Expertise From The Institute

Representatives from Thrive@25 project partners.

The University of Maryland has many valuable centers and institutes, which can provide research, data, and so much more, for students, experts, and professionals, both in the State and throughout the country. One of those important sectors is THE INSTITUTE FOR INNOVATION & IMPLEMENTATION (The Institute), part of the School of Social Work. Among its functions is training, technical assistance, systems design, policy, finance, and evaluation, for Maryland's Children's Cabinet and its agencies, along with other States, locations, and private organizations. All of its work is in meeting the needs of children with complex behavioral challenges and their families.

Within The Institute are three divisions: The Institute of Policy & Finance, Technical Assistance & Implementation, and Research & Evaluation. For those of you who have heard of evidence-based practices, this is one of the institutes where much of the work occurs in determining what those practices are, all the way through the research process. Child welfare, juvenile justice, children's behavioral health, and care management, are some of the areas that benefit from The Institute.



This June the Carroll County Health Department was awarded a $1 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the federal government. This grant was provided to fund Early Screening, Decision Making, Assessment, Referral and Treatement (e-SMART) for children and their families.

Dawn Brown, the Director of Quality Improvement and Prevention for the health department, explained, "Specifically, we will be able to develop our system to include services and supports that are family-driven and developmentally appropriate while also enhancing the skills and competencies of our early childhood work force to better serve those with complex behavioral needs." She added that the grant will "enhance and expand the early childhood system of care by implementing a model that bridges early childhood infrastructure and supports with quality care coordination and services to meet the needs of young children experiencing serious emotional disturbances and their families."

Participants at a Building Systems of Care Meeting created this word cloud when asked what words come up when they think of families and youth.

When you notice the multifaceted nature of the e-SMART program, and how it will help Carroll County serve its younger children, you realize that they will need some help with implementing this system. That's where the services provided by The Institute come in. They have the technical skills and expertise needed by this County, and so they are one of the partnering organizations assisting the Health Department. This is just one of the many functions of The Institute that show how valuable this organization really is.

Participants at a seminar by The Institute.

Thanks for information from this page from the University of Maryland School of Social Work: https://theinstitute.umaryland.edu/about.cfm; and this article from the Carroll County Times:  http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/health/ph-cc-cchd-grant-behavioral-health-20170605-story.html; and the above link.

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Helping Trafficking Survivors Through Arts

Anne Pollock (L), with Mary, collecting donated art materials for the workshops.

Activists do some pretty amazing things! In New York City, a group of them, also artists, got together and formed CROSSING POINT ARTS, an organization that utilizes the arts to help those who have developed PTSD from their experiences of being trafficked here in the US. Trafficking occurs in various labor fields, prostitution, and domestic services, essentially enveloping the preyed-upon individual in a life of slavery. That individual, like many others, is seeking better opportunities than in the home country, but differs in the fact of barely subsisting in the home country.

NYC is unique in that it has a large supply of talented artists in various fields. Crossing Point brings these artists together with the trafficking survivors to help them heal from their experiences. Anne Pollock, Founding Director of this fairly new organization, explained, "These creative outlets provide therapeutic tools to manage difficult emotions and offer a bridge from the traumatized self-concept to an empowered, and stronger sense of being and thriving for survivors. In Crossing Point Arts' workshops, there is an atmosphere of exploration, group coherence, challenge, accomplishment, and fun. Perhaps, most importantly, there is the experience of externalizing the psychic energy of trauma, and reconfiguring its accompanying burden."



Crossing Point has partnered with several local organizations that help traumatized survivors, bringing their art workshop programs right to those organizations. Among them are Polaris Project in Newark, GEMS, WomanKind, EMPOWERGyn, Lifeway Network, and Sanar Institute.

Let's look at a few of the workshop programs. Groove Lounge is all about the beat, the beat of clapping, dancing, and singing calls. The music never fails to bring to the joy and restorative power of this music with a beat. The Visual Arts Workshop addresses the issue of beauty and creativity seeming to sink under the burden of trauma. It's a rediscovery of these senses through drawing, sculpture, photography, and collage. With the support of group strength, participants come to see that beauty and creativity never left, but were pushed to the side when the individual was dealing with trauma. The Recording Project gives back a voice to the participants, many of whom had previously maintained silence about their experiences, through poetry, song lyrics, or even storytelling, that are then formed into songs. The words are repeated back to them in the recordings, giving them the perspective of hearing their own voices, louder and more confident, now able to own what happened to them in a more peaceful and self-accepting way.

