CORNERSTONEA PUBLICATION OF RAPPAHANNOCK AREA COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARD

2017NO. 2

CORNERSTONE 07/2017

It won’t be easy, but we will remain steadfast in our drive to fill gaps and provide help.

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EDITOR 'S NOTEFor nearly half a century, RACSB has provided quality services to the Fredericksburg community. We’ve tackled stigma, budget cuts and epidemics. We’ve weathered dramatic changes to behavioral healthcare, funding structures and language. Through it all, we’ve stayed the course and offered top-notch care for people with developmental disability, mental health concerns and substance use disorder.

In the near future, we face even more changes. We are determined to meet the new challenges ahead while continuing to provide the services our community relies on. As in years past, we will rely on our dedicated staff and on partnerships with individuals and organizations who share our commitment to serving the most vulnerable members of our community. It won’t be easy, but we will remain steadfast in our drive to fi ll gaps and provide help.

While our commitment will remain constant, you will notice some changes to RACSB in the upcoming year. We have just welcomed a new leader, and we will soon launch a new, streamlined website. We continue to tweak services to fi ght the opioid epidemic and are following research on suicide prevention and mental health. We are forging stronger community partnerships as we strive to address these issues. Through all of this, one thing will remain constant: Help is here, whenever you need it.

Cornerstone is a quarterly publication of Rappahannock Area Community Services Board. Please send any questions, comments or story ideas to aumble@rappahannockareacsb.org. If you would like copies of this magazine for your organization, waiting room, conference, etc. please email Amy Umble, aumble@rappahannockareacsb.org or call 540-904-2314.

CATCHING UP

The opening night reception of the Art of Recovery attracted more than 100 people on May 5. Attendees strolled through the PONSHOP Studio and Gallery to view the artwork created by adults with mental illness. And many folks braved the rain for a chance to see musical performances, readings and dance numbers in the gallery’s courtyard. The downpours paused just long enough for the outdoor festivities. As the last act played music, fat raindrops began to fall from the sky once more.

Previously in Cornerstone—we learned about the Art of Recovery, an Open House at Myers Drive, the Opioid Town Hall and a Garden Party. Here’s how those events turned out.

PAINTING THE TOWN

TACKLING AN EPIDEMIC

Nearly 200 people came to the Town Hall on the Opioid Crisis held during the evening of May 10. A daytime summit of community

leaders drew 50 people who worked on local solutions to the epidemic. That summit launched three working groups to tackle the issue.

At the event, our Prevention Services staff gave away 50 medication lock-boxes and some medication disposal kits. Safely disposing of

medications is one way to fi ght the opioid problem. At RACSB, we also offer Medication Assisted Treatment and free training on how to use

naloxone to reverse an opioid overdose.

OPENING DOORSSeventeen families stopped by to take a tour of the Myers Drive Respite Home during the open house held May 7. The families learned more about RACSB’s respite services for adults with developmental disability. We look forward to welcoming these new individuals for overnight stays soon. Want to know more about Myers Drive? Call 540/899-4670 to learn if our services are right for you and to schedule a personal tour of the respite home.

A BLOOMING GOOD TIME

We are so grateful to everyone who joined us for a Garden Party at Rappahannock Adult Activities. The evening featured food, drinks and flowers. Guests also enjoyed touring the activity center and learning more about the services we offer for individuals with devel-opmental disability. Proceeds from the party and from the plant sale will help us provide activities and trips for the people who participate in our day support program.

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

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08A GRAND ADVENTURE

Ron Branscome retired after decades at the helm of RACSB. During his tenure, he

launched many services that haveimproved countless lives.

16IN FULL BLOOM

An annual Garden Party raised money to provide day support services to

adults with intellectual disability. The money helps RACSB provide day trips,

crafts, horticulture and other activities to help individuals flourish

to their fullest potential.

In this issue, our cover picture shows Ron Branscome touring the Sunshine Lady House for Mental

Health Wellness and Recovery with architect Bill Loving and

philanthropist Doris Buffett.

NO. 2 2017

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18 26 31

18A PICTURE-PERFECT SEND-OFF

Community members gathered to bid Ron

Branscome farewel l—and to have a l i t t le b i t of fun with his

cardboard l ikeness at a ret i rement par ty that was

anything but f lat .

24ALL ABOUT JANE

What do puppets, boxing, and carpool karaoke have in

common? Find out and learn five new things about RACSB’s sixth

executive director.

