A NEXUS NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2014 cornerst ne
Ripples f excellence
IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE Nexus 3rd Annual Conference Recap 2014 Ambassador of Excellence Award Winners A Broader Focus for our Mission Statement
A Laser Focus for our Vision Statement
from the corner office of the CEO “Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals have far-reaching effects.” –Dalai Lama
Creating Ripples of Excellence emerges when we use the Cornerstone Values to guide our actions. Te 2014 Nexus Annual Conerence just wrapped up in Minneapolis, MN, and it was a huge success. We All o our work, together, creates excellence or had our largest attendance ever, with staff rom all our customers – rom maintenance to kitchen to sites represented. counselor to corporate. When we make every step in the process count, excellence is within our grasp. While the conerence, now in its third year, offers It doesn’t matter what your job unction is. It doesn’t learning sessions, un activities, and guest speakers, it matter i you are support staff, direct care staff, or a also provides staff with an opportunity to meet with supervisor. You could be answering the phone, doing and learn rom experts at other Nexus sites. More general ledgers, serving lunch, dispensing medication, importantly, it gives all staff a chance to connect to the leading a group, or talking to a campus visitor. larger organization that Nexus has become. It only takes a little extra effort to be a part o Tis year’s conerence theme was Ambassadors o something truly extraordinary, and there is no Excellence, and the ocus was on going above and beyond our routines to create an environment o kids,downside the amilies, to excellence. and each Everyone and ever benefitsy one orom you. it: the sustained excellence. I hope those who attended were inspired to bring sustained excellence back to their “Share the WOW,” and inspire others to find ways to sites. I you were not able to attend this year’s event, create memorable experiences or our youth, amilies, I urge you to watch the presentations that are posted and partners. Every time you share that Mission on Nex-Net under the Annual Conerence tab. Tere Moment, you strengthen our culture o excellence. are some powerul testimonials rom staff, reerral sources, and youth we have served. Every day, you create a ripple o excellence that touches more lives, more amilies, and more Excellence happens when we develop good, positive communities. relationships with our kids, amilies, and community members. It happens when we create a “wow” You really are making the world a better place, one experience that they want to share with others. And it child at a time.
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message from the COO Wolff Calls
YSuchou’re an amazing A wesome.time or Nexus…It Yreallyes, is! You! Onarga Academy I have now been here two years, and I have such an incredible Onarga perspective in my role as COO. I get to see all the amazing Academy’s things every site and program is doing each and every day. It ransitional is truly breathtaking when all our great accomplishments are Living Program put together. We have positively impacted so many lives, truly earned a #1 living up to our great mission. ranking in Illinois or the ourth consecutive year. David has done a antastic job o leading and positioning this Woodbourne Center organization not only to be strong today, but ensuring we Woodbourne re-launched its Development Program this past are strong well into the uture. Financially, Nexus has never year, and has already raised more than $100,000 in cash and been stronger or more stable. In 2007, we had $46.4 million donations to support the youth at Woodbourne Center. in assets; today, we have nearly $96 million. In 2007, our total revenues were $40 million. oday, our revenues are nearly $75 Mille Lacs Academy million (and growing)! Mille Lacs Academy successully negotiated a county contract per diem increase to include additional support or a second We have developed a much broader continuum o services, Clinical Director and two auxiliary Terapists. rom 1 in 1972 to nearly 25 today (and growing). We continue to expand our evidence-based practices, with emphasis on Indian Oaks Academy amily partnership and trauma-inormed care. Indian Oaks Academy assumed operations o Starfish Family Homes, and will continue to provide support services to oster We continue to renovate and move into new acilities, amilies, while developing oster care services at Indian Oaks. providing new urnishings to all our residents. Tis is our great Kindred Family Focus statement to the youth we serve that they are valued. Kindred Family Focus became the first oster care agency in the state to offer oster amilies financial and resource support We are now being approached regularly by state and county through Nexus CARES (Cash and Respite Enhancements). officials to bring our excellent services to them. Tis is evidence that Nexus is seen as a premier provider. We are being Corporate recognized as a true leader in our field. Human Resources – Instituted a PO Cash-Out Program that allows employees to request rom 1 to 5 ull days o PO to be We have been this successul or one reason and one reason paid out to them rom their PO balance once each year. only: our people. Our hard-working, committed and mission- Clinical Services – Successully completed a COA- driven staff is what separates us rom others in our field reaccreditation process this past year. and truly defines what it means to be excellent. You are all Business Development – Has been working on an Intensive Ambassadors o Excellence! Tank you. Residential Program or Adolescent Females and an out-o- state Boys’ Program, as well as innovative new ways to deliver Tere isn’t enough space here to mention everything our mental health services in outstate Minnesota. sites have done this past year, but I want to highlight one key IT – Has brought large-scale upgrades to virtualization across accomplishment o each. Nexus staff and sites are working Nexus, increasing agile growth capacity or the uture. to bring excellence to kids, amilies, and communities in CQI – Broadened the scope o activities and meaningul everything we do. data use and reflection throughout Nexus’ continuum o care, continuing to shi rom compliance to areas o key Gerard Academy perormance indicators and outcomes. Gerard Academy opened Te Villa this year, and it wasn’t long beore things were right back where they were beore the dorm I applaud all o your efforts. Congratulations on a great year! opened – all 93 beds on campus filled, with a long waiting list. SEPTEMBER 2014 | 2
The Nexus 3rd Annual Conference in Plymouth, MN, was the largest yet, with more than 120 staff from all six sites in attendance. Events kicked off with an opening speech on Creating a Culture of Excellence, delivered by Nexus CEO David Hutchinson. Guest speaker David Mann addressed the crowd on matching the content of words with intent, using both sides of the brain for problem-solving, and living the Cornerstone Values. After a short break, attendees took part in selected A Dixieland dinner with live music by the Figs. learning sessions on Collaborative Problem-Solving, The Welcome Committee. Funding for the Future, Mapping Aftercare Services, Developing Conflict Competence, Opening the Door to Inclusion of Transgender Youth, and CQI. Evening events included a New Orleans Dixieland dinner on Wednesday evening with live music provided by the Figs, and a Derby Race with prize drawings on Thursday. The conference ended with a summary of the year’s highlights by COO Brock Wolff, the 2014 Nexus Ambassador of Excellence Awards presentation, and closing remarks by CEO David Hutchinson.* Beautiful weather allowed for outdoor dining.
* Video of David Hutchinson’s opening and closing speeches and Ambassador Awards Presentations can be viewed online under the Annual Conference tab on Nex-Net. Breakout Learning Session PowerPoints and handouts are also available for download and review, as are photos from the conference events.
Fun and frivolity. t a ! M i n n e s o e a n s i n N e w O r l 3 | SEPTEMBER 2014
B r eak out Lear n i ng Sessi ons. Opening ceremonies.
Buffet Dinner
Derby Night!
Sel fes w i t h t he CE O !
Place your bets!
