| | |
a
note from the Editor...
As always, if you have any good news or tips
to share, please contact me via email using the
webform or Call me 315-796-7559. We are always looking for information or
announcements for our newsletters.
Warmly,
Carol Babicz
 | SPRING
GET-TOGETHER
&
Clothing
Exchange
May 2nd
Details at a later date |  | Spring
Training Opportunities
March 19th
Parenting
Teens – Managing Difficult Behaviors
Presented by: Erika Lavelle
This
workshop will focus on dealing with difficult behaviors and preparing for independent
living.
| NYSCCC
20th Annual
Foster Care and Adoption Conference:
Commitment Counts!
May
7-9th, 2009, Albany Marriott
Keynotes:
• National expert in recruitment,
training and
support of resource families, Denise Goodman
• Executive
Director of The Center for
Adoption Support and Education, Debbie Riley
And
so many fabulous workshops!
FAFSS NETWORK!
FAFSS
is your support, information and
advocacy network. We are very fortunate
in
Oneida County to have these services
available to us. Don’t wait till
a difficult
problem arises before you take
advantage of our help. Remember,
we
can help with school issues, too.
Join Our E-Group
Our
e-mail group makes communication with all of us more efficient. You can get answers
to your questions from more than one person by sending only one email! Also, if
you have a question and you do not know who to ask, just email the group. This
is only for our foster & adoptive families. If you are interested in becoming
a member of our group, contact Dawn Corrigan, Email
Web form or call her at (315)724-2989 | | April
16th
Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Presented by: Diana
Shultz, Master Trainer
Behaviors and feelings related to the trauma of abuse
and neglect affect overall well-being and provide
challenges to permanency.
This workshop will provide a basic overview of trauma and some of the ways that
trauma may be reflected in children’s feeling and behaviors at various stages
of development.
The presenter will offer guidelines to help foster parents
support and nurture traumatized children.
(Don’t miss this one!)
May
21st
Workshop Presented by: Ron Robinson All workshops located in the
7th fl. conference room in the Oneida County Office Building at 6:30PM. PLAY
DATES FOR SUMMER
We would like to schedule some
“play dates”
during the summer.
If you are interested and would
like to be involved,
we need to
know when you would be available.
Contact Becky at: 895-0448 | | | | | | Children
from Oneida County waiting for an adoptive family.
|  | Craig
is a charming and healthy 8-year-old Caucasian boy. His caretakers say his smile
is contagious, and that he very talkative and happy most of the time. He is a
very friendly child that thrives with attention, and does best with a steady and
structured routine.
Craig attends elementary school and is in the first grade.
He receives special education services and is in an extended (12 month) school
year program.
He functions at a beginning Kindergarten level, especially in
Math and Reading. Craig has moderate developmental delays and is receiving speech,
physical and occupational therapies at school. He cannot always sit still and
stay focused. At times, he can be distracted and has difficulty being re-directed.
Craig loves and wants to go to school, and especially loves riding the school
bus. He receives medication to aid in self-control of his behaviors.
His physical
acting out behaviors are directed at himself, and he does not harm other children,
adults or animals. At times, he can become focused on an idea and not let go of
it easily. Craig is learning to respond to time out and the medications are helping
to moderate his behavior.
He requires a good deal of supervision in the foster
home. He functions best with a clear routine. Craig has seen a neurologist and
a psychiatrist, because his current pediatrician feels that his delays may have
a physical basis. He has a younger brother and sister that are being planned for
separately. Craig needs a loving, caring and nurturing family that can provide
him with permanency and the ability to thrive. |
 |
George
is an energetic young man who has several interests including but not limited
to: bike riding, watching movies, watching television, playing outdoors, going
to parks and playgrounds, board games, playing with other children, going out
to eat, and having new experiences. George is very interested in professional
wrestling and also enjoys being a spectator at sporting events. He has a great
sense of humor and likes to laugh and joke around.
George is currently a tenth
grade student in a 15:1:1 special education program. He is doing very well academically
and has minimal behavioral problems in school. He is an eager student who is very
interested in science. He enjoys learning and shows great pride in his achievements.
George is diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and has a speech
impediment and developmental delays in speech and physical coordination. As a
result of this diagnosis, George has some difficulty staying on task at times,
but his medication helps with this and George is very compliant about taking his
medication. George can be very impulsive at times, but has improved tremendously
in this area.
George responds very well with consistency and structure. George
is working toward developing a better self-concept, and as he matures, it is evident
that George’s self esteem has improved. He has made great strides in his
personal growth and is a very interesting and engaging young man.
George sometimes
struggles with not feeling sure about his place in the world, and permanency will
afford him the opportunity to take the next step in his growth and development.
