VOICES OF JOY
May/June 2021
A newsletter for the employees of Canopy Children’s Solutions
Canopy Children’s Solutions' New Core Value Recognizes Strength in Differences Canopy Children’s Solutions’ (Canopy) mission is to help children thrive and families overcome extraordinary challenges by providing a continuum of behavioral health, educational, and social service solutions. Through our core values, we are able to stay true to this mission, and provide the best services to children and families across Mississippi. Canopy’s four core values define day-to-day actions and decision-making at every level in the organization. During Canopy’s 2020 Annual Retreat, employees were asked to revisit the core values and to reflect on the commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. After much brainstorming and collaboration, a new core value was formed. A team made up of Canopy’s executive leadership, Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council, public relations and development departments, and Board DEI Committee worked hard to ensure the new core value reflected our employee’s collective voices. “I am grateful for our team’s relentless pursuit to build vulnerability-based trust so that healthy conflict can demand commitment, invite accountability and achieve results. These organizational health muscles have proven to be the accelerator of all things organizationally smart – disciplined people with disciplined thought taking disciplined action to build greatness to last,” said John Damon, Ph.D., Canopy CEO. “On this foundation of being ‘healthy and smart,' we have been able to achieve unprecedented levels of employee
engagement through a multipronged approach and most critically through our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work. Although we still have a long way to go, I am grateful we began to overcome initial inertia and turn the flywheel of trust many years ago so that we can accelerate these revolutions though our DEI efforts.” “We hope employees know they have a voice, a sense of connection and feel that they are a part of an environment that values them individually and collectively,” said Canopy’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Taheti Watson.
Canopy’s new core value is Relationships matter and our differences make us stronger. Canopy’s new value supports the overall mission, strategies, and practices to develop a diverse work force that incorporates a variety of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences while improving decision-making and leveraging the positive impacts of diversity. This new value represents a commitment to create pathways and stimulate an inclusive work environment by promoting learning, empathy and sensitivity, while reducing unconscious bias, prejudice, and stigma. It means embracing every employee’s uniqueness and talents. “Canopy understands that focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion isn’t
just a box to check,” said Watson. “Job seekers and employees want to work for and create an organization that has a genuine commitment to these principles, not only for the advancement of the organization’s mission, but for a sense of value and belonging for the world around them.” Canopy is committed to being a great place to work and embracing every child and their family by giving our very best. Canopy Children’s Solutions’ core values are: The voice of our children and families always comes first. Relationships matter and our differences make us stronger. We take great joy in service to others. Our families and our communities deserve our very best. Enjoy pictures from the value reveal activities inside this issue of Voices of Joy.
The Power of High Hope! Do you remember the old song “High Hopes”? It begins, “Just what makes that little old ant think he’ll move that rubber tree plant? Anyone knows an ant can’t move a rubber tree plant!” But then the chorus provides the response – “But he’s got high hope! He’s got high hopes! He’s got high apple pie in the sky hopes!” What makes the impossible, possible? You got it – HIGH HOPES! While I love this song, I must push back on the chorus – hope is NOT “high apple pie in the sky hope” – it is a science! The power of high hope is a miracle of the human mind. Let’s consider a few ways high hope can make all the difference for our children and families and in our own lives. The most significant piece of research ever done on the predictive nature of childhood trauma on adult illness and disease was the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Study. This study found that the biggest predictor of physical health issues (that were the cause of death, disability, heart disease, lung disease, liver disease, cancer, obesity, smoking, substance abuse, and more) was traumatic stress experienced as a child. Don’t miss that! The biggest predictor of PHYSICAL health consequences was the MENTAL health traumatic experiences as a child. In short, the more exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences of abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional), neglect (physical or emotional) or household dysfunction (mental illness, incarcerated relative, divorce, domestic violence or substance abuse) the more likely you were to have adult disease and disability. How does this relate to high hope? High hope weakens the negative impact of high ACE scores. High hope builds resiliency that literally changes our brains and improves our functioning by healing parts of our neural structures that have been damaged. So, when our
THANK YOU!
