Fall Newsletter 2022 | bridgeotw.org
A DAY IN THE LIFE
Profile: Jade Shaughnessy, Associate Director of Clinical Services 9 AM: I start the day by reviewing notes from yesterday’s clinician sessions. This allows me to catch up on what’s happening with different youth, note any progress or setbacks, and decide how to best guide my team of clinicians. A big part of my job involves leading supervision for the Behavioral Health team. 10 AM: I’m finishing up when there is a knock on my door. A Bridge Intake team member has walked a new youth to my office, and they appear anxious and upset. I welcome them and try to figure out what’s going on. I do a safety check and teach them a coping skill to handle stress. We set up an appointment with the counselor who I think will be the best fit for their ongoing care. Because they expressed interest, I also arrange for them to see one of our visiting psychiatrists from MGH. 11 AM: I meet with the Coordinator of the Emergency Residence program, who has noticed one youth selfisolating and seeming down. We discuss ideas for providing support, including Collaborative Problem Solving and reinforcing skills learned in therapy. Everyone involved in a youth’s care needs to be on the same page, so these cross-team meetings are vital.
12 PM: I head to the Transitional Day Program for lunch, where I get to spend time with the youth outside of therapy. This helps them feel more comfortable with me and see me as approachable, rather than an authority figure who sits in an office. 1 PM: I chat with a representative from the Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) Homeless Outreach Team. One youth, who has some mental health challenges, is aging out of our programs and needs a plan for next steps. I discuss options with the DMH representative, including residential facilities with clinical support, case manager assignments, group living situations, etc. I feel optimistic about the youth’s ability to live as independently as possible while still getting the help they need.
continued in blue column on p. 3 Enjoying our Day in the Life piece? Check out last month’s at bridgeotw.org/rrh-anthony-samuel
“Housing is a part of health care. I see my job and the work I do as putting together a piece of the puzzle to help people and families become self-sufficient.” — Associate Director of Rapid Re-housing, Anthony Samuel bridgeotw.org | 1
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT SPOTLIGHT PARTNER
Fundraising with Friends!
grand re-opening of their flagship Harvard Square store, where they raised money for Bridge.
Bridge has the privilege of partnering with many great organizations throughout Boston who have taken our mission to heart and who work with us to raise funds for homeless youth. In September, we participated in Globall Consulting’s Buckets by the Beach event. Even though the summer was winding down, we were still able to raise a bucket of cash for Bridge at this fun-in-the-sun event! We were also lucky to join with El Jefe’s Taqueria as one of the charitable partners at the
If you are interested in joining us as a fundraising partner, or want to make Bridge part of your next charitable venture, visit us at bridgeotw.org/volunteer!
TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS
We want to hear from you! Here at Bridge, we always want to know what our community finds interesting and inspiring. Take our online survey to give us your ideas on what you would like to learn more about or see more of on our social media. Respondents will be entered to win a Bridge swag bag (see left)!
Visit bridgeotw.org/survey2022 to answer & enter!
Bridge 50th Anniversary Gala 2022 DISTINGUISHED HONOREE Jay M. Cashman Founder & Chairman of the Board, The CASHMAN Companies 2022 CO-CHAIRS Chuck Clough Guiding youth on their journey home since 1970.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022 Fairmont Copley Plaza, 6pm Reception, Dinner & Auction
More information at www.bridgeotw.org/gala
Chairman, Co-Chief Investment Officer, Partner & Portfolio Manager Clough Capital Partners L.P. David Greaney CEO, Synergy
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TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS! PROGRAM UPDATES
Keeping Current: Team members stay up-to-date with new trainings At Bridge, we pride ourselves on providing continuous, high-quality training and learning opportunities for employees. Last year alone, we delivered over 700 hours of training to help our team members grow as youth advocates and as professionals. This month, team members attended a training about addiction treatment and policies toward drug use among youth. This training covered how substance use can start off as a coping mechanism for youth who have dealt with trauma, how we can redirect them towards healthier activities and ways of coping with emotions, and how we can practice harm reduction strategies.
COMING SOON
November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month Did you know? •
1 in 13 youth ages 13-25 experienced some form of homelessness this year.
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Black and brown youth, parenting youth, and youth from the LGBTQ+ community are all at greater risk of experiencing homelessness.
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More than 70% of homeless youth report experiencing abuse.
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A DAY IN THE LIFE...CONTINUED 2 PM: I meet with my newest youth. In our first therapy appointment, it’s important to build rapport, hear the youth’s story in their own words, and learn how to help them achieve their goals. Afterward, I document what I’ve learned in a Comprehensive Assessment and develop a formulation to guide their treatment plan. In the next session, we will develop their therapy objectives. This collaboration helps make youth active participants in their mental health treatment. 3 PM: My team and I meet up to watch and discuss a video from our 16-month DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) training course. It teaches us how to lead DBT groups, how to help youth develop self-help skills (emotional regulation, stress reduction, crisis management, etc.), and how to train others to be coaches in these skills. These trainings are great, not only to help the counselors at Bridge develop their skills as clinicians, but also to provide tools we can share with all Bridge team members. 4 PM: Our Adolescent Counselor Ally updates me on a youth who has run away from home. This teen came to us adamant that they did not want to return to their family. Ally met with the family to understand their side of the story. Together, we discuss ways to bring the youth and their family back together, help them see each other’s perspectives, and provide them with resources, such as an in-home family counselor. We are confident that our plan will help us resolve the conflict and get the youth home safely. It’s a great feeling when we can reunite youth with their families and keep them from dangerous situations, like being on the streets. 5 PM: I jot down some notes on the family counseling situation before packing up my things and heading out for the day.
“My job is not only to ensure that youth have access to therapy, but also to give
50% of homeless youth are unsheltered or hidden - sleeping outside, in a car, or someplace else not meant for human habitation.
team members access to all the tools and
1,400 students in Massachusetts are homeless and unaccompanied - doubled from a decade ago.
health care providers.”
Visit bridgeotw.org/nhyam and stay tuned for more this November!
support they need to be effective mental
— Associate Director of Clinical Services, Jade Shaughnessy bridgeotw.org | 3
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NEWSLETTER IN THIS ISSUE Experience a “Day in the Life” of our Associate Director of Clinical Services, Jade Shaughnessy.
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Specialized trainings help our team refine their expertise. Let us know how you feel about our social media and outreach efforts with our Bridge survey! Learn how you can help youth celebrate the holidays this year.
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WAYS TO HELP
Help make the holiday season bright for homeless youth! Here are several ways that individuals, families, and corporate partners can get involved this year: • Help fulfill our gift wish list: Each youth in Bridge housing programs receives special, thoughtful gifts from our wish lists. Be our Secret Santa and help supply those gifts this holiday season. • Sponsor special holiday meals: The holidays mean sharing meals together. Sponsor a special meal from a local restaurant to help create community and support MA businesses. • Warm up the holidays: Donate NEW warm winter clothing, especially hats, gloves, and mittens. If you would like more information or are interested in supporting seasonal activities at Bridge, please contact us at donations@bridgeotw.org. All activities and donations must be arranged in advance with our Development Department.
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