December 2019 Newsletter

 
December 2019
Families
Empowering Families
In this issue: 
A message from the director
Mental Health tips for the Holiday season
ED Experience Survey
LIT Parent Representatives Wanted!
A Message From the Director
 
Dear friends,
As year-end rapidly approaches, I find myself reflecting on the past year and two words come to mind: growth and productivity. 
In the past year, our family run organization supported over one hundred unique new families. Forty families have shared with us their experiences by surveys on various topics which has directly influenced our services and advocacy efforts.
We have also participated in over 700 meeting hours using our lived experiences and the experience of others to advocate for systems change. Another 700 people have attended our workshops on various topics such as
Inspiring Adolescents by Studying the science behind them
,
Ethics in Parent Support Providers Services
, and
Compassion Fatigue
. 
A mother shared this quote regarding VFFCMH services this year “They were there when nobody else was every time I needed them and I am very thankful for that!”  
 
As 2019 comes to a close in the next few weeks, we wish everyone a happy, healthy and safe holiday season from our family to yours. Happy New Year!
 
 Best to you all,
~Cindy
Happy Holidays from all of us at VFF!
Holiday Tips from your Family Led Organization
We’ve collected a host of articles and tips to help you thrive this holiday season!
  • Easter Seals has a great list of ways to help children with autism prepare for the holidays.
  • As wonderful as the holiday season can be it can also cause a lot of anxiety for some children. Very Well Family has a list of ways to help children with holiday stress and anxiety which can help stressed out adults as well! Our favorite tip is scheduling quiet time with your child to read a favorite book or just watch the snow fall.
  • Help others: Ladling out soup at the local shelter or volunteering your time can improve mental health and life satisfaction.
  • Get outside: Talking yourself into taking a walk when the temperatures plummet isn’t easy, but the benefits are big: Spending time outside (even when it’s chilly!) can improve focus, reduce symptoms of SAD, and lower stress levels.
We would like to thank the parents who have already participated in our survey and we are looking for more parents to share their families experiences! We will be sharing parents suggestions and needs with Emergency Department planning committees around the state to advocate for families in Vermont! If you would like to participate in this three question survey please click the link below or share it with others!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ParentEDInput
Help Support VT Families by becoming a LIT Parent Representative!
Are you the parent of a child, youth, or young adult with emotional, behavioral, or mental health challenges? The Local Interagency Teams (LITs) throughout Vermont are looking for parents just like you to support families during the Coordinated Service Planning process. This position is part-time with flexible hours.
LITs are currently recruiting in the following areas:
Barre
Bennington
Brattleboro
Newport
Rutland
Springfield
St. Albans
St. Johnsbury
If you are interested in learning more please call us at 1-800-639-6071!
Support the Vermont Federation of Families this Holiday Season!
There are several ways you can support VFF this holiday season.
  • Click the donation button below
  • Support us during your holiday shopping by using Amazon Smile! Go to Amazon Smile, choose the Federation as your charity and then start shopping. We will receive a small donation every time you use Amazon.
A message from your Vermont family run organization

Posted by on Tuesday, December 17th, 2019 @ 6:14PM
Categories: Uncategorized

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