Helping Children and Families Along the Way

Take Care of Yourself Today!!

2011-08-03T13:08:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Take-Care-of-Yourself-Today-.html?soid=1102674315530&aid=wiXyX0b0nk8

Annual Staff Appreciation Breakfast

2011-07-11T11:28:00.000-07:00

On June 28th Family Paths' Executive Director, Program Managers, and Directors got up extra early to prepare a warm breakfast served with lots of gratitude for staff and interns at Family Paths. This annual breakfast was so nourishing in many ways.

At the breakfast, we said good bye to the fantastic interns in the TIPS program, who have completed their service year. Suzanne Lapidus, Consultation Specialist in TIPS, is also leaving the agency after 6 years. Suzanne shared with a beautiful smile, "I've never felt so supported in a job before as much as at Family Paths." Also leaving is Margarita Prensa, Mental Health Treatment Specialist, in our ECMH program, having worked 15 months at the agency. Best of luck to all in your new Paths.

The appreciation continued with staff anniversaries. Nancy Morosohk, Counseling program manager has been with us for 10 years. Lyda Mata, Chief Financial Officer for 5 years, and Rosa Giron, a child care worker for our Parent Education program, has been with us for 10 years. The agency also enthusiastically welcomed with applause new staff. Kimberly Porter will be the new FIT Program Manager in Hayward and Lisa Koumrian will be joining our Oakland Facilities department.

To wrap up the morning, Kaye Anderson, a licensed clinical social worker and certified hoop-dance teacher, came by with an armful of hula hoops and showed us the joy and power of the hoop. Thank you to ECMH Program Manager Dr. Jill Sulka for bringing Kaye and her hoop power to the breakfast!

For more information, you can visit Kaye's website at www.hoop-power.com. If you purchase Kaye's handmade hula hoops, she will donate 10% of the proceeds to Family Paths; make sure to identify yourself from Family Paths if you do order one.

Thank you to Family Paths' Management Team for the breakfast event!

Keep on hula hooping.

Vote for Liora B!

2011-06-20T12:11:00.000-07:00

Help Family Paths win $2,500 to support our mental health and family support programming!

Family Paths recently teamed up with Jodi Schumate, a local Mary Kay consultant, to give busy mom and Family Paths' Treatment Specialist Liora Brosbe a custom makeover.

Mary Kay is currently holding a makeover contest called Get Beautiful. Give Back. If Liora wins, she will receive $2,500 to spend as she wishes. If she wins, Family Paths will also receive $2,500 in support of our programming for Alameda County families.

Go to https://www.mkmakeovercontest.com/US/EN/Gallery/ and search for Liora B. to see Liora's before/after photos, and to read what she would do to change the world if money, time, and talent were all unlimited.

And please vote for her! Each person can place up to 5 votes per day, and we will appreciate all the help we can get until June 25, when the voting period is over.

From all of us at Family Paths, thank you so much for being part of our community of supporters. We hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

What makes a good foster parent?

2011-06-13T17:18:00.000-07:00

"An ideal foster family is open and willing to learn," says Gloria Riley, Family Paths' Foster Parent Community Advocate.
Gloria would know. She estimates that she has brought approximately fifty foster children into her own home in the last 20 years, and she smiles with a soft kind of pride at the positive differences, both big and small, that she has been able to make in the lives of those children. "It's a lot of work to be a foster parent, but it's really rewarding to see a child grow up," she says.
There are a variety of reasons that people choose to be foster parents. "Some do it if they can't have kids, or because they want to help out a child or children, or they wish to add to their family," explains Gloria. "Which is great, because the need for foster parents is definitely there. There is a definite need for homes for foster kids in Alameda County, particularly homes with the capacity to support children that are medically fragile, with special needs, as well as with medical and psychological needs. Supportive homes are also needed for young people who identify as LGBTQ."

Potential foster parents go through a training process and an orientation in order to acquire the proper license and be the best foster parent possible. Once you are a foster parent, there is a strong support system in place, including the Foster Parent Association, as well as agencies like Family Paths, which provides anonymous parenting support through the 24 Hour Parent Support Hotline, as well as more in-depth therapeutic support when necessary. If you are interested in becoming a foster parent in Alameda County, you may call Alameda County Social Services to inquire.

Thanks for a fantastic event!

2011-05-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

The Friends of Family Paths would like to thank everyone who came out to Family Paths' fundraising event on Saturday April 30th. We had a big group of friends and supporters present to support the work of Family Paths, and we were able to raise over $10,000 in support of our work building stronger families in Alameda County.

We want to send a huge, enthusiastic thanks to our event sponsors, Wells Fargo Bank, Scott Valley Bank, and ISU Insurance Services of San Francisco. Thanks also go out to all of our amazingly generous silent auction donors, who donated some really awesome items and services. Thanks also to Stage Left Cellars for opening up their beautiful space to us, and to Coppertop Ovens for the fresh, delicious pizzas.

"This was our 2nd annual event, and we're really excited to keep building the momentum," says Tara Bartholomew, Development Director for Family Paths. "Each year, we see some new faces at this event, and we're so glad to be building our network of support in such a fun setting."

Karen Truong of the Friends of Family Paths says, "What an incredible turnout! I'm impressed by the amount of support we received from sponsors, donors, staff, and attendees. A special THANK YOU goes out to every member of the Friends of Family Paths for their vision, dedication, and hard work in the months leading up to and during this unforgettable event."