26HEROIC INTERVENTIONS

Fredericksburg Police Offi cer Tabatha Merrell used her crisis

intervention training to save the life of a man threatening suicide. She’s

part of a growing group of law enforcement offi cers learning to

respond to mental health emergencies.

28NO KRYPTONITE ALLOWED

RACSB’s training courses teach you to save the day. We’re stil l working to master X-ray vision

and invisible transportation.

31FASHION FORWARD

Women recovering from addiction prepare for a bright future with colorful clothes and shoes. The annual effort provided professional clothes, shoes,

and accessories for nearly 100 women.

32LENDING A HAND

Explore a roundup of ways to help your community—from scrapbooking to shopping.

CAPTAINING ‘A GRAND ADVENTURE’

Ron Branscome retires after 43 years of serving the community

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D octors told Charles Cooper that his son would not live into adulthood.

Chuck had been born with Down Syndrome, and at the time, people with the chromosomal disorder had a life expectancy of 18.

“They were sent to an institution, they were forgotten, and they died,” Cooper said.

That wasn’t Chuck’s path, however. He is approaching his 59th birthday, and works at Walmart, where he is a popular employee with a strong work ethic and a smile for everyone.

“Chuck is now 58 years old, and that is all thanks to what Ron Branscome has done for our community,” Cooper said. “When I fi rst saw Ron, I knew great things were going to happen.”

That meeting occurred in 1974, when

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Ron Branscome partnered with Doris Buffett to build a home for the crisis stabilization program. They are pictured here with Josiah Rowe.

Branscome came to Fredericksburg as part of a two-year grant to create a plan for providing more services to individuals with developmental disability. Branscome and his then-fi ancée expected to stay in the area for two years and move on. Four decades later, Branscome retired on June 30 after 43 years of providing community services to the region. When he left Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, Branscome had the longest tenure of any community services board director in Virginia.

Under his leadership, the agency grew from a handful of employees to nearly 600. Along the way, services developed to meet the burgeoning needs of the greater Fredericksburg community.

FACING A LACK OF SERVICESBranscome didn’t initially plan to work with people with disabilities. He was just looking for a summer job before college.

That desire led him to Camp Fairlee Manor, which was run by the Delaware Easter Seal Society. The camp on the Chesapeake Bay in Chestertown, Md.served campers of all ages who had disabilities. Branscome was hired as a camp counselor and archery instructor. He enjoyed the campers so much that he returned as a counselor each summer while studying at Towson State College.

“I learned how to give back, and it was a wonderful experience,” he said. It probably also helped that he was dating a fellow counselor named Mary Jane—an attractive brunette who worked the same summers. The pair married in 1975, a few months after Branscome arrived in Fredericksburg.

He hadn’t planned on moving to Virginia. In fact, he was preparing for graduate school when his sister drove through Fredericksburg and saw an announcement in The Free Lance-Star about a new grant awarded to the Rappahannock Association for Retarded Citizens. The organization

WHEN I F IRST SAW RON, I KNEW GREAT TH INGS WERE GO ING

TO HAPPEN .Charles Cooper,

First chair of RACSB’s Board of Directors

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was looking for someone to identify community needs and work with families of individuals with developmental disability.

Branscome started work in September, meeting with families and studying the services offered in the community.

Thanks to the efforts of parents like the Coopers and changing priorities in federal government, the Commonwealth was beginning de-instituionalization efforts when Branscome began working in 1974.

“Virginia was fi nally getting onboard and realizing that serving people in large state institutions wasn’t going to fly as far the federal government was concerned,” Branscome said.

But keeping individuals in the community required services. Special education programs had just begun in the area, and

they “were minimal, at best, at the time,” Branscome said.

He also noticed the lack of programs for adults with profound developmental disability. There was an employment program for individuals with milder disability.

“But those folks with severe and profound disability were sitting at home,” Branscome said.

Additionally, there were no services for babies and toddlers with developmental delays. And so Rappahannock Adult Activities and the Parent-Education Infant Development programs were born.

When Branscome’s grant ended in 1976 , he went to work for the Rappahannock Area Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services Board. This was one of 40 community services boards created after 1968 legislation gave

Virginia localities the option to develop regional organizations to address the needs of people with mental illness or developmentel disability.

