Happy Wednesday!

This is the Community Caring Collaborative Weekly Communiqué where we share announcements about trainings, meetings and other events, including announcements from our collaborative partners. Look for links to meeting minutes and agendas in the Meetings section, training registration forms and flyers in the Events section, and job postings and other items of interest in the Announcements section. Subscribe here to get the Communiqué. Make sure to add Community Caring Collaborative to your contacts at claurel@cccmaine.org. Gmail users, check for the Communiqué under the Promotions tab. This mailing goes out every Wednesday, so if you have announcements, please send them to Christine by 5 pm Monday to be included. Thanks!

Photo above: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Announcements

Financial Coaching & Wellness: Are you a direct service provider working with families on short-term or long-term goals? If yes, then check out this free training opportunity presented by New Ventures Maine for the CCC on February 4th from 10 am to 2 pm at the Kay Parker Building in Machias. Registration will be open until January 31^st. Please be sure to take the pre-training survey at the bottom of the registration page. Share this flyer with your direct service colleagues.

MCH & Substance Exposed Infant Conference: Save the dates of May 22 & 23, 2019 for DHHS’s Maternal and Child Health & Substance Exposed Infant Conference, Building Pathways of Hope and Success, at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer. Registration coming soon. This two day conference is an educational opportunity for clinicians, medical and social service providers, prevention professionals, public health professionals, behavioral health professionals, community members, parents, and others to discuss strategies to optimize maternal and child health. The presenters each day will provide a host of information related to Health Equity, Trauma Informed Care, Eat Sleep Console, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Maternal Depression, Prenatal Substance Exposure, and the many resources available to this population at large.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week: Check out helpful links on substance use disorder terminology in the Favorite Resources section at the end of this newsletter.

Roundtable 2019: March 29, 2019 from 9-4:30 at Christ Episcopal Church, Eastport. The Roundtable is a chance for area clinicians to gather together in a small group each year and earn CEU’s close to home. It is great way to get hard to find play therapy CEU’s for those seeking or maintaining certification as a registered play therapist. This year our presenter will be Robyn Greene, LCSW. She will present two workshops: 1) Play Therapy and Brain Spotting and 2) Play Therapy and Court. Go to By The Sea Seminars for workshop details and to register. Workshop is limited to 16. APT Approved Provider #04-144.

Healthy Living with Technology: Join the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging for this webinar on January 30th from 12 – 1:30 to learn more about innovative technologies that are making it easier and safer to age in our own homes. For those of us who want to age in our own homes as safely and comfortably as possible, today’s technology is more than just convenient—it can be a huge boost to both our health and our quality of life.

Presenters:

Sajay Arthanat, Associate Professor, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, College of Health and Human Services, University of New Hampshire
Elizabeth Harper, Resident Services Coordinator, ARCH Beta
Tom George, Client Program Manager, Senscio Systems
Marilyn R. Gugliucci, Professor and Director Geriatrics Education and Research, Division of Geriatrics, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England

In Town Routes: Check out Downeast Community Partners’ low cost in-town bus routes for Milbridge, Eastport and Machias in the Needs & Offers section of this newsletter.

Be the Change – Our Stories in Action: Maine Equal Justice Partners invites you to a workshop on Friday, February 15th, 9am-4pm at the Bangor Savings Bank, Dirigo Conference Space, 5 Senator Way Augusta, ME.

Learn ways to make your voice heard about the issues you care about at the State House.
Hear from inspiring legislators working on key bills to better serve low income communities.
Fine-tune storytelling and effective ways to share your story to make change.
Understand the process: how can our ideas become laws that help people?
Get to know initiatives regarding:
Adult Dental Care
Restoring Immigrant Benefits
Leveraging Investments for Families to Thrive (LIFT is back!) and address the Benefits Cliff
Change at DHHS.

Naloxone Overdose Reversal Training: The Downeast Recovery Support Center in Machias invites you to a free training on January 30th from 6 – 7:3 pm to:

Gain new tools to help you assist people
in all stages of addiction and recovery
Learn how to identify and respond to an
opioid overdose
Get a free Naloxone overdose reversal kit
and training on how to administer it
Learn about resources available in our community

See flyer for details.