We are so thankful for our family of supporters, and for the opportunity to hold this event each year. Together, we are making real progress toward our vision of a safe home for every child.

Annual Wine Tasting Event & Silent Auction April 30th!

2011-04-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

On April 30th, The Friends of Family Paths will host an evening of wine tasting, complete with delicious appetizers, an amazing silent auction, and lots of our favorite people! The event is at Stage Left Cellars, a winery that produces limited batches of fine wines from grapes sourced in California and Oregon. The silent auction is going to be truly special. We have had so many amazing local businesses donate items, certificates, and services, and we’re so excited to give everyone the chance to win some really fun (and some practical!) things, like sailboat cruises around the bay, music and dancing lessons, works from local artists, and free oil changes! Basically, it’s going to be great. And we really want you there. Get your tickets here: http://www.eventsbot.com/events/eb932652212

What we're reading

2011-03-18T15:03:00.000-07:00

At Family Paths, we recently set up our own comprehensive library of books on a variety of topics pertinent to child development, family dynamics, cultural competency, and other mental health related topics. Our "library" is available to all Family Paths staff, and we've really been enjoying having so many great resources in one convenient place!

One great book on our shelves is Raising Your Spirited Child, by Mary Sheedy Kurcinka. This book was first printed in 1991, and was most recently released as a Harper paperback in 2006. Raising Your Spirited Child is a great guide for parents whose child is especially intense, sensitive, perceptive, persistent, and/or energetic. The book offers insightful quizzes that can help parents better understand the nuances of their child's personality, and wise, gentle suggestions on everyday parenting dilemmas like bedtime and mealtime. For example, she suggests that at mealtime the more "intense" child may need to be taught good manners, the "persistent" child may need to be involved in food preparation, and the "sensitive" child may need to be served a variety of foods.

If you have an especially spirited child, or know someone who does, this national bestseller might be helpful. Happy reading!

Announcing Family Paths' 2nd Annual Fundraiser!

2011-03-11T15:35:00.000-08:00

We had such a great time at last year's fundraiser, and we are so excited to do it again! We are going to be tasting some great wines from Stage Left Cellars, eating appetizers, and bidding on some truly awesome silent auction items.

Save the date of April 30th, and buy your tickets today via this link!

http://eventsbot.com/events/eb932652212

Our commitment to cultural competency

2011-03-02T15:58:00.000-08:00

On February 11th, Family Paths clinicians were led in a powerful training offered by Taqueila Washington of EmpowerMe! Services. The topic of this 5 ½ hour training was "Working with African-American Youth and their Families," and it encompassed a variety of issues that directly affect many African-Americans. Topics up for discussion included the slave trade's creation of a legacy of multi-generational trauma, the inner-city experience, and the link between poverty and issues surrounding diet and nutrition.

As Family Paths strives to be a local leader in culturally competent mental health and family support programming, we know that the importance of trainings like this one cannot be overestimated. Expert-led trainings guide clinicians in the self-examination processes that are so vital to providing the highest-quality treatment to a diverse clientele.

Sam Markewich, our Clinical Training Coordinator, says, "Family Paths clinicians will benefit from this because they now have a culturally sensitive and depthful knowledge base and tool box to help them best get to know, understand, and help African-American youth, parents, and other family members in order to help them to thrive."

EmpowerMe! Services offers educational workshops and trainings on a variety of different topics, including Cross Cultural Counseling and the Family, Culturally Inclusive Therapy, The Undocumented Experience, Self Care for Service Providers, Teen Dating Violence, and Working with "at risk" youth. Learn more about Taquelia Washington and EmpowerMe! Services here.

Rigging Kids' Brains for Happy Memories

2010-06-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

By putting neuroscience into action, we can help our children experience-and remember-more good times than bad.

Life is full of difficulties. But Neuroscientist Rick Hanson explains in his fabulous book on "the practical neuroscience of happiness, love, & wisdom," that we can take positive steps to determine which memories stick with our kids. Hanson argues that the key isn't to avoid the pain that life presents-it's through our challenges that we learn deep lessons we couldn't learn any other way. Instead we can foster positive experiences that offset those challenges.

Unfortunately, we are a bit hard-wired to mostly remember bad things while forgetting the good ones. According to Hanson, our mind acts "like Teflon for positive" memories and "Velcro for negative ones." This is not good for our happiness: If most of our memories are negative, we come to perceive the world as depressing, even threatening.

Fortunately, Hanson gives us a method for raising kids who have more positive memories than negative ones, kids who have happy associations with their childhood and whose outlook on life reflects that. Here's how to "Take in the Good," as Hanson calls it.

Teach kids to notice the good things that are all around them. Practice actively looking for the positive: Those flowers we planted in the fall are blooming; our neighbor was so nice to help us with a difficult project; school was particularly fun today. Regular gratitude practices help with this. The key, according to Hanson, is to "turn positive facts into positive experiences."

Draw out-really savor-those positive experiences. This aspect will forever change the way my kids and I do our "3 good things" practice at bedtime. The idea is not just to hold something positive in our awareness for as long as possible, but also to remember the positive emotions that go along with them. Now my kids list something that is good about their day, like that they had fun with their friends, and we really think about how good it felt to be playing and enjoying friendship. This evokes what was rewarding about a "good thing," and helps use our brain chemistry to strengthen connections associated with the memory.

Let it all sink in. Have your kids imagine that the good thing you were just talking about "is entering deeply into [their] mind and body, like the sun's warmth into a T-shirt, water into a sponge, or a jewel placed in a treasure chest in your heart."

