are committed to improving the lives of the children they serve. One associate was recognized by the community for her passionate work on behalf of Georgia's children -- LaShann Pruitt, Education Mobile Support Staff Member for the KidsPeace of Georgia school, received the "Spirit Award for Education" from Carroll County at a special award luncheon on October 15. She designed a program for the KidsPeace of Georgia students called "Work it Out ... Step it Up!" which offers children who attend the KidsPeace school incentives to exhibit appropriate behavior in a team environment. Classes earn points for having fewer "timeouts" than other classes, and each member of the class is rewarded for the group's good behavior. There are also rewards for good grades. 

LaShann designs visual tracking methods each school year to help the children see where they place versus the other classes. There have been boat and car "races" that move along their courses carrying classroom names toward the finish lines. LaShann also organizes fundraisers, assemblies and holiday celebrations, and she recruits her parents to help out. She and her mother can bee seen buying and wrapping carts full of toys and gifts for all of the students before Christmas, and they happily put names on shirts and blankets that are presented to the students. LaShann's father also helps out with many of the efforts she devises to bring smiles to the faces of the children.

According to LaShann, she works so hard at KidsPeace because she "wants to make a difference in the children's lives. If I can teach one kid a de-escalation skill, and that child can honestly say he 'worked it out,' that's an amazing feeling." LaShann describes her sense of accomplishment in her job as joyful and exciting, and she strives to always think outside the box for creative ideas make the children happy.

Congratulations to LaShann from all of KidsPeace. We are very proud that her good work is recognized not only by her associates at KidsPeace of GA, but also by the community in which she lives and works. Carroll County made a wonderful choice for recipient of this year's Spirit Award.

"The local United Way campaign is so important to the Lehigh Valley," said Will Isemann, "that the senior associates of KidsPeace wanted to do their part to emphasize our commitment to this worthy cause. We also wanted to help support the KidsPeace Children's fund because every dollar donated goes directly to helping the children in our care." Isemann went on to thank all of the volunteers who supported the car-washing crew and the associates who used their lunch breaks to get their cars washed.

KidsPeace was born in the Lehigh Valley more than 127 years ago as the Children’s Home of South Bethlehem as a charity that served as home to children whose parents had succumbed to a Smallpox epidemic. In 1943 the name became Wiley House. Over the years, the non-profit organization introduced new services such as foster care, day treatment, specialized schools and expanded to other states. With residential centers in Maine, Minnesota and Georgia and foster care offices across the country, KidsPeace has remained firmly rooted in the Lehigh Valley. In 1992, leadership decided to change the name to KidsPeace, a brand name that could be easily recognized around the country. We remain a private charitable organization that was never purchased by a large, impersonal corporation.  We were as important a part of the community in 1882 as we are today.

Good Neighbors

The sense of community is very strong within KidsPeace. Our associates live in the Lehigh Valley, and the majority of the children we treat in PA our from local areas. We volunteer to participate in walks for such causes as autism, ALS, autism and suicide awareness, raising money for local charities through our efforts. Our counselors instill a sense of giving back to the community in all of our programs, taking them to help out with local food banks, book sales, church programs, fundraisers for individuals in need, cleaning up public areas and carrying parcels or discarded computers or other large pieces during town cleanup days. The children make gifts and cards for military members stationed abroad, visit with the elderly to brighten their days and entertain community members with choirs, dance teams and theatrical performances.

The KidsPeace leadership participates in the community to assist legislators draft bills and discuss issues that are important to all children in Pennsylvania. Our associates speak at meetings and events of importance to educators, parents and children, and our emergency response team volunteers to counsel school children who have suffered a trauma such as an accident that has killed a fellow student or an act of violence that raises fear in children in teens.

