Today Magazine • May 2023

TODAY Covering the Heart of the Farmington Valley

FOSTERING HOME HOPE

Special Report Foster Care in CT

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DRY HUMOR or DRY HORROR? The following word-for-word quote from Cornell University’s AllAboutBirds.org website reads like a suspenseful drama-and-horror-and-love story — read on, if you dare, to learn about the mysterious bird pictured above: • “A dark body stealthily swims through a lake with only a snake-like head poking above the surface — what may sound like the Loch Ness monster is actually an anhinga, swimming underwater and stabbing fish with its dagger-like bill” • “After every dip, it strikes a regal pose on the edges of shallow lakes and ponds, with its silvery wings outstretched and head held high to dry its waterlogged feathers”

This anhinga was photographed by Canton-based photographer Wendy Rosenberg on Sanibel Island, near Fort Myers, just off Florida’s southern coast in the Gulf of Mexico • At right — an unidentified bird, also photographed in Florida, defies death on a high wire — if you can 2 identify MAY 2023this – www.TodayPublishing.net – TODAY MAGAZINE bird, email Today Publishing

Photos by Wendy Rosenberg

• “Once dry, it takes to the sky, soaring high on thermals stretched out like a cross”

LEADING OFF

Fostering Hope

CONTENTS COVER STORY

4 — Foster Care: System in Crisis?

Will a dearth of foster parents be the cause of death for the foster care system in Connecticut? Not likely, yet foster homes are scarce, relative to the need FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN THE VALLEY

7 — Seeking Foster Parents At a glance, the foster parent numbers in CT might seem sufficient — but numbers can be deceiving NOTEWORTHY NONPROFITS

11-16 — Birth Families First Our exclusive expert Q&As make it clear — reuniting is always the goal over adoption or foster care

WELCOME to our May edition coverage of foster care in Connecticut. One of my goals for Today Magazine is to cover the heart of the Farmington Valley via community news that matters nationwide — indeed, so many of the stories we report resonate with readers here in the Valley as well as statewide, nationwide and worldwide.

Foster care is clearly such a story.

The topic of foster care intersects and connects with issues related to family and the longing of every heart, here in the Constitution State and beyond — our common human desire for peace, stability, permanence and hope in a place called home.

May is National Foster Care Month — yes, this explains the timing of our coverage, and no, it surely didn’t require an Einstein-like editorial decision to determine that this timing makes sense.

Perhaps the best decisions are the simple decisions — BWD

HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS

18 — Pub Power No, this story isn’t about the “Cheers” sitcom or your local bar — yes, it’s about a humble publisher QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“ Research suggests that children do best in the homes of their relatives over non-relative foster care ” — TJ Michalski • The Village

BY THE NUMBERS

30-40 hours — MAPP training

LETTERS

newsroom@TodayPublishing.net

COVER STORY KUDOS • Our April cover story features a noteworthy local nonprofit, the Canton Community Health Fund — the 100-year-old direct descendant of two vital Visiting Nurse Associations —CLICK HERE for our coverage THE ARTICLE on Canton Community Health Fund Inc. (CCHF) looks great. Thank you for all the editorial support in getting it up.

— Sylvia Cancela • Collinsville • Cancela is the CCHF chair and a marketing pro via Red Barn Communication LLC — she wrote a terrific cover story on CCHF for the April edition THANK YOU very much for continuing to put our events in the Today Online Calendar. Our TableScapes event in March was a huge success, and our Unearthing History webinar series is ongoing and has over 11,000 views since we started in 2021.

Including the link to each new webinar is very helpful and truly appreciated. Very soon everyone will see the beginning of the renovations to the one-room schoolhouse in the original center of Avon.

This 200-year-old building will become the Avon History Museum in 2024. It’s an exciting time for local history in the Valley and we are proud to be part of it.

— Terri Wilson • President, Avon Historical Society

Today Magazine • Covering the Heart of the Farmington Valley Bruce William Deckert — Publisher + Editor-in-Chief 860-988-1910 • Bruce.Deckert@TodayPublishing.net www.TodayPublishing.net > Digital Editions • Award-Winning Today Online • 24/7 news — www.TodayPublishing.net/blog Follow Today Magazine CT on social media > Advertising — Contact the Publisher Editorial Associate — Kayla Tyson Contributing Photographer — Wendy Rosenberg Five Towns • One Aim — Exceptional Community Journalism Farmington • Avon • Canton • Simsbury • Granby – CT • USA

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THANK YOU for your coverage of the Tooth Bear-y teddy bear — you’re the best! Amazing job on the story!

Thanks a million.

—Liz Carroll • Farmington • Carroll is the owner of Tooth Bear-y LLC THANK YOU so much for all you do, not just for the artists in Canton and the surrounding area, but for *everyone* in the Farmington Valley!