Pine Tree Legal is Hiring! See their job descrition for a staff attorney in the Machias office under Needs & Offers in this newsletter.

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

Updates

This is where we post updates on programs, initiatives and pending legislation.

One-Time Events

Healthy Living with Technology:
January 30, 2019
Join the Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging for this webinar from 12 – 1:30 to learn more about innovative technologies that are making it easier and safer to age in our own homes. For those of us who want to age in our own homes as safely and comfortably as possible, today’s technology is more than just convenient—it can be a huge boost to both our health and our quality of life.

Presenters:

Sajay Arthanat, Associate Professor, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, College of Health and Human Services, University of New Hampshire
Elizabeth Harper, Resident Services Coordinator, ARCH Beta
Tom George, Client Program Manager, Senscio Systems
Marilyn R. Gugliucci, Professor and Director Geriatrics Education and Research, Division of Geriatrics, College of Osteopathic Medicine, University of New England

Naloxone Overdose Reversal Training:
January 30, 2019
The Downeast Recovery Support Center in Machias invites you to a free training from 6 – 7:3 pm to:

Gain new tools to help you assist people
in all stages of addiction and recovery
Learn how to identify and respond to an
opioid overdose
Get a free Naloxone overdose reversal kit
and training on how to administer it
Learn about resources available in our community

See flyer for details.

Team UP for Your Child:
February 2, 2019
A free G.E.A.R Parent Network workshop that is a road map to behavioral health services that families need for autism, ADHD, psychiatric and developmental issues Saturday, 9 am to 4 pm at Wings in Bangor. See flyer for details.

How Difficult Can This Be? The F.A.T. City Workshop:
February 12, 2019
Unique and interactive program allows participants to experience the same frustration, anxiety and tension that
children with learning disabilities face in their daily lives. Video Presentation by Author Rick Lavoie, M.A., M.Ed., Facilitated by Misty Day, Regional Parent Support Coordinator, 6 – 8 pm, Wings for Families & Children, 900 Hammond Street, Bangor. Download flyer for registration information.

Be the Change – Our Stories in Action:
February 15, 2019
Maine Equal Justice Partners invites you to a workshop on Friday, February 15th, 9am-4pm at the Bangor Savings Bank, Dirigo Conference Space, 5 Senator Way Augusta, ME.

Learn ways to make your voice heard about the issues you care about at the State House.
Hear from inspiring legislators working on key bills to better serve low income communities.
Fine-tune storytelling and effective ways to share your story to make change.
Understand the process: how can our ideas become laws that help people?
Get to know initiatives regarding:
Adult Dental Care
Restoring Immigrant Benefits
Leveraging Investments for Families to Thrive (LIFT is back!) and address the Benefits Cliff
Change at DHHS.

Impulsivity & Disruptive Behaviors in Children & Youth:
February 23, 2019
G.E.A.R. parent network workshop from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Blue Hill Library, 5 Parker Point Rd. Blue Hill (Go ToMeeting™ available) – see flyer for details.

Building a Bridge: Navigating Youth to Adult Transition:
March 1, 2019
G.E.A.R. parent network workshop from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.at MAS, 60 Main St, Machias (Go ToMeeting™ available) – see flyer for details.

Transgender Cultural Competence BBL:
March 6, 2019
The CCC invites you to a brown bag lunch on Transgender Cultural Competence: beyond the basics and the binary, presented by Hannah Ruhlin of Health Equity Alliance, from 11:30 — 1 in the large conference room at SCEC (7 Ames Way, Machias). Learn supportive, respectful approaches for communicating with and advocating for transgender children and adults. Bring your lunch and we’ll provide dessert. RSVP to Christine and share this flyerwith colleagues. Participants are welcome to stay for the CCC’s Work Group and Poverty Busters meeting immediately following.