Our annual soccer tournament brings more than 4,000 players, families and spectators to the Lehigh Valley for a weekend in August, offering great competitive sport. The event also contributes to the economy of the area while raising funds for the KidsPeace children. Many of our events are open to the public including our KidsPeace Auxiliary Fashion Show, golf tournament, sporting clays day, autumn ball and trainings. We publish a free award-winning publication called Healing Magazine, which is released to readers twice year. Our free website, www.TeenCentral.Net is a wonderful anonymous source of advice from Master’s level counselors to teens who have nowhere to turn and appreciate a safe place to “log on and work it out.” TeenCentral.Net also provides visitors with news, celebrity stories, obesity advice and recommended books.

What we Do

KidsPeace is headquartered in Schnecksville, PA, and our largest campus is located across Route 309 on 255 acres of peaceful, wooded land that provides the children in our care with space to play, explore and enjoy a beautiful natural setting. This beautiful spot has become a vital location in the Lehigh Valley where neighbors and friends visit to use the Olympic sized swimming pool, compete in our annual soccer tournaments and attend fundraisers and celebrations of our efforts to provide top services to our children.

The children we serve at KidsPeace in the Lehigh Valley on both our Orchard Hills Campus and Broadway Campus in Bethlehem are your neighbors, your children’s classmates, members of your church and friends who have hit a rough patch and need some time in one of our many programs to help them get back on track and deal with their issues with the assistance of highly trained professionals. Our Orchard Hills Campus is unique in the fact that we operate a 72 bed children’s psychiatric hospital on the grounds that can accommodate the most acute mental health, behavior or emotional issues and then place the child in a residential program to finish the healing process. We also offer an array of community-based services around the Lehigh Valley that work with children and their families to avoid residential services or as step down from residential.

In Berks County, PA, KidsPeace also has a campus that provides regular and special education as sell as three levels of partial hospitalization that provide treatment as well as classroom work that allows the children to keep up with their local school work. The Berks Campus boasts an organic garden and a vermicomposting project that recycles paper and food waste and composts it into rich soil for the vegetable and flower gardens, which prove very therapeutic for the children who work the beds.

KidsPeace has some 50 foster care and community programs (FCCP) around the country. Our associates carefully match children and foster families to ensure a good fit and reduce the number of placements in additional foster homes for the children whose original placements do not work out. Our Pennsylvania offices also work with the State adoption agency SWAN, as well as other agencies that arrange for international adoptions. Visit http://www.kidspeace.org/Foster.aspx for more information on our foster care and adoption services.

Education is a large part of our work in the Lehigh Valley, and we have regular and special education classrooms on the Orchard Hills and Bethlehem campuses for residential students and children who attend partial hospitalization programs or who require specialized classrooms with low student to teacher ratios.

KidsPeace is also a large employer in the Lehigh Valley, and our associates live and shop and enjoy themselves here. The organization supports the local economy by purchasing local goods and utilizing local businesses to supply our campuses. We purchase many of our consumables right here in the Lehigh Valley as well.

The next time you pass a sign for KidsPeace or see one of vans transporting children around the Lehigh Valley, think of us as a good neighbor and understand that our commitment and ties to the children and families of the Lehigh Valley are strong and deeply rooted.

The next issue of KidsPeace's award-winning publication, Healing Magazine, is dedicating its upcoming issue to the subject of Autism. "With the number of diagnoses increasing dramatically, the need for accurate information and sound options for parents and professionals who serve children is critical," according to KidsPeace President and CEO Will Isemann. "We have received contributions from experts in the field of autism who are eager to share their knowledge and expertise with our readers."

Among the articles appearing in this issue are two by Ellen Notbohm, a parent of an autistic son who has shared her point of view in several popular books on Austism that are directed to parents and educators. William Stillman, a well recognized author and advocate for the Autistic, provides readers with insights into the Autisms we all share. There are articles by staff members of Autism Speaks and and the Dan Marino Autism Institute, as well as a discussion of an innovative residential program for Autistic children in Maine. One mental health professional discusses her passion for working with Autistic children, and another describes the wonderful land he develops for children who have Aperger's and attend a summer camp that offers fun and social skills practice to children who are on the Autism Spectrum.

