ALBANY, N.Y. â New York State is honoring Katherine G. Alonge-Coons, the Rensselaer County Mental Health Commissioner, with the 2021 âWhatâs Great in our Stateâ Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Lifetime Achievement award is given annually to recognize professionals and volunteers who have shown a lifetime commitment to strengthening the mental health of children, youth, and families. It includes those who have worked in the development, administration, or delivery of mental health services.
Alonge-Coons is being recognized for her career-long dedication to direct care, advocacy, and the oversight of programs for youth struggling with mental health issues. She began her career more than 30 years ago in Rensselaer County as a child and adolescent therapist and then moved into the newly formed Intensive Case Management Program (ICM).
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The bi-weekly podcast titled “In My Backyard” is led by the nonprofit’s CEO, Patricia Costales, who will speak with experts about causes of emotional distress in children and how to address them in a healthy, safe way.
“With everything that has happened this past year, the COVID-19 pandemic and racial uprising, I wanted an outlet where I could speak with other experts about how these issues impact the mental health of our children and families,” Costales said on the podcast’s website.
Two episodes of the podcast are already available for listening online. In the first, “Children’s Mental Health” Costales talks with Guidance Center clinical social worker, Mickey Prince, about the struggles the children have faced and the impact the pandemic is having on them.
5 May 2021 Staff
The pandemic has been especially challenging for children, youth and their families and it is impacting their mental health, according to a release issued by FIREFLY. But with a few tools under their belts, parents and caregivers can give the young people in their lives the support they need.
“All children and youth may experience brief issues with mental wellness, but when the issue starts to interfere with school, family, or everyday living it is important to find help,” said the release. “FIREFLY is here to help children, youth, and their families struggling with mental health.”
Children’s Mental Health Week gives all families the opportunity to be aware of child and youth mental health and the many services available in our community.
April 29, 2021 · 0 Comments
By Sam Odrowski
The pandemic has had a profound impact on youth and their mental health.
However, through the chaos, many have shown resiliency, which has led the Orangeville Public Library to team up with Family Transition Place (FTP) to bring the Resiliency Poem Contest to youth from grade 4 to grade 8 in the region.
The contest involves creating a 6 Word Story Poem highlighting how you or someone you know has shown resiliency over the last year.
The poems are then submitted to travis@familytransitionplace.ca by May 13 at 4 p.m., for a chance to win a prize and have your poem featured on FTP’s social media feeds.
Mary Jane Archibald of Ininew Friendship Centre is continuing her crusade to have the Moose Cree language regain its standing as the language of choice with…