George has a strong desire to be a part of a family and has been very open to
the adoption process. |
Building
Families –
One Child at a Time This
past year there were 35 finalized adoptions in
Oneida County. 27 of those children
were adopted by Oneida County foster parents. We would like to offer them our
congratulations.
Patrick & Rebecca Kulpa – Mariah & Gabrielle
Deana
Barker & Kelly Plant – Laticia
Cindy & Peter Makarchuk –
Alexander & Isabella
Sabrina & Jim Kowalski – Katlin
Matt and
Lori Razzano – Myvon, Autumn & Kiley
James & Laurie Gilchrist
– Everett
Sandy Arnold – Bianca
Ylonka & Carlos Bello –
Piero
Tracy & Carmine Perrotta – Zachary & Wyatt
Joan Maxim
– Nathaniel
Jolie Nourse – Tanya
Anthony & Alberta Scalzo
– Branden
Jean Washington – Patricia, Robbie & Nyasia
Edie
Franklin – Joseph
Monica & Tom Welpe – Raequon
George &
Diana Seifert – Emily
Bonnie Bullen – Ryan
Darlene Chudyk –
Edwardo
George & Cheryl Petrie – Alexis
Doris & Bradley Rocker
– Alex & Jase Family Fun Opportunities! Take
advantage of free or reduced fees for your foster/adopted children. We will reimburse
your full admission fee to any state park. We
will also reimburse up to $10
off of admission for one adult and each foster/adopted child, to recreational
parks or centers such as Enchanted
Forest. Please call Dawn if you have other
opportunities for your children that you feel we might be able to help you with. | |
Dear
Daisy,
My fostercare caseworker keeps asking me to transport
our foster
children to their visits with mom at the
county office building. I don’t
work full time but to travel
from Camden to the Utica office is a long way
and the
visit is only for an hour. So, I can’t go back home. What
do
I do for an hour? Do I get mileage reimbursment?
Do I have to do this? The
visits are once a week and
there is talk they may be increased to 2 times aweek.
Do
I have any options here?
– Chagrined in Camden
Dear
CC,
As a foster parent you ARE expected to provide “reasonable”
transportation and weekly visits are certainly
reasonable. Every year at your
recertification visit from
Homefinding, you are asked to sign the Foster Parent
Agreement
and in Part B #14, you are agreeing to provide
“reasonable” transportation.
Yes,
you are eligible for mileage reimbursment. Contact
your caseworker for mileage
vouchers. What can you
do for an hour? Relax-read a book-shop-grab a coffee
somewhere
– meet a friend – go to the library – take a
walk. I’m
sure you can find something enjoyable to do
for an hour. If the visits do increase
to 2x a week, maybe
you can transport both ways for 1 visit and the county
transport
for the second. Or, if still unsure of what to do
for an hour, you can agree
to transport 1 way for both
visits-whichever time fits into your schedule.
The
transportation unit is short 2 workers due to promotions.
I don’t know
if they will be replaced or not as
the county has a hiring freeze on. When
foster parents
provide transportation, they are not only considered
heros
by their caseworkers and transport unit, but I’m
sure the foster children
are happier and feel safer – just
think, we are asking our foster children
to get into cars
with strangers each week – isn’t that something
we tell
our own children NOT to do??
– Daisy | | | | | Emergency
Number
for Oneida County Foster Parents
Please take note of the
AFTER
HOUR Emergency Phone Number
(315) 739-1242
Please
only use for emergencies.
 FAFSS
Dues….
If you have not paid your yearly dues remember to do so.
You can mail them to
Foster &Adoptive Family Support Services
P.O Box
39 New Harford, NY 13413 Something to share? If you
have something to share with everyone and would like to see it in the newsletter,
please contact Carol Babicz at 796-7556. | | FAFSS
Support Group Contacts
Dawn Corrigan
Executive Director
&
Interim Educational Advocate
tel 315 724-2989 fax 315 724-4407
email: Dac2547@aol.com Vicki
Neurchesky
Assistant Executive Director & Secretary
tel 315 361-1721
email:
vn1966@aol.com Rebecca Henkle
Activities Coordinator
“Discovery
Program” & Special Event Planning
tel 315 895-0448
email: sbghenkle@adelphia.net Sarah
Allen
Herkimer County Coordinator
tel 315 732-2481
email: ClingerCat@adelphia.net Suzanne
Bellinger
Treasurer
tel 315 829-4754 | | | | |
Archives: Fall
2005 Newsletter
Winter 2005 Newsletter
Spring
2006 Newsletter
Fall 2006 Newsletter
Winter
2007 Newsletter | |