TAKING OVER THE AGENCYBranscome started as the director of mental retardation services. Seven years later, Executive Director Roy Marshall left the agency and Branscome took over as the organization’s fi fth leader.

At the time, mental health, substance use disorder and developmental disability services were fragmented—and only offered in the City of Fredericksburg.

“There was nothing out in the counties,” Branscome said. “If you couldn’t get to Fredericksburg, you couldn’t get help.”

His early priorities included expanding services to the four counties served by RACSB and integrating services for disability, addiction and mental illness.

In 2008,

RACSB’s facility at 600 Jackson Street was

named for Ron Branscome.

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One of the fi rst services

Branscome established for the community was the

Parent Education-Infant Development program,

which began in 1979.

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A LIFE OF LEISURE?Throughout his career, Branscome routinely woke up at 4:00 each morning, and arrived at RACSB offi ces by 7 a.m. In his retirement, he said he might sleep in until 6. He also hopes to follow in the footsteps of his wife, Mary Jane. Since she retired from 30 years of teaching at Ferry Farm Elementary School, Mary Jane started volunteering with the YMCA’s preschool program and at an assisted living facility. Branscome said he would like to continue serving the Fredericksburg community and plans to remain on the boards of Mary Washington Healthcare and the Rappahannock United Way.

Additionally, Branscome plans to travel with Mary Jane and to get back into hiking, running and gardening.

“I wanted to break down silos in the organization, so we were serving the individual, not the disability,” Branscome said.

Community services were changing quickly, and Branscome worked hard to keep up with those evolving needs. He became known in the state for providing cutting edge services. RACSB often led the way in launching new programs.

Under Branscome’s leadership, RACSB built fi ve outpatient clinics, 10 group homes, fi ve day support sites, a crisis stabilization facility, a respite home and four intermediate care facilities.

“I’ve had the privilege to be involved in the development or expansion of all of the services we currently provide at RACSB,” Branscome said.

He is most proud of developing the Parent-Education Infant Development program and for partnering with local philanthropist Doris Buffett to open the Sunshine Lady House for Mental Health Wellness and Recovery and the Myers Drive Respite Home.

“As a father, I’m so thankful for the services we have established: Group homes, day support, respite—the list goes on and on, “ Cooper said.

Those services have allowed countless individuals and their families to remain in the community.

AN ADVENTURE BEGINS“Thirty-one years ago, when our son Kyle was born, a new adventure started for us,” said RACSB Board Member Debbie Draper.

When Kyle was 10 days old, Draper was referred to the PE-ID program. There, she learned about helping Kyle progress in spite of his profound disability. Kyle, who has Down syndrome and is nonverbal, made great strides.

When Kyle graduated from high school, he started attending the day support program

that had been born from Branscome’s initial needs assessment. Recently, Kyle has also stayed at the Myers Drive Respite Home on multiple occasions. Draper once brought Kyle to the emergency room with her because she had no one to care for him while she received treatment. In the past few years, she has been able to travel to Europe and to Hawaii, because of RACSB’s respite services.

For the past three decades, RACSB’s programs have changed the lives of Kyle and his family.

“I feel like I’m on this grand adventure and Ron is the captain,” she said.

Running an agency with dozens of programs, hundreds of employees and thousands of clients requires an attention to detail and minutiae. But Branscome never forgot that each decision from annual budgets to bathroom fi xtures would impact the lives of people with disability, mental illness or substance use disorder.

Branscome laughs with Chuck Cooper at a recent retirement party.

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When Branscome came to Fredericksburg, he helped with a summer camp run by Special Education Teacher Marie Kunlo. She later served on the RACSB Board of Directors, as did her husband, Jack.

“I’ve never met anybody like Ron Branscome,” said Warren Samuel, who served on the Board of Directors from 2008-2017. “One night, he received a $1 million check from Doris Buffett. Later that evening, I turned around and saw Ron picking up trash from the floor.”

Branscome was a hands-on director, and staff quickly got used to seeing him scrape gum off the floor, clean the windows or replace light bulbs.

“When I visit RACSB facilities...there is not one blade of grass that isn’t cut, or one floorboard that isn’t spit and polished,” said Board Member Jack Rowley. “It’s really a top-notch organization, and that is all due to Ron.”

At times, that attention to detail could be frustrating. Branscome dropping by a group home or facility could induce panic in staff members—he was known to have an eagle eye and to catch even the smallest details, such as a nail pop in the wall or a scuff mark on the floor. He could have hour-long conversations about toilets and bathroom fi xtures.

