Voices of Joy Employee Newsletter - November/December 2021 by Canopy Children's Solutions

VOICES OF JOY November/December 2021

provides holistic approach to child safety. Shea Hutchins, Chief Solutions Officer

While the world is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic, there is another silent pandemic occurring. It has been happening for years and Canopy, as the leading behavioral health organization for children in Mississippi, plays a key role in preventing this pandemic. The pandemic is suicide. According to the CDC, suicide is now the second leading cause of death among youths aged 10-24, with the fastestgrowing rates among youth ages 10–14. In recent years, Canopy leadership has noticed through our own data an increase in suicide attempts and ideation. With our value of “Our families and community deserve our very best,” we began to question, are we giving the VERY best when it comes to suicide prevention and treatment? In the guise of continuous quality improvement we know we can always improve! This led us to search for what is the very best? What we found was Zero Suicide. The Zero Suicide framework was born from a public health approach to suicide. The Zero Suicide framework is defined by a system-wide, organizational commitment to safer suicide care in health and behavioral health care systems. It represents a culture shift away from fragmented suicide care toward a holistic and comprehensive approach to youth or child safety- the most fundamental responsibility of health care.

The seven elements of Zero Suicide are lead, train, identify, engage, treat, transition, and improve. After attending the Zero Suicide Academy in September, Canopy has formed a Zero Suicide Task Force who will begin working through the 7 elements with the help of every Canopy employee. We are excited to announce the members of Canopy’s Zero Suicide Task Force: 1. Joanna Chandler 2. Kayla Erickson 3. Marcus Ginn 4. Erica Griffin 5. Marissa Johnson 6. Alesha McQuarters 7. Shannon Prince Consulting: Shea Hutchins, Christian Ware Zero suicide is an aspirational goal. There are no guarantees that we will never experience a death by suicide under the Canopy. What our staff will be confident of is we have given our very best in every aspect, from staff training to assessment and treatment.

A Legacy of Hope Have you ever thought about what your legacy might be? Chances are, you may have never thought about it. Well…I want to invite you to reconsider. The fact is – you WILL leave a legacy! The good news is this – while others may decide your legacy, you can be intentional today with the choices you make and the relationships you form to leave a legacy of hope that will outlive you. The good news is that you don’t need to wait until you are on your death bed to reflect on your legacy. The key to having no regrets at the end of life is to begin right now! As one of my favorite authors, Stephen Covey put it, “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.” How do we leave a legacy of hope? The journey of leaving a legacy of hope begins with the journey of 18 inches, from your head to your heart. A successful journey has two essential elements: (1) be honest with yourself and (2) be courageous with others. Let’s think together about how each of these steps can create a legacy of hope. The first (and most difficult) step you must take begins in the mirror and involves learning to love yourself and be honest with yourself. In Mark 12:31, Jesus gives the command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” What an interesting benchmark to give for loving others – love yourself. In other words, the prerequisite to loving others well is to love yourself well. As caregivers, we often fail at adequately caring for ourselves. However, one thing I hope we have all learned over these past 20 months is what the flight attendant tells us before we take off – “put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” Not only must you love yourself and be honest with yourself, you must also be courageous with others. If you want to leave a legacy of hope, the work must flow from the inside out. As Brene’ Brown put it in her book Daring Greatly, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen…Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage are not

John D. Damon, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer always comfortable, but they’re never a weakness.” There is something magical that happens when someone comes from an honest place, is real and transparent with others – this is what opens the door to legacy conversations. As someone who grew up in a broken home and moved around a lot as a child, I had the perception that I was “killing it” as a parent by being happily married for nearly 30 years, being in the same home for nearly 30 years and protecting them from the struggles I faced growing up. However, as my children have gotten older, we have been able to have great conversations around what we got right and what we did not as parents and talk about how we co-write the next chapter together. Now, that’s just one example, but it makes the point…I don’t want to regretfully have that conversation on my death bed! I want to “begin with the end in mind” (legacy) and have that conversation NOW. The time to teach your friends and children to be hope-centered is NOW. The time to talk about the “bad stuff” that unfolded in the family is NOW. The time to affirm your children and friends is NOW. The time to listen empathically (and hold your tongue) so you can listen to understand is NOW. The time to surround yourself with positive, high-hope people in your life is NOW. The time to use your voice to bless and influence others is NOW. As 2021 draws to a close, I want to thank you for being the most amazing hope-centered, mission-driven, life-giving group of people I have ever been blessed to be around. The way you have selflessly poured out your lives this year in service to our kids and families and each other has made an indelible impression on my life and in the lives of thousands of families all across Mississippi. Together, we are creating a legacy of hope in this state. Just remember, that work must flow from the inside, out. I pray you will find effective ways to put on your own oxygen mask over the holiday and courageously step into legacy conversations with other. As always, thank you for being inspiring ambassadors of hope!