Ambassador Awards SEPTEMBER 2014 | 4
AAmbassadorward Winners–2014 of Excellence Te Ambassador Award was established as a Nexus-wide recognition program or those individuals who exempliy the best in all o us and who model our Cornerstone Values and Guiding Principles. Each ambassador was nominated by their ellow peers on the ollowing criteria: • Exhibits a passion or the work they do. • Exemplifies the values and principles o the organization to all they come in contact with, both internally and externally. • Exhibits and models behaviors that go above and beyond their job responsibilities. • Has been a shining example o how to put others first.
CongratulationsWatch the awards presentation to videothis online Year’s under thAmbassadorse Annual Conference tab o on Nex-Net.Excellence!
Gerard Academy Onarga Academy Kindred Family Focus Chris Probst Sarah Thomson Andrea McCormick School Coordinator Sr. Counselor -TLP Regional Supervisor
Mille Lacs Academy Indian Oaks Academy Woodbourne Center Colleen Kightlinger Malissa Roby Mechelle Dukes Accounting Specialist Unit Coordinator Recreation Coordinator
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Nexus Mission & Vision
Infusing our Mission & Vision Statements with New Vitality
Strengthening Lives, Families, and Communities Trough Our Cornerstone Values
Since our ounding in 1972, Nexus has broadened the depth their child’s success and long-lasting outcomes, which is and reach o its mission. As Port Alpha, we started out central to our Family Partnership Initiative. treating adult elons with personality disorders, then moved into residential treatment or adolescents, and later provided “Lastly, we added ‘communities’ to our new Mission treatment or kids with severe emotional and behavioral Statement because we want to make a bold statement that disorders. our services deliver a social return on investment to our community partners,” Hutchinson said. “It lets them know oday, Nexus offers more than 22 different services along that we are community-minded and that we strengthen the continuum. And because we have broadened our ocus, communities by stopping the cycle o abuse. Nexus President and CEO David Hutchinson and the Board o Directors decided it was time to inuse our Mission “Nexus treatment services help kids choose a healthier Statement with the vitality o the youth, amilies, and path – a path to a successul reintegration back to amily communities we serve. and community and away rom the juvenile justice system,” Hutchinson said. “Our work at Nexus helps kids, amilies, “Our Mission Statement conveys a powerul message about and communities become stronger or generations to what we do as an organization,” Hutchinson said. “Te words come.” we include – or omit – create a powerul paradigm or us and the people we serve. Tat’s why our Mission Statement was broadened rom ‘Changing Lives Trough Our Cornerstone Values’ to ‘Strengthening Lives, Families, and Communities Premier Provider, Trough Our Cornerstone Values.’” First Choice Each change to the Mission Statement reflects the new ocus o Nexus in today’s market, Hutchinson explains.
“First, the word ‘changing’ was replaced with ‘strengthening’ Te Nexus Mission Statement works hand-in-hand with because the word ‘change’ suggests there is something wrong the Vision Statement, and that has been strengthened, with the client and we have the power to change them–which as well, making it more succinct and ocused. Te new we don’t,” he said. “In contrast, the word ‘strengthening’ Vision Statement is “Premier Provider, First Choice.” It suggests working together to make things better, and that now clearly states that it is Nexus’ vision to be a premier more aptly describes what we do at Nexus.” provider o residential services and to be the first choice o reerral agents when they are placing a child. Hutchinson went on to say, “We’ve also added ‘amilies’ to the Mission Statement. Adding amilies is a declaration that it is Te changes to our Mission and Vision Statements make not enough to be kid-centered, we must be also be amily- our ocus very clear. We have set the bar high. Nexus centered. Te new Mission Statement makes a much bolder aspires to create a sustained culture o excellence, and we statement to amilies that they are important and essential to are committed to attaining it.
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family partnership
Creating Reality with Language other areas o our work environment, as well. I we want Dr. Michelle K. Murray, LMFT to achieve our goal to work with amilies in the most Director of Clinical Services effective ways possible, it becomes imperative or us to evaluate the language that is used in all aspects o our organization. Te social science theory o “social constructivism” suggests that people construct knowledge, or reality, Are we using language that includes amilies? Are through their interactions with one another. One way we using language that is reflective o the amily we do that is through the use o language and the shared experience? Does the language we use to describe our meaning we give to the words we use. Tereore, the work help create the reality o serving amilies? language we use can have a great impact on how we experience the world. Reflecting on these questions opens us to the possibility o using language that creates an inclusive experience As Edward Sapir, a noted anthropologist and linguist, put or amilies. it: “Human beings do not live in the objective world alone.... Te fact of the matter is that their ‘real world’ is to a large Te Nexus Family Partnership Committee will be extent unconsciously built up in the language habits of the reviewing and revising the programs’ language to group. . . .” make sure it adequately reflects our work with amilies. Specifically, committee members will be asking their What does this mean or Nexus? Simply put, it means that teams or ideas about what language needs to be the words we use to describe our work can impact the changed to make it more inclusive. actual work that we do. And that has special significance now, given our recent revision to the Nexus Mission Revising our language to be more amily ocused Statement. will impact all Nexus departments – all the way rom individual programs to Human Resources (HR). HR Our new Mission Statement – “Strengthening Lives, will be evaluating job descriptions and employee Families, and Communities Trough Our Cornerstone evaluations to ensure that we adequately describe Values” – now includes the words “amilies” and the work we do with amilies and to outline our “communities,” which creates a different meaning about expectations or using trauma-inormed practices with our mission, and has the potential to create a different amilies. experience or our employees and our clients. Our new Mission Statement challenges all Nexus Te belie that experiences are created through language employees to continually adjust the practices and is one o the reasons we use cognitive interventions with expectations o including amilies and communities in our clients. We teach our clients that what they think will our treatment services. Doing so will ensure that our impact their feelings as well as their behavior . Tis belie language truly becomes our reality. equally applies to how we do our work. For example, i we think our mission is to work with amilies, then we behave in ways that effectively involve amilies. Reerences: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_constructivism Including “amilies” in our mission statement sets the http://www.mortylefoe.com/how-our-language-determines-our- stage or us to review the language we use to describe reality/
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CQI Corner How Do We Do CQI? By Becky Schedin, Director of QI
Every day, Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) is hard at work on our sites. But CQI isn’t just something limited to staff with “QI” in their job descriptions; rather, (Study), and involving stakeholders in interpreting data it is something that involves everyone – our clients, our and planning next steps (Act). As the first letter o CQI stakeholders, and every member o our staff. suggests, this is a continuous process, and this cycle is ongoing, with the ultimate outcome being changes that Casey Family Programs defines CQI as, “Te complete and result in improvement at client, program, and systems ongoing process o identiying, describing, and analyzing levels. strengths and problems and then testing, implementing, learning rom, and revising solutions.” Te definition goes An unknown wise person (or smart-aleck, i you preer), on to say that CQI is reliant on a proactive organizational once said, “Without data, you are just another person structure that supports continuous learning, and is firmly with an opinion.” But the data we collect is not the grounded in the overall mission, vision, and values o the only inormation we have at our disposal; the stories, agency. Most importantly, CQI is dependent on the active experiences, and successes we witness as we work with inclusion and participation o every individual who comes in our clients are inormation, too, and just as essential in contact with our organization. understanding the best ways to strengthen youth, amilies, and communities. It is important to balance these, and to What is resonant about this idea o CQI is that it is not ensure we are using the best possible data and inormation restricted to one person, or department, or point in time. It to support decision-making, and applying inormation is also not limited to finding out “what’s wrong” with things, meaningully. Meaningul data use hinges not only on a but rather, what’s right. Just as in our work with youth and supportive culture, but also on our key areas: amilies, identiying and understanding strengths is just as 1. Collecting and accessing quality data: that is, data important as identiying and addressing “problems.” which is clearly defined, accurate, and complete. 2. Asking questions to engage everyone in the process and gain understanding o both challenges and strengths. Know that questions (and answers!) will and should evolve over time. 3. ranslating data into inormation, which involves organizing and presenting data in a way that turns it into meaningul, accessible inormation that generates discussion. 4. Using quality data and inormation to support decision-making, and applying data and inormation to guide decisions that improve outcomes.
