Dear Community Partners,

The WCCP is pleased to bring you this edition of the "Partnerships E-Newsletter" and invites you to read about the exciting community collaborations occurring in Washington County.


Sincerely,

Stephanie Stone, WCCP Director

Culture encompasses all the learned beliefs, traditions, language, values, customs, rituals, manners of interacting, forms of communication, expectations for behaviors, roles and relationships commonly shared among members of a particular group, and often transmitted from generation to generation. (Bhattacharya, Olsen & Scharf, 2006)

In recognition of the need for ongoing cultural competency training, the Governor's Office for Children provided funding to have several Washington County community stakeholders trained by the National MultiCultural Institute to provide cultural competency trainings in Washington County and in neighboring communities.

Kathy Saxman of the Washington County Community Partnership for Children & Families (WCCP), along with Mary McPherson and Melissa Bartles of the Washington County Health Department and George Rae and Linda Harbaugh of the Washington County Hospital, attended the National MultiCultural Institute's diversity conference Polarization, the Enemy Within: Collaboration, the Power of Us in Arlington, Virginia in November of 2006. The Training Team participated in the second NMCI Training Course, TeachingSkills and Cultural Competency, in November 2007. They have provided cultural competency training for six local organizations. Most recently, the team provided a cultural competency training to 38 employees from Head Start of Washington County and the Washington County Department of Social Services on Friday, February 29 at the Elgin Station Community Center.

The Cultural Competency Training Team has been asked to provide a training in Cumberland in late March. In addition, the Team plans to provide a training in May for area business and human service leaders.

The Wraparound Process is an intensive, individualized care management process for youths with serious or complex needs. Wraparound was initially developed in the 1980s as a means for maintaining youth with the most serious emotional and behavioral problems in their home and community. In recent years, however, it has been applied within many child-serving settings as a way to improve outcomes for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. For example, it has been used as a means to facilitate permanency outcomes for youth involved in the child welfare system, to reduce recidivism for youths involved in the juvenile justice system, and to improve academic success for youths in the special educational system. (Wikipedia, 2008)

Learn more:

Ten Principles of the Wraparound Process

Phases and Activities of the Wraparound Process

Organizational and system support for wraparound:An introduction

The Evidence Base and Wraparound

Other resources:

National Wraparound Initiative

Innovations Institute

• Frederick County Special Education Citizens' Advisory Committee Presents: Sensory Integration (SI) Workshop and Resource Fair
  
  Saturday, March 15, 2008
  9AM - 1PM
  Whittier Elementary School
  2400 Whittier Dr, Frederick, MD 21702
  
  Barbara and Susan Luborsky, pediatric occupational therapists from Way to Grow, presenting two hands-on SI workshops for parents, teachers, therapists and other interested school personnel. (Session 1 from 9:30AM to 11AM, Session 2 from 11:30AM to 1PM) Door prizes to be awarded. Each session is free of charge, but reservations are required. Please contact Lynne Pattison at 301-668-1390 or lspattison@comcast.net. Resource Fair from 9AM until 1PM, featuring local agencies that support or provide resources for children with learning differences or developmental disabilities.
  
  
  
• The Maryland Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) and the Maryland State Rehabilitation Council (MSRC) invite consumers, colleagues and other interested people to public meetings. They will discuss and hear attendees' concerns about DORS plans in light of decreased federal funding and increased demand for services. They will provide information about Governor O'Malley's recent proposal for a $2.3 million addition to the state budget for DORS.
  
  Thursday, March 20, 2008
  3:00 - 4:30PM
  Orleans St. Branch Library
  1301 Orleans St. Baltimore, MD 21231
  
  
  
• Hope and Optimism: Creating a Shared Vision for Our Future Mental Hygiene Administration's Annual Conference
  
  Tuesday, May 6, & Wednesday, May 7, 2008
  Martin's West
  6817 Dogwood Road Baltimore, Maryland 21244
  
  Click here to view flyer.
  
  
  
• CONFERENCE: EFFECTIVE APPROACHES TO DEALING WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOR & SOCIAL SKILLS
  
  A conference for parents, family members, educators and other professionals interested in helping children with special needs.
  
  Partners For Success Family Support Center
  Washington County Public Schools
  
  MARCH 29, 2008 8:30AM - 2:30PM
  Registration: 8AM
  Washington County Technical High School
  
  Click here to view flyer.
  
  
  
• The Human Services Coalition of Frederick County is sponsoring a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Conference and Provider Health Fair.
  
  Click here to view flyer.
  
  
  
• Washington County Hospital, in collaboration with the Washington County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, is presenting a health forum, "Tough Talk", from 4:30pm-8:00pm on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at Robinwood Medical Center. This Family Health Forum will provide an opportunity for teens and their adult guardian to hear Dave Solberg, M.D. speak about teen pregnancy and the impact on the lives of our youth here in Washington County. It will also provide information on various health and social issues pertinent to teens.
  
  After attending a car show and sports clinic, the attendees will visit the atrium where various organizations will share information on teen health issues such as the ill-health effects of smoking, drug use, sun-tanning, and teen pregnancy. Other companies will be sharing information regarding financial planning, gang awareness, and skin care. Following dinner and Dr. Solberg's talk, the Authentic Community Theatre will present a fun multi- media performance art play entitled "Let's Flesh It Out!" The play's purpose is to bridge the gap between values and actions regarding sexuality using music, movement, visual-art and drama. Numerous issues challenging our ability as parents, educators and community will be brought to the forefront to help teens filter and interpret the multiple pop culture messages regarding sex.
  
  Several concerned community representatives and community organizations such as the Washington County Hospital, Washington County Teen Pregnancy Prevention Coalition, Washington County Health Department, Washington County Department of Social Services' Family Center and Child Support Division, Authentic Community Theatre, WC Community Partnership, and Greater Hagerstown Committee have participated in planning this important community event.
  
  Click here to view flyer.
  
  
  
• Don't miss On the Line with CWLA, an interactive, live Internet radio program focusing on subjects, stories, and strategies of special interest to child welfare policymakers, providers, and practitioners. Devoted solely to discussions about the welfare of America's vulnerable children, On the Line with CWLA features a forum where numerous points of view and voices of experience within the child welfare universe can be heard. To listen to On the Line with CWLA, go to www.blogtalkradio.com/CWLA-Radio.