— Zina Saunders • Canton • Saunders is a pro illustrator — www.zinasaunders.com • She has also served as the marketing and PR rep for Canton-based Gallery on the Green SUBSCRIBE to TODAY for FREE — CLICK HERE

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FOSTERING HOME HOPE

Future of Foster Care Depends on Us

By Sarah Klepack Special to Today Magazine

trauma • noun — a deeply distressing or disturbing experience —————————————————————————— The dictionary definition of trauma does not do the term justice.

Victims of scary experiences can be haunted by their trauma. A traumatizing experience may last only a few minutes, but the effects can last a lifetime.

Imagine being unwillingly removed from the one place you always knew as home. You are unsure if you will see your loved ones again. Your bedroom, the room you used as your sanctuary, is no longer yours. Your future that seemed so clear not too long ago is now unknown.

Being separated from home and family is a shared trauma that all foster 4

COVER PHOTO

COVER STORY

Dana Brown and Jodi Holloway and their adopted son, Alex — Dana and Jodi fostered Alex after he resided at The Village’s Eagle House psychiatric residential treatment facility, and adopted him in December 2022 —————————————————————————

FAMILY AND MARRIAGE IN THE VALLEY

children have to live through every day.

In Connecticut alone, there are about 3000 children in the foster care system and hundreds in need of supportive homes, according to Sharon PendletonPonzani, director of foster care services at Wheeler Health, also known as Wheeler Clinic.

“Of those hundreds, the majority of youth in need are 13 years old or older,” says Pendleton-Ponzani. “There is a great need for homes for older youth.”

May is National Foster Care Month.

Foster parents, families, volunteers,

MAY 2023 – www.TodayPublishing.net – TODAY MAGAZINE

professionals and policymakers are recognized for their contributions to youth in foster care. Many will celebrate the progress that has been made, but it is also important to continue planning for a better future.

Wheeler provides foster care services in Bristol, Hartford, New Britain, Plainville and Waterbury via its Family Health & Wellness Centers at each location.

Foster parents are trained by a team of professionals during the placement process. The children’s health needs, including therapeutic services, are all covered. Wheeler’s goal is to get youth back to their families as soon as it is safe, or to find a permanent resource if returning is not possible.

Every child copes with trauma

“ DCF will always try to keep differently. Future foster parents need to acquire skills to assist their youth in the best way possible. Youth are often put into these situations because of unfortunate life circumstances, and they may feel nervous and uncomfortable, and it is up to the adults to ease the tension.

“Most frequently, children enter foster care due to a parent’s inability to care for their child, classified as neglect,” says Thomas “TJ” Michalski, associate vice president of permanency services at The Village for Families and Children. “Sometimes children enter foster care due to abuse.”

PUBLIC + PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP Based in Hartford, The Village serves children, adults and families throughout Greater Hartford. Building on a legacy that dates back more than 200 years, the agency’s mission is to cultivate a community of healthy families who protect and nurture children.

In Connecticut, children enter the foster care system through the

a child in the care and custody

that’s not possible DCF seeks out extended family members to care for the child ” — Thomas “TJ” Michalski Associate VP • The Village Department of Children and Families (DCF), the public or state agency that investigates reports of abused or neglected youth. To make a report, someone with concerns can call the DCF Careline at 1-800-842-2288.

Many children enter the system due to confidential reports from family, friends, neighbors or others who have suspicions about abuse or neglect.

On occasion, youth will voluntarily enter the system, although it isn’t nearly as common for children to contact authorities. In some traumatic situations, children must be placed with foster parents immediately, and in each

circumstance DCF determines the level of severity.

“Sometimes children are left in their homes and services are put in place to address issues,” says Michalski.

“Sometimes children live with a relative or friend while issues are being addressed, and sometimes children are removed immediately for their safety and placed in non-relative caregiver homers when no appropriate relative can be located.”

DCF investigations occur over a 45-day period, and decisions are made regarding the care needed.

“It’s rare for kids to come into care voluntarily, but when they do it’s usually due to a parent who comes to realize they need more support to help their child than they can get from traditional services,” Michalski explains. “They become families with service needs and voluntarily seek DCF help to address their child’s significant behavioral issues — often this is to access group care settings.”

Private organizations — also known as Therapeutic Foster Care agencies — work hand in hand with the state-

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More Foster Parents Needed To Stand In Gap

By Bruce Deckert Editor-in-Chief • Today Magazine

May is National Foster Care Month — hence our coverage of foster care in Connecticut in this edition.

There are anywhere from about 2500 to 3000 children in foster care in Connecticut, according to social service professionals, and about 2400 foster parents. At first glance, these foster parent numbers might

Ernest Davis successfully moved out of foster care via The Village — he works at Amazon Warehouse and has his own apartment ————————————————————————————–——–— run DCF. The goal of all foster care is of course therapeutic, but in the professional realm of social services, Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) refers to a system whereby DCF awards contracts to private agencies such as Wheeler and The Village.