KEY MOMENTS IN RACSB HISTORY

He expected a high level of performance from employees. However, he also cared about the people who work for RACSB. Many staff members tell of times Branscome went out of his way to help during a time of crisis.

His drive for near-perfection came from a desire to protect the vulnerable individuals served by RACSB. Branscome believed that the individuals who came to his agency for help deserved high-quality accommodations and attentive caretakers.

“I often rolled my eyes after leaving Ron’s offi ce,’ said Jane Yaun, the agency’s new Executive Director. “But I never once doubted his commitment to serving the individuals in our community. And we are not going to veer from that commitment.

“There are challenges ahead—from state and federal changes—but we cannot waver. We owe that to Chuck and to Kyle and to the thousands of other area residents who are relying on us.”

• 1968: The Virginia General Assembly passed legislation authorizing local governments to establish Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services Boards.

• 1970: The Frank C. Pratt Chapter of the Mental Health Association in Fredericksburg voted to provide the required funds to match state appropriations for the establishment of a local Community Services Board and encouraged the local governments to form a regional board. With a staff of less than 10, the Rappahannock Area Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services Board was established.

• 1972: When the clinic at 1206 Princess Anne Street was destroyed by fi re in 1972, the clinic, renamed the Rappahannock Guidance Clinic, operated out of the local library and later out of 1008 Prince Edward Street in downtown Fredericksburg.

• 1976: RACSB works with community partners to establish Rappahannock Adult Activities, which operates a day support program for adults in the Little Falls School Building on Kings Highway in Stafford County.

• 1977: The agency changes its name to Rappahannock Area Community Services Board• 1979: The Parent Education-Infant Development program launches, serving babies and toddlers.• 1981: A day program for adults with mental illness opens at 1008 Prince Edward Street in Fredericksburg.• 1985: The Wolfe Street Group Home opens in Fredericksburg. • 1986: RACSB opens A Woman’s Place, the area’s fi rst day-treatment program for women with substance use disorder.• 1998: The Rappahannock Regional Drug Court is established.• 2007: The Crisis Stabilization program begins.• 2009: The Sunshine Lady House for Mental Health Wellness and Recovery welcomes its fi rst residents. • 2014: RACSB opens two Intermediate Care Facilities in Spotsylvania County. • 2017: RACSB begins offering Medication Assisted Treatment to address the opioid epidemic. • 2017: Ron Branscome retires, and Jane Yaun becomes the new Executive Director.

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ONE N IGHT , HE RECE IVED A $1 M ILL ION CHECK FROM DORIS BUFFETT . . . I TURNED AROUND

AND SAW RON P ICK ING TRASH UP FROM THE FLOOR .

Warren Samuel

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TINY SEEDS—BIG IMPACTTINY SEEDS—BIG IMPACT

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Our annual

Garden Party helps transform the lives of

adults with developmental disability by raising money for

Rappahannock Adult Activities.

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ON MAY 25, THE COMMUNITY

CAME TOGETHER TO HONOR

RON BRANSCOME’S

43-YEAR CAREER. MANY

PAUSED TO POSE WITH A

CARDBOARD VERSION OF

RON, AFFECT IONATELY

KNOWN AS FLAT RON.

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The Flat Ron photos are a

striking, visual example of RACSB’s strong partnerships with governing bodies, other

service groups, law enforcement and

others.

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“No matter where

I go, everyone speaks so highly of RACSB and its

services and I know that’s because of the hard work Ron has put in.”

-Board Member Kheia Hilton, pictured

below

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Ron

has long

believed in the

integration of behavioral

healthcare and physical healthcare, as

represented by these photos with leaders

from Mary Washington

Healthcare and the Moss Free

Clinic.

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“As a

father, I am so

thankful” for Ron’s work, said

Charles Cooper, pictured with son Chuck.

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F IVE FUN FACTS ABOUT RACSB ’S NEW DIRECTOR

Jane Yaun became Executive Director on July 1. Here are a few things you may not know about the agency’s sixth chief. The most important item of note is that

this fearless leader isn’t scared of photos from the 80s.

Yaun began working at RACSB in 1988 after graduating from Mary Washington College. She has held nine jobs within the agency, including residential counselor, emergency services therapist, and quality assurance coordinator. Her 10th job—executive director—might be her most challenging, if you don’t include her stint as one of the inaugural puppeteers for Rappahannock Area Kids on the Block.

