Wednesday Communique – February 21, 2018

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: “Legal Issues Regarding Substance Use in the Workplace” There’s still time to register for this 3-hour seminar for employers on March 8th at UMM – see flyer for details.

Announcements

Local Food Map-a-Thon: Please join Healthy Acadia and Washington County Council of Governments for this hands-on workshop from 9 am to 12 pm in March to get producers, harvesters, fishermen, retailers and any other entities or businesses dealing with local food on the Maine Food Atlas.  Choice of 2 locations & dates – see flyer for details.


SAVVY Caregiver Training: This free course provides skills,knowledge and emotional support to assist informal caregivers who are caring for a family member or friend with dementia.  Lisa King will present this 2-hour class each Wednesday over a 6-week period beginning August 22nd at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias. See flyer for details and forward to caregivers who could benefit.


Lives in the Balance: The GEAR Parent Network invites you to hear child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene, originator of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions at the Windham High School on Monday, April 2nd from 6 – 8 pm. See flyer for details.


Driving Community Home Part 2: The Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging is excited to continue the conversation started in part 1 of their Community Leaders Webinar on February 27th from 12 – 1:30 pm. Participants will collaboratively work through scenarios focused on assessment.  We encourage you to bring your experience and past solutions to enrich the conversation and share knowledge. Let’s work together to build stronger age-friendly communities. Please review the scenarios below in preparation for the webinar. Register here.


Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Survey: Northern Maine Development Commission is looking for priority projects for inclusion in the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for the Aroostook Washington Economic Development District. Would you please take a few minutes to fill out the survey at this link and forward to municipal, business and economic development officials in your region. A project may be just conceptual in nature. Boxes may be left blank if information is not known.


Free Tax Filing: United Way of Eastern Maine offers 2 ways individuals and families can file taxes for free:  

  • The Eastern Maine CA$H Coalition helps low- to middle-income individuals and families file their taxes and learn more about financial re-sources in their community. Our IRS certfied tax preparers are specially trained to ensure that you receive all eligible tax credits.
  • My Free Taxes – United Way partners with industry leader H&R Block to help people easily and accurately file both their federal and state taxes through MyFreeTaxesTM. If your household earned $66,000 or less in 2017 you can file both your federal and state returns for free.

Calais area Community of Practice: Maine Roads to Quality is looking for Early Care and Education professionals in the Calais area to join a community of practice.  See flyer for details.


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

Updates

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

Calendar of Events

 

Driving Community Home Part 2:
February 27, 2018
The Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging is excited to continue the conversation started in part 1 of their Community Leaders Webinar  from 12 – 1:30 pm. Participants will collaboratively work through scenarios focused on assessment.  We encourage you to bring your experience and past solutions to enrich the conversation and share knowledge. Let’s work together to build stronger age-friendly communities. Please review the scenarios below in preparation for the webinar. Register here..


3 ACEs Workshops:
March 7-9, 10,  & 11
The Maine Resilience Building Network is bringing international author and teacher Sarah Peyton to Maine in March for:

Online Registration & Payment here. / Mail-in registration here.
Online payment if you are already registered!  The deadline for registration AND PAYMENT is FEBRUARY 23, 2018.


Legal Issues regarding Substance Use in the Workplace: 
March 8, 2018
From 9 am to 12 Noon the law firm of Drummond Woodsum will present a free workshop for employers anxious to learn the legal ramifications of working with employees in recovery and/or using medical Cannabis and other substances, in light of legislation such as “The Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Act” and “The Americans with Disabilities Act.”  Questions will be encouraged and practical tips offered for challenging or awkward conversations and situations.  Sunrise County Economics Council is coordinating this workshop at the University of Maine, Machias in Science 102, with a teleconference option for participants to attend simultaneously at Washington County Community College in the Assembly Room.  Contact Amy Lentz at alentz@sunrisecounty.org or 207-255-0983 to register by March 5th.  See this flyer for details, including a snow date.


Families & Youth in Transitions Conference:
March 10, 2018
8:30 am — 4:30 pm at Maine General Hospital in Augusta for Families & Youth in Transitions – a conference for families and youth with emotional and behavioral needs, special needs, and special health care needs transitioning through high school to adult life. Youth and parent workshops will be offered.  dynamic mental health speaker and circle drummer Mike Veny will be the keynote.  More information here. Sponsored by the Maine Parent Federation and G.E.A.R. Parent Network.


Recovery Resource Fair: 
March 23, 2018
The Washington County Community Action team will host a Recovery Resource Fair  from 12pm to 6pm at the University of Maine at Machias’ Reynolds Athletics Center (116 O’Brien Avenue, Machias). The Recovery Resource Fair will provide an opportunity for area residents and community members to learn about resources available in Washington County and surrounding counties to support people who are seeking recovery, navigating the early stages of recovery, and maintaining long-term recovery, as well as supporting families in recovery.  Those who provide substance use disorder prevention and treatment services, including direct treatment, medical care, employment assistance, financial services, spiritual, personal growth and development, and complementary health services are invited and encouraged to take part in this community event. There is no charge to participate as a provider or to attend this event. To reserve your free table, or for more information, please contact Terri Woodruff at(207) 255-3741 or email terri@healthyacadia.org.