Adapted from "Rigging Kids' Brains for Happy Memories" by Christine Carter in her blog "Raising Happiness: Science for Joyful Kids and Happier Parents." The Greater Good Science Center in Berkeley, CA.

You can find the blog here.

Talking to Your Preschooler about Nontraditional Families

2010-06-07T13:59:00.000-07:00

If your family is nontraditional, you're in good company. These days, many kids live in single-parent, blended, adoptive, or gay- and lesbian-parent families. Two- and 3-year-olds aren't likely to ask any questions about their family or anyone else's but simply accept the way things are. They'll tend to assume that all families are just like theirs.

But once these little kids come into daily contact with other preschoolers - kids who also love to talk about their families - they begin to notice that not all families look the same. At this point, you can expect the questions to start.

Whatever your own family is like, don't shy away from these discussions; they'll help your preschooler better understand the world and her place in it. The messages to focus on are that families come in all shapes and sizes, that your child is loved, and that no one type of family is better than another. Here are some tips to use when talking to your preschooler about nontraditional families:

Introduce the topic casually. Strike up a conversation about families at the dinner table or while driving in the car. Use children's books, TV shows, or real families you know to spark discussion. "All parents should talk about the fact that there are different types of families," says Arlene Lev, a family therapist and author of The Complete Lesbian and Gay Parenting Guide. That includes families with a mommy, ones with two daddies or just a grandma, those with lots of kids, and so on.

Know when to leave it alone. There's no need to chat about family issues every day or for long periods; take your cues from your child. After telling her daughter Mae about her biological father, Single Mom Seeking: Playdates, Blind Dates, and Other Dispatches from the Dating World author Rachel Sarah sometimes pulled out photos of him or offered to point out where he lives on a map. But often Mae wasn't interested. "She'd already moved on to something else," says Sarah.

Let kids explore roles. A young child from a nontraditional family might create a make-believe daddy or mommy. Don't freak out or assume it means he needs therapy. It's a part of imaginary play and should fade with time. Lev, a lesbian mom, recalls when her son watched a father tossing his child into the air, then turned to her and asked for a dad. "I said, 'Are you saying that because you'd like to have a dad who would toss you in the air?'" When her son said yes, she suggested "borrowing" a friend's dad. "A lot of times we assume there's a deep psychological process going on when really at this age it's about something so much simpler," she notes.

Be positive. If a preschooler has a playdate and returns talking glowingly about a family situation he doesn't have - one with a dad, a mom, or lots of siblings - take it in stride. If you get upset or defensive, your child will pick up on it. Just say, "It sounds like Will has lots of fun with his daddy," or "I bet that's a lot of fun."

Excerpted from "How to Talk to Your Child About Nontraditional Family Types" by Ziba Kashef on Babycenter.com. Read the full article here.

LGBTQ Foster Youth Training! June is LGBTQ Month!

2010-06-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

In supporting our goal of continuously cultivating a multiculturally competent agency, Family Paths staff recently attended a training session on the issues surrounding LGBTQ foster youth. The training took place at the California Endowment on June 1st, and was presented by the Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project, a dynamic multi-year collaboration between current and former foster youth, social work professionals, social work training academies, foundations and others committed to the empowerment and futures of California foster youth. This dynamic and informative training focused on the ways in which clinicians can be allies to, advocate for and better meet the needs of LGBTQ youth in the foster care system.

Foster LGBTQ youth often face difficulties that surpass those of straight foster youth, and clinicians and therapists often hold a crucial role in the lives of these youth at the very times that they are in the process of self-acceptance and/or coming out. This is why it is important that clinicians be trained about the important intricacies of their role in the lives of LGBTQ foster youth. This training, led by former foster youth who identify as LGBTQ and as Allies, was extremely helpful supporting clinicians' work by providing a space in which to think creatively about best practices, various ways one can be an LGBTQ Ally, and ways to best advocate for this particular population. "I was so excited to be able to hear from former foster youth themselves," said Barbra Silver, Clinical Director at Family Paths.

You can learn more about the Y.O.U.T.H. Training Project here.

Family Paths Building Stronger Families Video!

2010-05-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

How to be a Happy Mom

2010-05-10T10:48:00.002-07:00

If you are thinking of buying the mother in your life gobs of stuff this Mother's Day, consider this: stuff won't make her lastingly happy, but there are other things that you can do that can. And if you are a mother, consider taking the matter into your own hands rather than waiting for a present to make your Mother's Day a good one. Here are some things you can do to that are more likely to bring you real joy:

1. Go out with your friends and have a few laughs.

The most persistent finding we have from 50 years happiness research tells us that our well-being is best predicted by how connected we feel to other people. Do we have lots of friends? Know our neighbors? Are we close to our extended family? Care about our co-workers? People with a lot of social connections are less likely to experience sadness, loneliness, low self-esteem, and problems with eating and sleeping.

So to bring on some lasting happiness, we need to nurture our social connections. But a girls' night out can bring us instant happiness as well, and I'm not talking about the kind you imbibe. The laughter we share with our buddies literally changes our body chemistry by retarding that pesky fight-or-flight stress system. A good guffaw-or even little giggle-causes our heart rate and blood pressure to drop and our muscles to relax.