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.” Shannon Adler

Canopy CEO Dr. John Damon and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer Taheti Watson recently presented to the National Association for Children's Behavioral Health (NACBH) Emerging Best Practices Conference. Embracing technology, John presented in-person while Taheti presented virtually Navigating the Challenges of Talent Management in a Changing Workplace.

Canopy's Annual Report Highlights Heroic Outcomes for Children The ability to learn resilience is not only true for people, but also organizations. Over the last decade, Canopy has learned the resiliency skills necessary to shift from being a good company to being a great company. These disciplines have uniquely prepared us to thrive over the last two years. In the face of multi-layered crises in the environment, Canopy achieved historical outcomes for our children and families! Canopy’s 2020 Annual Report highlights the heroic outcomes we achieved for children and their families in Mississippi. None of which would have been possible without the commitment of our staff, our board of directors, our children and families we serve, and our transformational partners. Artwork from the 2020 Annual Report can be seen on this page. To view the complete annual report, please scan the QR with your phone's camera. Chris Windfield, Canopy Multimedia Specialist, created the beautiful artwork of the child heroes.

To view the 2020 Canopy Annual Report, scan QR code with your phone's camera To view the Canopy Heroic Solutions' video, scan QR code with your phone's camera

Keeping our Children and Families Safe

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), about half of the sudden, unexpected infant deaths that occur in the United States each year are from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Other sleep-related causes of infant death can include accidental deaths related to how or where a baby slept. Canopy's in-CIRCLE team members complete an “Environmental Safety Checklist” with each family when they are admitted to in-CIRCLE. We have recently revised our checklist to add assessing the sleeping spaces for infants and educating caregivers on safe sleep for babies. 33

Family Feedback Flourishes with Manual Surveys Kayla Erickson, Director of Quality and Evaluation

THE VOICE OF OUR FAMILIES: “Mrs. Sydney and Mr. Jimmy are the best. Mrs. Sydney takes care of my daughter like she’s her own.” – CARES Center Family “Please keep this program alive I love these ladies so much!! They help me so much!!!” – LINK, Jackson

With the addition of the INPERSON SURVEYS to THE TRADITIONAL METHOD, the number of responses increased drastically from summer to fall!

Recently, Canopy made changes in how we obtain feedback from our families through CustomerGauge which made a positive impact on the data we receive. Beginning in November, we met the families where they are as they could complete the survey in-person during their appointment if they had not received a survey. Prior to the change, families received surveys through email or text.

JULY

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

86%

Compared to July 2021, the lowest engaged month of the year, 287% MORE SURVEYS were completed in November 2021! This method also gave the opportunity for more representation of families sharing their experience. Prior to November, around 85% of survey responses were from families with children enrolled in Canopy Behavioral Health Clinics. With the addition of the in-person surveys, families enrolled with LINK shared their experience the most, followed by CARES Center. Not only have responses increased, but those families that have shared their feedback have been satisfied with their experience. Eighty-six percent of families that shared their feedback would recommend Canopy to a friend or family member in need of services! Keep up the great work, Canopy!

would recommend

CANOPY 43

LINK

CARES Center

Behavioral Health Clinics

in-CIRCLE

MYPAC

SOLUTION RESPONSES

Families enrolled in LINK shared their experience through the in-person surveys more than any other solution.

where everyone's voice is heard.

Taheti Watson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer

Because of you, Canopy is proud to have earned a Great Place to Work (GPTW) certification for the second year! Creating an inclusive, respectful, highperformance culture has always been one of our top priorities. The foundation of Canopy being a great workplace lies in a culture of trust and engagement. It is about intentionally creating a safe psychological space where everyone is celebrated and valued for the unique talent they bring to Canopy to advance our mission. We want to celebrate our milestone together! During your celebration, please take individual and team pictures. Showcase your message board highlighting why you think Canopy is a great place to work. Please upload your photos to Kym Williams via Teams no later than Friday, December 17th. In addition, if you prefer to write a brief statement instead of using the message board, please send it to Kym as well.

