Nyle Dimarco, Disability Advocate, on International Day of Sign Languages
World Federation of the Deaf: International Week of the Deaf
National Association of the Deaf: International Week of the Deaf
Content provided by Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
September 6-12 is Suicide Prevention Week, a time to bring awareness to the warning signs and ways to prevent suicide. As everyone’s mental health has been affected by the events of the past several months, it is now more important than ever to be there to support our loved ones and friends. If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, there are many ways to get help.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line
Text “HELLO” to 741741
Find out more about the warning signs of suicide by downloading this flyer.
Pressley Ridge offers comprehensive outpatient treatment and counseling for a variety of emotional, behavioral and mental health issues. Find a location near you.
More Resources:
Adoptive parents may be feeling particularly isolated without the support systems you once relied on. During a time when it’s needed the most, Pressley Ridge continues to offer Post-Adoption/Permanency Services to help you and your children grow stronger, including:
Telehealth services are convenient and safe, and virtual support groups and discussions allow you to stay connected. Post-Adoption/Permanency services are available for any family with a legally adopted child under the age of 18, including kinship placement.
For more information on post-adoption/permanency services in Central PA, download the CPA Post-Adoption Flyer or contact Nicole Commero at (717) 947-3713 or ncommero@pressleyridge.org.
I wanted to send this message sooner, but I sat at my computer for many days staring at a blank screen trying to think of the words I wanted to convey in light of the George Floyd tragedy. I am heartbroken, frustrated and angry to name only a few. I look at the screen, get up, leave the computer, come back and try again. And then I finally realize I truly have no words. But that is not acceptable. For us to combat racism, we all need to have words, to speak up, to act and to listen – really listen – to our African American colleagues, community members, kids and families. We have to do better than we have – it is not an option to stay silent.
Sending this message, there are lots of things I could repeat that others have said that are extremely meaningful and also comforting. I could write those words, acknowledge whoever said them and we could just move on… But, the fact of the matter is we can’t move on until there is tremendous change in our systems and communities. The fact of the matter is it’s not just George Floyd. Its Ahmaud Arbery. Its Trayvon Martin, Alton Sterling, and the list goes on…
We all want to ignore painful things in our life. It’s easier to turn our heads or to avoid things that make us extremely uncomfortable. We work with uncomfortable situations every day at Pressley Ridge, and what makes us a great organization is that we don’t run away from them, we run to them. It will be no different in this situation. We are not going to run away from racism or pretend it doesn’t exist—that is not who we are. We have to do more. We must take action, be part of the change and move our communities forward to stop racism.
As part of our current strategic plan, Pressley Ridge is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion and, ultimately, impacting systems change. We are focused on institutional and structural racism, as well as unconscious bias, and how these affect our service delivery, program design, policies and hiring practices. Within the past year, hundreds of our employees—including everyone from executive and senior-level management to direct care staff—have participated in racial equity workshops with Dr. Joyce James helping us to lay the groundwork for a multi-year process. It is our hope that, in the end, the work we are doing will leave a lasting impact on those we serve, each other and our communities, as well as the social service systems of which we are a part.
We cannot move forward until all of us work to bring about the necessary changes needed to address racism, and we aren’t going to sit back and just think about it. We have a responsibility to the kids and families we serve, as well as with our foster parents, staff and communities, to let them know we stand with them against racism and we are doing our part to take action.
Susanne Cole
President & CEO, Pressley Ridge
Pressley Ridge, a leading social impact organization serving children and families with complex needs, announced today that its Treatment Foster Care Pre-Service Training Curriculum recently received designation as evidence-based through the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare. With more than 150 foster care agencies trained in this competency-based curriculum built on decades of research and experience, Pressley Ridge now has formal affirmation on the transformative impact that this treatment parent training has on the youth within their care.
“We are extremely proud that our training curriculum is now recognized by the California Clearinghouse as evidence-based,” said Susanne Cole, Pressley Ridge President and CEO. “Pressley Ridge has always taken its role seriously as a partner in the community, with a responsibility to make improvements in the field when necessary and share our knowledge to better support children and families through best practices. Our expertise in Treatment Foster Care, combined with the knowledge of what it takes to be a foster parent to support children who have experienced trauma, as well as other challenges, is what led us to develop this curriculum and share it with others.”
Pressley Ridge’s Treatment Parent Training is rooted in an understanding of how to change behavior, the importance of a strong relationship between the treatment parents and youth in their home (“working alliance”), and trauma-informed care. Treatment Foster Parents with Pressley Ridge serve as change agents for youth in their homes. Utilizing these competencies, Treatment Foster Parents are taught that youth’s behavior can change and the youth can learn skills necessary for effective living. The Pressley Ridge Parent Pre-Service training is now the only evidence-based Pre-Service developed specifically for treatment parents.
The goals of the Pre-Service Curriculum are to:
• Increase knowledge, empathy, and insight regarding treatment foster care, child development, trauma-informed care, and effective behavior management techniques
• Improve parenting skills for working with youth with behavioral and emotional issues
• Improve ability and commitment to succeed in their professional role as a treatment foster care parent
In 2010, Pressley Ridge began a collaborative research project with Easter Seals, collecting impact data on training effectiveness. A few years later, a similar study was completed with organizations in Michigan. Based on these and additional internal research projects, Pressley Ridge published numerous research articles, journals and studies that were submitted to the California Clearinghouse for review.
The mission of the California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse is to advance the effective implementation of evidenced-based practices for children and families involved with the child welfare system. Due to increasing pressure from states and funding entities to use evidenced-based practices for treatment foster care – where few actually exist, this designation affirms Pressley Ridge’s commitment, capability, and depth of sound research to deliver services that produce positive outcomes for youth and families.
“We are thrilled to offer other organizations access to a quality, evidenced-based training that best prepares people to take this journey of becoming foster parents, while giving them the tools to improve the lives of children until they can return home or become adopted,” said Cole.
Visit these links for more information on Pressley Ridge’s Treatment Foster Care Pre-Service Curriculum or the California Clearinghouse rating.
Pressley Ridge Delaware recently received a generous donation from the Redd Heart Foundation. The staff were able to deliver boxes of food to all 47 treatment foster families as a small gesture of gratitude for their dedication to our children during this challenging time.
Teachers and staff from Pressley Ridge School for Autism celebrated student Tony’s birthday with a drive-by parade. Seeing so many familiar faces brought joy to Tony and his family and to the staff members, as well. PRSA is looking forward to creatively celebrating more birthdays, graduation and the last day of school throughout the next month.
We are proud of the many employee heroes going above and beyond their regular duties to take care of the needs of our kids and families. In addition to virtually delivering the vital services families count on, staff are personally delivering food (generously donated by Bayer) to families in need. School staff are not only ensuring students get the individualized education they rely on, they’re also doing live book readings, hosting virtual game and movie nights and delivering care packages to families.
Join us in celebrating all of the heroes making a difference every day.
By Jeanni-Marie Williams
This article appears in the May 2020 issue of Child Guide Magazine.
An unplanned pregnancy would throw life off track for anyone, but a teenage mother would be even more vulnerable, especially those without a strong support network. Pressley Ridge, a non-profit who has provided foster care services in the mid-Atlantic for almost two centuries, offers a program to help young moms and their children up to age four. The Pressley Ridge Parent Child Foster Care (PCFC) program matches pregnant teenagers and young parents between the ages of 12-21 with nurturing and supportive foster parents who have received specialized training. The foster parents equip the young mothers with skills to learn how to be great parents and ultimately transition successfully to independent living with their children. Pressley Ridge oversees the program and provides assessments, clinical services, in-home support, and crisis intervention, as well as training and resources for the foster parents. Parenting lessons are conducted within the foster home, and fathers are welcome to participate in the training.
I recently had the honor of speaking with Jewel Clark who has served passionately as a dedicated foster mom with Pressley Ridge for over 20 years. While Jewel originally began her service fostering teenagers, she has switched to participating in the PCFC program. Not one to shy away from teenagers, Jewel was quick to say how she feels the young moms are the easiest group to foster, and she would like to dispel the myth that teenagers are difficult to assist. Jewel says when they are approached with love and sincerity and realize they are in a safe environment with consistent rules, the young mothers open up with trust and become family. In Jewel’s case, she mentions that it also helps that she has a strong, supportive family of her own. Jewel’s daughter and grandchildren have welcomed the young mothers into the family and even enjoy their company on large family annual vacations.