“DCF will always try to keep a child in the care and custody of birth families first, and if that’s not possible DCF seeks out extended family members to care for the child,” Michalski says.

“Children come into non-relative foster care when those options fail or are nonexistent.”

When DCF determines that it isn’t viable for youth to live safely in their current environment, foster care becomes a key alternative.

“Whenever possible, it’s best to have youth be able to go into a kinship or relative placement,” says PendletonPonzani, in agreement with Michalski — they were interviewed separately.

“If that is not possible, then a nonrelative placement is sought for the youth. It is always best if youth can be

seem sufficient or even plentiful — yet those surface numbers are actually a mirage, nowhere near a true picture of the state’s foster care predicament.

The reality, according to media outlets and other sources, is that a scarcity of foster parents in the Nutmeg State translates to far more children needing foster care than there are foster parents to provide homes for youth in crisis. And the paucity of Connecticut foster parents spans a generation or more — at least 30 years — per news reports.

A recent Google search for “foster parents in CT shortage” produced more than 3 million results, including these two adjacent news stories: • A September 2018 article in The Connecticut Mirror with this headline —“When the call comes, and there’s no foster home available” • A December 1988 article in The New York Times with this headline — “Foster Home Shortage is Termed Critical” — and this lead: “There is a severe shortage of foster-care homes in Connecticut, especially for infants and older children from troubled homes, state social workers say” • The two main sources for our

coverage in this edition are The Village for Families and Children and Wheeler Health aka Wheeler Clinic.

Headquartered in Plainville, Wheeler has participated in the Avon Chamber of Commerce. Based in Hartford, The Village operates four Second Chance Shops, including a location in Simsbury. Both nonprofits employ and care for numerous Farmington Valley residents.

By the way, while May is National Foster Care Month, June is National Reunification Month — a time to recognize ongoing efforts around the country to help families stay together and to bring splintered families back together.

In our October 2022 edition, we reported a related topic — adoption — via a beautifully told cover story by award-winning writer Katherine Napier, a Canton High School graduate who has received three first-place honors in the annual Society of Professional Journalists contest for articles she penned in Today Magazine.

————————————————————————— The Search : An Adoption Story CLICK HERE ———————–— Today Magazine wins 12 SPJ awards CLICK HERE ————————————————————————— At Today Magazine, we aim to record the Valley’s underreported upside — and my hope is that we’ve achieved this worthy goal via this month’s cover story focusing on foster care. + Today Publishing covers the heart of the Farmington Valley — the five core towns of Avon, Canton, Farmington, Granby and Simsbury

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placed in their community of origin as this is least disruptive to their everyday life.”

Future foster parents are trained using a model called Functional Family Therapy Foster Care or FFT-FC. Before they get to this step, they must take the MAPP training course (Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting). Once this is completed, they will be licensed. From there, they can be approved by a private foster agency.

“ There needs to be a way to raise awareness about the lack of foster parents — the number of foster care homes has decreased

— Sharon Pendleton-Ponzani Director of Wheeler Foster Care Services

NEW MODEL, SAME AIM The FFT-FC program was implemented in Connecticut in the summer of 2022, specifically for Therapeutic Foster Care. In this program, a therapist meets with the foster family and youth using a family therapy model developed

by FFT Partners.

This intervention usually lasts 6-9 months. The goal is to stabilize youth in the current foster care placement and then work with the youth’s original family — whether biological parents, relatives or adoptive parents — for an additional several months.

To reiterate, the ultimate goal is to return youth to their original family whenever possible.

Before the Functional Family Therapy model was introduced, there were only guidelines, says Michalski — best practice had developed over decades and previous contracts included requirements for private agencies, but no evidence-based model for foster care existed.

Foster parents work closely with the foster care team during this whole process. The team ensures that the

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prospective parents are a good fit and can make their youth feel comfortable.

“Research suggests that children do best in the homes of their relatives over non-relative foster care,” Michalski says. “This new model focuses on the foster parents’ better understanding of the child in context and suggests new approaches to care for them, while also focusing on finding kin for the children.”

While the FFT-FC system is still a work-in-progress, some foster care professionals envision it working wonders for youth down the road. The new system is expected to help non-relative families, especially, build strong bonds with foster children. Further, the system is beneficial because it is evidence-based and is structured so that everyone is following the same guidelines.

In many cases, children have the opportunity to see professional counselors. This depends on the youth, their situation and their preferences. For some, counselors may not be the right answer.

“Counseling is an individualized approach to address each child’s specific needs,” Michalski says. “This can range from zero counseling to once weekly to twice, three times or every weekday.”

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With the Functional Family Therapy model and other tools provided for parents and youth, foster parents have the role of helping their child with the healing process. Every road is different, but no matter what a child’s future looks like, it is important to form a strong bond. The training and certification services were created to prepare foster parents for these challenges.