But how do we “do” CQI? Well, the good news is, you’re Our CQI team at Nexus has collaborated more than likely already doing it. A core element o CQI is using quality ever over the past ew years, and our efforts have helped data and inormation to support decisions. In a basic sense, strengthen not only individual sites, but all o Nexus. CQI’s every time you use data or inormation to support decision- commitment is to collaborate with and support the various making, you are “doing” CQI. disciplines and unctions o Nexus through guiding the collection and analysis o quality data to inorm and You may be amiliar with the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) support decision-making at the client, program, and cycle [see graphic], which essentially involves examining systems levels. Our goal is to continue to connect with data to understand current conditions and establishing Nexus staff and stakeholders to thoughtully approach how baselines (Plan), developing and implementing a solution we apply inormation to improve practices and strengthen (Do), collecting and analyzing process implementation data the lives o youth, amilies, and communities.
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Live Well, Everyday
11 Ways We Sabotage Our Mental Health
fromOur heal Dailyth.com Habits Can Be Our Own Worst Enemy
Many mental pitalls can lead to a case o the blues, increased risk o developing depression and anxiety sometimes even ull-blown depression or anxiety. Te disorders. good news is they can be avoided by monitoring your daily habits, getting enough sleep, limiting alcohol intake, Prioritize sleep and practice healthy bedtime and letting go o grudges. Discover which o your bad behaviors, such as limiting caffeine and alcohol in the habits are taking a toll on your well-being. hours beore bed. Also avoid staring at your cell phone, tablet, or computer screens an hour beore bed – the Avoiding Exercise light rom these electronics can mess with your body’s Is your only exercise walking quickly past the gym? clock and keep you awake longer. Regular exercise has a positive effect on brain chemicals and mood-related hormones. It can also offer Drinking oo Much psychological benefits like increased confidence that Loving that nightcap? Alcohol depresses the nervous oster better mental health. Studies have shown that even system, slowing you down and potentially dragging modest amounts o exercise, like a brisk 15-minute walk, your mood down as well. Drinking too much alcohol can improve mood. in the evening tends to cause nighttime waking and less rereshing sleep. Ignoring Clutter Are you drowning in stuff? Extra Keeping Up with the Joneses clutter in your home can be a subtle Do you constantly compare yoursel to others? Tat’s source o psychological distress. “one o the reasons Americans are not as happy “Clutter makes us eel weighed as people in other countries,” says Buse. Wishing down, both literally and figuratively,” or someone else’s liestyle or ortune harbors says Dawn Buse, PhD, a health psychologist at Montefiore dissatisaction with your own lie. Focus instead on Medical Center in New York City. “It has been shown to being grateul or what you have. Studies show that be related to depression, anxiety, and even weight gain.” keeping a gratitude journal or writing a letter to a loved one is associated with greater satisaction, I you haven’t used something in 12 months, get rid o it. optimism, and happiness. Instead o spending your money on more stuff, consider saving up or a special dinner or vacation. Research shows Obsessive Tinking that these experiential purchases actually result in more Do you get stuck turning thoughts over and over in happiness than material goods do. your mind? You are sending your body and brain into the stressed-out state known as fight or flight, Buse Not Getting Enough Sleep says. Your breathing and heart rate quicken, and your Are you regularly shorting yoursel on sleep? Not getting body releases the stress hormones adrenaline and enough rest can bring on extra irritability, stress, and cortisol, which take a toll on both your physical and gloom the ollowing day. People who experience regular emotional health. sleep deprivation and nightly disturbances could be at
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mental health
Learn to recognize the thoughts you dwell on most, 1) Vitamin D, which is produced by the body and train yoursel to avoid those obsessive pathways. in response to sunlight and protects against Deep breathing helps, as does snapping yoursel out depression, and 2) nature itsel, which soothes us on o it – literally. “Put a rubber band on your wrist as a subconscious level. In a recent study, brain scans a reminder, and every time you’re ruminating, pull showed that people walking through parks were it back a little,” Buse advises. “It’s a reminder to stop calmer and less rustrated than people walking on ruminating and change your train o thought.” busy city streets.
Bottling Up Anger I you work in an office, take a walk in a green space, Are you ready to blow? Anger and rustration are i possible, or sit outside during your lunch break. completely normal reactions to lie’s inevitable “Even a pretty small amount o sunlight, 15 minutes, challenges, but when you suppress those eelings and can really, really help,” Buse says. let your grudges and grievances ester, it can backfire. Several studies have ound that suppressed anger Social Isolation and angry brooding are a type o obsessive thinking Have you become a loner? Withdrawing rom associated with depression symptoms. riends and amily leads to loneliness and increases the likelihood o experiencing depression, anxiety, It’s important to express negative emotions, but in an and social isolation. On the other hand, strong appropriate manner. I you can communicate anger in relationships tend to promote happiness and protect an assertive but calm way, you’re likely to eel better against depression. aerward. I that’s not an option, your best bet might be to just let it go. Research suggests that the act o Even i you’re preoccupied or not in the mood, make orgiving has mental health benefits. an effort to connect (or reconnect) with riends and loved ones, even or just a ew minutes over coffee. Working oo Much Social interactions like this are upliing, and they Can’t remember what ree time oen end up being more un than we expect, experts is? When the balance between say. work and lie balance is out o whack, we tend to get stressed out, Perfectionism which increases the risk o more Is it “the best or nothing” or you? rying to serious mental health problems. A 2011 study ound meet an unattainably high standard o perection that working 11 or more hours a day (versus a more in everything you do, be it tonight’s dinner or reasonable 7 or 8 hours) more than doubled a person’s tomorrow’s work presentation, is a recipe or odds o sliding into depression. disappointment and low sel-esteem. So it’s not surprising that perectionism has been linked Tink careully about your values and priorities and to a bevy o mental health problems including make sure your schedule reflects them, Buse advises. depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Set aside time or amily, riends, and hobbies the same way you’d commit to a meeting at work. “It sounds kind Instead o perectionism, aim or what mental health o unny to plan or un or relaxation, but making it experts call “healthy striving.” Healthy striving protected time is really important,” Buse says. means setting more attainable goals, welcoming mistakes as avenues or learning, and, enjoying the Staying Inside journey, not just the destination. Have you become an inside pet? Holing up inside deprives you o two mental-health essentials:
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MILLE L ACS ACADEMY Mille Lacs Academy Summer Highlights The Great Outdoors Camping 2014
Mille Lacs Academy youth and staff thoroughly enjoyed this past camping season! During the month o August, each program took turns packing up and getting back to nature. Te number o days and 1 locations or the trips varied, but the benefits remained the same: uniying each program
elementby getting and both into staff the and great youth outdoors. out o their
Some o our youth are seasoned campers, but many o them have never experienced sleeping in the woods. Our youth returned with stories o adventure and misadventure, 2 3 rain and shine, bugs, campfires, and camaraderie.