From someone who has walked in the shoes of a single-parent herself, Jewel has a lot of empathy for the young mothers and recognizes their struggles. Jewel prepares them to have skills in all areas of life. She has helped some finish high school and graduate, while others she has taught how to drive. Basic parenting skills are key to the program, but independent life skills are also critical. Jewel mentioned that sometimes it feels like cramming for a test because there are numerous teachable moments while the teens are in her care. Teenagers with no experience budgeting, grocery shopping, laundry, housekeeping, and meal preparation are taught all of these skills within Jewel’s home. Once they have learned the skills, she assigns them regular chores, and she mentions that even though she helps them, they are helping her too. In addition to coaching and supporting the young moms, Jewel also fills in with babysitting so the young moms can attend classes to finish their educations. Lastly, Jewel sets a great example as an adult the teenagers can look up to. She is honest and shares life experiences with them to help shape them into strong adults with good reasoning and decision-making skills. Jewel mentions she never sets a rule or tells the young moms “no” about something without having a discussion about why and the consequences of bad life choices.
For Jewel, the biggest indicator of success, as well as the biggest blessing, is to see the young moms stop living in fear and learn how to be great, independent parents. When they arrive at her home, the young moms worry and cry a lot. They are wary and uncertain. But Jewel establishes ground rules and respect up front, and then she just keeps offering love until they feel safe and at home.
There is a need for foster homes for the PCFC program in Western Maryland. Jewel said she would encourage anyone considering fostering to not hesitate and just go for it. She finds the work incredibly rewarding, and as a bonus, she said she has even more grandkids than her biological ones. Becoming like a second mom to the young mothers, Jewel has created long-term family ties with moms who have transitioned out of the program. Even living independently, they still come to Jewel for love and advice, and she affectionately reminds them, “I will always be your mama.” The rewards of seeing the young mothers have success in life is greater than anything else Jewel could imagine. She mentioned there is nothing more fulfilling than seeing her hard work with them turn into their building and maintaining strong families. The young moms are also very appreciative of the work Jewel has done. They leave her house grateful for her nurturing and the accomplishments she has helped them achieve. Jewel recommends putting yourself in the shoes of a scared teenager who has a weak support system. If you can maintain that empathy, as well as compassion and patience, the fostering of young mothers is incredibly successful. As Jewel said at the end of our interview, “I love what I do. Life is better when you love what you do.”
In 2017, Pressley Ridge’s Social Research and Innovation Center (SRIC) with the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation began analyzing trusting relationships between providers and clients through a series of research studies. The initial results identify the five essential skills that youth and family workers use to develop and maintain trust with those they serve.
Child welfare and behavioral healthcare services are inherently relationship-based fields, and perhaps the most critical challenge that service providers face is developing healthy relationships with the people they serve. A sense of mutual trust between providers and youth/families may be the most significant component of a strong working relationship. Providers who can establish trust often provide higher quality care and may achieve more desirable service outcomes than those who struggle to develop mutual trust. However, engaging difficult or traditionally hard-to-reach youth/families is one of the most pressing challenges in the field of child welfare, as many individuals in care report a lack of trust between themselves and their service providers.
In one study, the researchers asked a diverse group of service providers from various states and services (residential treatment, special education, community-based, outpatient, foster care, etc.) to identify how they build trust with youth and families.
Researchers used group concept mapping – an approach that uses advanced statistics to analyze comments –to tabulate responses and categorize them into five overarching themes. Within each theme is a menu of practical skills, attitudes, and techniques that provers use to develop trust. These themes constitute a core model for building trust with youth and families usable by anyone, anywhere, anytime.
The study is the first of its kind to assess how staff from across the service array actively build trust. Previously, many believed that the ability to create trust is an innate ability, something that is difficult to teach. Results from this study suggest that providers can learn how to build trust, and that program managers and supervisors can support staff to create healthier relationships built upon trust.
“This study identifies practical and important skills that staff use to build trusting relationships with youth. By building these skills with our staff, we will better position them to engage and partner with our youth and families,” said Michael Valenti, Senior Research Coordinator, Organizational Performance.
“Our organization has a long and distinguished history of measuring the impact on the people we serve, and the working alliance is such an important piece of knowing how well we connect with people to ensure we are having a positive impact on our communities, kids, and families,” stated Susanne Cole, President and CEO
The project also included an official field test of Pressley Ridge’s Alliance Building: Learning to Engage (ABLE), a new model for developing and tracking supportive relationships, or “working alliances.” ABLE combines working alliance theory with practical feedback tools that reinforce that our relationships (with individuals, groups, teams, etc.) are at the center of everything we do. ABLE was developed specifically to increase communication and collaboration across a wide variety of people, services, and systems.
Pressley Ridge is currently sharing the results with staff and examining how the ABLE intervention might support trust-building efforts. The organization will continue to explore how employees create and maintain trust with youth and families. For more information about this work, please contact Michael Valenti, Senior Research Coordinator (mvalenti@pressleyridge.org).
For additional support, Pressley Ridge families can contact staff. If you or your child could benefit from any of the programs or services offered by Pressley Ridge, please email us at info@pressleyridge.org.
In the autism world, we always say that there are no two cases of autism that are alike, and recently I’ve come to find that there are no two days of social distancing that are alike either.
My son Jordan is on the more severe end of the autism spectrum. He is completely non-verbal and requires help with all daily living skills. He has attended many Pressley Ridge Programs over the years and formally “graduated” in 2017. Now that he is an adult, he attends an adult day program four days per week and has several Direct Support Workers (DSW) who work with him throughout the week. At least that used to be the case prior to Covid-19. His program was closed on March 16th, and now we have only one DSW providing a few hours a week.
I also have a 20-year-old daughter, Nicole, who attends the University of Kentucky and is now attending college via on-line classes at home. Nicole has dealt with depression and anxiety over the years, and more recently has been experiencing misophonia, or severe sensitivity to noises, chewing, tapping of one’s feet, etc. So, I have some experience with mental health systems in addition to the disability systems. She has been doing great thanks to medications and supplements, but this new quarantined world is taking a toll on her.
Working from home is not new to me. Because of Jordan’s needs, I have often had to work from home if he was sick or his school or day program was closed. I have to say, though, these last few weeks have been a challenge. It reminds me a lot of the days of uncertainty when Jordan “graduated” from the Pressley Ridge School for Autism and then completed his very last Extended School Year program. He hadn’t yet been accepted by his day program because there weren’t any available spaces and we didn’t have the proper waiver funding. I had limited help through a few Direct Care Workers, and I found myself working early morning or late evening hours to complete work uninterrupted. The waiting and the unknown were really challenging then, just as it is now. Days seem to blend together in this new normal. I work really hard to try to stay in the now and not think about how long this could actually go on. Some days seem to drag on forever. Some days go by in the blink of an eye, and I’m left feeling like I haven’t accomplished anything.
For the most part, Jordan is happy now that he gets a lot more time on his iPad while I’m trying to work or get things done around the house (somehow our laundry has quadrupled). He actually uses a desktop computer and an iPad (with headphones) simultaneously a lot of the time. He almost always has at least one copy of his “Rosa Book” with him at all times. (His Rosa Book is a laminated photo book of pictures from his adult prom, A Night to Remember. Rosa has been Jordan’s crush for many years even though he hasn’t actually physically seen her for a long time.) Sometimes the Rosa Book helps to calm him. Sometimes he wants to lean it a certain way against the iPad or desktop monitor and his OCD tendencies rear their ugly head. Sometimes this happens during the day and the sounds (nonverbal does NOT equal silent) and the pounding on the desk are annoying but tolerable. It gets a little more complicated when it’s 3 or 4 a.m. and I’m trying to keep him from waking up Nicole.