Because of FFT-FC, the span of time youth spend in foster care has shortened, making for a more promising future. One hope is to prevent older children in foster care.

Many foster parents don’t want a teenager for a foster child — they envision themselves with a baby or toddler — so DCF wants to avoid “children lingering in the system, and move them to permanency faster,” says Pendleton-Ponzani.

Once youth in the state’s foster care system have reached 18, they can opt out of DCF care, or they can voluntarily choose to remain in the system with foster parents or a private agency. Older youth are typically placed in private Therapeutic Foster Care programs because they need a different approach, especially when they have already been through unsuccessful placements with foster parents.

Fully overcoming the trauma that foster care youth face

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may not be possible. However, learning to cope with traumatic experiences, through therapy and supportive foster parents, can lead youth in the right direction.

The tricky part for foster parents is identifying how their foster children are coping and then creating methods to ease their minds. While some effects of trauma are universal, every child faces trauma differently — so a set formula for dealing with all situations cannot be a realistic expectation.

Completing the Functional Family Therapy training is important, because the FFT program is designed to help foster parents learn how to build a strong relationship with their foster children.

Some argue that foster care is a scary place for children. However, when the alternative is continued abuse, neglect or trauma in a child’s birth home, foster care is clearly a better solution, according to the Society for Research in Child Development.

Once children are in the DCF system, to help them cope with these heartbreaking changes, every effort is made to keep siblings together and to maintain children in their original school district. However, it’s difficult to stick to these guidelines because of the lack of foster parents.

“There needs to be a way to raise awareness about the lack of foster parents,” says Pendleton-Ponzani.

“The number of foster care homes has decreased nationwide over the last several years. It’s unclear exactly why this occurred. There is some speculation that the pandemic may have contributed to this decrease.”

In addition, resources such as daycare and after-school programs have to be more accessible for foster families, says Michalski.

“Affordable childcare is in high demand,” he notes.

“Access and affordability present a significant problem.”

While entering the foster care system can be scary, the FFT-FC system helps ease youth through the transition — but despite improvements in the system, the lack of foster parents is an ongoing challenge that needs to be addressed.

The foster parent shortage makes it more difficult for older children in crisis to have a safe home, for all foster children to stay in the communities where they grew up, and for these youth to escape dangerous birth home situations. + Today Magazine editor-in-chief Bruce Deckert contributed to this report

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Optimal Goal: Reunite with Family of Origin Special to Today Magazine

Thomas “TJ” Michalski, associate VP of permanency services, has answered this Q&A for The Village

COVER STORY NOTEWORTHY NONPROFITS

————————————————————————————

The Village for Families and Children 331 Wethersfield Avenue • Hartford 860-462-6179 www.thevillage.org Social Media www.facebook.com/thevillagect www.instagram.com/thevillagect www.linkedin.com/company/thevillagect ——————————————————————————— What are the protocols when a child first enters the foster care system?

All children in Connecticut enter foster care through the state’s child protective services, the Department of Children and Families (DCF). DCF investigates all reports of abuse or neglect. If deemed a safety concern, DCF seeks out relatives to provide care by asking birth parents who they would like to care for their child(ren) while the DCF report is being investigated. If no family members are willing or able, DCF places the child in foster care. If the child is deemed to have significant behavioral challenges, DCF seeks support from private agencies such as The Village, who train and support foster parents while a child is in foster care.

Typically, children who come into foster care have received numerous in-home support services to work with their parents and address family needs prior to being placed in Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC), which is what private agencies like The Village provide.

Are those protocols state-mandated or do they vary depending on the agency?

These protocols are state mandates and are guided by DCF regulations. All child-placing agencies follow DCF guidelines for placement and care for kids in foster care.

What is a typical day like for a child in the system?

This depends on the specific child’s situation. Some children remain at home with DCF involvement and have supports in place to help them and their families. Some children live in group care who need additional supports.

care don’t attend any therapy while others attend counseling with their families. Others might attend more intense counseling to address specific conditions such as substance use, significant mental health conditions, autism, etc.

Counseling is an individualized approach to address each child’s specific needs. This can range from zero counseling to once weekly to twice, three times or every weekday.

What different types of reasons might children be in foster care?

Most frequently, children enter foster care due to a parent’s inability to care for their child, classified as neglect.

Sometimes children enter foster care due to abuse. DCF will always try to keep a child in the care and custody of birth families first, and if that’s not possible DCF seeks out extended family members to care for the child. Children come into non-relative foster care when those options fail or are nonexistent.

What training do foster care agency workers go through?

DCF has shifted to an evidenced-based model of care called Functional Family Therapy Foster Care or FFT-FC. This novel approach, introduced in June 2022, is contracted out to private foster care agencies around the state. Each FFT contract requires the agency to hire therapists and family support specialists (FSS) in dyads (or pairs) under the supervision of licensed and trained specialists to administer

For kids in foster care, many lead fairly typical lives most of the time. They live in non-relative homes but still go to school daily, participate in after-school activities, do chores, homework and have their own bedrooms. Some children attend special schools to help them learn to cope with negative behaviors. Many children are on medication and attend counseling. Each day is different for foster children depending on their circumstances.