Tis year, the camping trips took place at Camp Onamia and Crow Wing State Park. Te kids enjoyed ample rest and recreational time while building campfires, steering canoes, refining their fishing skills, and even assembling their own tents. Youth even made tie-dye shirts and helped themselves 4 5 to the “awesome” ood that staff prepared or the trip.
Even though the elements didn’t completely cooperate (the ground’s saturation posed a problem or setting up tents, some trails by the Mississippi River were partially flooded, and Saari Program campers were drenched 6 7 with rain), the youth and staff made the best 1. Boys learn how to set up tents. 2. Camping gear is gathered. o it and managed to create great camping 3. Navigators hike a hillside. 4. Sun peaks through trees at Crow Wing memories. All in all, most agree that these State Park. 5. Staff demonstrate tie-dyeing shirts. 6. Youth enjoy outdoor camping trips are the recreational highlight lunchtime. 7. Wildowers observed on the trip. o the year at Mille Lacs Academy!
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summer highlights
MLA Video Shoot Director’s Report MLA is pleased to announce Hollywood recently came to Mille Lacs Academy, that our census has stayed instantly launching the movie careers o several MLA very strong throughout the staff! Tat might be over-exaggerating, but MLA recently summer. We just welcomed our had Miller & Associates Production Company on campus new billing specialist, Brittany
or a video shoot. On August 12, Glenn Miller (Director/ Hanson, who we anticipate will Jan Gibson Talbot Producer), Judd Williams (Director o Photography), help us greatly in capturing Executive Director and om Ingledew (Audio/Video Engineer), along with private insurance payment for the Communications team rom Nexus, arrived on site the services we offer to our youth and families. We or a day-long also continue to promote our Short-Term Program Video crew project. and Community Assessment and Testing Services shot the (CATS) throughout the region. playground Te purpose o and other After many months of searching, we are very the video shoot new features excited to report the hiring of our second Clinical was twoold. on our Director, Paula Minski, who will be joining our First, Nexus campus. team in mid-October. Paula brings a wealth of is updating experience in residential services, having served all o the site videos on the organization’s website (www. 16 years at Volunteers of America in a number nexustreatment.org) to highlight the numerous updates, of management and leadership positions. Paula buildings, and details that have been added to each also brings a county perspective, having served in treatment site since the first videos were shot five years a supervisory capacity with both Sherburne and ago. Te MLA video will provide a virtual tour o Mille Anoka Counties. Lacs Academy, with staff describing the culture and unique aspects o our campus, and may help reassure We had a fun-filled summer, beginning with parents, youth, and reerral sources about our acilities our very successful annual golf tournament at and compassion or children and amilies. Fiddlestix in Isle, MN, in June. Several youth were able to attend the Minnesota Vikings Training Secondly, selected staff were interviewed or the Nexus Camp in Mankato, a true highlight for some very 3rd Annual Conerence about excellence at MLA. Tese serious football fans! Our youth also went to Valley interviews were used to support this year’s conerence Fair and the Minnesota State Fair, where they saw theme, Ambassadors o Excellence. Interviewees gave the biggest pig in Minnesota. They also visited the Minnesota, Como, and Brainerd Zoos. Our summer interactionsexamples o truebetween displays staff oand excellence youth on during campus. day-to-day Handle activities included multiple visits to several State with Care, MLA’s Short-erm Program, rauma-Inormed parks for cookouts, swimming, fishing (and fish Care, and this year’s COA audit were all discussed as stories!), and culminated in our annual overnight examples o our excellence. Pieces rom both projects were camping trips in August, which remain one of the used by CEO David Hutchinson in his opening speech at highlights of the year for us all. After a wonderful summer break, it is now back to school, which has the Annual Conerence in Minneapolis on September 17. kicked off very well this year.
The crew MLA’s New Trails Group Home is undergoing a interviewed massive face lift, with new paint, carpeting, and MLA staff wood laminate flooring throughout the house. Our throughout youth and staff are thrilled to have this fresh new the morning. environment in which to live and work. We will host our Annual Open House on October 27 from 4-7 p.m., so please plan to join us at our “new” Te new videos will soon be available online at home and help us celebrate! www.nexustreatment.org. Watch the MLA conference interviews now on Nex-Net, under the Annual Conference tab. SEPTEMBER 2014 | 12
GERARD ACADEMY Gerard Academy School is in Session
Aer 14 years o first days o school, one misunderstood,” he said, “but the reward is thing New Dominion School (NDS) Principal in seeing a student succeed or understand Danielle Teis still looks orward to is something or the first time. Tere’s seeing the students. “I’ve always nothing better than that.” been attracted to working with “Each student the kids that everyone thought teaches us new Other school districts are o as impossible,” she says. ways to assist them in taking notice o the work that “Each student teaches us succeeding in school, and New Dominion is doing and new ways to assist them in are sending day students, succeeding in school, and we are grateful for that. kids who are struggling we are grateul or that. Tat’s That’s how we grow as in their home districts, to how we grow as educators.” educators.” New Dominion. “Districts contact us because our team Now in her fih year at New is well trained to work effectively Dominion School, Teis and her staff have with kids who struggle with mental health continued to grow toward the needs o the issues and/or significant behavioral barriers,” students. “‘Seek to understand’ is what I tell says Teis. “Working closely with amilies and staff. Beore you can teach a child, you need to service providers, we are able to develop and understand the place that they’re coming rom. implement inormed student support strategies As educators, we understand so much more that meet the needs o our students.” about how the brain develops, and we have to be cognizant o where each child is.” One oster parent says, “Te proessionalism, patience, kindness, and team players that we Teis challenges her staff to look beyond the have ound with Gerard are nothing less than curriculum and into the mind o each child excellent. Our 17-year-old oster daughter has they teach. “Te staff has been amazing,” she ound success there, where others had ailed says. “It’s been a pleasure to work with these her special needs.” people and see the strides that everyone has taken to get to where we are now.” Echoing those sentiments, social worker Wendy Morton added, “Te school Te core staff at New Dominion has been environment at New Dominion has led to great incredibly consistent over the years. Special successes or my client that I do not believe Education eacher David Freese is beginning would have occurred in any other school his eighth year at NDS and is still finding setting. She has required lots o patience, challenges. “I love working with students in understanding, and tolerance that has been this particular setting. Tey struggle with readily provided by the staff and has helped her mental health, behaviors, and are oen make gains academically and socially.”