2. Have your kids or partner give you a massage or pedicure.

There really is such thing as a magic touch. Like laughter, being touched in a positive way can also trigger biochemical reactions that make us feel good. Getting a massage or being touched-even just briefly-by a loved one can increase activation in the orbitofrontal cortex, the part of the brain where we feel the pleasure in a reward, as when we eat a piece of chocolate or win a pile of money. It also reduces the cardiovascular stress response and decreases our levels of stress hormones like cortisol. Touch is essential to our physical and mental well-being-without it we wither and perish.

3. Take some quiet time for yourself.

The appeal of spa time doesn't just come from the positive effects of touch-it comes from the possibility of some quiet time for reflection or meditation. Want to turn your brainwaves that signal stress into those that indicate bliss? Start meditating. Do it enough and research suggests that you will increase activity in the area of your brain that is active when you feel happiness (the left prefrontal cortex).
Neuroscience of yester yore held that our brains were pretty much done growing when we reached full height. Now we know that our brain is more like a muscle-use a particular area a lot and it will grow. As science writer Sharon Begley describes in her book Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain, studies of Tibetan monks show that meditation is a particularly effective way to grow the part of your brain that registers positive emotions. We Westerners freely accept that if we want to excel at something like music, or athletics, or learning a new language, we will need to train and practice hard. However, we rarely think that we can also train and practice to be happier-something Buddhists have long known. Meditation is concentrated happiness training. If you don't know how to meditate but are interested in learning, Martha Beck outlines a whole chapter of different techniques in her book The Joy Diet.

If you just read that part on meditation and thought, "Huh. I'm sticking to the pedicure," don't give up on taking some quiet time altogether. Take some time to yourself to begin a gratitude journal. Writing about things you feel grateful for is a simple way to bring more joy into your life. People who "practice gratitude" feel considerably happier (25%) than those in a control group-they are more joyful, enthusiastic, interested, and determined. In one study, researchers had people list five things they felt thankful for once a week for 10 weeks. At the end of the study, participants "felt better about their lives as a whole and were more optimistic about the future."

***

These benefits are all the evidence you need to have a guilt-free pass to nurture your own happiness-whether it is by meditating or practicing gratitude, spending a little more time with your friends, or by indulging yourself with the nurturing touch of another person. Do these things this year in celebration of Mother's Day with the intention that they will become a regular part of your activities. For the sake of your kids.

From "How to be a Happy Mom" by Christine Carter, Ph.D., mother of two and Executive Director of the Greater Good Science Center.

Family Paths Program Spotlight: Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

2010-05-10T10:48:00.001-07:00

Family Paths' Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation is a program through which three Family Paths staff members work as consultants in our community. As member of the TIPS team, Suzanne Lapidus, April Netzer and Mari Barnes are consulting with preschool teachers, directors and childcare providers in various school district, Had Start and private childcare settings. Consultants help early childcare staff identify, understand and manage social, emotional and behavioral issues that arise in the early care setting. This team knows that early intervention is an important step in treating and resolving these behavioral issues.

Family Paths has been providing early childhood consultation for over six years. Some of the most important characteristics of this program are its relationship-based model and its focus on collaboration between consultant and teacher/childcare provider. Family Paths consultants work to become part of the childcare team by building trusting relationships with staff. "Through genuine respect and curiosity, flexibility and openness and a willingness to see everyone's perspectives, consultants can help to transform relationships, leading to a richer experience for young children in their childcare setting" says Nancy Morosohk, LCSW, who supervises the consultation program. Enriching young children's childcare experience is definitely an investment in our future.

Thank You!

2010-05-10T10:45:00.000-07:00

Family Paths, together with the Friends of Family Paths, wants to send a big thanks to everyone who came to Periscope Cellars on April 24th for our first annual Blue Ribbon Fundraising Event in honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month! This event raised $8,000 to help build stronger families in the Bay Area.

The Friends of Family Paths worked hard to put on a successful event, and we were thrilled to see so many familiar faces. It was also exciting to meet a number of new friends and supporters of the work that we do to treat and prevent child abuse and build stronger families.

At the event, we unveiled our new promotional video, and a former client spoke about the services that Family Paths provided to help her through difficult times for her family.

We want to send out a big thanks to our generous community partners who donated goods and services to our silent auction! It was very successful, with a variety of items: from delicious cakes to art materials to spa services and excellent bottles of wine!

Our thanks go out, too, to the folks at Periscope Cellars in Emeryville. Their excellent selection of wines and their hospitality were much appreciated by all throughout the event.

Thanks, everyone, for a fun evening honoring the treatment and prevention of child abuse. Together, we can build stronger families in our community.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.

2010-04-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama has declared April to be Child Abuse Prevention Month. You can read about the five protective factors that help safeguard families against abuse, in addition to the ways that Family Paths helps to prevent child abuse in our April newsletter.

Also, the Friends of Family Paths is hosting an event in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month! Join us at Periscope Cellars on April 24th for appetizers, music, wine-tasting, and an extensive silent auction! All this and more in this month's newsletter.

Click Here

Friends of Family Paths’ April 24th Event

2010-03-05T12:08:00.000-08:00

The recently created group, Friends of Family Paths, is a group of female professionals dedicated to supporting the mission and work of Family Paths through philanthropic activities. They are debuting their fabulous group with a very special evening of appetizers, entertainment and tasting local wines in honor of April, National Child Abuse Prevention Month. And, best of all, you’re invited!