How often do foster children see counselors?

Again, this depends on each child. Some children in foster TODAY MAGAZINE – www.TodayPublishing.net – MAY 2023

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The whole focus is to stabilize the service. This approach focuses on the family system as the primary means of addressing child behaviors and as agents of change for children deemed needing a therapeutic level of care.

Foster parents are trained in the model and work with the therapists and FSS workers, to understand the root of their foster child’s behaviors and learn the principles and strategies to address these behaviors to achieve stability.

The whole focus is to stabilize the child and reunify them with their families of origin, either birth parents or extended family members. The belief is that children do best when raised in their own homes.

This approach is brand-new and the entire system is training to implement it across the state. There are a dozen agencies working in this new model and early signs show promise in reducing the number of children in foster care and, more importantly, improving the functioning of those in the system to reduce disruptions in placement, improve their quality of life, and reunify them with kin quicker.

Ultimately, this will improve long-term outcomes by reducing the number of children who go on to have families of their own that require state interventions.

What training do the foster parents go through?

the child and reunify them

the belief is that children do best when raised in their own homes Informed Pre-Service Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting.

Once potential foster parents Y TODAY complete RAN that process, a comprehensive home study is completed, during which they will share their physical and mental health status, financial standing and complete background checks to ensure they don’t have a past history that would jeopardize a child in their home.

Once they are licensed, each family is required to go through a minimum of 28 hours of training annually, including a training in the new model.

How do the children build bonds with the foster care agency workers?

How do the children build bonds with the foster parents?

Daily life and activities provide natural and normative bonding experiences between families and children. Most families engage in typical family routines of homework support, afterschool activities, cooking together, going out to eat and playing games together.

What can be improved in general in foster care?

Having been in this field for over 30 years, I believe having an increase in community support and quicker access to resources is beneficial for children and families involved in the placement process. After-school programs, day cares and other supports changed during the pandemic, which made it more difficult for families who work and need child care.

Affordable child care is in high demand—access and affordability present a significant problem.

What is working well in foster care currently?

This is accomplished through the weekly visits and treatment done by the therapists and FSS workers. Bonds to workers are less important than bonds to the families and relatives — they become the focus of the work.

It will take time for the new model of foster care to be fully realized. Any major changes to a system take time to fully come to fruition — and we won’t fully know the positive impacts for months, or even years. But these are exciting times as we embark on

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Prior to becoming foster parents, any family showing interest must meet specific basic requirements such as an income to meet their own needs, an available bedroom for a child and a safe living environment.

Once they pass the basic requirements they each go through a 30-40 hour training to understand the children that come into care, trauma and its impacts on kids, working with an agency and DCF, and how foster care impacts them.

This preservice training — called TIPS-MAPP — is a mutual process for the agency to assess how they might do as foster parents and for the family to assess if this decision is a good idea for them and their extended family.

TIPS-MAPP is an acronym for Trauma TODAY MAGAZINE – www.TodayPublishing.net – MAY 2023

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the journey in changing foster care for the good. What is ALWAYS needed is more families — we need families who can take children into their homes for a variety of time frames.

We need families who can provide respite for other families for a night, weekend or week. We need families who can take children in last-minute for anywhere from one night to one month when their parents can’t take them for one reason or another.

The more families that step up to help, the better the system will work and positively impact children’s lives.

How do children cope with the traumas they have faced?

Almost all of the negative behaviors we see in foster children are maladaptive responses to experienced traumas.

Hollywood has depicted many storylines where men who experienced traumas during a war return to life changed — they look different to their families and their reactions are sometimes scary. This is the same phenomenon experienced by children

who have been through trauma in their lives. Their behaviors are a result of those experiences.

settings and others come straight from their family into foster care. Each situation is unique.

The only way to repair the damage is loving, supportive and corrective strategies that help children get back to baseline by replacing the trauma reaction. This is what the therapy is about. We assist parents in understanding behaviors and plan supportive responses to those triggers.

Further comment: These are exciting times as we begin to learn and employ this new model in foster care. The approach of focusing on the family unit as the vehicle for change for children in foster care presents many exciting possibilities.

There is also a hyper-focus on returning children in foster care to their birth families as their primary source of caregiving.

How long do most children stay in the system?

This is varied. Some children are in the system for a few days but most are in for many years. This all depends on the child’s needs and their family’s reasons for DCF involvement. Courts and DCF determine the time needed to safely return a child to their birth family.

Research suggests that children do best in the homes of their relatives over non-relative foster care. This new model focuses on the foster parents’ better understanding of the child in context and suggests new approaches to care for them, while also focusing on finding kin for the children.