Roundtable 2019:
March 29, 2019
9-4:30 at Christ Episcopal Church, Eastport
The Roundtable is a chance for area clinicians to gather together in a small group each year and earn CEU’s close to home. It is great way to get hard to find play therapy CEU’s for those seeking or maintaining certification as a registered play therapist. This year our presenter will be Robyn Greene, LCSW. She will present two workshops: 1) Play Therapy and Brain Spotting and 2) Play Therapy and Court. Go to By The Sea Seminars for workshop details and to register. Workshop is limited to 16. APT Approved Provider #04-144.

MCH & Substance Exposed Infant Conference:
May 22 & 23, 2019
DHHS’s Maternal and Child Health & Substance Exposed Infant Conference, Building Pathways of Hope and Success, at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer. Registration coming soon. This two day conference is an educational opportunity for clinicians, medical and social service providers, prevention professionals, public health professionals, behavioral health professionals, community members, parents, and others to discuss strategies to optimize maternal and child health. The presenters each day will provide a host of information related to Health Equity, Trauma Informed Care, Eat Sleep Console, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Maternal Depression, Prenatal Substance Exposure, and the many resources available to this population at large.

Maine Geriatrics Conference:
June 13-14, 2019
Registration is open for the 29th annual Maine Geriatrics Conference “where policy meets practice,” at the Harborside Hotel, Bar Harbor. Speaker lineup includes:

Wendy Lustbader, MSW, University of Washington School of Social Work, Seattle, WA.
Toni Miles, MD, PhD, University of Georgia, Athens
Lewis A. Lipsitz, MD, Institute for Aging Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital Boston, MA
Mikhail Kogan, MD, George Washington Center for Integrative Medicine, Washington, DC

For more information visit: https://www.une.edu/com/cme/events/geriatrics-conference.

Serial Classes & Groups

classes, play groups, support circles and other repeating events

Certificate in Grandfamilies Leadership course: The University of Maine Center on Aging is pleased to once again offer an online certificate program for professionals and volunteers who work with grandfamily caregivers. beginning February 25, 2019. Participants will complete the 9 modules over a 12-week period, ending May 19, 2019. Cost is $85. See flyerfor details. More information and registration link here.

Free Computer Class: Axiom Education & Training Center is offering a new class this winter to help build computer skills, free of charge, from 9 am to 12 Noon in their training center at 6 Colonial Way, Machias: Beginner & Intermediate Microsoft Word Class — February 1st, 8th, 15th

C.N.A. Certification Training: Axiom Education and Training Center is offering this 180-hour training Tuesdays through Thursdays (4:30 – 8:30 pm) and Fridays (7:30 am to 5:00 pm) beginning February 19, 2019. Locations are Axiom Education and Training Center Classroom time and Marshall Health Care Facility for Clinical and Lab training. Cost is $1,575.93 (scholarships available). Course instructor is Brenda Dugan. Students are required to provide:

Scrubs any color, no leggings accepted
A wrist watch with second hand. Not digital
Comfortable shoes for clinical
Stethoscope only if you prefer using your own

For more information contact: Cassidy Stevens @ 207-255-4917.

G.E.A.R. “Parenting with Dignity: Picking Up this Ball is a Victory for All!” nine hour parenting education course developed by Mac Bledsoe, at Belfast Head Start, 275 High St, Belfast beginning March 4th. See flyer for times and dates.

WC CAN Council Classes:
Circle of Parents: for parents with children who have special needs

Pembroke Elementary School, first Monday of the month starting 11/5, 3 — 4:30 pm

Co-Parenting Classes:

Sunrise Opportunities (232 Court Street), Wednesdays 3 — 4:30 pm 11/7 through 1/2

Contact Mandie Pepperman with questions about any of these classes at 263-5270.

Nurturing Program: The CAN Council invites parents to a multi-session educational program sharing tips and tricks to help navigate the difficult challenges of parenting. Lots of opportunity for discussion and questions – free refreshments and childcare. Text/call Mandie at 263-5270 to sign up. See flyer for locations and dates.