This event, slated for April 24, is going to be a terrific evening at Periscope Cellars, an urban winery in the heart of the East Bay. We plan on raising awareness both of the importance of preventing child abuse and, of course, about the work that Family Paths does to treat the effects of child abuse and prevent its recurrence. One of the highlights of the evening will surely be the silent auction, for which we already have some exciting items! We are so thankful to the local businesses that have already pledged their support by donating some truly top-notch products and services. We are still looking for donations! Call Jessica Wright at (510) 893-9230 ext. 286 if you would like to donate a product or service for our silent auction.

We are selling tickets here. We truly hope to see all of you—our community of friends, colleagues and supporters—at Periscope Cellars on April 24th!

Strong Collaboration within our Community

2010-03-05T12:07:00.000-08:00

Family Paths maintains strong relationships with several other community-based organizations in Alameda County. Our clinicians work hard to collaborate with other organizations when clients could benefit from services that Family Paths does not directly provide.

Family Paths holds regular Grand Rounds-style meetings, during which therapists share with and learn from one another. At a recent Grand Rounds meeting, a Family Paths clinician, in conjunction with Assessment Specialists from WestCoast Children’s Clinic, shared a success story with her colleagues regarding an instance of collaboration between the two agencies.

What was especially striking in this particular case study was the way that the client’s entire family shared the traumatic experiences of the past as well as the process that helps them to heal and move forward. It was a great reminder that at the core of the work that we do at Family Paths is our commitment to build stronger families. To those ends, we utilize all available resources in our communities, and enjoy building strong working relationships with organizations who share our values. Thanks to WestCoast Children’s Clinic for sharing with us their well-rounded, collaborative evaluation process!

February News

2010-02-10T14:14:00.000-08:00

Lots has already been going on for Family Paths in the new year. Read about our Internship Program, including an Intern Spotlight on Erin Hill, Our LGBT trainings, and our wine tasting event for child abuse prevention month in April!

Find the whole newsletter here

A word from our leadership

2010-01-06T15:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

As we look back at 2008-2009 we are pleased to report that Family Paths has thrived in a time when some non-profits are facing layoffs or in some cases, closing their
doors. It was a year filled with successes, though we faced challenges as well. Our biggest challenge was a direct result of the stock market losses. Family Paths is the beneficiary of a Charitable Remainder Trust, a gift from Roberta and Tim McCoy. Although the trust will not mature for some time, the funds invested as part of the trust were deeply impacted by market losses. Of course, we're hopeful that the market will maintain the positive gains made recently, and we are thankful that the decreased value of the trust is "on paper" rather than having a realized financial impact on the agency.

As for successes, through the generous support of Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services we have been able to almost double our level of service to Hayward residents and its surrounding areas. We are delighted to have increased services to the community, but we are especially pleased to serve more clients in need during these stressful economic times. Folks that never thought they'd be unemployed, homeless, and under severe stress have found themselves in uncharted waters. For Family Paths, to make a difference in the lives of children and their families is why our agency was founded and why we've continued to serve the community for 38 years.

Other accomplishments for 2008-2009 were the completion of a new agency-wide database, we updated our information and referral database, and we began an intensive process for a new Strategic Plan. The new database is critical in our efforts to serve clients on our 24-hour crisis line, our various counseling services, and parent education services. Staff at Family Paths are incredibly dedicated to serving our clients, so any technology that allows them to focus more time and attention to clients greatly adds to job satisfaction.

Through the generous support of the Y&H Soda Foundation, in May 2008 the Board and management team began work on a new Strategic Plan, which we expect to complete in May 2010. The process has already been extremely rewarding and has led us to create a new vision, values, and mission statement. Working on the plan has also led us to answer some foundational questions that every social service agency needs to ask itself periodically- how do we best serve the community, how do we know that what we offer our clients really works, and what is it that Family Paths offers that makes us unique? We are answering these questions and many more. We look forward to sharing our Strategic Plan in the spring of 2010!

We are deeply grateful to our supporters and funders. With your help, we served over 7,000 children and families last fiscal year, and you made a significant difference in the lives of our clients. Thank you.

Marcella Reeves, Executive Director &
Randy Bergen MD, President, Board of Directors

Thanks to our holiday donors!

2010-01-06T15:58:00.000-08:00

We want to send out a hearty Thank You to some of the community groups that helped Family Paths make the holiday season a little brighter for our families this year. Our thanks go out to:

The kind folks at Sandia National Laboratories, who collectively sponsored 110 clients by providing personalized, beautifully wrapped gifts;

Unity Church in Berkeley for their donation of over 75 handmade teddy bears, complete with handsome hand-knit hats for children;

All Soul's Episcopal Church for 150 cuddly teddy bears for foster children in Alameda County; and

Kaiser Permanente's 16th floor TPMG crew, for their generous sponsorship of 3 families over the holiday season. The personalized, wrapped gifts that they provided brought smiles to clients this year.

Thanks again to our community partners for helping us make this a great holiday season for these

Building Stronger Families

2010-01-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

Marcus was 12 when he moved in with his older brother after he was removed from his mother's home due to her severe substance abuse problem. He was referred to Family Paths for therapy services with our FIT program because he wasn't doing well in school and not listening in the home. Because Marcus' older brother lived in a different city than where he grew up, he also left behind friends and familiar surroundings to attend a new school and live in a new neighborhood.

The Family Paths' Therapist met with Marcus at his school and sometimes in his home to address his feelings and fears that were underneath his behaviors. During the time of their work together, Marcus witnessed the violent death of a close friend, his sister became pregnant and his brother's wife had a baby. He was quickly feeling lost among all of these events, sad and alone in the world. His therapist kept a steady presence and helped him identify his strengths and goals as he teetered on the edge of failing out of school and getting involved with dangerous activities on the street.

