Written by: Jennifer Scott, SpiritFinder
Note: Jennifer Scott runs SpiritFinder.org in order to tell her story on mental health and empower others to share theirs.

Essential Tips When Preparing a Family Safety Plan

Getting the Most out of the National RHY Grantees Training

Prior to Attending the Training

• Check out and load the national training application (app).
• Look through the training events and workshops and plan your schedule.
• Ask your supervisor about the purpose of your participation and any priorities for your attention.
• Look for and plan to attend events/sessions that will provide opportunities to see other programs (site visits), meet federal staff, and connect with other grantees.
• Prepare a summary sheet to bring information back to your agency from the workshops you attend (this will help your supervisor see that it was a good investment to send you to the training). You may want to use the same points from above:
• Workshop title: What were the main points?
• What did you think of it?
• How should the program utilize the information?

At the National Training

Thankfulness

Written by: Tammy Hopper, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer, National Safe Place Network

By definition – thankful is easy to understand.  “Thanks” is an expression of gratitude – gratefulness – for something we have or have been given. It seems as if this would be simple and yet for some it is one of the most challenging concepts of all.

National Runaway Prevention Month Begins November 1!

WHAT IS NATIONAL RUNAWAY PREVENTION MONTH (NRPM)?

National Runaway Prevention Month is the annual awareness and prevention campaign for runaway and homeless youth issues. Every November, participants across the country host activities and events that amplify the experiences of runaway and homeless youth and the role everyone plays in ending youth homelessness.

Runaway Prevention Month is spearheaded each year by the National Runaway Safeline (NRS), the federally designated communication system for runaway and homeless youth, with the support of the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB).

Written by: Jennifer Scott, SpiritFinder
Note: Ms. Scott offers a forum where those living with anxiety and depression can discuss their experiences.

Photo Credit: BrookLorin, Pixabay

Written by: Paige Johnson, learnfit.org

Every parent wants what’s best for their children. As a parent of an autistic child, you are certainly no different. Having a child with autism presents a set of unique challenges for parents to figure out. Your latest puzzle is your home interior, and now you want to make a few changes to give your child the best home experience they could ever wish for. While no two children on the autism spectrum are alike, there are a few known ways to make your home more autism friendly. Whether you are starting from scratch with a new home or updating your current one, here are three key essentials every parent should know when designing their home.

Written by: Elizabeth Smith Miller, Director of Marketing & Events, National Safe Place Network

Are you one of the 41% of individuals who makes one or more New Year’s resolutions? In 2017, the top 5 New Year’s resolutions included:

Written by: Tammy Hopper, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer, National Safe Place Network

It would be difficult for me to think about or discuss the holidays without remembering my paternal grandparents and the influence they had on my life. As my mother’s parents had passed before I was born, my only experiences with grandparents were from a couple who were courageous, hard working, simple and very different from each other.

Written by: Tammy Hopper, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer, National Safe Place Network

If you applied for RHY funding this year, the staff of NSPN hope you have received good news. The work you do in your community is important and youth depend on your services. If you were successful, congratulations!

Written by Cerebral Palsy Guidance

Youth and family service organizations serve a multitude of young people, including those with disabilities. Children living with any type of disability are more vulnerable to bullying than their peers. With those disabilities that make a child look different, including Cerebral Palsy, the risk of being a victim of bullying is even higher. The Forum for Equality estimates that nearly 15-25% of students in the United States are victims of bullying. While bullying is a big problem for a lot of children, and the consequences can be serious, there are things that can be done to prevent this victimization and to help victims cope.

Written by: Tammy Hopper, Chief Strategic Initiatives Officer, National Safe Place Network

Written by: Shauna Brooks, MSSW; Principal Investigator, National Safe Place Network

This was supposed to be a 4-day weekend for me - Labor Day holiday Monday, and a vacation day Friday to bring home a newly adopted pet and allow some time for her to adjust to her new environment.  This is the first time in almost 18 years my partner and I have added someone to our little family.  We have talked about it and delayed and negotiated our preferences for so long.  Kim wanted someone small, and I really like big dog personalities.  Kim wanted a fur family member to provide me with emotional support.  I also wanted a dog to help me be more active.  After months, even years, we just couldn’t push it back any longer.

Written by Candace Leilani, Guest Blogger

“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” – Charlie Chaplin

Written by: Mark W. Wolf, Training Director at National Safe Place Network

This is my first attempt at a blog so bear with me.  I volunteered to do this one because the most significant thing I have learned in my nearly 40 year career in the youth work field is the importance of taking care of yourself.

Written by Autumn Sandlin, NSPN Marketing & Communications Intern

The end of the summer season is quickly approaching. School will be back in session soon enough, and with that comes supplies. School supplies can be an underlying source of anxiety for youth and their families. While supplies are essential to a student’s education, they can be expensive and cause a strain on families and their budgets. You can help the youth in your programs ease this burden by holding back—to--school donation drives. Not only will these drives help support youth you serve, but they’re also a great way for the community to become involved with your program(s).

Written by Elizabeth Smith Miller, Director of Marketing and Events, National Safe Place Network

I’m gruntled. I’m so gruntled I sneak around on the weekends, wake up really early, and stay at the “office” really late. I know, I know—you’re probably thinking this sounds like the beginning of a twisted Lifetime movie. I get that these activities can be seen in a negative light, but in this case—I assure you, they’re great!

Written by: April Carthorn, General Specialist, National Safe Place Network

Written by: Hilary Smith, Freelance Journalist

Written by: Susan Harmon, Director of Safe Place National Operations, National Safe Place Network

Written by: Karen Sieve, Regional Safe Place Manager, Youth in Need

Summer is around the corner.  Memorial Day means public pools are opening, and temperatures are warming up.  Summer is an important time for youth outreach.  Schools, which provide structure and additional supports throughout the fall, winter and spring, are not in session.  Children, teens and those who care about them are looking for fun activities to keep them occupied and out of trouble.  As temperatures heat up, however, many young people opt to stay indoors and find themselves home alone.  This can make outreach a challenge.