Kwanzaa is a celebration of African roots, with each day focused on one of seven principals. The Kwanza celebration involves lighting the kinara. There are seven candlesticks representing the principles that are lit on each day of observance. 1. Umoja (Unity): To strive for and to maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race. 2. Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define and name ourselves, as well as to create and speak for ourselves. 3. Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers' and sisters' problems our problems and to solve them together. 4. Ujamaa (Cooperative economics): To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.

5. Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. 6. Kuumba (Creativity): To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. 5

7. Imani (Faith): To believe with all our hearts in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Participants also celebrate Kwanzaa with feasts, music, dance, poetry, gifts, and end the holiday with a day dedicated to reflection and recommitment to central cultural values.

Hanukkah, also spelled Chanukka, is a Jewish holiday known as the “Festival of Lights” or the “Feast of Dedication.” Hanukkah is a time for celebrating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem following the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Army in 167 BC. According to biblical text, Mattathias the Hasmonean started the revolt by refusing to worship the Greek gods. Hanukkah, in particular, celebrates the Maccabee's victory over the Seleucid Army. Tradition states the victorious Maccabees could only find an amount of oil to keep the commemorative Menorah lit for one night. However, the Menorah miraculously stayed lit for eight nights. 5

Sarah Howe, Organizational Development and Training Manager

AFFIRM Training

2022 New Hire Orientation Dates

AFFIRM is a group-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy intervention for improving the behavioral health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ people.

To help plan for 2022, mark these dates for New Hire Orientation on your calendars.

Canopy employees who were recently trained in AFFIRM were • Aimee Garrott • Alesha McQuarters • Iesha Smith • Byron Taylor AFFIRM training is available on Relias. Contact training@ mycanopy.org if you have any questions.

h h h h h h h h h h h h

January 10 & January 24 February 14 & February 28 March 14 April 4 & April 25 May 16 June 6 & June 20 July 11 & July 25 August 8 & August 22 September 12 & September 26 October 10 & October 31 November 14 & November 28 December 12

The Canopy Way Leadership Academy provide individuals who are in a leadership role, or who aspire to be, a chance to hone skills to become better leaders. The academy offers the learner a mixer of webinars, book discussion groups, and electives. A total of 30 hours are required to complete Leadership 101. Interested in learning more? Contact Sarah Howe at sarah.howe@mycanopy.org.

HUMAN RESOURCES UPDATE Canopy Human Resources' team provides many supports to our canopy of heroes. Payroll. . . benefits. . . recruiting . . . onboarding new employess . . . employment policies, the team works hard to ensure all employees receive the very best service. Meet your Human Resources' team (from left): • Caleb Warren, Human Resources Generalist • Taylor Jones, Human Resources Recruiter • Haylie Hammett, Director of Human Resources • Mary Derby, Human Resources Manager • Brenda Hobbs, Benefits Administrator • Sara Kline, Human Resources Complaince Coordinator If you have questions about any human resource topic, feel free to reach out to the team or email hr@mycanopy.org. They will be happy to help you.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DEMARIUS TOLLIVER!

Demarius won the COVID-19 vaccination incentive drawing. Thank you to all who have received the COVID-19 Vaccine and for helping keep our canopy safe. Please submit any vaccination documentation to BeSafe@mycanopy.org.

Reframing Children’s Mental Health - Language Matters

Reprinted from - https://www.frameworksinstitute.org/toolkit/reframing-childrens-mental-health/ In the last issue of Voices of Joy, we began learning about framing the INSTEAD OF THIS….. CONSIDER USING THIS LANGUAGE… way we communicate about mental Solutions, supports, resources Services/programs health as well as other challenges facing children and families. To review, framing involves making Well-Being, wellness, healthy development, brain Mental health choices about how to deliver a architecture, life and coping skills, a range of emotions message: what to emphasize, how to explain critical concepts, and even what to leave unsaid. We need Navigating rough waters, establishing a solid to take time to define children’s Family in need mental health as a positive state, foundation, family integrity, opportunity for foreground the collective benefits of development, nurturing, safe, stable environment promoting children’s mental health and make solutions a vital part of the Committed suicide story. As we work to use language Died of/by suicide that postively describes the care we give our children and families, let's Autistic child rethink common terms we use around On the spectrum, neurodiverse Canopy.