Marcus used his time with his therapist to express his feelings, both through art and thoughtful reflection in their relationship. He felt heard and understood, not judged and blamed. He began to think through the consequences of some of his actions and identified ways he wanted his life to turn out differently from his mother's. An important part of the treatment was working with Marcus' older brother to help him understand the impact of trauma and loss and how to best support Marcus when his behavior was less than ideal.

After a year and a half, Marcus' grades and behavior in school started to improve. He made a decision to continue contact with his mother, which felt good to him. His relationship with his older brother started to improve as he felt his brother was more flexible and responsive to his emotional needs. With things moving in a positive direction, Marcus decided he no longer needed to be in therapy. His therapist acknowledged his hard work and all of his strengths that will certainly help him through future challenges. The family continues to know that our 24 Hour Family Support Line is here for them should they need us.

See what our staff is up to....Hotline Intern Project and Free Yoga for Parents Classes in Oakland

2009-11-04T14:55:00.000-08:00

Announcing new victims of crime counseling services, teen girls' support groups and more

Free Yoga for Parents Classes in Oakland

2009-11-04T13:43:00.000-08:00

Did you know that Family Paths offers yoga classes for parents? Yoga for Parents is a free class taught each Wednesday from 12-1pm in our Oakland office. Family Paths' Yoga Instructor Vincenza Baldino, MFT teaches yoga as a stress-management tool to strengthen and relax the body and the mind.

Yoga has many tangible benefits, including increased flexibility in ligaments, tendons and joints; toning in muscles, and detoxification through increased blood supply throughout the body. Other benefits of yoga include more complete use of breath, the harmonization of body and mind, and the possibility for deep, calming relaxation. At Family Paths we believe that it is when we care for ourselves that we can best care for others.

This class is a great opportunity for parents to take an hour of personal time to be led in gentle stretches and yoga poses. No previous yoga experience is necessary, and we are currently enrolling parents in our classes! If you or someone you know would like to join our yoga community, call Family Paths at 1-800-829-3777

Hotline Counseling Intern Project

2009-11-04T13:41:00.001-08:00

Family Paths has partnered with the Safe Start Initiative as a consultant to the Promising Approaches Initiative, which seeks to increase the capacity of Oakland's family hotline services. Family Paths' 24 Hour Parent Support and Resource Line has been chosen as the Alameda County hotline number to be distributed to families needing assistance due to the affects of domestic violence.

In order to fulfill the goals of the Promising Approaches Initiative, Family Paths has developed the Hotline Counseling Intern Project. Our three interns answer calls, work on special projects and attend agency and community trainings. Interns assist the staff by increasing the number of callers who are immediately responded to and by providing additional ongoing case management for clients. They assist in writing training materials for volunteers and staff and gathering statistics, as well as with additional projects.

Meet Kareen McCabe, one of our Hotline Counseling Interns!

Kareen, what brought you to Family Paths? I'm currently in school at Holy Names University, finishing up my second master's degree in Forensic Psychology. I was happy to find what we call "counted hours" on a hotline. I'm definitely still working on fulfilling the program's 3,000 hour requirement!

Tell us something about your experience before coming to Family Paths. I grew up here in Oakland, and graduated with my master's degree in Counseling Psychology in May 2009. That involved working in a traineeship, during which I counseled kids and families at Patton Academy for three semesters.

In the November spirit, tell us something you are thankful for! Really, I'm thankful that I'm able to work in a position that's meaningful. That is so important to me.

The goal of the Safe Start Initiative is to broaden the knowledge of and promote community investment in evidence-based strategies for reducing the impact of children's exposure to violence. Visit Safe Start Center for more information on Safe Start's mission and goals.

Developments in Neuropsychology

2009-10-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Family Paths is committed to awareness and comprehension of the newest developments in the areas of psychology and neuropsychology that directly relate to working with people exposed to significant trauma. When new research offers implications for the therapeutic process, it is especially important that we are engaged in creating learning opportunities for our staff.

Barbra Silver, MFT, Family Paths' Clinical Director, participates in an ongoing reading group with neuropsychologist Allan Schore, Ph.D., whose activities as a clinician/scientist include theoretical work on the enduring impact of early trauma on brain development. Additionally, eleven Family Paths staff members and interns are currently involved in a nine-month remote-learning "webinar" program for mental health professionals. This program, hosted by Massachusetts-based clinical psychologist Janina Fisher, Ph.D., focuses on developing greater comfort and expertise in working with complex trauma and dissociation and staying current with the most recent treatment advances. Topics covered include integrating neurobiological research into trauma treatment, using mind-body techniques in traditional talking therapy, and working with dissociative symptoms and disorders.

Clinicians Phyllis Lorenz, MFT and Gwynne Gilson, MFT Intern, are two Family Paths employees who regularly participate in neuropsychology trainings.

Phyllis has given several presentations on trauma and dissociation at Family Paths. Her main focus is on how a child's developing brain is impacted by trauma and chronic stress. She emphasizes the importance of early care-giving experiences on the development of the child. Simply put, experience shapes the brain. In a safe and attuned environment, the infant develops a sense of self in relation to others, while a history of trauma and chronic stress can affect the developing brain of a young child, specifically the ability to regulate emotion in response to stress. Phyllis' trainings include information on how individuals learn to manage the trauma they have encountered, specifically dissociation. She teaches "Structural Dissociation", a model developed by Janina Fisher, Ph.D., which outlines the creative and brilliant ways individuals learn to survive the stress and trauma of their lives.