Jordan wants to eat constantly, so the refrigerator and pantry doors must be kept locked. He seems to have an increased urgency to get his needs met and a more intense frustration than I’ve seen in a long time. During these fits, he sometimes gets physical with me but is more prone to be self-injurious and will often bite himself or hold his ears and scream. I’ve thought about decreasing his meds and trying a more natural route of supplements and CBD, but now seems like a terrible time to do that. I’ve come to rely on the calming effect of the medication.
Jordan’s sleep patterns are so far off that I wonder how we will ever get back to a normal schedule. Some nights, he is awake for a good portion of the night and then crashes in the afternoon or early evening. While it would seem logical to keep him awake to ensure that he will sleep through the night, it doesn’t always work that way. Our new normal is this crazy cycle of going to sleep too early and waking up too early. I’m often able to catch some sleep on the couch so that I’m able to function. When I read information about how important sleep is it always makes me laugh. Not all nights are bad. Sometimes the meds and the CBD and the melatonin all work together, and we get a glorious night of sleep. Sometimes Jordan stays with his Dad and we get a little break.
Nicole is a great sister to Jordan. We spend a lot of time laughing, dancing and trying to get Jordan to smile. She seems to sense when I’m about to lose it and comes in to rescue me. We even managed to make a TikTok video one night. It was a huge adjustment for Nicole when she realized that she wouldn’t be going back after spring break and would have to continue her classes online. (For the record, she hates online classes. She is a social and visual person and greatly misses being on campus.) Last week was particularly challenging as Jordan was waking her up a lot or making a lot of noise when she was trying to study. This week she seems to be doing much better. Nicole struggled with social distancing for the first two weeks but now is using FaceTime to connect with her local friends. Her Dad is immunocompromised, and it took her a little while to realize how serious it could be for him. As a leader in her sorority, she has a lot of Zoom meetings to plan what they hope is normal recruitment next August, and the interaction with her sisters has helped tremendously.
I can’t even try to explain or rationalize this new existence as I’m struggling with it myself.
Fortunately, there are resources available to make this time a little easier for kids with special needs and their parents.
Resources for families in Pennsylvania:
In addition, there are a variety of support groups available online and through social media. And as always, current Pressley Ridge families can contact their workers for support during this time. If you or your child could benefit from any of the programs or services offered by Pressley Ridge, please email us at info@pressleyridge.org.
These are just a few ways to pass the days and help your kids get through this difficult time. If you or your child needs professional mental health support, you can be sure that Pressley Ridge continues to offer our families the same level of care as always. Please contact your local office, call (888) 777-0820 or email info@PressleyRidge.org.
In addition to providing the latest and most reliable information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers the following tips for managing stress and anxiety during this time.
Stress and Coping
Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.
How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make you different from other people, and the community you live in.
People who may respond more strongly to the stress of a crisis include:
People with preexisting mental health conditions should continue with their treatment and be aware of new or worsening symptoms. Additional information can be found at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSAexternal icon) website.
Taking care of yourself, your friends, and your family can help you cope with stress. Helping others cope with their stress can also make your community stronger.
Things you can do to support yourself
Reduce stress in yourself and others
Sharing the facts about COVID-19 and understanding the actual risk to yourself and people you care about can make an outbreak less stressful..
When you share accurate information about COVID-19 you can help make people feel less stressed and allow you to connect with them.
Learn more about taking care of your emotional health.
For parents
Children and teens react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with the COVID-19 calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. Parents can be more reassuring to others around them, especially children, if they are better prepared.
Not all children and teens respond to stress in the same way. Some common changes to watch for include:
There are many things you can do to support your child
For responders
Responding to COVID-19 can take an emotional toll on you. There are things you can do to reduce secondary traumatic stress (STS) reactions:
Learn more tips for taking care of yourself during emergency response.
For people who have been released from quarantine
Being separated from others if a healthcare provider thinks you may have been exposed to COVID-19 can be stressful, even if you do not get sick. Everyone feels differently after coming out of quarantine. Some feelings include:
Several days each week, students from the Pressley Ridge School for Autism spend time volunteering at local businesses. Our wonderful community partners help the students learn valuable life and vocational skills. At Alioto’s Restaurant & Sportsbar, they help to clean menus, pre-portion foods and even make meatballs and the occasional pizza.
25+ companies and numerous individuals in our communities helped to make the holidays a little brighter for more than 1,200 children. Our sincerest thanks to the following companies for granting the wishes for our children this year.
Henderson Brothers Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP Amcom Office Systems Michael Baker International American_Eagle Saints John & Paul Parish Treesdale Golf & Country Club MetLife Eat’n Park Cloud Adoption Solutions The Waters of Wexford Mike‘s Carwash ProLink Staffing Target Willow Med Spa and Salon Book Mark’et & Antique Mezzanine Fox’s Pizza Den in Oakland, MD St. Mary’s Orthodox Church Morgantown, WV Stevens Engineers & Constructors Gamma Mu Nu Chapter Lion’s Pride Restaurant Red Lion Controls OWL Chiropractic C.S. Davidson, Inc. Syncreon MKT Duct GGS, Inc. Stonybrook Family Restaurant Kiwanis Club of Greater York
We are grateful for those who have trusted us to help build stable, healthy families and for the communities who have invested in our mission. We wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!
Dion Inge, Treatment Coordinator in Delaware, has been selected as the 2019 Fay Mosle Generosity Award honoree. After having spent 13 years in foster care, Dion became a social worker to make a difference in the lives of kids in similar situations. In the past year as a Treatment Coordinator, he has made a tremendous impact on the youth, families and staff with whom he works.
Dion was chosen as the honoree of this inaugural award for his natural ability to relate to the youth he serves and the generosity he demonstrates. In addition, Dion is the co-founder of OurBoys,OurMen, a nonprofit mentoring organization to support young minority males from 10-24 years of age with the goal of defeating stigma and stereotypes through educational and social skill groups and experiences.
The Fay Mosle Generosity Award was established by Fay Mosle’s family to commemorate her 20 years of dedication and commitment to the Pressley Ridge Board of Directors and will be presented annually to a Pressley Ridge direct care staff member.
Dion recently shared his story of growing up in foster care at the Storytelling Event in Baltimore. You can listen to the audio recording here.
On October 23rd and 24th, Pressley Ridge brought together more than 150 national and regional mental health professionals invested in the advancement of trauma-informed care for the 2019 Building Connections and Hope for the Future Trauma Summit. Bruce D. Perry, MD, PhD, renowned children’s mental health and trauma expert, served as the keynote speaker.
During the two day summit, participants shared information, explored successful strategies and engaged in a deep dialogue on sustaining hope for those who have experienced significant adversity and trauma. Day one explored innovative practices and featured a two-part keynote presentation from Dr. Perry that focused on how trauma interrupts human development and what therapists can do to help children who have experienced trauma.
Michelle McMurray, MSW also discussed her personal experiences surrounding mental health and culture and how it has led her to a compassionate pursuit of system change. She spoke of her efforts to improve access to high-quality physical and mental health care for low-income and racial and ethnic minority populations and to strengthen small, community-based nonprofits.
Dr. Perry and Ms. McMurray were featured in a panel discussion around trauma-informed care and future action, which also included Walter Smith, Jr., PhD, founder of The Western Pennsylvania Family Center and former executive director of Family Resources, a child abuse treatment and prevention organization in Pittsburgh, PA; and Dr. Dennis Daley, PhD, who most recently served as Senior Clinical Director of Substance Use Services, Behavioral Health Integration Division, UPMC Insurance Division.
On the second day, summit participants built on their collaborative vision of what trauma-infused care means and discussed ways to act on their vision.
Trauma and adversity have been shown to directly correlate with an increase in addiction, systematic racism, poverty and poor mental health. As a leader in trauma-informed care, Pressley Ridge continuously seeks to improve the services we offer to children and families impacted by adversity. The goal of this summit was to create a shared power that will advance policy and practice from trauma-informed to trauma-infused institutions.
“Our long history of serving children and families affected by trauma has led us toward infusing trauma-informed practices into everything we do. We are privileged to be able to bring together our region’s leading social service providers along with national experts to collaborate and create communities that thrive,” said Susanne Cole, President and CEO of Pressley Ridge.