hope rises, so does our self-esteem, removing the stigma and shame of childhood experiences. High hope lays down a neural pathway that helps one see their childhood experiences as something that happened “to them” versus a shameful lens of what is wrong “with them.” When high hope thrives in our minds, we are future-oriented, self-aware, use imagination, symbolically represent thoughts and engage the parts of brain that give us pathways and will power to pursue our goals. The absence of high hope leaves us with the presence of stress. For many of our children, this stress is a toxic stress that results from prolonged or frequent abuse, neglect, bullying, community violence, etc. leading to many mental health and physical health challenges. This is why your role as a bearer of hope is so vital! Helping our children and families (as well as our co-workers) have high hope ushers in a world of possibility for their future to be brighter than their past. The next time you hear the song “High Hopes,” listen carefully. I love the line that says, “So any time you’re gettin’ low, ‘stead of lettin’ go, just remember that ant! Oops there goes another rubber tree plant!” Let’s commit to be ambassadors of high hope that builds the bridge from the impossible to the possible. Together, we can move any “rubber tree plant” to help every child thrive!
Thank you to our staff and their families who came to support the 2021 5K4Kids Canopy Cares Run as racers, walkers, cheerleaders and volunteers. We had 190 participants on race day, and 109 virtual racers throughout May. Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 7, 2022, for the 6th annual race. See you there!
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John D. Damon, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer
Canopy Children’s Solutions and Trustmark Partner to Strengthen Communities through the Children’s Promise Act Canopy Children’s Solutions (Canopy) is pleased to announce the designation of the Canopy Center of Excellence main entrance as the “Trustmark Transformational Lobby”, marking the ongoing partnership with Trustmark as part of the Children’s Promise Act.
Canopy has a 109-year history of creating solutions for the most vexing challenges facing Mississippi’s children and families by providing a continuum of innovative mental health, social and educational solutions. Trustmark has been creating banking solutions for Mississippians for more than 130 years. Together, these trusted Mississippi institutions are strengthening communities by making sure children and families thrive. Trustmark has partnered with Canopy to provide substantial funding to become the Signature Sponsor of Canopy’s Family Preservation and Reunification Programs. Through the Children’s Promise Act, Trustmark has donated to date $1.5 million to Canopy. The Children’s Promise Act was created to provide support to families in crisis and give assistance to children who are in danger of entering into state custody. Canopy’s in-CIRCLE solution has safely diverted over 4,000 children from entering into state custody since 2019. “We believe every child should have the opportunity to thrive in their own home,” says Dr. John Damon, Canopy CEO. “The outcomes of Canopy’s solutions were a major factor in The Children’s Promise Act being created, so that solutions like ours could get funding to continue creating outcomes that not only help the families who need it most, but also relieve the state’s foster care system substantially. Because of Trustmark’s support, The Children’s Promise Act is doing exactly as it was intended – serving Mississippi’s most vulnerable families and keeping children together with their families and out of state custody. We
< Canopy CEO John Damon, Canopy Board President Dorian Turner, and Trustmark CEO Duane Dewey Damon addresses the audience
< Lt. Governor Delbert Hosemann Dewey shares why community partnerships are important
are not only able to continue to fund the in-CIRCLE program, but also create new solutions for families to help them before they reach a crisis point.” “Trustmark’s partnership with Canopy is a testament to the fact that public/private partnerships can directly and positively transform lives of children and families,” said Trustmark CEO Duane Dewey. “We are pleased we have been able to gift significant financial resources to help Canopy continue their mission throughout Mississippi, our home state. We’re even more excited to provide the families they serve with financial education resources, because we know that by helping build stronger families, we are strengthening our communities.” Trustmark is also partnering with Canopy to provide both in-person and virtual financial education courses for the families served by Canopy across Mississippi. “We want everyone to know what a transformational partner Trustmark is to the mission of Canopy and are excited to acknowledge their partnership in this way,” said Heidi Noel, Canopy’s Director of Development. “Families and children will forever walk through our doors and know that Trustmark cares about them.”