Gwynne is currently a participant in the three-year Somatic Experiencing training program, offered by the Foundation for Human Enrichment. Through these trainings, Gwynne has gained an understanding of how the nervous system responds to trauma, including the reasons why symptoms remain "stuck" in the body, sometimes for years. Somatic Experiencing techniques are designed to restore the body's innate ability to heal and are especially useful as an adjunct to traditional talk therapy.

Family Paths remains committed to utilizing the latest research developments as we work to heal the effects of trauma and violence in our community. We know how important it is to bring up-to-date treatment options to the families in Alameda County who need it most.

Finding Your Authentic Voice When Working With Challenging Family Dynamics Training at Family Paths

2009-10-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

This training will take an in-depth look at the issues that typically bring up the hardest emotional blocks for people who work to help multi-stressed and at-risk families. Fear, inadequacy, frustration, anger, hopelessness, urges to rescue, even desperation. These are all strong emotional experiences which, while potentially interfering with good work with families, may also be transformed through braving closer and honest examination on the part of the helper into the very keys to successful work with families. Compounding those hard emotional issues is the effect of the superstar status of “The Masters” of family work, which can make this work seem an ever herculean pursuit and set up for permanent feelings of being not-good-enough. This training will teach participants how to examine and utilize these issues to break through blocks and resistance to the work. Participants will learn how and begin to discover their own best styles for helping families while also sifting through and borrowing from the core foundations of what has thus far been shown to be effective in the field. Particular attention will be given to how to free oneself from the grip of the masters and get comfortable in one’s own flow. The ultimate goal will be to find and invite in the most authentic You, thus enhancing your ability to honor and steer the truest individuality and potential of even the most difficult families in the service of their healing. Learning will take place in large and small group, theoretical and hands on practical settings.

Registration is required by October 15th and is on a first come first serve basis.

To register send an email to smarkewich@familypaths.org or call (510) 893-9230 ext.207. If you do not register you may not be allowed in at the door.

Date: Friday October 23rd
Time: 9:30-3:30
Location: Family Paths, Inc.
Conference Room
1727 MLK Jr. Way
Oakland, Ca.

Registration and Breakfast 9:00-9:30 Lunch will be provided
This course meets the qualifications for 6 CEUs offered for MFTs and LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and is provided by Family Paths In partnership with Chabot-Las Positas Community College
District and Alameda County.

This workshop is free to those who work with foster youth in Alameda County.

Family Paths' Support Line Providing Counseling and Support to Victims of Domestic Violence in Alameda County

2009-10-07T13:02:00.000-07:00

History about the Safe Start Grant and the Three Domestic Violence Hotline Interns:

In Alameda County the Safe Passages Program submits request for proposals to funding sources, and oversees and monitors funded agencies. One such proposal they applied for was a federally funded grant. Nationwide 15 grant proposals were funded for a 4 year time period to increase services to families affected by domestic violence. Safe Start Promising Approaches is the Oakland based project funded to meet the needs of these families. Family Paths is one of the partner agencies in the grant funded to increase services to families.

Family Paths is identified as a consultant to the Safe Start Promising Approaches grant. Family Paths’ family hotline, the Family Support and Resource line, was chosen as the Alameda County hotline number to be distributed to families needing assistance due to the affects of domestic violence. “The proposed scope of services constitutes the following: 1) Increase the capacity of the hotline services for families in Oakland, 2) Refer Oakland families with children birth to five who have been exposed to violence to the Safe Start Promising Approaches Intake Coordinator who does a complete assessment of the families needs and then refers them to all appropriate agencies, 3) Collect appropriate data and complete agreed upon paperwork, and then 4) to participate in grantee meetings”.

Within Family Paths the Family Support Program developed the Hotline Counseling Intern Project. The interns are hourly employees who work 12-14 hours per week. They each cover two hotline shifts per week, work on special projects, attend agency and community trainings, and attend weekly group supervision. The interns have assisted the staff with increasing the number of callers who are immediately responded to by the hotline, and by increasing the capacity to provide more on-going case management. They are assisting in writing training materials for volunteers and staff, gathering statistics, developing materials for the domestic violence awareness e-mails, and with other projects. Thank you interns for all the in depth counseling you do with callers!

My wish is that this information about the interns and the role of Family Support in the Safe Start Promising Approaches grant confirms for you once again Family Paths’ commitment to ending violence within families.

Peace,

Vincenza Baldino
Family Support Program Manager
Family Paths, Inc.

Check out our new online store!

2009-10-05T14:49:00.000-07:00

Purchase Family Paths t-shirts, hats, mugs, etc. and support our mission. All proceeds from our sales on CafePress.com will go directly to serving our mission. So, check out our new online store and help us to build stronger families in Alameda County.

Click Here For Our Online Store

Click Here For Friends of Family Paths' Online Store

Parent Education Classes Begin Soon & Flu Vaccination Availability

2009-10-01T11:53:00.000-07:00

Parent Education Classes Begin Soon & Flu Vaccination Availability

Please Welcome Our New Hotline Volunteers

2009-09-29T15:25:00.001-07:00

A fresh group of hotline volunteers has recently completed our September training, and will begin to answer calls in mid-October. The group participated in 30 hours of instruction with Family Paths' staff over two full weekends.