Calais Circle of Parents Playgroup:
The WC CAN Council with partner Maine Families is holding a playgroup on Tuesdays 11 am – 12 pm beginning in September at the Calais Recreation Center, 344 Main Street. “Get a chance to meet other parents while your kiddo gets some energy out.” Contact Mandie Pepperman with questions at is 263-5270.

Community of Practice Groups:
6-8 pm
Maine Roads to Quality invites Early Care & Education professionals to join one of 2 community of practice groups (see flyers below):

Calais area – 6-8 pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at WCCC, room 301
Machias/Harrington/Milbridge area – 6-8 pm on the 3rd Monday each month at a Machias location tbd

For more information or to register, please contact Theresa Fisk, District Early Childhood and Youth Coordinator – 207-956-2070 or email: theresa.fisk@maine.edu.

Standing Meetings

Monthly and quarterly meetings

2019 MRBN: Save these dates for Maine Resilience Building Network meetings held at EduCare in Waterville:

January 31, 2019
March 28, 2019
May 30, 2019
Sept 26, 2019
October 31, 2019

Washington County Food Pantry Network: Washington County Food and Fuel Alliance invites you to mark your calendar for the next meeting of this county-wide organization. The network offers technical and infrastructure support and education to all of the county’s pantries as well as to provide an opportunity for pantries to share successes and struggles. Dessert, beverages and gas cards will be provided to all food pantry participants. Meeting dates (Thursdays) and locations for 2019 are as follows:

March 7, 1-3 pm ( March 21 for a snow date)at Eastport’s Labor of Love Food Pantry, 137 County Road, (route 190), Eastport
June 6, 1-3 pm; Location to be determined.
Oct 3, 1-3 pm; Location to be determined.

Questions? Contact Regina Grabrovac at our Machias Healthy Acadia office by phone at 255 3741 or by email at regina@healthyacadia.org

Calais Area Breast Cancer Support Group: meets on the 4th Friday of each month at 3 PM at the Calais United Methodist Church, 849 Main St. (downstairs parlor), in Calais. This free “gathering” is a comforting and safe environment to find encouragement and hope. Open to all that have a breast cancer diagnosis. FMI call Marianne at 454-0501. Download a flyer for more information.

Caregivers Support Group: Join other family/informal caregivers monthly for a supportive meeting at the Maine Veterans Home in Machias, facilitated by Lisa King, LCPC, on the first Friday of the month from 2-4 pm (no meeting February 1st). Contact Lisa King for more information.

Work Group & Poverty Busters: Join this meeting of direct service providers to share resources and network with other providers in your area. Download notes from the December and January meetings. The next meeting is February 6th in the large conference room at SCEC, 7 Ames Way, from 1 — 3:00 pm with another 30 minutes for informal networking and discussion.

Needs & Offers

Send us your agency/community needs or offers, such as job recruiting or housing needs.

In Town Routes: Downeast Community Partners offers low cost bus routes in Milbridge, Eastport and Machias open to the general public for “banking, pharmacy, doctor appointments, grocery store and even to visit a friend.” Download the flyers above for more information on routes, dates, times and the number to call to reserve a ride.

Pine Tree Legal is Hiring! Pine Tree Legal Assistance has an immediate opening for a full-time staff attorney in its Machias field office, which serves low-income residents of Washington and Hancock County. Job description and application instructions are available here.

Child Abuse & Neglect Survey:The Maine Child Welfare Advisory Panel is conducting a 3-Year Assessment of the Maine’s systems response to child abuse and neglect. The survey is via a web-based Survey Monkey and findings will be incorporated into Maine’s next Children’s Justice Act grant application. The survey is open from January 9^th to January 28^th, 2019. Please feel free to share this link with others in your network. If you have questions about the survey design or function, please contact Steph Barrett, Panel Coordinator, at stephanie.barrett@maine.gov.