Regarding children who are waiting to be placed with foster care parents — where do they live while they wait?

Once kin are identified, they get the same training and support to parent the child into the future, all while looking forward to exciting changes and outcomes. +

This depends on their circumstances.

Some children are in hospitals, some in group homes, some in residential

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Village employees Darlene Reed and Iris Donate at a Foster Care Appreciation event where families were given gift bags

Seeking Foster Homes for Older Youth Special to Today Magazine

Sharon Pendleton-Ponzani, director of foster care services, has answered this Q&A for Wheeler Health

COVER STORY NOTEWORTHY NONPROFITS

———————————————————————————

Wheeler Health aka Wheeler Clinic 91 Northwest Drive • Plainville 860-793-7277 — Foster Care Recruitment Line Email fostercareprograms@wheelerclinic.org

Are those protocols state-mandated or do they vary depending on the agency?

www.wheelerhealth.org/foster

The Department of Children and Families sets the basic regulations for all DCF and private providers.

Social Media

What is a typical day like for a child in the system?

Facebook — @wheelerhealth Instagram — @wheelerhealth LinkedIn — @wheeler-clinic Twitter — @wheelerhealth ——————————————————————————— What are the protocols when a child first enters the foster care system?

Children enter the foster care system in the state through the Department of Children and Families. Depending on the level of need, a determination is made regarding placement with a DCF foster home or with a private contracted provider such as Wheeler Health.

This varies by case.

How often do foster children see counselors?

This varies according to need.

What different types of reasons might children be in foster care?

Children enter foster care for many different reasons.

Each situation is unique and based on providing safety for the child in the least restrictive setting.

What training do foster care agency workers go through?

Each provider trains their staff according to their own TODAY MAGAZINE – www.TodayPublishing.net – MAY 2023

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in need are 13 years old or older agency’s procedures. Private providers that provide specialized or Therapeutic Foster Care are trained in the new evidence-based model of Functional Family Therapy Foster Care, developed by FFT Partners.

What training do the foster parents go through?

Those interested in being foster parents are trained using a preservice course called TIPS-MAPP — Trauma Informed Pre-Service Model Approach to Partnership in Parenting.

Once approved, licensed foster parents receive ongoing training around their youth’s needs. If they are approved by a private foster agency, they also receive training in the Functional Family Therapy Foster Care Model using FFT Partners training materials.

How do the children build bonds with the foster care agency workers?

Private provider foster parents work closely with the foster care team. Private providers work with youth on a weekly basis and help the youth in their adjustment to foster care.

How do the children build bonds with the foster parents?

Foster parents build bonds with children in their care through shared experiences that occur as part of the normal course of everyday life together.

What can be improved in general in foster care?

Has this red - shouldered hawk broken its neck — or is this regal raptor rubbernecking an accident below?

Photo by Wendy Rosenberg

AERIAL RUBBER NECK

There is a great need for homes both at the Department of Children and Families and within the private provider community, particularly homes for teens. The goal is to have enough homes in a youth’s community so that the youth can stay connected to their communities.

What is working well in foster care currently?

The new rollout of Functional Family Therapy Foster Care, developed by FFT Partners, is helping meet the challenges and needs of youth in the Therapeutic Foster Care system.

How do children cope with the traumas they have faced?

Through the support of foster parents and the foster care team, youth have an opportunity to work through traumatic events they experienced and begin the healing process.

How long do most children stay in the system?

This varies by situation. The goal is to get youth back home to their family as soon as it is safe and possible to do or to find a permanency resource when returning to their family is not possible.

Regarding children who are waiting to be placed with foster care parents — where do they live while they wait?

Some are in temporary shelters or group homes, and others are in temporary foster care placements awaiting a home that can take them for an extended period of time. +

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MAY 2023 – www.TodayPublishing.net – TODAY MAGAZINE

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Barber known for woodcuts, not haircuts

Publisher of popular 1836 book sketched Valley and CT scenes

By Nora O. Howard Special to Today Magazine

JOHN WARNER BARBER (1798-1885) was born in Windsor, Connecticut.

He was an engraver, printmaker, author and publisher.

On October 7, 1834, Barber came to Avon, stood on Avon Mountain, looked west, and made a pencil sketch for his wood engraving of the “Eastern View of Avon.”

The four largest white buildings in the engraving are, from left to right: • The Farmington Canal Warehouse • The Baptist church • The Farmington Canal Administration Building • The Avon Congregational Church • 18

Editor’s Note ————————— Join Avon town historian Nora Howard for some historical time travel to the 19th-century Farmington Valley via this story about a publisher whose engravings of Connecticut’s towns — aka etchings or woodcuts — became a sought-after book —————————————————— The Farmington River flows under the bridge, in the left bottom corner.

Today, one can still feel the rise of the small hill that is shown ascending from the bridge to Avon Center. The Canal Administration Building and Avon Congregational Church still stand near one another.