The curriculum focuses on listening/attending skills, practice with role-plays and preparation on what to expect during a call. Volunteers learn about the unique challenges that face foster parents and foster youth, in addition to alternative families. They are also trained in the importance of multi-cultural competency in the hotline setting. This season's volunteer preparation was a great success. Everyone was interested and enthusiastic, and enjoyed getting to know each other as they prepared to use their new skills to benefit families in Alameda County.

One new volunteer said of the training, "Role-playing was extremely helpful and a great learning experience. I will take what I've learned and apply it to the hotline calls." Another comment after a full Saturday of training was, "It was a great emotional and self-realizing day. I learned a lot." Congratulations to our newest group of volunteers. You are at the heart of what we do.

Embracing Diversity in our Community

2009-09-29T15:22:00.000-07:00

At Family Paths, we strive to create a positive and supportive environment for our staff, where we can also challenge ourselves to deeper learning on a variety of topics. Cultural competency is a core value in the work we do and is essential in our effort to serve children and families in respectful and inclusive ways.

-Marcella Reeves, Executive Director

As part of our on-going mission to maintain a culturally competent agency, on September 22nd Family Paths' employees were led in an intensive day-long training titled "Building Dialog in Inclusive Communities," put on by Tarah Fleming of Start Dialog, and funded by Title IV-E.

It was a thought-provoking and exciting day. We examined issues surrounding culture and race, as well as the importance of talking to children and to each other about these complex issues. Tarah shared with us her principles of dialogue, which we were encouraged to practice throughout the day and include in our everyday lives.

The workshop was mind-opening and compelling, and our thanks go out to The California Endowment for providing the space for the training, Start Dialog for the excellent program, and the staff at Family Paths who organized the training. It is so important that adults and children in our communities have the tools they need to talk about and navigate through issues of race and discrimination, and trainings like these are vital for us to keep that conversation going.

The New H1N1 Vaccine

2009-09-29T15:14:00.000-07:00

This year there will be a new vaccine available to treat the H1N1 influenza. As of September 12, 2009, Alameda County had reported 137 cases of H1N1, of which 14 people died and 51 were treated in intensive care units.

The Center for Disease Control has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it first becomes available. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages 25 through 64 who have chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems.

The Alameda County Department of Public Health has ordered a total of 200,000 shots of the H1N1 vaccine. The vaccinations will be provided free at some point in October to anyone who visits the department's community health clinics. The hope is that even those without insurance will be able to access the vaccine.

Check the Alameda County Public Health Department website at www.acphd.org for more information about when and where the new vaccine will be available.

Parent Education Classes Coming This October

2009-09-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

A new Parent Education series starts this month! On Monday evenings from October 5th-December 21st Joyce LaMar, Parent Education Program Manager, will be teaching positive parenting skills at Park Boulevard Presbyterian Church in Oakland. The Parent Education Program helps caregivers focus on their strengths in order to establish healthy attachments with their children, respect the uniqueness of each child, and develop clear communication skills within the family. Another important facet of the class is its focus on positive discipline techniques, which help parents effectively manage children's behavior while also nurturing self-esteem.

Joyce has been teaching Parent Education at Family Paths for almost twenty years. Positive parenting classes are held throughout the year, and we are currently seeking volunteer instructors. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Volunteer Instructor, contact Joyce LaMar at JLaMar@familypaths.org.

Give the gift of your time. Join Friends of Family Paths today.

2009-09-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Why families
Research shows that 50% of children who are abused before the age of ten develop psychiatric problems later in life. Early exposure to violence increases the risk of adolescent violent behavior by as much as 40%. Working to strengthen families through positive intervention, Family Paths prevents child abuse and neglect now, and reduces future crime in the community.

Who we are
We are supporters of the mission and work of Family Paths a nonprofit community-based organization that serves parents and children throughout Alameda County with a vision of a healthy and safe home for every child. Family Paths' mental health and family support services give parents/caregivers the support they need to give their children the love and understanding necessary for a healthy life.

How you can help
Help parents/caregivers in your community build stronger relationships with their children in order for them to grow up happy and healthy. Here’s how you can get involved:

Become a member
Sign up to give ongoing support to our organization. Every dollar you contribute this year is an investment in our community and its future.

Join the event-planning
We’re planning an benefit event for April 2010. We welcome your energy and ideas to make this event memorable and successful.

Here’s how your donation makes a difference
$500 funds a 30 hour training for 8 new 24 Hour Hotline Volunteers. The 24 Hour Parent Support & Resource Line provides crisis support and case management for parents/caregivers experiencing stress in Alameda County.

$250 pays for 2 traveling play therapy kits for clinicians providing in-home therapeutic services to children who have been victims of abuse or trauma.

$100 pays for 1 12-Week Session of Parent Education for a mother or father living in Alameda County. Family Paths’ classes promote positive parenting techniques to help ensure that every child is well nurtured, emotionally healthy, and capable of reaching his or her own full potential.

You can also choose how much you would like to give. Whether it’s $5 or $1,500 every dollar will be greatly appreciated and spent on healing families and reducing the effects of trauma and child abuse on our future generations.

Visit our website at www.FriendsOfFamilyPaths.org to donate online and to learn more. To donate by mail, send to Family Paths at 1727 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Suite 109 Oakland, CA 94612.

Get in touch with us! Send an e-mail to Eliza Khuner at elizak@gmail.com, or call (510) 697-2903.

Announcing new victims of crime counseling services, teen girls' support groups and more

2009-09-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

Announcing new victims of crime counseling services, teen girls' support groups and more