Healing Magazine is a free publication that is offered twice a year to inform, educate and bring understanding to mental health professionals, educators and parents on topics of vital interest to the readers. This issue will be distributed in November. If you would like to join the Healing Magazine mailing list, please click here.

According to Child Care Counselor John Brennan, this annual fundraiser is also an important lesson in life skills. "The boys are in charge of the whole event. They have to plan the menu, purchase the right amount of food, follow recipes to prepare the meals, set the tables and make them look attractive, serve the associates who attend, make change when patrons pay, be friendly and welcoming and then clean up the dining area and leave it in the state they found it. These skills will certainly help them when they get older and may even turn into career paths for them once they become independent."

The dinners will cost $7.50 per person. Once the boys have paid for the supplies they used, they will use their profits to take a trip to New York City to see the lights and decorations at Christmas time. "These dinners have become more popular each year," John says. "The kids really enjoy it and can see how their hard work pays off in a fun reward. They also get to meet KidsPeace leadership and associates from other programs and practice their social skills, so it is a pleasurable and educational experience for all."

KidsPeace, whose mission is to provide hope, help and healing to kids facing crisis, is proud to be hosting this important conference, which will inform community leaders about how they can promote character education and development in the children who will become tomorrow's leaders. Attendees will also have the opportunity to voice their opinions and learn how to take action.

For more information on this free, invitation only conference, please email Kids of Character at gwen.pongracz@gmail.com.

KidsPeace Foster Care and Community Programs (FCCP) has scheduled an open house for its new Alexandria, VA, office on Thursday, October 29, 2009. The event will introduce the basic, therapeutic, and intensive foster care programs KidsPeace offers in Northern Virginia, as well as the highly skilled staff who will serve the families and agencies of the area. The Open House will take place from 9:00 a.m. until noon and allow local, county and state caseworkers to learn about our portfolio of services and potential foster families to discover why the KidsPeace matching process is the best of its kind. 

On the same day, from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., we will be presenting a highly informative training session to all customers who wish to attend at the Woodrow Wilson Library in Falls Church. Our guest speaker will be Pat O'Brien, founder of "You Gotta Believe" and expert in adoption and permanency for older kids. A graduate of Columbia University, Pat is a regular on radio and television and at true champion of older children in the foster care system.

During the training, Pat will discuss recruitment methods for adoptive families for older teens, preparing families to take teens, helping families deal with difficult behavior, services and supports to ensure successful outcomes and how to prevent foster and adoptive families from giving kids back when things get rough.

The training is free, but space is limited, so contact Alana Marino to reserve your seat: 410.964.9329 or alana.marino@kidspeace.org. Regional Manager Diane Sancilio and the leadership of KidsPeace are eager to meet members of the Northern Virginia community and familiarize attendees with our wonderful services.

To help strengthen and diversify its efforts and better meet the needs of local children and families, the 127-year-old Lehigh Valley-based nonprofit KidsPeace has named Michael Slack executive vice president for marketing and development, a new position overseeing new program development, strategic planning, fundraising, marketing and contracting.

"In changing times, service organizations must also change," said William Isemann, president and CEO of KidsPeace. "Michael has already played a significant role in helping KidsPeace evolve to match the changing needs of children and those who refer children today."

Over the past year, KidsPeace has created new programs to meet the rising demand for therapeutic foster care, autism and community-based services, creating a broader base of offerings for kids and families facing crises.

"My goal is to continue to strengthen and diversify the services KidsPeace offers, while responding to the needs of the local community," Slack said.

Mr. Slack has been with KidsPeace for eight years, most recently as vice president for marketing and business development. Before joining KidsPeace, Michael served as Director of Business Development for Genesis Health Ventures, a national for-profit provider of elder care services. Slack holds an MBA in Health Care Administration from Temple University and lives in Lehigh County with his wife and two children.