United Way Funding Review Panel: United Way of Eastern Maine is seeking volunteers to participate in a Funding Review Panel. Panelists conduct an independent review of 8-10 applications and discuss findings with the full panel resulting in a recommendation for full funding, partial funding, or not funding each reviewed program. This position requires a time commitment of approximately 20-30 hours between January and March 2019. All panel volunteers are asked to declare any affiliations with currently funded United Way agencies. Volunteers will be assigned to panels where no conflict of interest exists. Please forward this information to your networks! Responsibilities include:

Attend orientation and training (2 hours)
Individually read and review assigned program applications; approximately 8-10 requests per reviewer. Actual number will depend on the total number of applications received and the total number of reviewers available. (8-10 hours)
Score applications in online database; typically 30 minutes per application reviewed (4-5 hours)
Attend and participate in Funding Panel Team meetings. At these meetings, Funding Panels will review scoring results and determine funding recommendations.

To apply for this unique and exciting opportunity, please fill out our brief questionnaire. For more information, please contact Meredith Alexander, Community Initiatives Manager, at mereditha@unitedwayem.org or (207) 262-6939.

Calling All Farmers: The Maine Senior FarmShare Program is looking to partner with new farms in Washington and Hancock counties. Through the program, farmers provide fresh, unprocessed, locally grown produce to low-income seniors. Each participating senior receives a share of produce worth $50 during the growing season, at no cost to the senior. Farms are prepaid in advance for the produce they commit to growing for enrolled seniors. Visit Healthy Acadia’s website for more information

Facebook Needs & Offers Group: Got a client looking for a couch? See a couch at a garage sale? Join Poverty Busters’ Resource Connection – a facebook group that connects needs with offers 24/7. Here’s a link to request access to this group. Before posting, please make sure to review the ground rules – thanks!

SNAP for Seniors: Jack Comart with Maine Equal Justice Partners has put together an informational sheet about Food Supplement (SNAP) benefits for people who are 60 or older or disabled (download here), forwarded by Hilary Fernald of LSE to help promote SNAP enrollment among these vulnerable populations in Washington and Hancock Counties. This can also be found on MEJP’s website.

Reusable, plastic interior storm windows: Maine Seacoast Mission has purchased these easy to install, no blow dryer or plastic sheeting needed, storm window inserts and are offering them free of charge. They can be adapted to any size window and are clear, high-quality plastic. Contact Scott Shaw at 546-5869 for more information or email Charley or Christine at the CCC if you’d like to pick up a kit. The CCC is storing two sizes, typical window size and extra-large (sliding door size) in our office at 7 Ames Way, Machias.

CCC Partner Survey: As the CCC finishes the final year of our 3-year strategic plan, we’re evaluating how well we accomplished our goals and commitments to you and to community members in Washington County. Our intern, MSW student Nicole Cannizzaro, has compiled data for participation in CCC activities by collaborative partners over the past year. Highlights of this look back reveal that:

A total of 61 organizations interacted with the CCC;
Partners showed up 139 times to monthly convenings of Work Group/Poverty Busters and CCC;
27 partner organizations participated in program efforts like Thriving in Place, Family Futures Downeast, and Mentor/Neighbor design;
24 partner organizations participated in the June 12^th Family Discovery Day in Calais; and
130 applications from partner organizations were submitted to the Hope and Dream Funds.
392 people attended CCC Trainings.

But numbers alone can’t paint a full picture of the CCC’s impact, so we’re asking you to complete a simple survey on the effectiveness of the CCC in its 4 major areas of commitment. We are excited to read your responses and thankful for your time, your honesty, and your partnership! Here is a link to the survey. Thank you!

Favorite Resources

Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers.

National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week: In recognition of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week (January 22^nd-27^th) the CCC is focusing on how we can all have an impact. The World Health Organization reports that substance use disorders are the most stigmatized public health issue of our time. One of the first steps to creating change is looking at how we talk about it. Check out this link to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s How Language Choice can Reduce Stigma. Another helpful tool is the Recovery Research Institute’s Addictionary – a glossary of substance use disorder terminology. Keep an eye on our Facebook page all week for information regarding alcohol and drug facts, resources, and supports. You can also get links to peer-reviewed resources that detail the effects of substance use from Healthy Acadia’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

CCC Wednesday Communique — January 23, 2019