Yaun received her bachelor’s degree in 1988 and completed her Master’s

Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Boston University in 1992. In

2015, she completed a 10-month Executive Leadership program with the National Council for Behavioral Health.

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Yaun’s favorite television shows include “Big Bang Theory” and “Modern Family.” But you won’t find her camped out in front of the TV very often. Her favorite parts of the ‘Burg are the Rappahannock River and nature trails. Yaun likes to be outside in nature, where she can refresh and recharge.

She has completed four marathons. She also enjoys CrossFit and

boxing and is especial ly g i f ted in car-dancing and car-s inging. When

her invitat ion to Carpool Karaoke arr ives, she plans to rock out to

songs from Broadway musicals l ike “The Lion King” or “Les Miserables.”

In l ight of her new posit ion, she might want to belt out , “Master of

the house, keeper of the zoo. . .”

Yaun l ives in Freder icksburg with her 10-year-old daughter, Kate , and her 1-year-old dog, Churro. The puppy is a new addit ion to the family, recent ly adopted from a shelter. He had already been named after the fr ied-dough pastry (a nod to his l ight brown color ing) .

She has three older brothers , e ight nieces and nephews, and seven grandnieces and grandnephews.

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PROTECTING, SERVING AND SAVING LIVESLaw enforcement officers learn how to respond to mental health crises with

understanding, compassion and respect.

Merrell is one of 49 Fredericksburg City Police offi cers who have received training through the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board’s Crisis Intervention Team.

“RACSB’s CIT program gives Fredericksburg police offi cers the training they need to provide a positive outcome for individuals suffering from a mental health crisis,” Police Chief David Nye said. “Offi cer Merrell’s actions during the incident were flawless. Her textbook strategy led to the individual receiving the treatment he needed and really, that is what the CIT program is all about.”

For her compassion and her empathy, Merrell was given the 2017 Partners in Recovery Award. Each year, Kenmore Club presents an award to a law enforcement offi cer who exemplifi es the CIT program’s mission of enhancing interaction between fi rst responders and individuals with mental illness.

The award is given during an annual law enforcement appreciation lunch hosted by Kenmore Club, the RACSB’s day program for adults with severe mental illness.

“The luncheon began as a way to bring the law enforcement and mental health communities together,” said Brian Jackson, a Kenmore Club member who organizes the event each year. “I had two

A group of police offi cers approached the Thurman Brisben Center on March 3, responding to

a call about a man threatening to overdose on insulin.

At the regional homeless shelter, the Fredericksburg City Police offi cers encountered a man who had an insulin pen in his hand, with the needle exposed.

Offi cer Tabatha Merrell used the skills she’d learned during Crisis Intervention Team training to talk with the man and build rapport. After nearly 15 minutes, Merrell convinced the man to put the needle down and to seek mental health treatment.

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OFF ICER MERRELL ’S ACT IONS DURING

THE INC IDENT WERE FLAWLESS.

Chief David Nye,Fredericksburg City Police Department

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interactions with the police, who helped me when I needed it, and this is a way of showing gratitude.”

The Rappahannock Area Crisis Intervention Team has offered training to the Fredericksburg community since 2009. Through the program, offi cers learn to respond to situations involving mental health crises.

During the 40 hour training, participants learn how to recognize the signs of a mental health crisis and how to respond

appropriately. The training includes role-playing, using scenarios taken from real-life situations.

During the training, law enforcement offi cers also learn how about community resources that are available to help individuals struggling with mental illness.

These classes are part of a growing national effort to improve the interaction between police and those with mental illnesses.

““The CIT program is to avoid unfortunate situations, so these situations can be handled in the best way possible,” Jackson said. “Police offi cers are there to help, and with CIT, it will give them the tools necessary, give them every resource.”

A state grant provided money to create the Rappahannock Crisis Intervention Team in 2009.

Crisis Intervention Training began in Memphis as a reaction to the shooting of an individual with mental illness. The model has since been used in communities across the country.

In the eight years since CIT fi rst came to the Rappahannock Area, 490 fi rst responders have received the training. A shorter course geared toward dispatchers is also offered.

To help law enforcement offi cers in situations involving Emergency Custody Orders, RACSB also offers a Crisis Assessment Center at Mary Washington Hospital. Since opening in 2015, the center has been used for 743 assessments.