Secretary of State Michael Watson speaks about the importance of supporting non profits you are passionate about
< Damon speaks with a reporter from WJTV Canopy Chief DEI Officer Taheti Watson provides shade to Canopy's Multimedia Specialist Chris Windfield
Taheti Watson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer While diversity is an area of focus, action, and measurement for Canopy, feeling included and a sense of belonging is less obvious to recognize and more challenging to quantify. Why? Because belonging exists when it is felt, when employees feel respected, free to innovate, and celebrated for bringing all that they are to work. We recognize for Canopy to thrive in an inclusive environment, it will take all of us collectively making long-term commitments and forming daily habits that clear pathways for all employees. Canopy is committed to creating a safe space for building and sustaining an inclusive work environment by: • Amplifying the voices and stories of our employees externally and internally • Measuring our work culture via surveys • Creating spaces for underrepresented employees to connect, collaborate, and develop their careers • Regularly discussing and learning about different identities in the workplace at all levels of the organization • Providing training on how to create inclusive environments and mitigate biases at all levels of the organization • Continuing to post on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Space for shared learning about the unique backgrounds within Canopy • Reporting demographics data and insights reviews with the Senior Team, DEI Council, Canopy’s Board, and DEI Board Committee • Integrating diversity and inclusion best practices into all candidates, employees, youth and families, and external partners • Connecting with the communities in which we work to drive an inclusive employer brand, provide best practices, and recruit diverse talent Last year, you provided a roadmap to develop an inclusive value that represents who we are – Relationships matter and our differences make us stronger. As you can see, we are intentional about our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts because we believe by cultivating an environment where our diverse employees can thrive, we will better serve our youth and families. The DEI Council created an inclusive learning page that focuses on learning about different cultures that will be available soon.
What’s coming up: • Updating employees name badges with Canopy's new core value – look for an email from human resources soon • Celebrating different Heritages/Cultures • More DEI discussion, training, and activity focusing on understanding the LGBTQIA2S+ communities, generations, and mental health • Employee Engagement Survey • Stay Interview • Service and Value Award Celebration • Demographic Metrics Thank you for being one of the best parts of Canopy.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)? MEA Cares EAP is a counseling service for employees who may be experiencing personal or workplace problems. Is there a cost to use the EAP? NO. Your employer has purchased the direct counseling you receive. Is the EAP confidential? YES, the EAP service is strictly confidential. We will not release any information unless you give us written permission. The only exceptions are in “Duty to Warn” cases such as child abuse or threats to self or others. How many sessions do I receive? Employees and their immediate family members are provided with EIGHT fiftyminute counseling sessions each year. Who will actually counsel me at MEA Cares EAP? All of our counselors have a minimum of a master’s degree and are licensed as: Marriage and Family Therapists, Professional Counselors, Psychologists, and/or Clinical Social Workers. How do I get started? Your EAP is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. Just call the EAP number listed below, and inform the person you are speaking with who you work for, where you live, and that you are interested in speaking to a counselor. Contact Us 24 Hours A Day: (800) 844-6503 or (601) 898-7520 www.meacarescounseling.com
TRAINING TALKS Sarah Howe, Organizational Development and Training Manager
Supervisor Orientation
We are holding a supervisory orientation training on Tuesday, July 13, from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Topics will include • Human Resources, • Finance, Compliance, • Legal & Risk Management, • Stay Interviews, and • Behavioral Interviewing. While this is targeted at new employees, we welcome any seasoned supervisors to join for a refresher. Email training@mycanopy.org if you would like to attend.