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school is in session
Director’s Report Kids enjoyed dumping pails It was a chilly, rainy day when the of ice water Gerard Academy management on the Gerard team decided to participate in the management team ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (pictured left). Nobody challenged Gerard; forIce the Bucket ALS the management team felt that the challenge aligned with our Brent Henry Challenge. mission, so the team decided to Executive Director participate. Challenges were given to the Corporate office and the other Nexus Executive Directors and management teams to participate. We have signed a contract with PrairieCare to provide psychiatric time for us. What makes this arrangement Currently, New Dominion has capacity or five day more gratifying is that we will have Dr. Berryhill students, in addition to the residential population it working with Gerard for up to 20 hours a week. Dr. serves. “We have students who are extremely successul Berryhill has already been providing services to Gerard for many years and recently decided to leave in school at NDS. For some o our kids, this is the most the Olmstead County Medical Center to work for successul they have been or an extended period o time,” PrairieCare. The increase in our doctor hours will assist
necessary,says Teis. kids“When have residential dual transitions programming to their ishome no long livinger us in being a Premier Provider, First Choice. We also added a psychologist to our staff; Julie Peters environment and school setting. Tere are definitely will be joining Gerard in October. She will not only students who would benefit rom temporarily maintaining provide testing for our residential youth, she will be their successul school setting while they transition in instrumental in assisting Gerard in creating an out- their home living environment.” She adds, “I believe the patient program. We are thrilled to have Julie join us! level o commitment the NDS team ocuses on the success Tony Robbins said, “The key distinction that will set o every child is incredible. I am very proud o this team you apart from the field is a commitment to mastery.” and the achievements they are able to create or kids.” In an attempt to help Counselors become masters of their craft, Gerard Academy is pursuing the training from the University of Oklahoma entitled, “Residential Child and Youth Care Professional Curriculum.” The curriculum is broken down into four modules:
Development,Developing a Culture Building of RelationshipsCare, Understanding and Teaching Child Discipline. We are currently finalizing dates for the University to come and provide their “train the trainers” program on campus. This training consists of a written test and will result in our counselors becoming certified by the University of Oklahoma. It has been a busy summer at Gerard Academy. We saw a successful golf fundraiser, record census and discharges, the completion of our 2015 strategic Special Education Teacher David Freese and Paraprofessional planning process, a staff appreciation week, and Yasmin Rodriguez make plans for the upcoming school day. the expansion of two parking lots and a huge storm water retention pond. As Satchel Paige said, “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.” Our eyes are on our fu- ture, and it is full steam ahead for Gerard Academy!
SEPTEMBER 2014 | 14
ONARGA ACADEMY Onarga Academy TLP Ranks #1 Overall in Illinois...Again!
Onarga Academy’s ransitional Living therapy by our staff clinicians, as opposed to Program (LP) is ranked the #1 Overall LP utilizing community mental health centers. in Illinois or the ourth consecutive year! Onarga surpassed 33 other agencies this year “A third distinguishing characteristic is that to achieve the honor. LPs are ranked on five youth have ready access to the resources o perormance indicators: placement stability the main residential campus, which includes rate, discharge with potential rate, and sel- employment opportunities with the Food sufficiency indicators (education, employment, Service, Maintenance, and Vocational and finance). Departments, including the Cornerstone Caé. Additionally, youth have ready access Clinical Director Mike Simpson shared, “I to support and guidance rom their previous believe that one o the primary distinguishing program(s) staff,” Simpson said. characteristics o our LP is the staff ’s dedication and commitment to assisting youth LP Supervisor Nick Pacholski said, “I think in achieving their educational and vocational what sets our LP apart rom others is our goals. As our LP supervisor says, this is a very commitment to transporting our residents labor-intensive and costly endeavor. to work and college. Unlike other LPs, we have no public transportation to rely on. Our “A second distinguishing characteristic is that residents learn the bus routes, but we still we provide youth with individual and group need to get them to Champaign or Kankakee on a daily basis. On average, my counselors spend 4-6 hours on the road per day. Tis is to ensure that our guys are able to seek new opportunities in the community (i.e., work and college) and develop the confidence that they can obtain their independent living goals.”
Cornerstone Café Youth Employees Serve at Harvest Feast
On Sunday, September 21, a group rom Onarga Academy volunteered at the Spence Farm Foundation’s Harvest Feast Fundraiser, Onarga TLP Staff: Bottom (L-R): Sarah Thomson, located south o Fairbury, Illinois. Te group Nick Pacholski, Middle (L-R): Rose Weber, Zakiyyah included Deb Foulks, Cornerstone Caé Williams, Jared Sexton, Top (L-R): Angie Martinez, Tom Manager, Academy staff Laura Wade and Pam Ritzma, Mike Simpson, Jim Herder, Not Pictured: Zack Foust, and 10 residents who also work at the Barnes. Caé.
15 | SEPTEMBER 2014
cornerstone cafe serves at feast Director’s Report Spence Farm is a EXPRESSIONS DAY SCHOOL: centennial amily The Expressions Day School, an arm that raises Onarga Academy innovative, animals and organic community-based education ruits and vegetables or consumption. inprogram, July. To was obtain moved approval on campus for Dennis Wiley More than 250 guests the move, Illinois State Board of Executive Director enjoyed samples Education monitors met with Jessie Marquis, rom 10 ches rom Assistant Principal, and her team to assess the Chicago and curriculum, evaluate classroom structure, Tom Munz, Spence Farm Foundation Champaign areas. Board Member, with Cornerstone Café and conduct file reviews. The monitoring Manager Deb Foulks. Renowned che, Rick team walked away very impressed, and gave Bayless o V ame Expressions the green light for admissions. The and the owner o Fontera Grill and Te Mexican Grill , educational program has taken off on campus, was among the ches that offered some amazing eats or with five admissions to date, meeting the attendees. He also spoke briefly about the importance o needs of those youth requiring more intensive understanding where our ood comes rom. “Straight rom intervention. the arm to the table” is this group’s philosophy. Delightul aromas dried rom the tents, while knives TRANSITIONAL LIVING PROGRAM: Onarga’s TLP slivered and diced, and smoke billowed rom the open has been ranked as #1 in the state for the 4th wood fires and sizzling pots. Pumpkins, gourds, and consecutive year. There are approximately 33 TLP mums adorned the tables and grounds. A tour o Grand providers in Illinois. The performance measures Prairie native grasses and a bee hive colony were some o are very relevant for this population, and the this year’s highlights. program has been a model of consistency. Please see the accompanying article for more wo o the Caé’s youth employees assisted Che Stephanie details. Izard, rom Te Girl and Te Goat, with her cooking demonstration. Che Stephanie was so impressed with CORNERSTONE CAFÉ: Onarga’s Cornerstone the Onarga youth that she commented, “Bring these boys Café was invited back to work the Harvest withto my me.” restaurant Te Cornerstone in Chicago Caé and wasI will so let well them represent work ed, Feast Benefit Tasting Auction at Spence Farm that many visitors and ches assumed our youth were in Fairbury, IL. Some of the top chefs from junior ches. Everyone enjoyed samples o different che Champaign and Chicago (including Rick specialties, including squash soup and goat meat, as well Bayless) prepared meals and provided cooking as delightul bread made rom grain grown on Spence demonstrations for this well-established Farm. and successful fundraising benefit. Onarga Academy’s Café Manager, Deb Foulks, and kids “Tis was our second year to be honored to serve such a worked the event, and were as well-received great organization as the Spence Farm Foundation,” said as last year. It was an excellent public relations Foulks. “Te opportunity to introduce this group o young opportunity and learning experience for Onarga men who behaved proessionally and enjoyed each second Academy and the Cornerstone Café. o these new experiences was just another highlight o that day. I am constantly in awe o what an impact the Caé has on our community at large, and how that circle continues to expand.”