Local Food Map-a-Thon:
March 24, 2018 – Axiom Technologies, Machias
March 31, 2018 – WCCC, Calais
Please join Healthy Acadia and Washington County Council of Governments for this hands-on workshop from 9 am to 12 pm to get producers, harvesters, fishermen, retailers and any other entities or businesses dealing with local food on the Maine Food Atlas.  Choice of 2 locations – see flyer for details.


Roundtable 2018:
March 28, 2018
The Roundtable is a great place for mental health therapists to learn from one another and to support each other while earning CEU’s.  We will meet at the Harrington Family Health Center from 9-4:30 PM for two workshops (6 CEU’s):

  • School-based Play Therapy for Traumatized Children: A Systems Approach (Brittany Ray, MS in School Counseling and Sue Carroll Duffy, Psy.D., RPT-S)
  • Healing Stories in Play Therapy (Sarah Waite, Retired LCSW)

For more details and to register go to: By The Sea Seminars—Roundtable 2018  (APT Approved Provider #04-144).


Lives in the Balance:
April 2, 2018
The GEAR Parent Network invites you to hear child psychologist Dr. Ross Greene, originator of the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions at the Windham High School from 6 – 8 pm. See flyer for details.


Youth Mental Health First Aid Training: 
April 12, 2018
NAMI Maine’s Youth Mental Health First Aid Training at the Cherryfield Academy Community Center.  Details about this event are here. You can also Download general informationabout Youth Mental Health First Aid Trainings.


Elder Abuse Summit:
May 10, 2018
5th annual conference on Elder Abuse, hosted by the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention at the Augusta Civic Center.  See flyer for details or visit MCEAP’s website.


Infant Mental Health Conference:
May 18, 2018
Save this date for the 31st annual Maine Association for Infant Mental Health Conference in Freeport featuring Jayne Singer, PhD.  See flyer for details.


SAVVY Caregiver Training:
August 22 – September 26, 2018
This free course provides skills,knowledge and emotional support to assist informal caregivers who are caring for a family member or friend with dementia.  Lisa King will present this 2-hour class each Wednesday over a 6-week period beginning August 22nd at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Machias. See flyer for details and forward to caregivers who could benefit.

Needs & Offers

Job Posting: Families First Community Center is hiring its first Case Manager!  Full job description and requirements are available at familiesfirstellsworth.com/careers.  We will be accepting applications until February 25th. Please send cover letter, resume, and references to: Families First Community Center, familiesfirstellsworth@gmail.com.


Job Posting: Part-time or full-time digital literacy instructor for the state of Maine. Axiom Education &Training Center, “National Digital Equity Center” is looking for a part-time and/or full-time digital literacy instructor for a state-wide position. Flexible schedule and some training available. Travel is required, and a home-office is supported. Download an overview of the National Digital Equity Center, a fast growing program with a goal to close the digital divide in Maine and beyond. If you are interested or have any questions, please send an email to: info@digitalequitycenter.com.


Job Posting: Washington County Community College is in search of an adjunct instructor to teach Sociology in the Family at Indian Township School on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons, weekly. The right candidate should have a Bachelors or Master’s degree in Sociology, Psychology or Counseling, and some teaching experience preferred.  See job description for details.


Office Phones Offered: Healthy Acadia has recently changed over to a new phone system. We would like to donate
eight Allworx model 9212L phones to a worthy organization. These are relatively new and all are in excellent condition. Contact Regina.


Downeast Feast 2018: Download the flyer for the rest of February and month of March!


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

Favorite Resources

Send us your favorite links to share with other Communique readers. 
 Does Paid Family Leave Reduce Nursing Home Use? See this article in the Journal of Public Policy Analysis and Management for Thriving in Place data on the impact of family caregivers. This is  the first study to examine long-term care outcomes associated with a state-level (California) policy on paid family leave. In doing so, it has demonstrated that the provision of this leave reduces nursing home use among older adults. The authors estimate that across alternative comparison groups, the PFL law is consistently shown to produce a decline in nursing home occupancy among the 65-and-older population in California by 0.5 to 0.7 percentage points.

Meetings

Maine Resilience Building Network: The date and location for the next meeting has changed to April 12, 2018 from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at The Ice Vault, 203 Whitten Road, Hallowell.


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.  Next meeting is March 2nd. Contact Lisa King for more information.


Work Group & Poverty Busters: Mark your calendar for next month’s meeting on March 7th from 1 — 3:30 pm at SCEC.  Updates will include a mini presentation on WIC by Mariah Mace.  RSVP to Christine.

Photo courtesy of Susan Bennett