KidsPeace is a 127-year-old children's charity dedicated to giving hope, help and healing to children facing crisis. Founded in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, KidsPeace directly helps thousands of children each year with life-saving treatment and millions more through prevention and awareness campaigns. KidsPeace was named "The Outstanding Organization" of its kind in the country by the American Association of Psychiatric Services for Children, was recently awarded a Gold Seal of Approval by the Joint Commission, and was called "a prototype of what we need for all children everywhere" by the late, nationally renowned child and family expert, Dr. Lee Salk.

Contact - Sharon McCarthy, Director of Public Relations at 610-799-7797 (desk) or 484-788-9842 (cell) or 800-25-PEACE or E-mail Sharon.Mccarthy@kidspeace.org.

Fred plans big, and he usually attracts donors to fund his new projects. This year, he would like to build a greenhouse, containing a water garden with plants and fish and grow lights that would allow the children to garden year round. “This fall we will be very busy clearing the garden beds, planting a cover crop, collecting and mulching leaves, beautifying the beds in front of the school, and building a border around the garden.  We also need to clean out our birdhouse to make room for next year’s residents,” Fred explains.

The Therapeutic Effect

Fred is producing some incredible therapeutic effects through the garden and vermicomposting projects. He works with kids from grades 1-12, in all three levels of the Berks Partial Hospitalization program. “I design group activities to address our common themes – learning to respect all living things and living responsibly.”

For example, Fred takes the children out to the garden to observe bees. Some children are afraid that bees will sting them. Fred observes that the bees are very busy working to collect food for their hive. They have no reason to sting unless the children tried to harm them. “The garden is not a metaphor for life,” Fred explains, “It is life. The children are learning to respect others, bees and human beings, so they can live more peacefully, more harmoniously.”

According to Fred, there are many life lessons for the children to learn in the garden. He tells the children that the plants are providing them with gifts, and that they should always be thankful for these gifts. “I suggest that when they harvest vegetables, they give thanks for what the plants willingly given them.” Fred continues, “I relate garden gifts to their parents, who care for them and willingly give them what they need.  Gratitude, love, and respect are important lessons.”

Many of these children have been abused, mistreated, or neglected to the point that they do not respect others. Fred starts fresh with them, helping the children learn to love and respect plants and then extend those feelings to the people in their lives. He encourages them to care for the plants and learn to understand them. He teaches the kids that they can communicate with all living things – plants, pets, people. Communicating across different languages requires greater effort. “We should embrace, not dismiss others just because they speak or look different from us.  The garden teaches us diversity with its many textures, colors, and sizes,” Fred explains. “All of the plants are different, and they need to be, because they all contribute to the health of the garden community.”

Many of the children with whom Fred works are low functioning, and many have significant anger management issues. He has found that having an angry child water the garden can be very calming and healing. He also tells them that, without water the plants will die.  “The sound of water is very soothing.  It sparkles in the light.  It pulses in their hands.  The kids also take this task (watering) very seriously.  The plants are counting on them.  The child’s job is important, which makes the child important.”

Seeds are another learning tool for Fred to teach the children about life and responsibility. “Seeds are invigorating because they bring forth life,” Fred says enthusiastically. “I tell the children that the mother plant protects her babies by putting them inside a hard shell called a seed.  The babies are inside the seed. The children become more protective of the seeds as soon as they understand that they are holding babies that need gentle care.” He adds that seeds and plants do not look or talk like us, but we are all living things and have much in common.

The Worms

The Berks County Campus now has four bins of red worms.  Each bin is 8ft long, 4ft wide, and 1ft deep.  Each contains 32 pounds of worms, which will reproduce to 64 pounds to fit their new home.  The worms are very industrious, eating half their weight every day.  The children collect their food waste – compostable tableware and uneaten food – and deliver it to a pulper that chops it.  The kids feed this mixture to the worms and provide water as needed.  The worms turn this mixture into compost every few months. Fred explains that the worms move to new “food” once they have digested one section of the bin. Not only do the worms produce rich compost for the garden, but they have also reduced the school’s waste by 80%, saving the program approximately $4,000 annually in trash hauling costs.