Spotlight courses Starting in July, we will be spotlighting Relias courses each month via “Announcements” on your Dashboard. July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, so look for some highlighted courses on that topic from our training catalog. We will be choosing two employees who have taken any of the spotlight courses each month to receive Boost points!
Need elective surgery? Want to save money? KISx is a FREE benefit for Canopy Employees! KISx (Keep It Simple Surgery) is offered to Canopy employees and their dependents who are currently covered under Canopy's health plan at no additional cost. With the KISx benefit, there are options for you and/or your dependents to receive certain medical procedures at no cost to you. It will cost you $0 for certain procedures; which means no $1,500 deductible to meet or copay. The only difference is that you have to go an extra step to use a KISx provider. For more information, see additional information to the right or contact Canopy's Benefits Administrator at 769-777-1062.
Annual Training
We appreciate all of CONGRATULATIONS! you who completed your recent annual training courses before the deadline! We chose seven random names out of the list of everyone who completed on time and those employees (listed below) were given 75 Boost points as a thank you. 1. Doris Butler 2. LaWanda Fluker 3. Julie Towe 4. Sheretta Brown 5. Jasmine Ford 6. Lakechia Barnett-Foster 7. Lindsay Apostolopoulos
If you believe you need any procedure, Call the KISx Card first! If you believe you need any procedure, Call the KISx Card first!
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Fax: 855-351-7521
Send Claims to Info@getkisx.com Fax: 855-351-7521
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Health App: https:/ /spruce.care/KISXCARD *HSA Plans require first dollar coverage fromSpruce patient before procedure up to IRS Minimum, before program incentives are received. so we can stay in touch! *HSA Plans require first dollar coverage from patient before procedure up to IRS Minimum, before program incentives are received.
Canopy Children's Solutions revealed an improved core value on June 25, 2021 to reflect diversity, equity and inclusion. Leading up to the new value reveal, the Canopy team participated in several activities to help each learn about their team members and embrace how differences make us stronger. Find below pictures captured during the reveal activities.
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JULY
07/02 - Lydia Echols 07/02 - Teresa Ledger 07/03 - Arin Adkins 07/03 - Jay Jay Jackson 07/04 - Mary Long 07/06 - Breanna Moore 07/07 - Suzanne Reeves 07/07 - Sharon Travis 07/08 - Anitra Bullock 07/08 - Lisa Clay 07/08 - Kayla Erickson 07/08 - Crystal Watson 07/09 - Lisa Cunningham 07/10 - Monica Roberts
07/12 - Pamela Paige 07/12 - Katey Turner 07/13 - Madalene Barksdale-Mayfield 07/13 - Abraham Dabit 07/13 - Adrian Winston 07/14 - Joneeke Cameron 07/14 - Jared Walker 07/15 - Kathryn Bell 07/16 - Tiffany Benton 07/18 - Satyn Adams 07/18 - Donald Canada 07/18 - Katrina Griffith 07/18 - Talethia Horne Catchings 07/18 - Gloria McGowan
JULY
Congratulations to the Canopy team members on their years of service.