Dr. Perry is highly-regarded for having developed the Neurosequential Model, which is a developmentally-informed, biologically-respectful approach to working with at-risk children and their families that has revolutionized the trauma-informed community. Pressley Ridge is in the final stages of certification as a Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics flagship site through the ChildTrauma Academy.
Students and staff at the Pressley Ridge School for Autism and School for the Deaf began their school year in the much-anticipated brand new facility. Under construction for the past year, this school was designed from the ground up with the help of Deaf and autism experts to meet the needs of these students. After more than two decades, the students and staff finally have a permanent school with the tools they need to learn effectively and reach their potential.
Pressley Ridge has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2019 honor by The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, ranking 8th in the Large Companies category. The list is based solely on employee feedback through an anonymous survey that measures several aspects of workplace culture, including alignment, execution, connection and more.
Thanks to our dedicated and passionate employees for recognizing us with this honor!
Executive Director of Western PA, Jesse McLean, has been honored with two prestigious awards in recognition of his service to his community and his field. Bynums Marketing & Communications, Inc. and BCC Ministries named Jesse a 2019 awardee of the Ninth Annual Pittsburgh Circle of Courage Awards, recognizing him as a Pittsburgh individual that has displayed faith, courage and leadership in his field. Jesse has also been awarded the 2019 Jennie A. Carter Award from California University of Pennsylvania for exemplifying Jennie’s legacy of life-long service and dedication to education, students, and California University of Pennsylvania. Congratulations to Jesse on his well-deserved honors!
The Northern Ohio programs’ Men of Honor & Integrity Council spent time this summer constructing a ‘Free Little Library’ for the Cleveland office and living the values of Re-ED. The Group is Important in these young men’s lives. This project allowed them to gain basic carpentry Competencies that Make a Difference in their futures, as well as allowing them to serve the Community that is Important in their lives. Now, when youth and families visit the Cleveland office, they will be able to pick up and enjoy and new book.
In total, 22 students accepted their diplomas from the Pressley Ridge schools this year.
May is Mental Health Month, and we are doing our part to help increase awareness of the connection between physical and mental health.
Mental Health America offers these suggestions for:
Check back throughout the month for more mental health tips and facts.
Click here for more information on community-based and outpatient mental health services offered by Pressley Ridge.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and the theme for 2019 is Strong and Thriving Families. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and Children’s Bureau have assembled some tips and recommendations for strengthening your family.
Download the fact sheet here.
Every family has strengths, and every family faces challenges. When you are under stress—the car breaks down, you or your partner lose a job, your child’s behavior is difficult, or even when the family is experiencing a positive change, such as moving into a new home—sometimes it takes a little extra help to get through the day. Protective factors are the strengths and resources that families draw on when life gets difficult. Building on these strengths is a proven way to keep the family strong and enhance child well-being. This tip sheet describes six key protective factors and some simple ways you can build these factors in your own family.
| Protective Factor and What It Means | What You Can Do |
Nurturing and Attachment:
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Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development:
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Parental Resilience:
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Social Connections:
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Concrete Supports for Parents:
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Social and Emotional Competence of Children:
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All content courtesy of Childwelfare.gov.
Construction is progressing on the new Pressley Ridge School for Autism and Deaf! You can stay up to date on the building’s progress through time-lapsed video. The facility is on track to welcome students in the 2019-20 school year.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) recently awarded grant funding to Pressley Ridge to conduct a study examining how to build trust and mutual respect to meet vulnerable patients’ health care needs. The funded study, Relationships Matter: Leveraging Healthy Alliances to Improve Services across the Continuum of Care, is among five others supported as part of RWJF’s Building Trust and Mutual Respect to Improve Health Careprogram, managed by AcademyHealth. Read more about the project and the grantees’ research on the AcademyHealth website.
Pressley Ridge recently acquired New Pathways, Inc. in Baltimore, MD to address the needs of youth transitioning out of foster care. This acquisition further strengthens Pressley Ridge’s impact in the region, allowing us to positively affect the lives of 450 youth in foster care and juvenile services each year. In addition to the already established treatment foster care, parent-child foster care and community based mental and behavioral health services, Pressley Ridge now provides independent living, career and workforce development and community outreach services for transition-age youth in Maryland. For more information on the services offered by the New Pathways program of Pressley Ridge, visit newpathways.org.
Pressley Ridge was in the spotlight when the York Revolution took on the Long Island Ducks on Friday, July 13th. Staff members Cindy Plunkert and Ron Gruca were joined by foster parent Dan McMillan in a pre-game radio interview (Check out the interview here). Then Dan and his wife, Willeas, stood by as their foster child threw out the first pitch of the game. The Revs came out on top with a 16 – 1 win!
Annie Harrison is no stranger to the idea of helping children in need. Growing up in Tennessee, her mother took in everyone who needed guidance, saying, “The children did not ask to be here, but they have to be cared for.”
It was this philosophy that led her to become a treatment foster parent with Pressley Ridge. After fostering for over a decade, she never imagined that she would end up adopting two young children.
Elizabeth, 12, and George, 9, were first placed in Ms. Harrison’s home when they were 8 and 5 years old. After staying with her for a time, the children were sent to live with a relative. When that placement was not successful, Children Services contacted Annie, who was thankful that she had the space to bring them back to her home.
During their first summer together, Annie began to notice that Elizabeth needed help with reading and George was behind on alphabet and number recognition. So, she spent the summer tutoring them. Together they made flashcards and practiced until they felt more prepared to start the new school year. George learned how to hold a pencil and write his name, and Elizabeth became a more confident reader.
The children’s adjustment in Ms. Harrison’s home wasn’t easy. George had frequent temper tantrums, and Elizabeth had the mindset that she did not have to listen to her because she was not her mother. Yet as Ms. Harrison demonstrated her love and commitment over time, they began to trust her. The children’s biological father even thanked Annie for her support and told her that he knew the children loved her.
After four years in her home, the pair became available for adoption. Annie had become very attached to the children and did not want to let them go. Though she heard from several people that she was too old to adopt, she decided to follow her heart. On June 14, 2018, Annie, Elizabeth and George became a forever family!
There are more than 2,300 children in Cuyahoga County in foster care – many due to the opioid crisis. These children need a loving and nurturing home while their families of origin strive to get healthy. Foster parents can serve as role models for the kids and provide support to birth parents. The ultimate hope is that children can be reunited with their families or make permanent connections to other loving adults in their life.
If you or someone you know may be interested in opening your heart and home to a child in need, please contact your local Pressley Ridge office. In Cleveland, contact Zina Klypchak-Guercia at (216) 763-0800 or ZKlypchak@pressleyridge.org.
Throughout the 15 years that Marlene Jackson has been a foster parent with Pressley Ridge in Cleveland, she has cared for a number of children with various backgrounds and challenges. In 2015, a young man named King was placed in Ms. Jackson’s home after being taken into protective custody. At just 12 years old, he weighed 487 pounds, could walk only short distances, and was oxygen-dependent.
Marlene was fearful for King’s life, and she was committed to helping him get well. He had the will to become healthy, and within months, King began to lose weight as he ate healthy foods and exercised with a personal trainer the YMCA. “This was a different lifestyle,” said King. “At first I thought my foster mom was mean and strict, but then I realized she was really nice.”
King was also driven to do well in school. Marlene helped him to identify his strengths, which included a talent for writing. “He went from all F’s to A’s after two semesters, and he became a member of the National Honor Society. He had the power and I had the direction.”
Once King realized his academic potential, he aspired to attend Hawken, a college preparatory school in Cleveland. Ms. Jackson did all she could to make it happen and successfully obtained a scholarship from the prestigious school. Today, King is 15 years old and a freshman at Hawken. He is a member of the debate team, which has given him the opportunity to travel to competitions throughout the U.S.
When Marlene was badly injured in a car accident that could have proven fatal, King was understandably shaken and became very protective of her. Fortunately after time, Ms. Jackson has fully recovered and is as vibrant as ever. “I believe that God had another plan for me,” she said. “That plan was King.”