“These bins contribute to the community,” Fred explains. “They save landfill space, which is beneficial for the environment and helps reduce local taxes related to trash pickup. The children are very proud of their efforts and many have adopted recycling into their home lives.”

Because President Obama is promoting green schools, Fred and the children are eager to share their success with him. They are inviting their local congressional representative to visit the school, learn about the Garden Program, and deliver an invitation to the President from the children. With the help of the art teacher, the children completed a 10ft X 6ft painting of the President, which they intend to give him.

Fred’s work is driven and focused and wonderful for the children. They are learning to love and respect nature and to see how all living things are interconnected in a larger community of life.  Most importantly, however, the kids are healing the wounds that limit their success and happiness.

Gina* came to KidsPeace in more than a year ago with a small, skinny body and a huge head of hair that only became larger when she would become angry. She was a 14-year-old girl who had already received treatment at another facility for six months and had been successfully discharged to her foster-to-adopt parents. One week later, the parents had to call 911 because Gina was throwing a tantrum and was destroying items (screaming, slamming the front door so hard that she broke the door jam, knocking family photos off the wall, etc.) and was threatening the family. She was a 90-pound ball of fire. Gina originally came into DFCS custody five years ago when she was removed from the home due to neglect and disclosure of sexual abuse. She was raised by her mother, grandmother, aunt and more than twenty different foster parents. Her father died of a heart attack on the day she was born. Her foster families all would report her "rages" would occur when she would not get her way, and reported self-mutilation behaviors including hitting herself in the face and the head, pulling out her own hair and yelling at the top of her lungs. Her foster parents were at their wits’ end and were ready to give up on Gina even though they had already adopted her older sister. Her behaviors were taking their toll, and her foster father had health problems that were making it more difficult to endure Gina's behaviors.

When she first arrived at KidsPeace she was very angry and felt rejected again. She would meet with her therapist, and, as soon as the therapist asked any question about her past, she would become angry and loudly proclaim, "I don't want to talk about what happened to me.  She would curse at staff and peers and would get angry if somebody just looked at her the wrong way. The therapist was able to engage Gina in play therapy and use games as a way to teach her about impulse control and build a strong trust before talking about those secrets she was keeping hidden in that little body. Gina began to make some connection between thinking before making a move during a board game (she is quite competitive) and thinking before she cursed out a peer who gave her an angry look. She predicated in an anger management group and also worked one-on-one with a Community Support Specialist to help her explore reasons for her anger and to help her build self-esteem and practice positive social skills. The therapist was able to convince the adoptive parents to give it one more shot, and they participated in family therapy. She also participated in a grief and loss group, a physical abuse survivor's group and a sexual abuse survivor's group. About mid-way through treatment, we had a visitor come to campus to get a tour and talk about our quest to build an on-campus recreation facility. Gina provided a tour to this esteemed visitor and did such a great job convincing him of our need that we received a gift for twice the amount we had requested, and Gina got a personal thank-you letter and a small cash donation. Her self-esteem shot through the roof, and she began to consider how her energy could be used for good. 

 *Name changed to protect privacy

Community service is a big component of the residential treatment programs at KidsPeace, so many of the children also provided invaluable assistance to the tournament organizers. From making signs to assist visitors in finding where they should be to marshaling games to assisting with setup and cleanup, our kids happily pitched in to help ensure the success of the tournament. Many of our associates spent their days off helping out, and several brought along family and friends to make the weekend one to remember. There was much good will everywhere, and visitors left with a positive impression of KidsPeace and those who work here.

Survey

KidsPeace is eager to receive feedback from those who attended the soccer tournament. We would like to know what we did well and where we can improve for next year's tournament. Therefore, if you attended the 12 Annual KidsPeace Soccer Invitational, we ask you to take a few minutes to complete our survey and share your thoughts with us. We hope to see you next year and ask you to bring your family and friends to play, help out or watch some great soccer competition. Save the date for August 21 and 22, 2010, for the 13th Annual KidsPeace Soccer Invitational.