One of the fundraising events, which help support the work of Crossing Point.

These are just examples of the variety of workshops available. Some are created with the artistic traditions of other countries and tap into the familiarity that participants have with their own traditions.

Some of the survivor participants engaged in an instrumental music workshop.

Thanks for information from this article on Pollution Project: https://thepollinationproject.org/grants-awarded/anne-pollack-the-art-of-freedom-bringing-the-arts-to-survivors-of-human-trafficking/; this page from Crossing Point Arts: https://www.crossingpointarts.org/our-mission; this page from Crossing Point Arts: https://www.crossingpointarts.org/recent-; and the above link.

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The Beauty In Everyday Life

A passion for home, nature, and exploring the world, that's what LINEN & LAVENDER LIFE (L&L Lifestyle), the site, the BLOG and the FACEBOOK PAGE, represents. It's an exploration of beauty in the everyday, the treasures that help develop a life philosophy, leading to creativity and a burst of ideas. It is also a connection with others, since these modern-day accoutrements of the internet and the social world embodied in social media, enable that type of sharing.



In many ways also, the concept of Linen & Lavender also embodied family relationships among a grandmother, mother, and daughter, a love entwining three generations, with the main writer being LeAnn. The design of the objects in nature and from human creation provide their own information, something to contemplate when gazed upon.

Art Work by Andrew Gonzalez

Let's take a look at a few excerpts from the posts on this site, just to whet your appetite. In "Make It Sacred", a poem by Sarah Blondin is featured. This is the first verse:
"Nothing is for certain.
It's all a mystery.
Even the words I'm saying now are ideas.
Hopeful perspectives.
Comforting ideals that help us walk more sure-footed in this great, mysterious journey."
Gaze at the photo while contemplating these lines. Ideas form, thoughts linger, then journey to contemplate the sacred in life.

The gray wall and steps at the Jardin Maison

Now, think about the word, "gray". What comes to mind? In LeAnn's post, "The Grays Have It", she discusses this color in its various forms, including what comes to mind when thinking of gray. Here's her first paragraph:
"I’ve found that just the word 'gray' can put some people off from using it in their decor. This may be because the word gray (grey) has long been associated with looking sick, tired or just plain old. It is also an adjective we use to describe a dismal day or something that is faded, dull and worn. Even a gloomy mood is characterized as 'gray.'"
However, what about that gray flagstone walk that leads in an exploratory direction, since we can't see its destination? What about that gray kitten, who just began life a few weeks ago? And what about the grays that shine into a sparkling silvery tint? Think about all of it when you read her entire post.

A solitary chair stands on its own, in front of a window.

Have you ever sat and contemplated a piece of furniture in your home? In this case, LeAnn had some thoughts "about a chair". Here's her opening paragraph:
"This one is regally posing for his portrait.
He doesn't need props to feel comfortable.
No side table with flowers to feel complete,
not a single pillow.
He is stoic and confident all by himself."
You can feel the chair not needing any props, standing proud on its own. Wonder what it's seen in it long chair life? It's old enough to have seen the lives of more than one generation. Was its years spent with a single family, or did it exchange hands between families?

You might want to check it out; LeAnn's blog, site, and Facebook page can provide some thoughtful and interesting reading. Don't forget to check out the recipes, too!

Thanks for information from this article on Charter For Compassion: https://charterforcompassion.org/l-l-lifestyle-linenandlavender-net; this post on L&L Life: http://www.linenlavenderlife.com/make-it-sacred/; this post on L&L Life: http://www.linenlavenderlife.com/the-grays-have-it/; this post on L&L Life: http://www.linenlavenderlife.com/about-a-chair/; and the above links.

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RCIS And The Community

RCIS Community Educator with informational display at a conference.

Located in Westminster, MD, the RAPE CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICE OF CARROLL COUNTY (RCIS) was started in 1978 to provide free counseling and other needed support services for those have experienced sexual violence. In addition, this organization provides preventive education, professional training, along with advocacy, with the ultimate goal of eliminating sexual violence. Much of their funding comes from government programs and individual donations.

