The Weekly Briefing
| Welcome to The Weekly Briefing, featuring news from Children's Futures, updates about our community partners' activities and links to recent news articles about early childhood health and development. | |
| Volume 1, Number 28 | November 2, 2007 |
In This Issue
- News from Children's Futures
- Addressing Emotional Abuse/Anger Management for Men
- CF/Support Center Financial Management Training Program
- November Center-Based Programs for Expectant Parents, Parents and Children
- Nurse Family Partnership Seeks RN
- Links to News
Articles
- U.S. Pediatricians' Group Urges Autism Screening for All Toddlers by Age 2
- Single Use Flu Vaccine Ideal for Infant
- Study Links Hypertension in Obese Children to Television Viewing
- Community Activities
- Trenton Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition
- College Fair and Workshops at Trenton War Memorial
- Nurse-Family Partnership Seminar
News from Children's Futures
Addressing Emotional Abuse/Anger Management for Men
A dozen Trenton dads gather at the Children's Futures' father center each week for a program that helps them learn how to solve problems without resorting to verbal, physical or emotional abuse. "I have dramatically improved my relationship with my three children because of this anger management program. It has enlightened me on how to deal with everything. I take a deep breath, think before I speak and even my kids have noticed the difference," said Anthony R., a 2007 course graduate.
The 18-week program (based on the "CompassionPower" work of noted author Steven Stosny) is offered twice a year. "Some men volunteer to take the course; others are mandated by probation, municipal court or family court. Regardless of their reasons for attending, the men all strive for a common goal...self-improvement," explained father center director Ed Gittens of UIH Family Partners. During the 18 weeks, father center staffers Nelson Marrero and Joseph Revell guide participants through a five-step process called HEALS. This process helps men first identify situations and then experience their deepest core hurt (e.g., disrespect). This is followed by an assessment of core values, a reflection on self-love and a focus on problem-solving steps. "Solving problems early with the HEALS' process takes repetitive practice of the 'CompassionPower' steps throughout the day at work, home or in social settings," Gittens explained. Gittens has reviewed self-reports and conducted personal visits with course graduates since 2005. "We have a 95% graduation rate and no men completing the program have been involved in subsequent allegations around anger issues or domestic violence," Gittens noted.
The next 18-week course at the father center starts in April. For information, contact Ed Gittens at (609) 695-3663. For information about a similar program offered by Catholic Charities beginning next January, please contact Audrey Snyder at (609) 394-5157
Nelson Marrero describes the five-step HEALS' process to Trenton dads at the Children's Futures' father center.
CF/Support Center Financial Management Training Program
Registration has been extended until November 6, 2007 for a free Financial Management Training Program featuring workshops customized for small and mid-size nonprofits. Nonprofit organizations completing the Financial Management Training Program will be provided with follow-up technical assistance from Children's Futures.
Developed by Children's Futures and The Support Center of Trenton with input from Trenton nonprofits, the series includes six half-day workshops which will be held from mid-November 2007 to mid-January 2008. The goal is to provide executive directors, finance staff and board members of Trenton non-profit organizations with the practical skills and information they need to:
- comply with basic financial requirements;
- maintain complete financial records;
- develop timely financial statements for internal management and external reporting;
- prepare reasonable, useful program and organizational budgets;
- understand and manage cash flow;
- safeguard assets through a practical internal accounting control system appropriate to their agency's size;
- prepare for an audit;
- interpret financial information as part of the decision-making process;
- fulfill fiduciary responsibilities (board members); and
- access available community resources to support an organization's financial management needs (i.e. bankers, bookkeepers).
To apply for the program, go to: hsupportcenteronline.org/childrens-futures-form.php. The first session is scheduled for November 14, 2007. For additional information, contact Calvin Thomas at (609) 393-3826 or by email at CBTJr1@aol.com.
Participant is pictured below during a previous Financial Management Training Program offered by Children's Futures and The Support Center of Trenton.
November Center-Based Programs for Expectant Parents, Parents and Children
Expectant parents and parent of newborns and toddlers have opportunities to enhance their parenting knowledge and skills by attending programs at Children's Futures' parent child centers and father center. Each month, Children's Futures offers free workshops to improve literacy, promote nutrition, build children's musical awareness and encourage parent/child bonding. The November 2007 Program Calendar is attached above in English and in Spanish. If you have difficulty opening the document or have questions about center-based programs, please email tbellamy@trentonnj.org.