SEPTEMBER 2014 | 16
INDIAN O AKS ACADEMY Indian Oaks Academy Celebrating Kids, Families, and Staff Starfish Family Homes Opens “Our son has been the recipient o many great New Resource Center things that Starfish has so generously provided to oster children and amilies in the area,” Starfish Family Homes, the new oster care Weston explained. “We were blown away by support services arm o Indian Oaks Academy, the selection and quality o items at the Starfish has only been part o the Nexus amily or five garage sale in April, and know the Resource short months, but that time has been ull o Center will be the same.” activity! Te next Starfish project is the 3rd Annual In September, Starfish opened their first-ever Spirit o Starfish Giving Open House in December. Trough donations and grants, newResource venture Center was ingenerously Bradley, IL.donated Space by or Martin the Starfish purchases toys, slippers, and other Whalen Office Solutions at 148 Kinzie in items with the hope that every oster child in Bradley. Te center will be open the third and Kankakee and Iroquois Counties will have ourth Tursday o every month rom noon to a present to open at Christmas. During the 4 p.m., except November 27 and December 25 open house, donors shop or gis rom the in observation o the holidays. assortment o items and write Christmas cards to accompany their selections. Volunteers Foster amilies in Kankakee and Iroquois wrap the gis, and delivery takes place in time counties can shop or ree new and gently- or Christmas. Starfish Advisory Board Chair used items including children’s clothing and SueAnn O’Connor is working with Walmart on shoes, books, toys, school supplies, book bags, a grant to purchase even more gis. “I’ve ound blankets, some small appliances, and other many times over that the true meaning o Christmas is in the giving…especially to those household items. in need.” Te Resource Center is supervised by Indian Oak IOA Kids Ride with the Bears Academy’s Vocational rainer, Chicago Bears Head Coach Marc restman and Michelle Leonard, and staffed by his staff continued a training camp tradition her vocational students. Leonard on the final day o practice in Bourbonnais, IL, said i amilies can’t find items this summer. Te coaches gave away the bikes they need at the center, the staff Michelle Leonard, they rode around Olivet Nazarene University IOA Vocational will work to secure those things. Trainer campus. For the first time since training “Tey can leave us a list o items camp came to Bourbonnais, six IOA youth they’re looking or, and we’ll do our best to find were among the deserving children selected them,” said Leonard. rom the area to receive the bikes, locks, and im Weston, Human Resources Representative helmets. at Indian Oaks, and his wie are oster parents.
17 | SEPTEMBER 2014
celebrating kids, families, and staff
Our kids took to the field and received Giant Mountain Director’s Report Bikes (the largest bike manuacturer in the world) rom Each day at IOA, I watch the coaches, who autographed the bikes they used to employees change the lives of travel rom field to field. Several lucky kids also scored our kids. When we interviewed player autographs on their bikes. several staff for the updated While it’s only the first time IOA has participated, IOA corporate video, I heard some Executive Director Mike Chavers is sure it won’t be the of those folks explain why they Mike Chavers last. “Word o our mission made its way to organizers o do what they do at IOA. We have Executive Director the bike giveaway, thanks to people who know our work exceptional people who do an and know our kids. We’re grateul or the support.” exceptional job every day, and I’m proud that in the first year of the Nexus Ambassador Award program, IOA had 12 outstanding nominees. Congratulations Boys’ Program Takes Family Week on to Studio 7 Unit Coordinator Malissa Roby, who was the Road selected as the Ambassador of Excellence for Indian Oaks. We congratulate our other nominees, who IOA began Family Fun Day back in 2009 as a way or our traveled along with Malissa to the Nexus Annual kids to connect with their amilies around a cookout, lawn Conference in September. games, talent shows, and other entertainment. Since then,
the effort has been urther refined to Family Fun weeks Ambassador of Excellence Nominees: on each program. Each clinical team designs activities 2014 Ambassador that resemble a spirit week and involves amilies in a Award Recipient culminating event. One program held their version o the ESPY awards, and another held a cookout or youth and their amilies.
Tis year, the boys’ NFL Program made sure amilies would be able to participate through individual lunch Malissa Roby, Monique Davis, Nigel Dillard, dates. “Sometimes it’s hard or the boys’ amilies to Unit Coordinator Aftercare Coordinator Counselor make the trip to our campus, based on transportation, geography, or other restrictions,” said NFL Clinical Supervisor Jen Tomas. “So, we took the show on the road.”
Tomas and her staff divided the boys into regions, based Verna Dockery, Brittany Fry, Dr. Mark Jordan, Teaching Assistant Behavior Specialist Senior Psychologist on the geographic location o the amilies. Ten, they scheduled lunch dates or each region over the course o month. Te staff organized schedules and vehicle transportation so 13 boys could visit and treat themselves and their amilies to lunch. “And, the boys paid or lunch, o course, with their own personal money,” said Tomas. Lindsay Mathews, Mona Oliver, Safe Terry Schoondermark, Clinical Supervisor Harbor Admin. Assist. Housekeeping Boys who didn’t have amily involvement this year enjoyed a White Sox game and lunch in Chicago.
Alvin Thomas, Jen Thomas, Carla Wright, Senior Counselor Clinical Supervisor Teaching Assistant
SEPTEMBER 2014 | 18
W OODBOURNE CENTER
Woodbourne Center
Center addresses needs or students who are serious Youth Share Their Voice about getting their diploma. And now they have the Four Woodbourne School youth were selected to serve tools to make sure they don’t make the same (bad) on a Baltimore City Police Department Youth Council, decision again,” she said. led by Police Commissioner Anthony Batts. Te Ramsey’s relationship with Woodbourne began about Council will include students rom parochial, private, two years ago when she trained staff and students and public schools. on bullying prevention. Recently, she reached out to “Te Police Commissioner has a vision o having Addie Johnson, Community Partnerships Organizer young people as his advisors,” says ormer Police at Woodbourne, to set up a campus visit or Police Detective Deborah Ramsey, who is currently a Commissioner Batts. community organizer or United Efforts, an anti- bullying and anti-violence organization. Johnson said o the that visit, “Our students were honest. Tey spoke directly about some o the main issues they saw, and how they elt about the police, whether positively or negatively.” Both Commissioner Batts and Ramsey were impressed by that because they wanted “young people with strong views” or the Council. In August, six students handpicked by Commissioner Batts were invited to a press conerence about the Youth Council at the Blacks in Wax Museum. Ramsey says, “When I was young, I elt like no one (L to R): WB Development Director Bill Mojica; WB Executive Director listened to me; no one heard what I had to say. I elt Dania O’Connor; Police Commissioner Anthony Batts; Community Organizer Deborah Ramsey. like I had solutions, but no one listened,” she says.