One of the campaigns in which RCIS was involved is "The Bystander Napkin Campaign". Organized as a prevention strategy, the organization's outreach specialist distributed 40,000 beverage napkins to local bars and restaurants. These napkins contained information encouraging users to be an active bystander, along with the hotline number for RCIS.



Another outreach event involved staff attendance at a Chamber of Commerce PM Connection event, in order to inform attendees about the services RCIS provides. In addition, one of the staff also promoted an upcoming event, Walk A Mile In Her Shoes, in which male supporters walk that distance to promote awareness and respect for women and their lives.

Currently, RCIS is promoting their next event, A Culinary Experience 2017, one of their major fundraisers. The focus at this point is on business sponsorship, providing advertising in the program booklet for companies, based on donated levels of support. Other perks also come with sponsorship, based on level of support.

These young graduates from Silver Oak Academy being presented with a 2nd place fundraising certificate for the Walk A Mile In Her Shoes event.

The event itself will be held on October 9 at Martin's in Westminster. The showcase is the culinary selection from several local restaurants, providing an opportunity for guests to sample some of the fare at restaurants they may or may not have patronized. A silent auction and raffles will also be conducted, along with scheduled entertainment, so there will be plenty to do for attendees, besides supporting such a vital organization.

Promoting A Culinary Experience.

Thanks for information from this page on RCIS: http://www.rapecrisiscc.org/about-rcis/; this newsletter on RCIS, p. 3: http://www.rapecrisiscc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/2016-Annual-Giving-Newsletter-website.pdf; and this article on RCIS: http://www.rapecrisiscc.org/a-culinary-experience-2017/; and the above link.

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A Dream And A Centre

Some of the children in Chiul, who would benefit from the Centre.

Ever since he was a little boy, Arnulfo Gomez Oxlaj's life has been nothing short of a miracle. On a sad day in Guatemalan history, he was one of 116 children who were thrown into a deep well in the village of Chiul by soldiers, in a horrible act of extermination. He was one of the Mayan peoples, by heritage, and the Mayan peoples were being subjected to genocide at the time. But unexpectedly, Arnulfo survived, the sole survivor, among the children thrown into the well, and he was rescued from the well by a local woman.

Ever since, Mr. Oxlaj has had a dream - to exemplify love and generosity - to reawaken his people, to go beyond hatred, to create a chain of peace among indigenous peoples and the country that had despised them, Guatemala. The disadvantaged, whether indigenous or nonindigenous, would be inspired by hope, working together, to achieve freedom. In 2012 across the seas in the UK, AMOR was founded to bring the dream into reality. Part of the focus would be on education, the type of education that helps people to build their skills and talents.



Part of Mr. Oxlaj's dream is building a school for orphans and other vulnerable children, to be called the Afretlain Centre. The hope is that through raising sufficient funds, building will be able to start this summer. The site was chosen in the village of Chiul, an area that has seen devastation from the war; only one out of every ten children is able to attend school, and many suffer from chronic malnutrition. Despite the signing of peace accords more than 35 years ago, the level of extreme poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, and discrimination continue to take a toll on the lives of these indigenous youth and adults.

Besides providing a holistic and innovative education, the Afretlain Centre will also provide a centre for preserving the heritage and history of the 22 Mayan ethnicities in the area. From an appreciation of their background, the centre can become a focus of rights, agricultural sustainability, leadership, and support. In a way, it would form the core of preserving the Mayan cultural traditions and peoples, which have continued to be threatened with extinction.

Arnulfo with a child.

The design for the centre has already been completed. It will be two floors high, have 17 classrooms, an art studio, a kitchen, a sports gym, bathroom, and teachers' lounge. In addition, there will be an area for a medical clinic. Around the building will be a vegetable garden and an area for livestock. There is a gofundme page for donors to support the project.

Some of the local women on Guatemalan Mother's Day.

Thanks for information from this article on Amor: http://www.amorguatemala.org/the-dream.html; this page on Amor: http://www.amorguatemala.org/the-afretlain-centre.html; this gofundme page, where you can also donate to the project: https://www.gofundme.com/mayanschool; and the above link.

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Investing In The Community

The principles on which the coop is based. 

Sometimes investment organizations can do more than just make money for its members or clients. Sometimes they can act to revitalize a community by pooling the money of a group of people who buy shares that can then be used to purchase properties that can then be used to benefit everyone. Of course, somewhere in there, the investors earn money, but even more, the community stops using property for unneeded goods and puts that property to much better use.