On that same October day, Barber sketched Collinsville. The next day,

MAY 2023 – www.TodayPublishing.net – TODAY MAGAZINE

HISTORY HIGHLIGHTS he sketched Simsbury and Suffield.

When he returned home, he made his sketches into ink washes, and then the ink washes into wood engravings.

In 1836, he published approximately 180 views of Connecticut’s 144 towns in his book “Connecticut Historical Collections.” The book was reprinted several times, selling an estimated 20,000 copies.

Barber’s work was a feat of endurance and creativity, and his goal was to foster an appreciation of Connecticut. He spent three years traveling with his horse and buggy — from April to November — to make his sketches. He wrote in 1837 that making

a book that was dry and uninteresting would be “fatal to its popularity among the common people.”

The text that accompanied most of his illustrations had appeared in the Pease and Niles “Gazetteer” of 1819.

Barber updated the text and packaged it all together for his 1836 book. In his description of Avon, he wrote that the view was “as it appears to the observer while descending Talcott Mountain.”

Barber achieved fame with his popular book. In the 1850s, in a new introduction to the book, he wrote:

“No work relating to the history of Connecticut has yet appeared, that has been so extensively read … it will be looked upon and read with interest and pleasure, long after [I have] left these mortal scenes.”

The book, according to Barber’s friend and business partner Henry Howe, came upon people like a work of magic: “Few had ever seen pictures of places with which they were acquainted. Never had any book been published on any State that so fed the fires with patriotism.” +

Nora Oakes Howard is Avon’s town historian and the author of three books on Avon history — she began her tenure in 2005 and has been affiliated with the Avon Historical Society for nearly 25 years John Warner Barber’s book of woodcuts highlighted 144 Connecticut towns — today, the state of Connecticut is comprised of 169 municipalities, per the CT.gov website

LEFT IMAGE — Color illustration from Barber’s “Connecticut Historical Collections” • BELOW IMAGE — John Warner Barber’s pencil sketch of Avon • • This digital image is from the Connecticut Digital Archive aka CTDA — the CT digital archive is part of the Digital Preservation Repository Program at the University of Connecticut, according to the CTDA website — ctdigitalarchive.org • The CTDA holds over 300 of Barber’s preliminary pencil sketches and finished wash drawings of Connecticut views — his original ink wash and wood engraving of Avon have not been located

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ADVERTISER Hall of Fame – TODAY Magazine • This is a list of advertising sponsors who have seen the value of investing in Today Magazine’s award-winning journalism as we cover the heart of the Farmington Valley — this is intended to be a comprehensive list • If you have paid to advertise with Today Magazine but don’t see your business or organization listed, feel free to contact us so we can add you to our Advertiser Hall of Fame — advertise@todaypublishing.net Anthology Senior Living — 860-546-8037 — Simsbury www.anthologyseniorliving.com > Location ——————————————————————————————— Avon Health Center — 860-673-2521 — Avon www.avonhealthcenter.com ——————————————————————————————— Avon Historical Society — 860-678-7621 — Avon www.avonhistoricalsociety.org ——————————————————————————————— A Teen Edge — 860-593-2822 www.ateenedge.com ——————————————————————————————— Board and Brush — 860-392-8567 — Simsbury www.boardandbrush.com/simsbury ——————————————————————————————— Canton Barn LLC — 860-693-0601 — Canton www.cantonbarn.com ——————————————————————————————— Canton Food Bank — 860-693-5811 — Canton www.townofcantonct.org ——————————————————————————————— Carmon Funeral Homes — 860-673-8610 www.carmonfuneralhome.com ——————————————————————————————— Carol Cole Real Estate — 860-212-0687 — Canton www.carolcolerealestate.com ——————————————————————————————— Cherry Brook Health Care Center — 860-693-7777 — Canton www.cherrybrookhcc.com ——————————————————————————————— Christensen Insurance — 860-651-8236 — Simsbury www.insuranceagentswhocare.com ——————————————————————————————— Christopher Bryant Co. — 860-243-3500 — Bloomfield www.thechristopherbryantcompany.com ——————————————————————————————— Collinsville Bank — 860-693-6935 — Canton www.collinsvillebank.com ——————————————————————————————— Connecticut Dance Academy — 860-707-4198 — Canton www.ctdanceacademy.com ——————————————————————————————— Connecticut Headshots — 860-263-9277 — Avon www.connecticutheadshots.com ——————————————————————————————— Dynamic Auto Works — 860-693-6359 — Canton www.facebook.com/DynamicAutoCanton ——————————————————————————————— Erica Maglieri: Realtor — 860-324-6842 bhhsneproperties.com/real-estate-agent/757/erica-maglieri ——————————————————————————————— Fresh Start Pallet Products — 860-266-5726 — Hartford www.freshstartpalletproducts.org 24