It’s that time of year again and parents all over the country are getting their children to return to school. Whether it is a little one going to Kindergarten for the first time, or a young adult going away to college, there are bound to be some worries and concerns for both kids and parents. KidsPeace Institute Senior Training and Development Specialist Jodi Campbell offers some suggestions on how to ease the transitions.

WORRY and ANXIETY

Going back to school represents change: a new year, a new start. Kids may be flooded with questions and worries about coming school year: Will I like my school and my teacher? What if I miss mom and dad? Will the kids like me? Will I be able to talk to that cute girl this year? How will I handle my classes? Can I even do the work? What will my roommate be like? Is that mean kid going to be in my class again this year? What will happen on the bus ride?

Worry and anxiety can cause some of the following:

• Disrupted sleep (more sleep or less sleep than usual

• Disrupted eating (eating more than usual, or inability to eat)

• Physical complaints (headaches, stomachaches)

• Irritability, mood swings.

Usually, these are temporary and will resolve in a few weeks once the transition is established. If they do not, consult a doctor.

It may be difficult to know what your child is thinking, so the best thing to do is ASK. Start the conversation in a casual way, perhaps while he/she is doing something enjoyable. Meet your child where she is. Get down on the floor in the playroom. Send a message on Facebook. Talk in the car.

Some possible conversation starters:

Elementary School: “So, school is starting really soon. You must be excited AND nervous at the same time! I know I would be. What do you think?”

Middle School: “So, what are you thinking about school? Are you freaking out at all? Worried about anything? Talk to me…”

High School: “Hey – just want to check in with you about high school starting. I know you are totally ready for this. But just remember I’m here if you’re stressing out at all. Let me know if there is anything I can do, ok?”

College: “So, leaving home. This is huge. What’s going through your mind about all this?”

Dealing with worry and anxiety can be overwhelming, but remember…lots of times it’s just a matter of thinking things through out loud. When we keep it inside, it can get out of control. When we talk it out and put it all on the table, it’s much more manageable. So, do what you can to bring up conversations and provide opportunities to vent. But, this is important…DO NOT force your child to talk. Make yourself easy to talk to. If you do this, then, even if they do not talk now, they will later…when they really need to.

PREVENTING WORRY and ANXIETY

1. Participate in any orientation activities the school offers.
2. Discuss how things will go once school starts including schedules, walking routes, bus stops, morning and evening home routines, etc. Kids are more successful when they are pre-taught.
3. Know your resources at the school. Find out in advance who the important figures are at your child’s school. Know their names and how to reach them. (Principal, nurse, guidance counselor, advisor, dean, etc.)
4. For K – high school students, make an alliance with your child’s teacher. In today’s world, email is a great tool for this. Make email contact with your child’s teacher within the first two weeks of school. Introduce yourself and encourage the teacher to drop you a line whenever necessary. Your relationship with this teacher should be appropriate for the age level – the younger the child, the closer that relationship should be.
5. For college students, do the OPPOSITE. Do not contact professors on behalf of your child. Let your young adult navigate this new world on his/her own. This is crucial. Only in extreme situations, such as your child’s physical safety being at risk, should you be getting involved with college officials. Do not negotiate grades or ask for extensions on behalf of you child – ever.