Moms and children learned about nutrition last week at a center-based workshop in the North Ward.
Please see our calendar for all November workshops at Children's Futures' centers.
Nurse-Family Partnership seeks RN
Children's Futures' Nurse Family Partnership, an evidenced-based home visitation program, is seeking a full-time RN (preferably BSN). Candidates interested in joining a team of nurses making a difference in the lives of first-time mothers are invited to send resumes to:
R. Hansen
c/o Children's Futures' NFP
16 East Hanover Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
or email rhansen@trentonnj.org
Links to News Articles
U.S. Pediatricians' Group Urges Autism Screening for All Toddlers
By Age 2 in Renewed Push
The Associated Press reports the nation's leading U.S. pediatricians'
group is making its strongest push yet to have all children screened
for autism twice by age 2.
Pancreas May Be Key
to Pregnancy-Linked Diabetes
Stanford University Medical Center researchers have new information
about a protein in the pancreas that may help determine how diabetes
develops during pregnancy, according to HealthDay News.
Single-Use Flu Vaccine Ideal for Infant
Star Ledger columnist and Children's Futures' Board member Dr.
Kendall Sprott describes the benefits of the single-use influenza
vaccine.
Study Links Hypertension in Obese Children
to Television Viewing
This release details how researchers have determined that television
viewing is not only linked to childhood obesity, but also to
hypertension in children.
Books help even infants
learn and succeed
An opinion piece in the Providence Journal supports the "Prescribe
a Book Act " that would create a federal pediatric early
literacy grant initiative based on the Reach Out and Read program.
Saving Babies | Exposing Sudden Infant Death in America
This special report http://scrippsnews.s10113.gridserver.com/node/29
comes from the Scripps Howard News Service.
Community Activities
November 2007
Thursday, November 8:
Trenton Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition Meeting: Free; 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.; Thomas Edison State College at 101 West State Street in Trenton. For more information call L. Mitchell at (732) 937-5437.
Sunday, November 11:
College Fair and Workshops: Free; Trenton War Memorial; high school students, community college students and parents invited; 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (Ecumenical Service with Rev. Stephen Samuels from 10:00-11:30 a.m.); More than 40 Historically Black Colleges and Universities will be represented. For more information, contact Omega Delta Upsilon Foundation representatives Charles G. Davis (609) 984-7676 - charlesdavis@dol.state.nj.us or Harold B. Vereen (215) 428-1141 - bhvereen@comcast.net. Event website: www.HBCU-CFNJ.com
Monday, November 12:
Consumer Coalition Meeting of Trenton Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies: Free; 5:00 to 6:30 p.m..; Princeton Deliverance Center at 301 Southard Street: in Trenton. For more information call L. Mitchell at (732) 937-5437.
Wednesday, November 14:
ISLES Spirit of Community Dinner; $45; 5 p.m.; Trenton Country Club, 201 Sullivan Way, West Trenton. For more information, please call 341-4713.
Tuesday, November 27:
Press Conference Announcing Name Change of Union Industrial Home for Children to UIH Family Partners; 12 noon; Trenton City Hall Atrium, 319 East State Street. For more information, please call Zuline Gray Wilkinson at (609) 695-1492.
Thursday, November 29:
Nurse-Family Partnership Seminar: A Cost-Effective Investment for New Jersey's Children; Free; 9-11 a.m.; Trenton Marriott at Lafayette Yard; Featured speakers: Nurse-Family Partnership Developer David Olds, NJ Dept. of Children and Families Commissioner Kevin M. Ryan, Division of Prevention and Community Partnerships Director Darrell L. Armstrong, Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer, and Julia Isaacs of the Brookings Institution. Seating is limited. For reservations contact Shannon Ensminger at Shannon@rodacreative.com or call (717) 699-2206.
For a complete calendar of events, please refer to our calendar page.
About Children's Futures
Established in 2001 with major support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Children's Futures is a nonprofit organization that works city-wide in Trenton, N.J. to improve child health and development outcomes. Through an unprecedented collaboration among public agencies and nonprofit organizations, Children's Futures seeks to strengthen parenting, increase access to primary quality health care and child care systems, and increase social supports for families, so that every child in Trenton enters preschool healthy and ready to learn.