Marlene and King recently celebrated the finalization of his adoption. They continue to grow together as a family and enjoy helping others through their church community. King’s next goal is to get his driver’s license and first car. Ms. Jackson plans to continue fostering to provide children with the opportunity to live a full and healthy life. She believes her primary purpose in life is plain and simple—she just wants to be a mom.
Read King and Marlene’s full story published by Cleveland.com.
Originally published in May 2018
Since this story was written in 2018, King is now a high school senior who speaks and writes passionately about racial disparities in America. He recently organized an online forum for 160 Ohio teens from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds to discuss how they are thinking, feeling and acting during this momentous time in America.
If you or someone you know may be interested in opening your heart and home to a child in need, please contact your local Pressley Ridge office. In Cleveland, contact Zina Klypchak-Guercia at (216) 763-0800 or ZKlypchak@pressleyridge.org.
The 2nd Annual Pressley Ridge Sporting Clays Shoot was held on Monday, May 14th at Seven Springs Mountain Resort. Despite the stormy weather that forced shooters indoors about halfway through the course, the event was a great success with an increase of 40 shooters and $14,000 over last year. Day School Johnstown student Nate Swauger spoke to attendees during the buffet lunch, describing how his life has improved since he began attending Pressley Ridge.
The Junior and Senior Prom was held at Johnstown Day School on Thursday May 10th. GJCTC Culinary Department catered a delicious meal of stuffed chicken breast, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
Mr. Deater was the DJ for the evening as the student danced the night away. The Prom Queen and Prom King were chosen by their peers and were crowned by our very own Grandma Jo.
It was a beautiful night to make memories!
“Pressley Ridge, which operates in six states, has been able to find families for all of the opioid-affected children referred to it by the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, said agency president Susanne Cole. But in Ohio and West Virginia, the opioid epidemic has dislodged so many children that it’s becoming difficult to find enough foster parents, she said. “The numbers are huge,” she said, “and it’s not going away.”
Pressley Ridge is included in Part 2 of “The Needle in the Family Tree” published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Click to read the full article here.
Pressley Ridge integrates a trauma-informed perspective into all of our services, which provides the foundation for a basic understanding of the psychological, neurological, biological, and social impact that trauma and violence has on individuals. This mindset leads our staff to ask “What happened to that child?” rather than “What’s wrong with that child?”. Learn more about Pressley Ridge’s Trauma-Informed Care practices here.
We believe that a trauma-informed perspective needs to be supported by specific trauma-informed practices. To this end, Pressley Ridge’s clinical leadership is in the process of becoming certified in The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) through the ChildTrauma Academy.
NMT is a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology informed approach to clinical problem solving. NMT is not a specific therapeutic technique or intervention. It is an approach that integrates core principles of neurodevelopment and traumatology to inform work with children, families and the communities in which they live.
The Neurosequential Approach has three key components – training/capacity building, assessment and then, the specific recommendations for the selection and sequencing of therapeutic, educational and enrichment activities that match the needs and strengths of the individual. The catalyst for this process is the creation of a “Brain Map”. This map is a metric of brain development that is complete by a skilled NMT clinician. This map is not a visual of the actual brain itself but, a heuristic tool that guides quality treatment. As a result, NMT will allow our programs to better serve those who have experienced trauma and adversity, as well as, support caregivers, the child protective system and the judicial system to make decisions are in the child and families best interest.
Pressley Ridge is excited to announce plans to build a new School for Autism and Deaf on our main campus in Pittsburgh, PA. This $12 million project, slated to break ground in the spring, has been designed through the help of autism and deaf experts to serve our unique population of students with enhanced learning experiences that include:
Thank you to our early supporters of this project, including Pressley Ridge Foundation, Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, Massey Charitable Trust, and FedEx Ground, as well as the Pressley Ridge Board of Directors.
Follow our progress and get involved with PR2020: A Campaign For Successful Futures here.
Pressley Ridge’s ability to deliver our critical mission is dependent upon our partners who provide us not only with monetary support but also with the items and services our kids and families need. With countless individuals, companies and groups aiding 55 programs in six states, we can’t possibly mention all of the good will being done on our behalf, but we can highlight just a few of our strongest supporters.
We also want to thank the hundreds of others who have supported our kids and families in so many ways!
On Friday, January 19th, seven youth and five staff from the Pressley Ridge Home Places program had the opportunity to attend Cirque Du Soleil Crystal in a beautiful suite at PPG Paints Arena thanks to Tickets for Kids. The privacy of a suite allowed youth with sensory issues or difficulty being in crowded places to enjoy an evening out.
For many years, Tickets for Kids has generously provided opportunities that spark interest and excitement in our kids and families, sending them to events that they would otherwise not have the means to attend. In just the past year, more than 300 Pressley Ridge youth and families enjoyed over 100 different events and activities.
The Pressley Ridge Social Research & Innovation Center is excited to announce the publication of a new article that discusses the results of a study examining alliances between families and residential treatment family workers. Published in the Children and Youth Services Review Journal, this article demonstrates that sharing working alliance feedback with residential treatment staff can be effective in improving working alliances with families. This study adds to our knowledge about the working alliance and helped to build the foundation for our Alliance Building: Learning to Engage (ABLE) model.
The article can be downloaded for free before March 11th, 2018 using this link.
All across our regions and programs, Pressley Ridge children, families, and staff have so much to celebrate this holiday season. Thank you for your dedication and for continuing to do whatever it take for those who depend on our services.
We wish all of you a holiday season filled with warmth, happiness, and joy.
Dec. 31 will mark one year since a Putnam County couple’s foster child was declared drug-free for the first time in his entire life.
“It’s just been a roller coaster ride,” said Chris Crytzer, a nurse and resident of Hurricane.
“We’ve got a child who we can really make a difference in his life and I think we just cling to that.”
Crytzer and his wife, Mary, a mathematics instructor at Marshall University, will find out in the coming months if they’ll be able to adopt the boy they first met at age 10 months.
Now two years old, the boy is free of the drugs he was addicted to at birth.
“He had been in the hospital for life and never got to leave until he finally came to our house,” said Crytzer.
Listen to the news story and read the full WVMetroNews article here.
A recent WOWK-TV news story featured Pressley Ridge foster family The Crytzers and highlighted the great need for foster families to care for children affected by the opioid epidemic.
Check out the story here: http://www.wowktv.com/news/local-news/pressley-ridge-center-helps-foster-families/878787202
The Pressley Ridge Homebuilders program in Western Maryland received a Maryland General Assembly Official Citation of Recognition from MD Delegate, Aruna Miller. Delegate Miller spent time visiting with staff and learning about the program and the needs of our clients.
The Homebuilders program, located in Allegany County, MD is an intensive in-home program designed to assist children at risk of out of home placement, including families affected by parental substance use. Pictured from left to right are Amy Crowley, therapist, Delegate Aruna Miller, Mary Beth DeMartino, Program Director and Wendy McKenzie, Program Supervisor.
Laura O’Hara, Clinical Liaison at the Laurel Park program has a passion for running. Luckily for the youth at Laurel Park, she is sharing her passion for this sport with them. As a Therapist, Laura often teaches self-regulation skills to the youth on her therapy caseload and for the past three months she has incorporated a twice per week Running Group with several of the young men at Laurel Park.
Over the course of twelve weeks, Laura entered the group of five young men into several races and ran right alongside them. The races included the Ritchie Regional Health Care 5K, Cooper’s Rock Stump Jump 10K and the Salem Apple Butter Festival 5K.
Laura is proud of how invested these young men were and how they continued to improve their individual race times. One young man improved his 10K time from 57:37 to 50:04, ending the season with a fourth overall finish in the Test the Watters race.
Six students from the Day School Pittsburgh shared their artwork in the community by participating in the Annual Flowering of Insight Art Exhibit held in the Department of Human Services Building, One Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh.
The Flowering of Insight Art Exhibit began more than 20 years ago. The theme for this year’s exhibit was “I can…” and showcased artworks by artists ranging in age from youth to seniors. The exhibit was on display throughout the month of September, with an artists’ reception on Saturday, September 30th.
DaySchool Art Teacher MaryAnn Fabian helped to coordinate and plan the exhibit, along with representatives from other participating agencies, including Pittsburgh Mercy Health System, PA Connecting Communities and Milestone Centers.