You and your child have made it through the transition, perhaps with no initial worries, but now  some problems are cropping up…

PROBLEMS at SCHOOL

Some of the more common problems children experience in the school environment include:

Elementary and Middle School:

• Problems with the teacher (not liking the teacher, getting in trouble with the teacher, afraid of the teacher)

• Problems with peers (bullying, exclusion, getting “in with the wrong crowd”)

• Organizational problems (forgetting things, losing things, not completing assignments, getting behind)

• Behavior problems (not following rules, getting into trouble)

•  Mental health issues (emerging)

High School:

• High expectations (pressure is too much to be successful, perform, get into a good college, get a scholarshh
• Learning and organizational problems continue, especially if unresolved from earlier grades
• Peer Issues (changing friendships and social groupings, pressure to fit in
• Sexuality (romantic relationships, pressure to have sex, questions about sexual orientation
• High-risk behaviors (substance use, driving, self-injury, eating disorders, steroid use, hazing, violence, etc.)
• Academic problems (classes are harder – lack of established study skills cause problems)          
  

 College:

• Problems with roommate and living arrangements

• Problems with making new friends, dealing with romantic involvement

• Homesickness

• Physical wellness (poor nutrition, lack of sleep, exposed to illnesses in living arrangements, high-stress, safe sex, substance use, etc.)

• Division of focus (academics versus social expectations

•  Substance use abuse
  
•  Hazing (sports teams, fraternities/sororities, etc.)

• Workload and schedule (self-management, responsibility, attending/skipping classes)

•  Economic problems (working, paying for basic needs, paying bills, running up credit cards)

So first, how does a parent KNOW there are problems at school?

1. Know your children. If you know your children, then you know when they are “off” or “not themselves.” This is crucial. If this happens, you know it’s time to reach out and start asking questions. He/she may not fess up the first time you ask, but make yourself available. Encourage; don’t push. It will come out eventually.
2. Look for a change – atypical behavior for your child in the following arenas: academic performance, punctuality, eating, sleeping, physical appearance and involvement in their interests and hobbies. A sudden or drastic change in any of these areas is a red flag for parents.

Ok, so you think there is a problem. What do you do?

1. Know your resources and use them. Use the resources available at your child’s school to be an extra set of eyes and an additional perspective.
   
2. Talk to your child. Do not be afraid to ask difficult questions. Be there and notice your child is in pain. Noticing makes your child feel important – worthy. Be comfortable with whatever he/she says. Be open and compassionate, regardless of the situation.
3. Empower your child. Be a COACH, not the Calvary. Do not solve your child’s problems for her. Give suggestions and check back in to see how it’s going. That being said, you should know what your “line in the sand” is. Though we do everything we can to let our children make their own choices, we also have to know when “enough is enough.”
4. When you do intervene, do it with dignity. Avoid getting into a conversation with another child, or another child’s parent. When issues are this big, go through the school whenever possible. Keep your cool. If you do, school officials will be more willing to help you and your child.

BIG PROBLEMS

So, what if you’ve tried all these things, and your child is still suffering? What if in your “gut” you just KNOW that something is really wrong?

If you suspect that your child is getting depressed or having a serious mental health issue (suicidal, hurting others, eating disorder, self-injury, etc.) you should GET HELP.

Do not be afraid to contact a professional so that your child can talk to someone who has helped other children before in the same situation. Don’t go it alone.

How to get help:

1. Contact the school and see what resources are available there.
2. Visit www.kidspeace.org for tips from experts.
3. Encourage your child to visit www.TeenCentral.Net, an anonymous free website designed to give kids feedback from Master's level counselors when they are not sure where to turn.

"This is huge recognition of KidsPeace from an extremely popular NASCAR driver," Paige said, "and our logo will be seen by millions during this race." NASCAR followers are known for their philanthropy, and the Foundation will be conducting a major public relations effort to promote the cause and the organizations that were selected as benefactors. Learn more about the  foundation and order a tee shirt at www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org. KidsPeace greatly appreciates this honor and hopes to reach out to the many fans of and racers in the NASCAR sport.

To Whom it May Concern:

About 18 months ago, I needed help for my three children. We were going through so many changes in our family. We were dealing with the issues of a divorce, new relationships, new stepfamily, new baby, moving to a new home and undesirable input from others ...
 
