New MTFC Foster Care program opening in Dauphin and Cumberland counties

New MTFC Foster Care program opening in Dauphin and Cumberland counties. Foster Parents needed; earn $2400 / mo. Stipend. Extensive Training & Full Support Call 888-688-CHOR ext. 517 for more details

Children’s Home of Reading Receives Sanctuary Certification

The Children’s Home of Reading (CHOR) was recently awarded Sanctuary certification by the Sanctuary Institute for successful implementation of this innovative trauma-informed approach throughout the organization. CHOR is one of the first in PA to be certified by the Institute.  The objective of the Sanctuary Institute is to help organizations, like CHOR, create and implement a trauma-informed, trauma-sensitive culture that promotes healing and recovery.

“The  Sanctuary Certification process took three years and truly brought our entire team together with the common goal of improving the quality of services and care provided to the children and families we serve”, Dr. Vince LaSorsa, CEO and President of CHOR.

The certification is a rigorous process that includes interviews, site observations, document reviews and focus groups.  Certification is contingent upon the agency’s ability to adhere to the standards described in the Sanctuary Implementation Standards Manual.
The Sanctuary Model is a blueprint for clinical and organizational change which promotes safety and recovery from adversity through the active creation of a trauma-informed community.  In an effort to create safe and healing environments for children, families and adults who have experienced chronic stress and adversity, the Sanctuary Model is being used in a wide range of settings, including: child welfare, residential treatment, juvenile justice, drug and alcohol treatment, school and community-based programs, partial hospitals, domestic violence and homeless shelters.
The model was developed by Dr. Sandra Bloom, a psychiatrist and founder of the Sanctuary Institute, which exists to help organizations implement the model’s trauma-informed, whole-system organizational approach.  Its mission is “to teach individuals and organizations the necessary skills for creating and sustaining nonviolent lives and nonviolent systems, and to keep believing in the possibilities of peace.”

The Children’s Home has been a pioneer in helping to restore the shattered lives of youth who have been abused or neglected, coping with behavior or emotional problems.  The Home is a not-for-profit organization that provides several community based, educational and residential programs to nearly 850 children from Berks and surrounding counties each year.  It was established in 1884 and has consistently responded to the ever-changing needs of the community.

Teens Feel Stress during the Holidays, Too

Many adults feel stressed out or get the blues during the winter holidays. But they don’t always realize that teens get these feelings, too. The same things can cause these feelings for teens as they do for adults:

Hectic schedule

Financial stress

Increased family conflict or misunderstanding

Crowds

Changes in diet and routines

Cabin fever

Pressure to find the perfect gifts

Not getting the gifts you wanted

Increased grief about divorce, death, or other family changes (see below)

Shortened amount of daylight (a cause of serious depression for many)

Also, many teens feel empty because holidays are not the same as when they were young kids. All on top of the normal stresses of growing up!

Feeling stressed or getting the blues during the holidays is normal. Some simple steps can help ease the feelings for your teen and get them through the season.

Help your teens manage their feelings. Encourage them…

To talk. Help them express their feelings. Really listen to them. Try not to judge them or overreact. Instead, help them try to solve their problems. Encourage them to talk to other trusted adults or friends, too.

To take a break. Getting away from others can be re­freshing. Encourage them to spend time relaxing or doing an activity for themselves. Just spending a few minutes outside can re-energize them.

To exercise. This is one of the best ways to work off stress.

To eat right. Holidays often come with sugary and high-fat foods. Eating some is fine, but eating too much will only make mood swings worse.

To do something charitable. It can be easy to lose sight of what the holidays are really about. Doing something for someone else can help change one’s outlook. For the complete article see the link below

http://www.health.ri.gov/family/ofyss/teens/tips/DisplayTip4.php

Sanctuary certification

The Children’s Home of Reading (CHOR) was recently awarded Sanctuary certification by the Sanctuary Institute for successful implementation of this innovative trauma-informed approach throughout the organization. CHOR is one of the first in PA to be certified by the Institute. The objective of the Sanctuary Institute is to help organiza­tions, like CHOR, create and implement a trauma-informed, trauma-sensitive culture that promotes healing and recovery.

“The Sanctuary Certification process took three years and truly brought our entire team together with the common goal of improving the quality of services and care provided to the children and families we serve”, Dr. Vince LaSorsa, CEO and President of CHOR.

The certification is a rigorous process that includes in­terviews, site observations, document reviews and focus groups. Certification is contingent upon the agency’s

ability to adhere to the standards described in the Sanctu­ary Implementation Standards Manual.

Wellness Update

By Jennifer Wilinsky, Food Service Supervisor

For the first time in history, it is predicted that our children will face a shorter lifespan than we will due to the complications of obesity. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. One third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabe­tes at some point in their lives; many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. A recent study put the health care costs of obesity-related diseases at $147 billion per year.

Many children consume as many as half of their daily calories at school. As families work to ensure that kids eat right and have active play at home, we also need to ensure our kids have access to healthy meals in their schools. With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever. Together with the private sector and the non-profit community, the U.S govern­ment is taking many steps to get healthier food in our schools.

 At CHOR, we have made great strides to adapt to the sug­gestions made from these health and wellness initiatives. In the past year, we have revised all menus: eliminating whole and 2% milk, serving 100% fruit juice, and buying whole grain food items. We have also greatly reduced the sodium and fat content, while still meeting the recom­mended nutrient guidelines for our clients. This has re­sulted in 52% of our residential clients trending toward a healthier weight as opposed to the majority of our clients consistently gaining weight in previous years. They have been making healthier food selections and eating plenty of fruits and vegetables. Many clients are proud of the accomplishments they made in not only losing weight, but feeling better and healthier.