MAY 2023 – www.TodayPublishing.net – TODAY MAGAZINE

——————————————————————————————— Granby-Simsbury Chamber of Commerce — 860-651-7307 www.simsburycoc.org ——————————————————————————————— Green Door Restaurant — 860-693-9762 — Canton www.41bridgestreet.com ——————————————————————————————— Habitat for Humanity — 860-541-2208 — Hartford www.hfhncc.org ——————————————————————————————— Hartford Symphony Orchestra — 860-246-8742 — Hartford www.hartfordsymphony.org ——————————————————————————————— HealthMarkets Insurance — 860-307-1128 — Torrington www.healthmarkets.com — Mel Brickman ——————————————————————————————— Hulme & Sweeney Pianos — 860-408-4895 — Simsbury www.hulmesweeneypianoservice.com ——————————————————————————————— Karedigs.com — 860-379-4340 — Barkhamsted www.karedigs.com ——————————————————————————————— Kerian Home Health Care — 860-851-6267 — Simsbury www.keriancares.com ——————————————————————————————— Kevin Witkos: State Senator ——————————————————————————————— Landscape Solutions — 860-329-2014 — New Hartford www.landscapesolutionsct.com ——————————————————————————————— Leslee Hill for State Representative ——————————————————————————————— Lifetime Family Dentistry — 860-605-2075 — Collinsville www.lifetimefamilydentistryct.com ——————————————————————————————— Linda Kessler: Realtor — 860-836-6172 — Avon www.coldwellbankerhomes.com > Agents ——————————————————————————————— Liza Sivek Marketing — 203-278-5492 www.lizasivekmarketing.com ——————————————————————————————— Maglieri Construction — 860-242-0298 — Bloomfield www.maglieri-construction.com ——————————————————————————————— Magna Physical Therapy — 860-679-0430 — Avon www.magnapt.com ——————————————————————————————— Maher’s Paint & Wallpaper — 860-678-1200 — Avon + Simsbury www.maherspaintandwallpaper.com ——————————————————————————————— Make It GF — 860-693-1300 — Canton www.makeitgf.com ———————————————————————————————

Mandel Vilar Press — 806-790-4731 — Simsbury www.mvpublishers.org ——————————————————————————————— Massage Envy — 860-693-8000 — Canton www.massageenvy.com > Locations ——————————————————————————————— The Master’s School — 860-651-9361 — West Simsbury www.masterschool.org ——————————————————————————————— McLean — 860-658-3786 — Simsbury www.mcleancare.org ——————————————————————————————— Nails of Envy — formerly Canton + Avon ——————————————————————————————— Northwest Community Bank — 860-379-7561 www.nwcommunitybank.com ——————————————————————————————— Odalys Bekanich: Realtor — 860-965-3652 — Avon www.coldwellbankerhomes.com > Agents ——————————————————————————————— Peggy’s Personalized Promos — 860-379-7775 — New Hartford www.peggys.biz ——————————————————————————————— Planning Partners LLC — 860-693-9916 — Canton www.planningpartner.com ——————————————————————————————— Raimie Weber Jewelry — 860-409-3400 — Avon www.rweberjewelry.com ——————————————————————————————— Randy Brolo: Book Author www.lulu.com > Spirit of Delilah ——————————————————————————————— Ravenswood Natural Health — 860-264-1587 — Simsbury www.ravenswoodnaturalhealth.com ——————————————————————————————— Richman Business Brokerage — 860-408-9177 — Simsbury www.richmanbusiness.com — formerly The Deal Team ——————————————————————————————— Stone Man Masonry — 860-693-4637 — Canton www.facebook.com/StoneManMasonryCT ——————————————————————————————— Suburban Sanitation Service — 860-673-3078 — Canton www.subsanserv.com ——————————————————————————————— Tom Kutz Photography — 860-693-6254 — Canton www.tomkutzphoto.com ——————————————————————————————— Trading Post — 860-693-4679 — Canton www.tradingpostmusic.com ——————————————————————————————— Transition Fitness Center — 860-398-1449 — Canton www.transition-fitness-center.business.site ——————————————————————————————— UConn Health — 860-658-8750 www.health.uconn.edu ——————————————————————————————— Up Top Barbershop — 860-658-4499 — Simsbury www.booksy.com > Up Top Barbershop ——————————————————————————————— Vincent Funeral Homes — 860-693-0251 www.vincentfuneralhome.com

——————————————————————————————— Vincent Tully: Realtor — 860-214-3030 www.coldwellbankerhomes.com > Agent ——————————————————————————————— Welden Hardware — 860-658-4078 — Simsbury www.weldenhardware.com ——————————————————————————————— William Raveis — 860-693-2987 — Avon www.raveis.com/agentfind.asp?smart=1 ——————————————————————————————— The Village: Second Chance Shops — 860-236-4511 www.thevillage.org/second-chance-shops ———————————————————————————————

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