Director's Corner

IN AUTUMN!
As summer comes to a close, we start thinking about school and fall activities. Foster parents and care providers please remember that we will have fall trainings in all offices for continuing in-service education. Please take advantage of these opportunities to develop your skills.

We continue to experience growth in several program areas. Our adoption program will be adding a new service, Adoptive Family Preservation, starting October 1. This service will be available in our Danville, Roanoke, Christiansburg, Abingdon and Tazewell offices. This program is funded by a federal grant that is administered by the Virginia Department of Social Services. We are partnering with United Methodist Family Services in Richmond to provide the services.

Our Mental Retardation program is also developing new resources. We are in the process of renovating the house in Rustburg, (which I mentioned last month) to convert it to a group home for six adults with mental retardation. We have already received several referrals from the Central Virginia Training Center staff for potential residents for the home. We hope to have it ready for occupancy in late fall.

For several years we have been looking for land on which to build a group home for clients with mental retardation in Roanoke. Last month we were able to make that wish a reality. We have purchased a small vacant lot on which we plan to build a group home. We anticipate building in the spring after the Rustburg project is complete.

As we grow and develop we continue to look for new opportunities to better serve our children, adults and families. We are currently considering new services in both Treatment Foster Care and Clinical Services. The newest venture in Clinical Services, Mental Health Support, has received many referrals and is serving both children and adults who meet the criteria for care.

We say goodbye and thank you to Mentors Miranda Zimmerman, Leah Warden, Amanda Miller, Sara Driskell and Kristen Smith; Youth Counselor Katie Baker; Social Workers Diana Embler, Mina Goyal and Hope Schutte; Front Office staff Arlene Hartman; Supervisor Chris Jones and Branch Director Paula Mehaffey.

We welcome Mentors John Kramer, Laurence Hicks, Dorothy Diggs, Pamela Bowles and Jennifer Bryant; Office Manager LaKeisha DeShazor; Maintenance Technician Perry Lacy; Youth Counselors Cynthia Smith and Janette Ferguson; Mental Health Support Social Workers Chris Miller and Ryan Reynolds; Child Development Center Behavioral Specialist Kelly Hayes; Social Worker Krae Potter; and Student Intern Rebecca Harris.

Sue Bentley
Executive Director
DePaul Family Services