“Te Woodbourne School students were the first Te council provides kids the chance to be heard and group o people I wanted to have at the Youth to influence people in authority. “Even i it doesn’t Council,” she says. “We sat down to see what this change what is already [happening],” she resolves, “at least their voices are heard.” havecouncil students would romlook like.a diverse It wasn’t learning a big institution. leap or me oo to many times we think o the A-student or that college- bound student, and sometimes voices such as those at Remembering Bobby Woodbourne Center are too-oen overlooked.” Baltimore Outreach Ramsey uses the analogy o a “tattoo on your record” Ministries led a special to describe what a run-in with the law is like or memorial service or students without institutions like Woodbourne Center. ormer Woodbourne She says that those untreated youth can have extreme Center employee, Robert difficulty receiving an education, school, job, or “Bobby” Workman, on scholarship. the Woodbourne campus, Sunday, August 17. But Woodbourne Center is transormational. “Teir Robert “Bobby” Workman and lives are being transormed,” she says. “Tey can WB Executive Director Dania Workman, an active member O’Connor. get back on track. Tey can have opportunities that o the nondenominational probably would not have been afforded them had church, was a part o Woodbourne’s custodial staff or they gone to a more traditional school. Woodbourne 13 years.
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events on campus Director’s Report WoodboOn-Siteurne is thrilled ...... to welcome Staff rom Woodbourne Center and leadership rom Baltimore Dr. Donna M. Beck, Psy.D., as our new Outreach Ministries were joined by Workman’s wie, amily, riends, Clinical Director, and Anthony Wilson as and Woodbourne students. Te lively, musical service included dancing our new Associate Director. and was, as the leadership o Baltimore Outreach Ministries said, a Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, celebration o Workman’s lie. Dr.consetetur Beck began her sadipscingresidential work elitr, Addie Johnson, Community Partnerships Organizer and ormer with juvenile youth Dania O’Connor Woodbourne School Principal, took the lead in organizing the sed diam nonumy Executive Director eirmodwith sexual tempor behavior memorial. She knew Workman or the 13 years he was with and offending problems in Colorado. She Woodbourne. “During that time, he was a gentle man who really elt a obtainedinvidunt certificationut labore et to dolore work with both deep affection or all o the young people on our campus,” Johnson says. Clinical Director magna aliquyam erat, sed diam Dr. Donna M. Beck, juveniles and adults, providing individual, “Tat was because he always said he learned the hard way, and he didn’t group,voluptua. and Atfamily vero treatment, eos et accusam and want them to experience the hardships he had experienced.” PSY.D. psychosexualet justo duo dolores risk assessments. et ea rebum. Woodbourne Center Executive Director Dania O’Connor describes SheStet returned clita kasd to Maryland gubergren, in 2006 no to sea assume takimata the Clinical Workman as more than an employee. “Bobby was a great riend to all Directorsanctus position est Lorem at Chesapeake ipsum dolor Treatment sit amet. Center’s Lorem New o us,” she says. At the memorial, O’Connor regaled the attendees with ipsum dolor sit amet, consetetur sadipscing conversations she had with Bobby on their drives home rom work. Directions Inpatient Program, a residential treatment program “Bobby was a dedicated, loyal, and passionate man who we will dearly for elitrhigh-risk, sed diamadolescent nonumy and eirmodyoung adult tempor males. She also miss,” O’Connor said. directedinvidunt the Baltimoreut labore Cityet dolore and Montgomery magna aliquyam County New Several students spoke about Workman’s influence on their lives. “He andDirectionserat, Youth sed Outpatientwith diam Sexual voluptua. Community-Based Behavior At Problems. vero eos Programs et for Children would always listen,” said one youth. One student mentioned how accusam et justo duo dolores et ea rebum. Stet Workman would use his personal money to buy the kids caps and Dr. clitaBeck kasdis committed gubergren, to training, no sea supervising,takimata sanctus and mentoring gowns or graduation. A statement rom one young man speaks or cliniciansest Lorem in the ipsum field. dolorShe has sit presented amet. Lorem on this ipsum topic at the itsel: “He was like a ather.” Georgetowndolor sit amet, University consetetur Training sadipscing Institutes, Maryland elitr, Systems of Caresed diamTraining nonumy Institutes, eirmod and the tempor Judicial invidunt Institutes of Project Serve Joins Maryland. She also served for four years as a faculty member/ mentorut labore in the et Clinical dolore Certificate magna aliquyam Training Program erat, for Mental Woodbourne Healthsed Policydiam voluptua.Institute for At Leadership vero eos etand accusam Training et, Inc. owson University students still had a justo duo dolores et ea rebum. StetWilson clita comes kasd to gubergren, Woodbourne no with more ew hours le on our campus when a than 20 years of experience in residential Woodbourne youth asked, “When are they andsea takimatacommunity sanctus programming est Lorem for both male coming back?” andipsum female dolor youth. sit amet. On August 21, 70 students rom owson University came to campus to join Woodbourne students and staff or painting, kickball, basketball, DuisDuring autem Wilson’ vels time eum in iriure social dolor services, he games in the recreation room, water games, and team-building Associate Director worked his way from an overnight counselor/ Anthony Wilson in hendrerit in vulputate velit exercises. Tey arrived as part o Project Serve, a service opportunity DCP to Clinical Supervisor and Clinical or incoming owson reshman and transer students. rained Director at Indianesse Oaks molestie Academy consequat,, where he was vel employedillum for undergraduate students at owson act as acilitators and organizers. fivedolore years. Mosteu feugiat recently, nulla Wilso facilisisn served at asvero CEO eros of a et for-profit, 58-bed,accumsan all-girls et residential iusto odio treatment dignissim center qui blandit in Illinois. Wilson Te relationship with owson developed when Bill Mojica, is apraesent hands-on luptatum leader and zzril is passionate delenit augue about duisseeing successful Woodbourne’s Director o Development, reached out to the university positive change in the kids and the staff he leads. about collaborating on a carwash undraiser or campus. Te project dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Lorem ipsum was a perect fit or owson’s “Te Big Event,” an annual day when Facilitiesdolor sit Updates amet, consectetuer: In the past few adipiscing months, we’veelit, renovated students volunteer with various local organizations. oursed rec diamroom andnonummy dining room, nibh euismodincluding tinciduntnew paint utand owson students enjoyed the day so much, Madeleine Smith, acilitator furniture;laoreet installed dolore magnanew flooring aliquam and eratfurniture volutpat. in the Lynx o Te Big Event, worked with owson’s Project Serve to get students Unit; began renovating 9 bathrooms on various units; received back on Woodbourne’s Campus. new staff lockers in the gym and on the units; opened a new staffUt break wisi room;enim adand minim received veniam, approval quis for nostruda new safety fence Mojica, who acted as the liaison with owson, said,“I think the beauty around the baseball field. was the integration o the owson students with our students. Tey blended beautiully. Te act that the owson students were willing to spend one-on-one time with our students was perect.” SEPTEMBER 2014 | 20
K INDRED F AMILY F OCUS Kindred Family Focus Nexus CARES Takes a Family to Montana
Last all, Nexus rolled out a new program or Kindred Family Focus (KFF) oster parents called Nexus CARES – Cash and Respite Enhancements.