07/20 - Shirlene Mays 07/20 - Amber Taylor 07/22 - Julie Daniels 07/24 - Jada Wilbert 07/25 - Mary Jackson 07/25 - Deirdre Young 07/26 - Brooke Holloway 07/27 - Patricia Brown 07/28 - Kiara Bass 07/28 - Frances Huff 07/28 - Teri Ratcliff 07/29 - Henry Blount 07/29 - Haylee Morgan 07/29 - Stephanie Smith 07/30 - Camille Agu 07/30 - Julie Ferguson 07/30 - Whitney Jackson 07/30 - Chuck Trisdale
John Damon - 28 Angie Sumrall - 22 Tara Young - 17 Ruby Todd - 14 Cassandra Jones - 12 Taisha Travis - 11 Kayla Erickson - 10 Camille Agu - 9 Bryan Taylor - 7 Emily Whitney - 6 Daniel Burton - 4 Jasmine Ford - 4 Felisia Cooper - 3 Lashundra Harris - 3 Amanda Johnson - 3 Rebecca Reed - 3 Ethan Richards - 3 Christy Ainsworth - 2 Samantha Harris - 2 Valisa Williams - 2 Sabrina Wright - 2 Sunny Oberto - 1 Clare Sisk - 1
AUGUST
08/01 - Daniel Dooley 08/01 - Jamecia Smith 08/01 - Jessica Bland 08/01 - Ellon Little 08/02 - LeAlice Kern 08/02 - Marquisha Sanders 08/02 - Robin Akins 08/04 - Paul Welch 08/06 - Ramona Lockett 08/07 - Lori Wartes 08/09 - Mary Whiticker 08/09 - Thomas Washington 08/10 - Carmelia Perkins 08/11 - Whitney Hayes 08/14 - Randolph Brown 08/15 - Channing Dumas 08/16 - JoAnn Ware 08/17 - Marissa Johnson 08/17 - Chaqueitta Jackson 08/18 - Laura-Katherine Barker 08/18 - Justin Walton
AUGUST
Sonya Felts - 24 Lee Johnson - 21 Christian Ware - 15 Brenda Hobbs - 13 Erika Brockington - 12 Temeka Jefferson - 12 Bertina Rice - 12 Mary Washington - 12 Lydia Echols - 11 Michelle Mason - 11 Crystal Watson - 9 Shea Hutchins - 7 Michelle Robinson - 7 Toylasa Ross - 7 Tieshia Bell - 6 Lisa Cunningham - 6 Monica Ellis - 6 Angelicka Flowers - 6 Travis Rankin - 6 Frances George - 5 Jody Herring - 5 Robyn Brewer - 4 Arletta Butler - 4 Jennifer Cottrell - 4 Lakeita Jackson - 4 Charlesia Means - 4 Madeline Potter - 4
08/18 - Nancy Caldwell 08/20 - Chasity Davis 08/21 - Iesha Smith 08/21 - Felicia Downs 08/22 - Pame Hansford 08/23 - Taisha Travis 08/24 - Demarius Tolliver 08/24 - Rokeshia Wells 08/24 - Arthur Jacob 08/25 - Madeline Potter 08/26 - Nakisha Henderson 08/26 - Kesia Bronner-Mays 08/27 - Thomas Doty 08/28 - Angie Sides 08/28 - Linda Jones 08/28 - Cindy Gibson 08/29 - Kenshaylia Jones 08/29 - Lisa Zimmerman 08/29 - Aimee Garrott 08/30 - Daja Barnes 08/30 - Christina Palazzo 08/31 - Mahogany Hibbler
Teri Ratcliff - 4 Tina Allmon - 3 Towanda Anderson - 3 Kiara Collier - 3 Tannual King - 3 Monica Maxwell - 3 Nicole Thomason - 3 Daniel Van Court - 3 Ellen Adams - 2 Pauline Brown - 2 Audreanna Davenport - 2 Cole Mohon - 2 Christina Palazzo - 2 Vicki Revell-Smith - 2 Julie Towe - 2 Jared Walker - 2 Henry Blount - 1 Crista Brackett - 1 Teresa Bryant - 1 Doris Butler - 1 Leen Fleming - 1 April Johnson - 1 Megan Johnston - 1 Mary Lindsey - 1 Regina Merrill - 1 Odessa Thomas - 1 Camie Williams - 1
You can help too!
Amazon Smile lets you order through Amazon and a percentage of your purchase price goes to Canopy. Just register your Amazon.com account Just a minute of your time at http://smile.amazon.com/ch/64-0303085.
can help Canopy raise additional funds.
Register your Kroger Plus card to help raise money for Canopy. Every time you purchase, we get a percentage of that sale. It will not affect your fuel points. You must register your card every year for Canopy to continue to receive benefits. Register online at www.krogercommunityrewards.com. Search for Canopy Children’s Solutions or NPO number 32816.