Towards the end of 2011, this group of like-minded individuals officially became incorporated as the NORTHEAST INVESTMENT COOPERATIVE (NEIC). The following year, the organization, already comprised of 90 investors, purchased two Minneapolis properties, one under their name and one under the name of Recovery Bike Shop. In 2013, demolition work began on the NEIC property, and the number of investors climbed to 175, as others learned about the plans for the properties.



Construction was completed in 2014 and three businesses opened on the new site, providing 25 jobs that weren't present previously. By 2015, NEIC had developed a sustainable business model that had turned a profit, and members received a return on investment, based on the type of shares bought. Before the year ended, a McKnight Foundation Grant was awarded to help defray startup costs for their next project.

After much research, NEIC purchased their second property, and was able to start on the next project, a new building located on a corner property, that converts the previous building into a lighter and brighter site for businesses. Like any other company, members get a voice when they buy into the coop. It's one member - one vote, promoting investment in the community. Because they invest in the properties, members maintain a relationship of success with the businesses on site, since the success of the business means success for the cooperative.

Before and after construction on the building at the 2nd property.

Now that NEIC's second property is ready to begin leasing, there was a gathering at the property last month for a tour and to provide information for those interested. Besides potential interested businesses, a number of potential investors showed up. This event allowed them to see the transformation of the property, along with how the cooperative operates. In addition, their newest project on another property was presented and those interested were able to find out how they could participate.

The transformation of the first building.

Thanks for information from this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/NEICoop/about/?ref=page_internal; this article from NEIC: http://www.neic.coop/our-story/; this article on NEIC: http://www.neic.coop/properties/; this page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1992859614280087/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22ref_newsfeed_story_type%22%3A%22regular%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D; and the above link.

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PCI Strategic Management Performs Critical Work For The Government

Some of the golfers at this year's PCI golf event.

A small business located in Columbia, MD, a management consulting firm, works with the Department of Defense, along with the intelligence community, to help them execute their strategic vision. Most of their clients are senior-level managers, who are responsible for making decisions for their organizations. PCI STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT also has the distinction of being veteran-owned and employs more than 150 professionals who hold top security clearances.

Besides their business functions, PCI also takes seriously its mission of corporate responsibility by supporting several charities. Among them is Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing for military families close to where loved ones are receiving medical care. In fact, PCI has had such a commitment to Fisher House that the company has provided $120,000 through the previous seven years of holding their annual charity golf event.



This year's golf event was held at The Woodlands and Diamond Golf Courses in Baltimore County on June 8. As luck would have it, the weather was beautiful and provided inspiring conditions. After the last ball had been teed and everyone completed the course, a total of $20,000 had been raised for Fisher House. Great work, PCI!

Let's take a look at one of the contracts PCI has, in this case, with Homeland Security. The Enterprise Acquisition Gateway for Leading Edge Solutions II (EAGLE II) is an agreement to provide IT solutions for a wide range of support services. The company must test solutions to make sure they fit the high standards required by Homeland Security. Fortunately, PCI is quite experienced with the types of testing and quality assurance standards. But there must also be independent evaluation of the solutions to perform the same checks. While PCI can't validate their own testing and solutions, they can certainly do so for solutions and testing by other companies.

PCI hands out holiday turkeys to employees for Thanksgiving.

Under the EAGLE II contract, PCI has been tasked with evaluating the Emergency Notification System. This system is critically needed to activate teams and spread information for both FEMA and Homeland Security during local and national emergencies. This enables both agencies to make quick decisions based on the best information available, helping to relieve the affected populations in a timely manner. Just this one task award gives you the idea of the importance and scope of the work PCI performs for federal agencies. Of course, that is only one small aspect of EAGLE II, and the work of PCI.

Honoring those who have worked for the company for five years.

Thanks for information from this Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/pg/PCISM/about/?ref=page_internal; this Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/PCISM/photos/a.251292414949482.59819.225482504197140/1350930938318952/?type=3&theater; this Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/PCISM/posts/1302404039838309; this article on PCI: http://www.pci-sm.com/contracts/eagle-ii/; this page, Task #HSFE50-13-0462: http://www.pci-sm.com/contracts/eagle-ii/task-orders-awarded/; and the above links.

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