Where Do You Stand on Saving for Retirement? Security can mean a lot of different things. It might mean making certain your home is protected by a security system, or that you’ve taken steps to keep your personal information safe online. But when was the last time you thought about your financial security? Right now is a good time to revisit your retirement savings plan to help ensure you’re on track for a more financially secure future. To start, below are three questions to help you determine some helpful next steps. 1. How much have you saved so far? Now is a good time to check in on how much you currently have saved for retirement. You can do so by clicking on the Mutual of America website’s (www.mutualofamerica. com) "My Account" tab, entering your sign-on information (username and password) and completing authentication. Then you’ll be able to view your balance on the "Plan Balance" tab to see where you stand in your saving's journey. If you have additional retirement accounts from prior employers, don’t forget to include those amounts in your calculations, or consider consolidating those assets into your Mutual of America account, if possible. From there, you can use Mutual of America’s Retirement Readiness calculator* to better understand what your current retirement savings and perpaycheck contribution could add up to when it comes time for you to retire.

needs and time horizon. It’s important to have a diverse mix of savings and investment options in your portfolio—such as bonds, stocks and cash equivalents—in order to minimize risk and protect your account from market volatility. Not sure what the right mix is? Complete Mutual of America’s Investment Questionnaire to help determine a potential mix of investments that aligns with your risk tolerance and investment experience. 3. Do you have a long-term financial plan with a shortterm budget you can stick to?

2. Where is your portfolio currently invested?

An important step to take now is to set up a financial plan by identifying your long-term retirement goals and then reviewing your overall budget to see if there are any opportunities to cut excess spending and save more for retirement. To put your budget plans in perspective, you may want to use these worksheets from mymoney.gov.

When checking in on your account, you’ll also want to review how your retirement savings are allocated to ensure you have the proper asset allocation that reflects your goals, objectives,

For questions about your retirement savings plan, contact your Mutual of America representative Jennifer Bullock, jennifer. bullock@mutualofamerica.com.

*Information and interactive calculators are made available as self-help tools for independent use and are not intended to provide investment advice. We cannot and do not guarantee their applicability or accuracy in regard to individual circumstances. All examples are hypothetical and are for illustrative purposes only. We encourage individuals to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding all personal finance issues. Before making a transfer, you should review the accounts you have with other providers to determine the fees and expenses you currently pay and whether there are any surrender charges that may result and to ensure that it is in your best interest to transfer your other accounts to your current plan. You should consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses of the variable annuity contract and the underlying investment funds carefully before investing. This and other information is contained in the contract prospectus or brochure and underlying funds prospectuses and summary prospectuses, which can be obtained by calling 1.800.468.3785 or visiting mutualofamerica.com. Read them carefully before investing. 7

As caregivers, finding time to take care of yourself can be hard, but it is important. Some of our Canopy heroes provide advice on what they do to recharge.

FEBRUARY

JANUARY

Gabby Blunt - 01/03 Dennis Williams - 01/03 Ambria Jones - 01/03 Amanda Duncan - 01/03 Kendra Hall - 01/04 Toya Eubanks - 01/07 Eddie Delgado - 01/08 Carolyn Dixson - 01/08 Kate Christman - 01/12 Lillian Mitchell - 01/12 Annie Jackson - 01/13 Traci Stewart Epps - 01/13 AnSonya Piernas-Mack - 01/14 Shanquanletha Veal - 01/15 Cauiana Pendleton - 01/17 Chatambra Curry - 01/17 Jennifer Cottrell - 01/17

Lakeshia Kern - 01/18 Alesha McQuarters - 01/19 Lakechia Parker - 01/20 Jackie Woods - 01/21 Mary Washington - 01/22 Chris Furlow - 01/23 Victoria Ulmer - 01/23 Anita Foote - 01/24 Latonya Sanders - 01/25 Victoria Martin - 01/25 Charlesia Means - 01/26 Jasmonique Boyd - 01/26 Taheti Watson - 01/28 Camie Williams - 01/29 Miranda Furnace - 01/30 Michelle Robinson - 01/30 Tia Bivens - 01/31

JANUARY

Congratulations to the Canopy team members on their years of service.