I had visited with a private counselor, but she did not accept our insurance. She was kind enough to look into possible avenues for us and referred me to  KidsPeace. I had seen the sign for KidsPeace on the window of her building, but I was not familiar with the organization. I really needed help. I called KidsPeace. From our first conversation, I felt comfortable with the counselor. She was a wonderful listener. She asked lots of questions, was not judgmental and, most of all, it was obvious that she was the advocate of each child who was her client. She was interested in the well-being of the child, the confidence, security in and of self, the free thinking and the ability of that child to accept, communicate about, embrace, and participate in, his or her life, whatever that might look like to that individual child.
 
Some of the issues we identified in our planning meetings were anger, confidence and sibling "rivalry." We, with the children's input, established goals for the three-month periods. I feel that our counselor helped the children to address the issues that pertained to each of them. I have especially seen my daughter, Linda*, 11 years old, apply the tools that she learned in counseling sessions . Linda has actually come to me when I am having a problem and offered her opinion, which is full of ideas and skills that have come from her counseling with KidsPeace! I have seen her take a situation that is difficult for her and go from anger and being "out of control" to being positive, clear about her feelings, identifying pro's and con's, in control of her feelings and ready to meet the situation head-on. It is amazing to watch. She has gained tools that will serve her throughout her life. We have a very open household now, full of open communication and encouragement, and she is flourishing; I most definitely attribute much of her growth and success to her experience with her KidsPeae counselor.

Not only was our counselor highly effective in her sessions with the children, she made herself available to me whenever I needed to talk with her. I called her many times to update her on the kids' situations, but, very often, I was vexed with a problem and needed advice. I called and she listened and advised, always with a sincere concern for James*, Joseph* and Linda. This was very helpful, especially in regard to James. I was going through a difficult time when James did not want to come to my home and spend time with me. I struggled for weeks and months over it and finally took her advice ... We had a session in which I sat with James and the counselor and told him that I loved him, and, because I loved him, I would let him do what he wanted to do. He smiled at me and said, "Gracias."  It was a wonderful moment.  Our relationship has improved, and continues to improve, since that day.
 
One by one, each of my children expressed that he or she was ready to finish counseling. So, we did close them out, each at the appropriate time. KidsPeace staff were wonderful to all of us from our first encounter to the last session. We left the door open for any of the children to return if the need arises.

I have obviously been very happy and satisfied with KidsPeace and with our counselor individually. Thank you for providing such a valuable service.

Sincerely,
L.R.*

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Associates from our many Lehigh Valley sites will be volunteering and socializing with our visitors. Don't be surprised to see members of our leadership team readying fields or directing traffic. This event brings out the best in everyone at KidsPeace and brings a great deal of joy to the participants and spectators. We hope to see you there.

His first month at KidsPeace affirmed that Richard was a true abuse survivor, as evidenced by his getting angry and scared with little provocation, difficulty trusting adults and little to no self-confidence. Richard’s typical day was spent punching mats, cursing and pushing everybody away. The therapist helped him understand and accept that he did not deserve to be abused and how he could protect himself in the future. The entire staff at KidsPeace and the Bowdon community showed him that most adults can be trusted. The therapist also taught Richard’s mother appropriate parenting skills; she educated her on the role of a mother and emphasized her responsibility to protect him from any possible future abuse. Richard was finally able to talk about his sadness and began to open up about the hopes and dreams he has in his life, he was able develop a plan for what he needs to do if anybody ever tries to hurt him. Once the “real” young man came to light, Richard began to win the hearts of staff and students alike. KidsPeace discovered he felt best when he was able to work hard, and when he felt like people cared about him.

 The day before Valentine’s Day, this boy dressed in pink, about two inches taller, hair cut and styled, left to step down to a group home that was closer to his mom’s house. During a recent training off-campus, this client’s therapist ran into some staff from the group home who shared they had put Richard to work in the kitchen and he continues to do well. He is able to attend a public school and has been able to control his anger and express himself appropriately. The family has been able to participate in weekly counseling, and Richard is hoping to return home soon.

*Name changed to protect privacy

*name changed to protect privacy