Newspaper Page Text
Program, from ia
works specifically with families
who have children enrolled in Perry
•Elementary, Perry Middle, Lindsey
{Elementary and Tabor Middle
When children in those
•four schools are referred to us, our
•programs often extend to children in
pother schools, if there are brothers
{or sisters in school, or pre-school if
{there are pre-school-age children in
{the family," Ferguson said.
{ "Family Connection works with
{the whole family, but only a family
{that wants the services we offer is
{involved,” she said.
J "There is a support team for each
{end of the county The team, which
•consists of a case manager, a family
•therapist, a registered nurse and a
•site coordinator, goes to each of the
jfour schools enrolled in the
•program and works with families
•referred to us by sch<x)l counselors.
{The case manager coordinates
{everything and links the family
{with the needed resources,"
Ferguson said.
{.Gov. Zell Miller established the
{family Connection program to
{assist families through a
collaboration of community service
{agencies. In Houston County, the
ligencies include Peachbell Mental
tlealth Center, the Houston County
School system, Houston County
lealth Department, Houston
'ounty Department of Family and
(Children's Services, Houston
(County Sheriff’s Department,
(louston County Youth Services,
(iouston Drug Action Council,
County Commission,
court-appointed Special Advocate,
Rainbow House, Inc., Middle
Georgia Community Action
and the Houston County
suvenile Court.
"The whole point of Family
Connection is working with the
family," Ferguson said.
ill
r-
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"The child's problem is often
related to the family's problem, for
example, a child may be performing
poorly at school because of tension
at home created because the father
does not have a job and may have a
substance-abuse (alcohol or drugs)
problem. The case manager
provides support and links the
family to the appropriate agencies
which can help solve their
problems. Often, the support is on
-going and the case manager stays in
touch with the family," Ferguson
said.
The Houston County Board of
Education, at its meeting last week,
agreed to provide $42,200 from its
reserve fund to get the program
through the end of the fiscal year.
"It would have been a wing and a
prayer, month-by-month, if the
school board hadn’t agreed to help,"
Ferguson said.
Family Connection is funded by a
$30,000 state grant and Medicaid
reimbursements. Grants from other
state and federal sources also help
and hospitals in Perry and Warner
Robins provide registered nurses.
Expenditures for the current fiscal
year were budgeted at $101,200 and
income was projected at $59,000.
"We have just received
notification from the Interna!
Revenue Service that we are a non
profit agency and can receive tax
dedacfible donations,” Ferguson
said.
Volunteers are also needed to
provide help with tutoring students
in a particular subject,
transportation to medical or non
medical appointments, help with
parenting programs and support
groups for parents. Donations are
needed to help pay for prescription
medicines, back-to-school or
seasonal clothing needs and to help
pay for summer camp
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opportunities.
"We need to expand to serve a
higher number of non-Medicaid
families. There are a lot of children
that need our services that we just
can't help because of a lack of
funding," Ferguson said.
"The support the Board of
Education is providing means we
will serve many more families that
need support, but do not qualify for
other state and federal programs,"
she said.
The program is currently serving
approximately 35 families. "The
maximum we like to have each case
manager working is 25-30
families," Ferguson said.
"The vision of our Family
Connection program is that we
could provide services for every
school in the county," Ferguson
said.
Jackson,
from 1A
adult. "I make mostly As and Bs,
with a C thrown in every now and
then. I like science best. I think
God will show me what I'll be
when I get older."
If her parents were healthy, what
would Amanda want for Christmas?
It took some urging from her
parents to answer: a pair of boots
that are popular with teens today
("They look like work boots," she
said) and a Walkman casette tape
player that also has an AM/FM
radio.
But, she'd gladly go without any
gifts under the small Christmas tree
in their apartment if her Mom and
Dad could have their health
problems cured.
BOE, from 1/V
Chapel elementary schools, thanks
to funding from Perry Hospital.
The $25,000 budgeted by the
hospital from its indigent care fund
will cover nurses salaries and
equipment needed at the four
schools.
There are already four schools
with clinics operating, Perry
Elementary, Lindsey Elementary,
Tabor Middle and Perry Middle
schools.
Kathy Shiplett, the school
system's head nurse, said the in
school clinic program currently
involves two licensed practical
nurses (LPNs) and herself. The
expansion will add two registered
nurses (RNs) to split up the
number of schools among the three
RNs.
"We work with the Public Health
Department and Family Connection
staffs of LPNs," Shiplett said, "to
provide health care needs for those
children who don't have a private
health-care provider. We can spot
those children who are eligible for
Medicaid and see that they are
enrolled."
The in-school clinic staff will not
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If you are interested, please complete an application at any of
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LOCATIONS NAME DAYS TIME
Eastman Dept, of Labor Mon.-Fri. BAM-2PM
Perry Dept, of Labor Mon.-Fri. BAM-4:3OPM
Sylvester Dept, of Labor Mon.-Fri. BAM-4:3OPM
Cordele Dept, of Labor Mon.-Fri. BAM-4:3OPM
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Wednesday, December 21,1394, Houston Times -Joumtf
be doing medical diagnoses or
complete examinations, Shiplett
explained. "We will be providing
health-care checks and then
arranging with the parents and
physicians for whatever care and
treatment the child needs. Our
LPNs will do limited exams on ill
or injured children and then notify
the parents and arrange for a doctor
to see the child for further care."
The clinic staff of LPNs will
support the RNs who come to the
school on a regular basis.
"The health care community in
Houston County has always worked
hand-in-hand with the schools,"
Shiplett said. "If we have a child
with a health problem, we never
have a problem getting proper
health care.
Each registered nurse will be at
one of the schools a half-day and
will collaborate with the Public
Health Department and Family
Connection LPNs to provide health
assessments.
At the middle and high school
levels, the clinics will also check
the student" nutritional needs as
well as their henlih needs. Shiplett
said.
There have been no major health
problems in the Houston County
schools this year. Shiplett said.
"We've had the normal colds and flu
and sniffles." she said
In other action, the school board
approved the allocation on $42,200
from its reserve funds to Family
Connection, to help fund the
program through June 30. Family
Connection provides services like
job search assistance, GED
education counseling and access to
supplemental food and health care.
The board also approved a
federally required school bus drug
and alcohol testing program. The
program covers all county school
bus drivers and other employees
with CDL licenses, including
teachers who drive buses for field
trips.
Monthly tests will be given on
randomly selected drivers.
The meeting was the final one for
retiring board chairman Zell
Blackmon, who was praised by each
board member and Hinnant.
Page 5A