On Saturday, September 23, 2017 Pressley Ridge – Delaware staff supported the 3rd Annual “Delaware Walks with Leah 5K Walk/Run” at the Christiana Mall located in Newark, DE. Hundreds were in attendance which presented a great opportunity to recruit and increase “friends” of Pressley Ridge. Pictured above are Marcie Byus, Recruiter with Ms. Delaware 2017, Chelsea Bruce, Tanya Johnson, TFC Supervisor and Leah Still with mother Channing Smythe.
We are excited to announce the publication of a new article that demonstrates how Pressley Ridge’s treatment foster care pre-service training significantly changes parenting attitudes and licensing rates compared to a basic pre-service training (Model Approach to Partnerships in Parenting [MAPP]). This publication brings us one step closer in the process of becoming evidence-based.
Stay tuned for updates on our evidence-based status for our pre-service training. Click here to read the full-text article.
Once again, Walsh Construction has generously supported Pressley Ridge by donating a portion of the proceeds from their annual golf outing. We are grateful for our partnership with Walsh, which also includes the Constructing Their Futures program for students at the Career Development Center and support for the Angel Tree drive during the holidays.
Maryland Community Health Resources Commission providing funds for HOMEBUILDERS® method
Allegany County, MARYLAND (August 1, 2017) – In response to the increasing need for support of families affected by opioid and other substance abuse in Allegany County, Pressley Ridge of Western Maryland has been awarded a grant in the amount of $350,000 from the Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (MCHRC) to provide intensive in-home services. Families eligible for services are those whose children are at an imminent risk of placement or those who are in placement and cannot return home without intensive in-home services. Risks for placement include children who are victims of abuse and/or neglect and those who have been exposed to risk factors such as substance abuse, domestic violence, mental health and/or other disabling conditions of the parents. Referrals will come from the Allegany County Department of Social Services.
Pressley Ridge will be utilizing the HOMEBUILDERS® model to deliver these services. HOMEBUILDERS® provides intensive, in-home crisis intervention, counseling and life-skills education for families who have children at imminent risk of placement in state-funded care. It is the oldest and best-documented Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) program in the United States.
“The Commission is thrilled to support Pressley Ridge and the implementation of the HOMEBUILDERS® model in western Maryland,” said Mark Luckner, Executive Director, MCHRC. “This evidence-based program will help assist families experiencing substance use issues and will promote family preservation.” The grant to Pressley Ridge is one of 21 grant awards made by the MCHRC this year.
The goal is to prevent children from being unnecessarily placed out of their homes by providing intensive, on-site intervention in addition to teaching families new problem-solving skills to prevent future crises. The HOMEBUILDERS® program removes the risk of harm to the child instead of removing the child from their home environment. The HOMEBUILDERS® model will bring services directly into the home of identified families, making services accessible and consistent and outcomes more achievable.
“Pressley Ridge is thrilled to be able to work with our community partners to tackle the ever increasing problem of opioid addiction and the devastating impact this has on children and families,” said Mary Beth DeMartino, Director of Pressley Ridge of Western Maryland.
The United Way of Allegany County is also providing monetary and collaborative support. “We need the help of community partners, like Pressley Ridge, to address the unmet needs of individuals so that families have the necessary tools for a better path to success,” said Mary Beth Pirolozzi, Executive Director of County United Way, Inc. “We hope and expect that our partnership will result in a stronger, healthier community.”
ABOUT PRESSLEY RIDGE
For the past 185 years, Pressley Ridge has done whatever it takes to create success for children and families. Pressley Ridge’s innovative programming provides the foundation for building stronger families while constantly evolving to meet the needs of the community. From helping families in the community, to providing foster care services and educating children with special needs, including autism and deafness, Pressley Ridge empowers kids and families with the ability and confidence to succeed. Pressley Ridge serves communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia and Delaware. For more information visit www.pressleyridge.org.
ABOUT MARYLAND COMMUNITY HEALTH RESOURCES COMMISSION
The Maryland Community Health Resources Commission (CHRC) was created by the Maryland General Assembly in 2005 to expand access in underserved communities. Since its inception, the Commission has awarded 190 grants totaling $60.3 million, supporting programs in every jurisdiction of the state. CHRC-supported programs have collectively served more than 330,000 Marylanders, most of whom are low-income and have complex health and social service needs. For more information, visit www.health.maryland.gov/mchrc.
As most of you are aware based on recent events in Charlottesville, VA, our country is embroiled in a discussion about race and racism. There is a great deal of divisiveness occurring within our communities that impacts those we serve but also all of us as individuals.
At Pressley Ridge, we believe our differences are our strengths. The combined experiences and talents of our staff, volunteers and the children, adolescents, adults and families we serve strengthen and enrich us as individuals, teams, partners and communities. Grounded in our mission to do whatever it takes to create success for our clients, we foster a culture that values all people, in all our rich and myriad differences, with acceptance and respect. Just as the clients we serve change and grow, so too does our organization and our society. Pressley Ridge is committed to doing more to promote diversity and to address disparities within our organization and our communities.
To this end, Pressley Ridge will not tolerate hate or racism in any form, nor discrimination against any person based on their color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical condition), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), age, national origin, perceived or actual sexual orientation, marital or familial status, military or veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information or any other classification protected by law with respect to any term or condition of employment.
Pressley Ridge values all of our employees, and it takes us all working together each and every day to achieve our mission. We stand strong because we stand together in our efforts to help ALL people. It is my hope that our compassion and kindness sets the example for others.
Susanne Cole
President/CEO
In collaboration with the Beaver County System of Care, Pressley Ridge is honored to be a part of the
Beaver County Youth Ambassador Program, which aims to spread awareness and reduce stigma related to mental health issues among high school students. The program began in 2016 with representatives from five school districts, and by next school year, the list will have grown to 15 with as many as 10 students participating from each school.
During two events held in early 2017, the students attended workshops and heard personal stories of mental illness, advocacy and recovery. The ambassadors also discussed ways to alert their peers
how and where to find help. Student-designed posters featuring reassuring messages and helpline
information will soon be hung throughout the halls of the partner schools. In addition, ambassadors
volunteered to speak about their own mental health experiences for a compilation video that was shared on Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 4.
Henrietta Thomas has been a foster parent with Pressley Ridge for 20 years, and in that
time, more than 100 children have called her house home.
Many of the kids she has fostered continue to visit – some bringing their own children to meet
Henrietta and all hoping for one of her home-cooked meals. Her current foster children agree
that she makes the best dinners and baked goods.
Ms. Henrietta is a model parent, offering guidance and support to others who are new to
fostering. She is always available in a time of need or crisis and will go above and beyond to
make sure a child has a safe and loving home.
One child said, “Ms. Henrietta does whatever she can to make sure we get along. She doesn’t
make me feel like I am in a foster home.”
We are fortunate to have hundreds of foster parents, many of whom, just like Ms. Henrietta,
have given decades of love, support and dedication to our kids and families.
An afternoon coffee break is a daily routine for many. For the staff working at Pressley Ridge’s Pittsburgh Campus – which includes the Day School Pittsburgh and the School for Autism – their coffee break is much more meaningful.
Three days each week, students from the Pressley Ridge School for Autism (PRSA) operate a coffee shop on campus. On the surface, the PRSA Coffee Shop offers a welcome service to the staff in the form of beverages and snacks, but it’s the students who run the shop who benefit much more than the customers.
The coffee shop is a therapeutic environment where the students learn valuable social and vocational skills, including appropriate work place etiquette. The are four jobs: greeter, snack stand, barista and cashier. Each job has specific expectations that vary based upon the individual student’s needs and abilities, which increases the students’ chance for success.
The use of meaningful Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) in the coffee shop is encouraged. AAC includes various methods of supplementing or replacing speech to convey wants and needs. When a student uses any form of AAC, a unique vocabulary is developed for communication in the work environment, which promotes communication in settings outside of the classroom. Group conversations are led by PRSA’s Speech-Language Pathologist, and social language and the art of “small talk” become a byproduct of the work environment.
Though staff are closely monitoring, students working in the coffee shop are given the least intrusive level of prompting to promote independence. The staff are also able to identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses, which can be used to develop a work-biography to be passed on to future placements.