Jimmy Heath - 9 Kimberly Young - 8 Whitney Newman - 7 Brandi Jones - 6 Gail Chancellor - 6 Kimberly Young - 6 Monica Thomas-Hurst - 6 Thomas Washington - 6 Steve Midgette - 5 Theron Jenkins - 5 Clora Mitchell - 5 Sarah Howe - 4 Chaqueitta Jackson - 3 Dustin Adams - 3 Anna Crawford - 2 Jyesha Marshall - 2 Marcus Ginn - 2 Candice Flowers - 2 Christopher Windfield - 2 LaShonda Barnett - 2 Sandra Williams - 2 KeArndra Hart - 2 Angela Chambers - 1 Christi Hardy - 1

Valerie Clark - 02/01 Chasttidy McGinnis - 02/02 Marquita Arrington - 02/02 Satora Minor - 02/02 Scottie Landown - 02/04 Timothy Weaver - 02/04 Porsche Williams - 02/04 Felisia Cooper - 02/05 Brandy Hicks - 02/07 Amber Flynt - 02/08 Rosezena Adams - 02/08 Ashton Ates - 02/10 Elizabeth Leyva - 02/11 Stephanie Peterson-Jones - 02/11 Dorothy Butler - 02/12 Danielle Laws - 02/12 Byron Taylor - 02/12 Angie Sumrall - 02/12 Daphne Littleton - 02/13 Priya Sanipara - 02/16 Kristen Ladner - 02/16 Vicki Husband - 02/17

Haley Toups - 1 Ky'Tiania Harmon - 1 Lydia Ross - 1 Patricia Brown - 1 Raven DuBose - 1 Sarabeth Smith - 1 Taylor Wisvari-Weir - 1 Iesha Smith - 1

FEBRUARY

Bridgette Edwards - 29 Mozell Guy - 23 Dale Trussell - 17 Derrick Causey - 12 Stephanie Smith - 11 Monique Johnson - 10 Penne Worsham - 10 Arin Adkins - 10 Ashley Kinnard - 10 Debbie Brooks - 9 Doris Lewis - 9 Tammy Amis - 9 Katie Davis - 8 Rachael Caldwell - 8 Elaine Hartfield - 7

Loretha Dudley - 02/17 Ken Bankhead - 02/18 Angelicka Flowers - 02/18 Kanasha Reese - 02/19 Samantha Jones - 02/19 Cassandra Jones - 02/20 Jasmine Stokes - 02/23 Renee Conrad - 02/24 Vincent Mixon - 02/24 Tammy Amis - 02/25 Gail Chancellor - 02/25 Carla Jones - 02/25 Katie Davis - 02/26 Sabrina James - 02/28

Daniel Wilson - 7 Kimberly Johnson - 6 Reneshia Blakney - 5 Laura-Katherine Barker - 4 Rokeshia Wells - 4 Byron Taylor - 4 Hart Wylie - 3 Alesha McQuarters - 3 Leah Rigney - 3 Allison Rooker - 2 Bernita Simmons - 2 Frances McCullough - 2 Lakechia Parker - 2 Mary Rushing - 2 Nancy Caldwell - 2 Raven Logan - 2 Daja Barnes - 1 Barbara Buie - 1 Titus Braboy - 1 April Swancey - 1 Ayannia Giles - 1 Kristen Ladner - 1 Mary Derby - 1

Transforming Lives under the Canopy

2 1. CARES School Hattiesburg faculty wore pink in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. 2. Canopy's in-CIRCLE gave back to a local food pantry at St. Andrew’s Mission to assist with preparing Thanksgiving boxes for elderly individuals. Pictured Kimberly Young, Shan Veal, and Manerva Smith. 3. Canopy's South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center participated in the Long Beach Police Department’s Night Out Against Crime.

4. Canopy celebrated Halloween with a carnival for our CARES Center children. Teams in Jackson hosted trick-or-treat tables. The Knights of Columbus cooked hamburgers and hot dogs. Jackson State University cheerleaders entertained as well. It was a "boo"tiful event!

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Transforming Lives under the Canopy LINK around Mississippi

3 1. Promoted LINK at WIN Job Fair in McComb. 2. Participated in Christmas Parade in Gulfport. 3. Handed out blankets and lunch to the homeless in Jackson. 4. Presented to the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services in Greenville.

5. Volunteered at Stewpot in Jackson.

Community Supports Canopy

1. Exssesive Life Styles hosted a car show to benefit Canopy South Mississippi Child Advocacy Center. The club is collecting toys for the holiday season. 2. The faculty at Vicksburg High School hosted a softball game to benefit the Warren County Children's Shelter (WCCS). 3. Students at Gary Road Elementary in Vicksburg held a food drive to stock the pantry at WCCS.

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