Crisis intervention training includes role-playing scenarios based on real-life situations.

NO CAPES REQUIREDIf Clark Kent had stumbled across our prevention services, he wouldn’t have needed tights. At RACSB, we’re all about helping you channel your inner superhero. Our specialized training courses are aimed at teaching everyday people how to respond to extraordinary circumstances—without heading for a phone booth! We offer training on how to administer naloxone, the life-saving antidote to opioid overdoses, and how to recognize and respond to mental health crises. Together, we can save the world, starting with the Greater Fredericksburg community.

LEARN HOW TO REVIVE OPIOID OVERDOSE VICTIMS

About 60,000 people died from drug overdoses last year in the United States, and experts expect that number to grow.

The Fredericksburg area has not been immune to the escalating opioid epidemic. Last year, 72 people in Planning District 16 died from opioid overdoses, according to preliminary statistics from the Virginia Offi ce of the Chief Medical Examiner. In an effort to stem the rising tide of deaths, Rappahannock Area Community Services Board now offers REVIVE! training.

The free training helps individuals learn how to recognize an opioid overdose and how to use naloxone to reverse an

overdose. Anyone who has a friend or relative using opioids should attend the training. Each attendee will receive a free REVIVE! kit provided by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services. The kit includes the supplies needed to administer naloxone. The opioid antidote can be purchased at pharmacies without a prescription in Virginia.

“We see the impact of the opioid epidemic daily at RACSB. Many of the individuals

who come to us for treatment credit naloxone for saving their lives,” said Executive Director Jane Yaun. “It is important for community members to know how to use the antidote. After individuals are revived, we hope they will come to RACSB to receive treatment to overcome addiction.”

To register for an upcoming training or to learn more about REVIVE! contact Jennifer Bateman at 540/374-3337. Or get details at www.rappahannockareacsb.org.

BY THE NUMBERS The numbers of opioid overdoses have been rising in the localities of Planning District 16.

Caroline County: 2014: 32015: 22016: 9

Fredericksburg City:2014: 32015: 72015: 10

King George County:2014: 42015: 32016: 5

Spotsylvania County:2014: 82015: 182016: 27

Stafford County:2014: 82015: 172016: 21

(Source: the Virginia Department of Health Fatal Drug Overdose Quarterly Report. Numbers from 2016 are preliminary.)

CALLING ALL SUPERHEROESRACSB TEACHES TECHNIQUES TO SAVE LIVES

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Teenage angst or mental illness? A ploy for attention or a cry for help? Adults often have a diffi cult time interpreting teenage behavior, and don’t know when to intervene or to seek help. Research shows that nearly three-quarters of American children with depression don’t receive treatment. When adults are trained to recognize the signs of mental health concerns and to respond appropriately, they can connect adolescents to life-saving treatment.

The Rappahannock Area Community Services Board offers an eight-hour training to help adults who interact regularly with adolescents ages 12-18. The Youth Mental Health First Aid curriculum is appropriate for parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, clergy and coaches. The trainings are open to the public, and the next session is scheduled for Sept. 12.

Through role-playing and simulations, participants gain skills to offer assistance in a mental health crisis. Participants will learn the common mental health challenges faced by youth, typical adolescent development and fi ve-step action plans to help. Topics will include anxiety, depression, substance abuse, disruptive behavior disorders, and attention-defi cit hyperactivity disorder.

The course will be offered Sept. 12, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy (3630 Lee Hill Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 22408). The $15 registration fee includes a workbook, refreshments, and lunch.

To register for the training, contact Jennifer Bateman, Prevention Specialist, at 540-374-3337, ext. 100 or jbateman@rappahannockareacsb.org.

LEARN HOW TO HELP YOUTH STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS

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RACSB has a rich history of longevity. At our recent employee picnic, we recognized staff members who have worked with RACSB for 20 or more years. They make

quite a crew, don’t they? And here are a few more fun moments from our annual picnic, held this year at the Fredericksburg Fairgrounds.

HANGING OUT

Rappahannock United Way surprised us with donuts.

Taking Flat Ron for a spin at the Retirement Party.

Sharon Killian answered questions at the Opioid Town Hall.

Welcoming guests to the Myers Drive Respite Open House.

A FEW FAVORITE MOMENTS

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The path to recovery can be rocky—it helps to have the right pair of shoes.

