Noteworthy Tidbits: Spring 2010

DeAnna Lucas Receives ARRM Cares Award
DeAnna Lucas, a counselor for our Services to Persons with Special Needs program, was one of six direct support professionals to receive the Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota (ARRM) Cares Award. The award recognizes professionals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to providing quality services including professional integrity, advocacy, and innovative approach. Ms. Lucas will be formally presented with the award in May at The ARRM Cares Award Ceremony in Minneapolis. (Pictured to the left are DeAnna Lucas and Steve Sargent, a resident at our Portland Home.)

Christine Harnack Receives MFBSA Award
The Minnesota Family Based Services Association (MFBSA) honored Christine Harnack, MA, LP, LMFT, Director of our Mental Health Clinics, with the Presidential Award in February. The award recognized Ms. Harnack (pictured to the right) for the stellar outcomes she has achieved for children and families, as well as for exemplifying strength-based, family-centered philosophy, earning the respect of her peers, and for serving as a leader in the community.

MDS-MNSA Goes to National Academic Bowl
Our sponsored charter school, Metro Deaf School-Minnesota North Star Academy (MDS-MNSA) placed second in the Midwest Regional Academic Bowl competition hosted by Gallaudet University at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf during the first weekend of February. The win will allow the team (pictured to the left) to advance to the national championship games to be held at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC in April.

Park ElderCenter Celebrates Black History Month
Seniors at our Park ElderCenter celebrated Black History Month and the contributions of African Americans in February with a series of educational programs including “Tribute to the Black Soldiers of WWII” featuring World War II Historian Joe Brown, and “Black History From A Generation-X Perspective: Can You Feel Me?” presented by Reggie Edwards, a professional speaker on Black History in America. (Pictured to the right are Liz Moore, Reggie Edwards and Willie Daniels.)

Recent Retirees from the Highrise Social Service Program

Tom Korich (pictured to the left) retired in January 2010 after 15 years of service as a Social Worker in the Highrise Social Service Program. Tom worked with thousands of Minneapolis Public Housing residents over the years and those residents have expressed their immense gratitude for the assistance he provided.

Kathy Veranth (pictured to the right) is retiring in April 2010 after 31 years of service. Kathy began as a Statistical Clerk, was promoted to Social Service Coordinator and then licensed Social Worker for our Highrise Social Service Program.

Staff Complete Training
A team of our therapists attended and completed more than 80 hours of intensive, advanced training in Dialectic Behavioral Therapy (DBT) this past year and are now in a position to be certified DBT Therapists. The team included Katie Troyak, Julie Bluhm, and Jaime Monson of our Mental Health Clinics, and Jennifer Barrett and Sara Boelman from our Avanti Center for Girls.

Larry Weight and Jason Smith of our Mental Health Clinics completed Evidenced Based Practices Training sponsored by the Department of Human Services and are in a position to be
certified EBT Therapists.

Kelly Krueger, Ehlan Thompson and Julie Bluhm of our Mental Health Clinics completed Trauma Focused Evidence Based Practices Training sponsored by the Department of Human Services and are in position to be
certified TR-EBT therapists.