For our students, the PRSA Coffee Shop is an important stepping stone between a highly structured therapeutic environment and the real world, and it is just one of the many ways we prepare our students for life after Pressley Ride.
This spring, 28 students graduated from the six Pressley Ridge Schools, along with dozens
more youth from our foster care, community-based and residential programs. These
students have experienced varying degrees of adversity in their young lives, yet through hard
work and determination, they have succeeded.
Kira, who recently transitioned to independent living from Pressley Ridge foster care, is just
one of this year’s commendable stories. Throughout high school, Kira maintained straight A’s
while working part time and taking free online college courses. She graduated with honors
from Hamilton High School and will attend Miami University Hamilton in the fall, where she
was awarded nearly $100,000 in scholarships and plans to study forensic investigation.
Steve came to Pressley Ridge Day School Johnstown at the age of 12 with a diagnosis of
Selective Mutism. He struggled with academics, refused to participate in group activities,
ignored instruction and became physically aggressive. In his eight years at the school, he
made great strides and eventually began responding verbally in class, making friends and even
participating in a school-to-work program at REI, where he now hopes to secure full-time
employment. Steve’s mother proudly boasts, “Pressley Ridge has been a life saver. I now get
to see my son, whom I never expected to graduate, not only graduate, but with the highest
grades…and the opportunity to go on and further his education.
There are many more shining examples of success in the Pressley Ridge Class of 2017, and we are
proud of how far they have come. No matter where they are headed, we wish them the best of luck.
The children of Pressley Ridge are big fans of the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins – both on and off the ice. Over the past five years, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation has supported our kids with nearly $75,000 in financial contributions that have provided art therapy and educational tools for children and young adults with autism. During the most recent NHL season, groups of Pressley Ridge kids from Pittsburgh and Johnstown, PA, Morgantown, WV and Western Maryland were treated to the unique experience of watching a game from the Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin Charity Suites. One youth said, “Thank you for giving me one of the best Christmases ever. Seeing the Penguins was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me.” One lucky group of kids not only got to experience a Peng-win, they also sat next to Christina Aguilera, who graciously took time to take photos with our kids! We are so grateful to the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation for their continued support of our kids and families.
On Friday, May 19th Johnstown student danced the afternoon away at the Junior/Senior Prom. Students enjoyed music by our own DJ, Mr. Deater, posed for pictures with their classmates, and enjoyed light refreshments. It was a day filled with happy memories!
Dave Donate, owner of The Orchard, in Geistown recently visited the students and staff to make a $2,800.00 donation to the Day School Johnstown. The students were also entertained by a few magic tricks and all received a new water bottle and a pen. Every April for the past six years Mr. Donate has donated a percentage of patron’s dinners along with portions of his Saturday night tips in the effort to raise autism awareness. To date, he has donated over $11,500.00.
May is National Foster Care month, which was created to not only highlight the children in care and the need for foster parents, but also to celebrate the dedication of the families and the workers who support them. Staff, kids and families all across the regions celebrated National Foster Care Day by wearing blue. One of our WV foster parents commented, “This team is awesome. They do an amazing job guiding and helping foster homes. They truly do love their jobs and have hearts of gold to give these kids a loving home. Proud to belong to such an amazing company!”
As a part of our community outreach program, The Shanksville-Stonycreek School District brought their Senior boys basketball team for a little competition. The Shanksville- Stonycreek Vikings are the District V Champions, Single A Division, West PAC South Champions, and reached the Sweet 16 Playoffs in the State Playoffs with an overall 25-2 record. Two of the senior boys, Aaron Smith and Jessie Bittner played a half-court game against two of our students and our one and only Mr. Martin. The other senior boys acted as referees and the cheering section. The final score was 19 – 16, Pressley. After the game the senior boys spent time shooting hoops with all students who wanted to participate and then allotted time for autographs. It was a great morning spending time with a neighboring school.
For the 9th year in a row, the Central Delaware Chamber of Commerce honored the wonderful, resourceful, and creative people that are Administrative Professionals! This year, Walter Randolph, Office Manager, Dover, DE was surprised by his selection of being recognized as one of three “BEST OF THE BEST” winners! Walter, along with the two other winners will be highlighted in the Chamber Connections newspaper, receive a prize donated by a Chamber Member as well as a prize package inclusive of a pampering package from Aurora Academy of Hair Design; a floral bouquet from Jen-Mar Florist and a Mary Kay Cosmetics Gift Basket
The Dover, DE team jumped at the opportunity to recognize and celebrate Walter who has been a member of the Pressley Ridge team for the past ten years. Walter is a man of action; he is described by his peers as loyal, dedicated and supportive. He serves as the face of the Kent Co. office; he warmly greets all visitors and always has a story about his family’s beloved Basset Hounds! Walter stays abreast of deadlines that not only impact his work, but those of staff as well and sends gentle reminders prior to expiration to keep us all in compliance. Walter is proactive and does not wait for directives to address issues. Due to this attention to detail and cooperative spirit direct service staff are able to focus and manage the stressful day to day of serving youth and families.
Pressley Ridge has a vision of “all kids thrive” and a mission that states “whatever it takes to create success for children and families.” Walter personifies these statements and presents with a“whatever it takes” attitude and can do spirit. He has a calm and relaxed demeanor and often serves as a sounding board presenting practical and a neutral positions; both qualities needed in such a fast paced and emotionally charged work environment in which we operate. Walter makes himself available 24/7; he stays abreast of staff’s community location daily for safety purposes and can be found offering a helping hand, whether its loading or unloading cars ; changing a co-workers or families tire in our parking lot or being present during emotionally charged family visitation; Walter can be depended
Walter is a consummate professional. He arrives early each day; has a unique sense of humor; is well rounded and can hold a conversation on an array of topics. Walter accommodates the many requests of staff and foster families to ensure their day moves a little more smoothly.
CONGRATULATIONS WALTER!!!! We greatly appreciate you!
Several students at the Career Development Center had the opportunity to collaborate with a team of game developers from SimCoach Games. The students were asked to play a game that is in its earliest stage of development. The game was designed to give information about careers associated with building roads and bridges and geared towards young people from ages 14-25. The team from SimCoach Games observed the students interact with the app and then followed up with a brief Q & A session. The students were very engaged and gave specific feedback about ways the game could be improved. They all enjoyed their glimpse into research and development and were motivated to see what other games are available through the company.
Ms. Fabian and her art students again supported the Empty Bowls Dinner benefiting the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Just Harvest. The students created handmade bowls to be used as part of the meager meal, served at the event, which highlights the state of hunger in our area. Day School students have been participating in this event for over a decade. Here are some of their creations that went home with lucky attendees at the event on March 20th.
The students at the Career Development Center spent some time during the month of February learning empathy first hand. The Skill Streaming class, along with the Culinary class, made soup to distribute to some of Pittsburgh’s homeless citizens.
The purpose of the activity was to encourage students to interact with diverse people and realize that life takes many unexpected turns. The students first gathered lidded bowls and utensils from local businesses, then decided which recipe they would like to prepare. They made individual portions and delivered them in person.
The students had the opportunity to listen to the stories some of the recipients had to share. They also found that some of the folks recognized the vehicle and were looking for them. Possibly the greatest lesson the students learned was when they saw some young men taking pictures and making fun of some sleeping homeless people. Our students got out of the vehicle and delivered the warming soup to those people who just moments before had been treated unkindly. They had the opportunity to lead by example and to treat fellow human beings with the dignity we all deserve.
Omar White has worked at the Penn Hills Satellite Program since 2015. In his spare time he volunteers to coach with the Steel Valley Ironmen Football Team. Omar coaches on the defense working with the students throughout the school year. This past season, the Ironmen were on fire, not losing a game in the regular season and enforcing the mercy rule in 15 out of 15 games. They were able to play the WPIAL Class 2A championship at Robert Morris University. With that win, Omar and the Ironmen went onto Hershey where they would face Southern Columbia. Omar and the Ironmen crushed Southern Columbia 49-7.