On June 8, organizations teamed up to provide shoes, clothes, purses and jewelry to women struggling to recover from addiction.

About 30 women who participate in Project LINK attended La Boutique, held at Lifepoint Church in Fredericksburg.

The Fredericksburg Area Association of Realtors collected nearly 1,500 pieces of clothing and accessories to be donated to women who receive services from Project LINK, Beauty From Ashes, Empowerhouse or Hope House.

Wells Fargo Mortgage, Embrace Home Loans, and NSWC Federal Credit Union also helped with La Boutique.

About 100 women came to the event, browsing through racks fi lled with suits, dresses, skirts and pants. They shopped from racks of shoes and tables laden with jewelry and purses. In all, about 100 women came to La Boutique searching

for clothes to help them as they search for work or start new jobs.

Organizers strived for a boutique vibe, with dressing rooms, personal shoppers and soft music.

The professional clothing and personalized service helped women regain their self esteem and realize they are worth the effort of starting a new life, said Project LINK Specialist Ivy Lee.

“A pair of shoes really can change a life,” Lee said.

DRESSED FOR SUCCESSANNUAL CLOTHING DRIVE HELPS WOMEN RECOVERING

FROM ADDICTION GET BACK ON THEIR FEET

Project LINK Specialist Ivy Lee shops for a woman who couldn’t make it to the La Boutique dressing event because she went into early labor. She also helped individuals who couldn’t fi nd transportation. Many women who enroll in Project LINK face barriers to recovery—but thanks to the generosity of area real estate agents, clothing isn’t one of them.

A volunteer peruses donated jewelry. About 50 people helped with the event, many serving as personal shoppers who helped put women together outfi ts, including jewelry, shoes and purses.

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WANT TO LEND A HAND?There are multiple ways to make a difference right here in your community. Here are a few ideas.

LIGHTING THE WAY

Another Day: A Starlight Vigil for Suicide Prevention will be held at Hurkamp Park on Sept, 14, 7 p.m.

OPEN YOUR HEART

Learn more about becoming a foster parent through United Methodist Family

Services at upcoming info sessions:July 13, 5 p.m. at St. George’s Episcopal Church, 905 Princess Anne St. or Aug. 9, 5 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 1300 Augustine Ave. RSVP to Megan Kettyle, mkettyle@UMFS.org or 571-206-0700.

A LESSON IN CIVILITY

Want to learn to ask tough questions with compassion and respect? Want to make holiday dinners a little bit less awkward? A community-wide workshop in civil discourse will be held September 30, from 1–5 p.m., at 25 Chalice Circle, Fredericksburg, VA 22405. To register for the free event, email to civildiscourse17@aol.com with your name, phone number and the number of attendees in your party.

BREAK OUT THE SCISSORS

Want to preserve your memories and help your community at the same time?

Rappahannock United Way will host Scrapbook for a Cause on July 21—22. $30 per day or $50 for both days. Bring brown bag meals or enjoy delivery from nearby

restaurants.

Contact Becky Lane for more information: blane@rappahannockunitedway.org or 540-

373-0041 ext. 308

LESSONS IN HELPINGRACSB will offer Mental Health First Aid Training sessions in September and October. On Sept, 12, a Youth Mental Health First Aid training will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The adult version of Mental Health First Aid training will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 11 and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Oct. 12. This two-day session will cover mental health concerns in adults. Both sessions will be held at the Rappahannock Regional Criminal Justice Academy, 3630 Lee Hill Dr. in Spotsylvania County.

There is a $15 registration fee for each training. This includes a workshop, refreshments and lunch. To register online, visit http://bit.ly/MHFAregistration.

For more details, visit rappahannockareacsb.org or call 540-374-3337, ext. 100.

A CLICK OF CHARITY

Did you know that you could help RACSB serve the community—without leaving your house? Three of our programs participate in the Amazon Smile program. To donate a portion of qualifying purchases, look for Rappahannock Adult Activities, Rappahannock Area Kids on the Block, or Healthy Families Rappahannock Area on smile.amazon.com. Happy shopping!

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DON’T EVER FORGET THAT

YOU’RE A CIT IZEN OF THIS WORLD, AND THERE ARE

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO L IFT THE HUMAN SPIRIT .

Aaron Sorkin

Rappahannock Area Community Services Board600 Jackson Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401

NO. 2 2017