Tis program helps cover extra and unexpected costs oster parents ace, such as activity ees or their youth, home and property damages, mileage reimbursements or transporting youth to meetings and visits, and additional unds or respite care. Nexus CARES also offers licensing and retention bonuses, and provides scholarships so oster amilies can attend national conerences.
Trough Nexus CARES, Cathy and Steve things they want to make sure they do while Melin, KFF oster parents, were able to take we are in Montana. Tese kids have never their oster children on an adventure they will done anything like this beore. never orget. “I want to thank you rom the bottom o my Beore leaving or the trip this past July, Cathy heart or approving this. We will be taking a wrote to Kindred Family Focus to share her lot o pictures and will be sending thank you gratitude or this new program: notes when we get back rom the trip!”
“I just wanted to thank you or approving Cathy said she’s never seen anything like unds or my boys or our vacation to Nexus CARES in her 15 years o being a oster Montana. Tis has been such an amazing parent. “Te Nexus CARES program that they experience, and we haven’t even lef yet. I [Kindred Family Focus] offer is an amazing wish you could personally see the joy and program that I’ve never seen possible with any excitement in them picking out their OWN other agency.” things that they get to keep FOREVER. Sleeping bags, tents, fishing poles, lures, With help rom Nexus CARES, the Melins were tackle boxes, and lie jackets. Tey were so able to give their boys an experience that went excited to get their own sunscreen and bug above and beyond the ordinary. Being able to spray. It’s the simple things. Tis group o let the kids pick out their own gear brought kids is so appreciative and so excited or our the experience to a whole new level. “Without big adventure. Each o them has picked out the Nexus CARES program, the trip would not have been as enjoyable as it was,” Cathy says.
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Nexus CARES Director’s Report “George [Kindred Family Focus Executive Director] was kind enough to approve money above what I had asked We continue to address practice and or to pre-purchase items – fishing poles, lie jackets, policy updates related to the merger sleeping bags, and tents – to make the experience amazing of Family Focus and Kindred; the or mysel and the boys.” most significant difference is the merged budget rather than individual Te our boys (Ryan, Ethan, and ren, and Sam*) enjoyed and joint budgets from a year ago. George Hendrickson The process is simpler, with fewer Executive Director the drive out to Montana, where they visited Cathy and unknowns and less sweat. Each Steve’s daughter on her ranch. It was the arthest the boys region is actively involved; we are using the current year had ever been rom Minnesota, and they enjoyed the new as a model, given our financial success in 2014. experience. During the trip, they went tubing and fishing, and even helped out on the ranch by trying their hand The Metro office recently moved and is mostly settled in. at moving cattle. Ryan described the trip as a new, un The move allowed us to replace the old phone system experience and remarked on the different animals and the with an Internet-based system, allowing additional flat land and lack o trees that they saw along the way. flexibility now that all calls from eastern MN are answered at Metro. We also consolidated our office support Besides using Nexus CARES to help bring the boys to positions to address all employee needs through one Montana, the Melins have utilized the program to buy office. We are negotiating a lease for the Monticello office items or oster children who arrive at their home with that has additional space for the consolidation of the barely any personal items. theaccounting individual functions, agencies. which were previously housed in George Hendrickson explains that Nexus CARES allows We’ve presented the Minnesota Assessment of Parenting Kindred Family Focus to pay or services, programming, for Children and Youth (MAPCY) tool in nine locations camps, and other expenses that would otherwise go over the past few weeks. The tool is to be effective in ununded. “It has been a huge financial support to all o MN on 1/1/15, and provides a new process to evaluate our amilies as we deal with the daily needs o children,” reimbursement to foster parents. It is considerably he said. different from the current tool, as it incorporates the parenting effort rather than just focusing on the youth’s Hendrickson said he was more than happy to help issues. We have had good participation from our foster out with the Montana adventure and give the boys an parents, and will start a second round of daytime experience o a lietime. “Te children had never been meetings, as requested. out o state, had never camped, had not been out in the Our Children’s Therapeutic Services and Supports (CTSS) country in the rural areas. Each o the children was able to and adoption programs have seen considerable transition pick out their own belongings, their camping gear. We had and growth as we work to bring both services to all office a oster parent picnic several weeks ago, and it was un to sites. Adoption is overseen by Gretchen Welch, and CTSS is see the kids’ excitement, coming up and thanking us or overseen by Barb Jochum. offering the opportunity or them.” We are holding an agency-wide employee meeting on October 2 to include employee safety, given the many As a oster parent, Cathy said, “We provide clothing and unknowns in our line of work. ood, and do all the things we possibly can – above and beyond – but or them [Nexus CARES] to go that extra The Nexus Annual Conference provided KFF the mile... to see the smile on the kids’ aces when they’re opportunity to recognize our newly promoted Metro/ picking out lures and fishing rods, it brings a tear to your South Regional Supervisor, Andrea McCormick, as our Ambassador Award winner. She is an asset to KFF youth, eye.” families, and staff and exemplifies the Nexus Cornerstone
*Some names have been changed to protect client confidentiality. Concern!Values of Congratulations,Honesty, Responsibility, Andrea! Courage, Care and
SEPTEMBER 2014 | 22
Nexus: Strengthening Lives, Families, and Communities Through Our Cornerstone Values Cornerstone is published bi- monthly by Nexus. All articles Nexus is a national, nonprofit treatment services, adoption, distinct legal entities, they share are copyrighted by Nexus. organization that helps youth reerrals to other treatment an underlying adherence to the Reproduction o any part o this rehabilitate and reintegrate providers, and ongoing support Nexus Cornerstone Values and publication is prohibited without through a continuum o to youth in our care. Guiding Principles and enjoy written consent. diversified services rom the efficiency and economy residential to in-home Te Nexus Family o reatment o coordinated management Editor: Nancy Baldrica counseling. Programs is a group o programs unctions. 505 Highway 169 North, Suite 500 offering diverse programs Plymouth, MN 55441-6447 Nexus offers residential treatment and services or children and Nexus locations include Mille programs, group home living amilies that is operated by Lacs Academy, Gerard Academy, Corporate: 763-551-8640 Editor: 763-551-8671 programs, treatmenttransitional oster living care, corporationNexus, a Minnesota and its subsidiaries: nonprofit OaksOnarga Academy, Academy, Woodbourne Indian [email protected] inpatient acute psychiatric care, Gerard reatment Programs, Academy, and Kindred Family www.nexustreatment.org in-home counseling services, LLC. While these programs Focus. alternative to residential are operated by separate and
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