Omar continues to volunteer his time with the Ironmen, coaching and working with the students, while they condition in their offseason. While working with our students at the Penn Hills BEST program, Omar offers behavioral supports as well as educational help. Omar is a great role model for the students in our program, offering character education and building rapport with students and families.
The Johnstown families could not be more thankful to The Penguins Foundation for providing VIP seats, snacks, and a visit from Iceburgh. This once in a lifetime trip was made even better with a 5-2 Win for the Pens!
Day School Johnstown students celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss week with special guest readers. Tom Chernisky, Cambria County Commissioner, brought his friend Chopper, from the Johnstown Tomahawks to read with Classroom 4. Down the hall in Classroom 8, students were quietly listening to Max Pavlovich, candidate for District Magistrate 47-1-02. It was a great week of fun filled activities!
The Day School Pittsburgh hosted our 22nd Annual Chili Cook Off on February 24th. Each classroom at Marshall Ave. and the CDC prepared their secret recipe and a panel of student and staff judges taste tested them all. The chili’s were judged on best taste, hottest and most original. There were some very creative ingredients again this year but our winners had some very old school flavor profiles. Thanks to all our judges who lent their taste buds to this event.
Students will always remember the excitement of their first dance! Love was in the air as the students at Johnstown danced the afternoon away. Our high school students in Classroom 7 helped put together the playlist and chaperone, while Mr. Deater was our DJ. The students enjoyed refreshments and a casual, fun time with their friends.
Day School Johnstown students had the opportunity to tour the Cambria County Association for the Blind. During the tour students learned about the products the program makes for mines, gas/oil companies, electric companies, solar energy, and other state facilities. Students were lucky enough to try some metal working first hand! The Association for the Blind offers school to work programs and meaningful employment for students with disabilities.
The program kicked off last year with students from Aliquippa, Big Beaver Falls Area, Freedom Area, New Brighton Area and Rochester Area school districts. High school principals or guidance counselors selected about 10 student representatives from each school to participate in the program.
The program’s organizers hope to expand it to every school district in the county, said Susan Smith, a program specialist and one of the ambassador program’s organizers.
The program reached toward that goal Thursday, Smith said. Social workers and guidance counselors from Ambridge Area, Central Valley, Hopewell Area, Riverside and Western Beaver school districts attended Thursday’s event to see how the program might fit into their school communities.
This article originally appeared in The Beaver County Times.
HAMILTON, OH – The Pressley Ridge Family Preservation Program (FPP) here in Butler County recently completed a “Family Tracer” that demonstrated what program staff and leadership might have already suspected: Pressley Ridge families greatly appreciate their partnership with our organization and the hard work that is done on their behalf.
The Family Tracer is a new endeavor at Pressley Ridge that was developed by the Organizational Performance department to assess our family engagement efforts and inform leadership of the findings, in order to better align organizational practices with our strategic initiatives. How is this done?
A Family Tracer assessment is conducted via a site visit to a program by a team of reviewers. The goal is to review and rate evidence of family engagement, based on current practices. The data collection procedures include chart reviews, review of program materials and handouts, and semi-structured interviews or focus groups with staff, individuals in services, and family members. The physical environment of the program site is also rated.
Getting back their lives
In Butler County, located outside of Cincinnati, perhaps the most telling piece of the Tracer was the focus group interview. A group of eight caretakers – biological parents, grandparents and foster parents – participated in a conversation that was scheduled to last an hour but ran over because of the enthusiasm of the participants.
The gratitude these parents and caretakers expressed for their Pressley Ridge service providers was humbling and heartwarming. They provided one example after another of Pressley clinicians providing tireless, competent support, helping families one day at time. “It’s so wonderful to have support when you find it,” said one person. Another simply said: “Pressley Ridge gave me my life back.”
More than one person said that, whenever possible, they don’t use any service provider other than Pressley Ridge. There was a consensus not only about the superiority of existing Pressley Ridge services; when asked to think about what their area needed to enhance the quality of life, the answer was unanimous: more Pressley Ridge services.
How do we know that this wasn’t a case of a few appreciative clients skewing the outcome? For one thing, the Family Tracer’s validity is dependent on data from a variety of sources, not just satisfied customers; for example, there was a chart review of randomly selected files and a review of program materials, which measured current practice, not planned or intended behavior. This data supported what the parents and caretakers said – that the program is very engaged with families.
Satisfied partners
Butler County’s Family Preservation Program used to be run in-house by Children’s Services (BCCS) but was discontinued in 2011 due to budgetary issues. When it was decided last year to bring the program back through outside providers, Pressley Ridge won the contract. The county’s response to the job Pressley Ridge is doing presents further evidence of the program’s effectiveness.
BCCS Director Bill Morrison told a local newspaper that choosing Pressley Ridge was the best decision the county could have made. Pressley “hit the ground running much quicker than any other new program I’ve ever started,” he told the paper. “It immediately started affecting our practice.” Within six months of starting work, the Pressley FPP program was credited with keeping 20 children in their homes. Many more families have been helped since then.
Program supervisor Anna Robinson says, “The staff deserves all of the credit. We didn’t start slow but full force; they’ve been working hard since day one.” She praises them for coming together as a team in a short amount of time. “It’s their dedication to the program and the clients,” said Robinson. “I can’t compliment them enough.” Says Dr. Annette Trunzo, director of Organizational Performance: “Tracers give us an opportunity as an organization to determine if we are achieving the results that we want.” Butler County FPP is the first Pressley Ridge program to complete a Family Tracer in its official rollout – several programs participated in the pilot stage last year while the process was being fine-tuned.
Trunzo looks forward to more programs completing Family Tracers this year. “It’s a good peer-to-peer process that lets us step into the shoes of the persons who use the services to see how the delivery of services is experienced from their perspective.”
Congratulations to Pressley Ridge School for the Deaf Program Director Steve Kozak, who was recently honored with the Cyril Wecht Humanitarian Award from Achieving Greatness Inc.
Pressley Ridge Day School Pittsburgh held a Holiday Celebration on December 15th for our kids and their families. Our families decorated sugar cookies and made holiday picture frames. Classrooms prepared appetizers and treats for the event. Our Career Development Center’s culinary class created delectable delights for their Holiday event as well. The highlight of the evening was the Holiday family photo studio manned by our photographers, Ms. Brayer and Mr. McDonough.
As part of our Family Engagement Initiative, more than 60 families attended a Thanksgiving celebration at the Day School Johnstown. They enjoyed a delicious family-style dinner, student art show, face painting and crafts.
Students in the Day School Johnstown’s Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Club used chalk art to promote positivity through pictures and kind words drawn on the sidewalks as you enter the school.
This new club teaches students about selflessness and giving back.
Throughout the month of November, we will be highlighting just a few of the people and things we are grateful for at Pressley Ridge.
Today, we are thankful for Humana. Employees in their Pittsburgh office recently held a food drive for our Backpack Giveback program, which provides food to our children and families in need.
Today and every day, we are thankful for all of our 1,100 employees. Recently at an event at PNC Park, we recognized 21 “Employees of the Year” who have gone above and beyond in their work on behalf of our children and families. Special thanks to Ideal Integrations for their sponsorship of the event and their continued support of our employees and our mission.
Focus on Children is led by two people with Masters degrees who are certified to teach the Transparenting materials used in the seminar. Focus on Children is not a substitute for counseling or legal services. Advice or counsel for individual situations will not be given. Case specific questions cannot be answered by Pressley Ridge staff. Certificates of participation will be provided at the end of the seminar.
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WHAT WILL I LEARN?
HOW DO I REGISTER?
Pre-registration is required by the Tuesday prior to the seminar to assure registration. Registrations are taken in the order in which they are received and you may not be able to get your first choice for seminar dates. No walk-in registrations accepted. *Registrations are not accepted at the Lancaster General Wellness Center. |
Each month, the students of Pressley Ridge Day School Johnstown give back to their community through a volunteer project.
They recently volunteered with Produce to People—one of the region’s largest food bank distribution programs that provides fresh produce to over 800 people in the Johnstown area. The students worked hard filling boxes and helping the recipients each pack 30 to 50 pounds of fresh food into their cars, and then cleaning up after all of the food was distributed.