HOPE for WOMEN
House of Peace & Education, Inc.

Computer and Job-Skills Training

HOPE for WOMEN is a flexible program of computer education, job-skills training and support FREE for income eligible women. From beginner to advanced, this program is tailored to you!!

2008 - 2009 Calendar

Daytime Sessions
Monday - Friday
9 - 11:30 a.m. Or 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
►September 3rd - October 2nd
►October 6th - November 5th
►November 12th - December 15th
►January - February 4th
►February 9th - March 11
►March 16th - April 15th
►April 21st - May 20th
May 26th - June 24th
 

Evening Sessions
Monday & Wednesday
5:30 - 8 p.m.
►September 8th - November 5th
►January 5th - March 9th
►March 23 - May 20th

For more information or to apply contact:
Mary Roth, Director
20 Barthel Ave.
Gardner, MA 01440
(978) 630-4752
Email: mroth@hopegardner.org

The F/H Career Center now has a satellite office in North Quabbin located at 131 W. Main Street in Orange. The office offers a variety of workshops/trainings, job fairs and general job search and will be open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8:30 - 4:30 p.m.
(978) 544-3506 or (800) 457-2603

www.fhcc-onestop.com

Tue - Wed
8:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Myths & Realities of Sexual Offending
&
Sex Offender Management

Hosted by the Sex Abuse Prevention Project of the North Quabbin Community Coalition

The North Quabbin region was selected as one of three pilot sites in Massachusetts to develop an innovative approach to the management of sexual offenders.

The project uses known best practice methods to prevent re-offending by known registered sex offenders within the community.

The project is funded by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety. A Project Coordinator works in partnership with local law enforcement, courts and others to support implementation of current SORB requirements as well as to coordinate community education events and trainings to dispel myths about offenders and the reality of current law.

A Community Advisory Council oversees the project and works to identify policy issues that impact community safety and to advocate for systemic change.

To schedule a an overview session or to schedule a training for your group, community or professionals, please contact Rebecca Bialecki (978) 249-3703 or email Info@nqcc.org

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention
To schedule a training for your group, contact the North Quabbin Community Coalition
(978) 249-3703 or Rebecca@nqcc.org

The North Quabbin Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Project, of the Coalition's CARE Task Force, is one of the 3 communities statewide supported by the Mass. Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Partnership which is funded by the National Center for Disease Control. Local professional trainers offer FREE workshops designed to meet the needs of your group. Skills for both parents and professionals to prevent child sexual abuse and identify potential offenders or situations that may pose risk to children are core components of each presentation. The model focuses on engaging adults in effective perpetration prevention. Call to schedule your staff or parent group training today!

For more information about the Partnership visit www.enoughabuse.org.

Shaken Baby Syndrome
Babies Cry: Have A Plan

To schedule a training for your group, contact Kathleen Hardie at Valuing Our Children
(978) 249-8467 or email khardie@charter.net

Definition: Set of symptoms and physical findings including:

In most cases, there are no external signs of trauma and no clear history of injury.

SBS occurs with violent repeated shakes while an adult holds the child by the arms or chest and can have the following outcomes:

Learn about common misconceptions about Shaken Baby Syndrome and why there are so many cases that go undiagnosed.

Article that appeared in the Boston Globe

By Jetta Bernier and Harry Spence

PATRICK, 6 months old, Boston; Natalie, 5 months, Brockton; Josh, 3 months, Dracut; Theresa, 2 months, Worcester; Harry, 4 months, Framingham; Jack, 1 month, Holyoke; Adam, 2 months, Leominster; Melissa, 3 months, Lynn; Frank, 6 months, Brighton; Heather, 3 months, Rockport; Michael, 2 months, Holden; Patricia, 1 month, Springfield. . .

These are some of the nearly 80 Massachusetts children, according to a recent report by the Department of Social Services, who were killed or injured from 2001 to 2004 after being shaken by a parent or caregiver. Since shaken baby syndrome is often undetected and misdiagnosed, these names and numbers tell only a partial story. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, inflicted brain injury is the No. 1 way infants are killed in our country. Shaking a baby, usually in response to infant crying or fussiness, is the most frequent cause.

Sadly, nearly a third of children who are injured from being shaken die as a result. Those who do survive can suffer lifelong consequences including brain damage, blindness, hearing loss, and mental retardation. Medical costs can reach $1 million in the first three years after a serious incident. According to the Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, rehabilitation and custodial care for a survivor can range from $4 million to $9 million in lifetime costs. Legal and law enforcement expenses, child welfare and special education costs add to the price tag -- about 60 percent of which is borne by state programs.

Yet these injuries, and the expenses that follow them, can be prevented. For that to happen, we need to understand how often shaken baby syndrome occurs -- and work with healthcare workers and parents to stop it .

Nearly one-third of cases in the United States are not diagnosed at the first hospital or pediatric visit following a shaking incident, according to research by pediatrician Dr. Carole Jenny. In a study of 173 children injured by shaking, over one-fourth of those not diagnosed were injured again. As a result, 40 had complications that could have been avoided, and four died because of lack of diagnosis.

Fortunately, such incidents are not inevitable. Educating parents of newborns about the dangers of shaking reduces the incidence of the syndrome by nearly half, according to one recent study. Teaching parents and caregivers skills to successfully soothe infant crying, such as those promoted by pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp, would go a long way to reduce the syndrome and other forms of physical abuse.

Public health leaders and child advocates stand ready to implement tested plans to reduce these preventable tragedies. Here in Massachusetts, an initiative to prevent shaken baby syndrome has been underway in Worcester County for over three years involving hospitals, regional offices of the Departments of Public Health, Social Services, Early Care and Education, as well as the district attorney's office and many private agencies. With support from the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts, the program has educated hundreds of healthcare providers and other professionals.

An in-hospital program operating in the county's birthing hospitals has educated more than 250 nurses about shaken baby syndrome and its prevention. These nurses have in turn educated more than 5,000 parents of newborns. Surveys show that 83 percent of parents shared the information with their children's other caregivers. Of parents who reported their babies had been crying or fussing a lot during the first three months, 94 percent reported that the training helped. Over 8 percent called the statewide Parental Stress Line as they had been encouraged to do for support .

Policy leaders have taken notice. Several months ago, Beacon Hill legislators listened to heart-wrenching testimony as parents described their once healthy babies now dead or disabled. Many that day, including legislators, were moved to tears at the senseless loss of life.

Within days Massachusetts is expected to pass the most comprehensive shaken baby prevention legislation in the country. It will direct the Department of Public Health to collaborate with other agencies to implement a statewide initiative. Many features being proposed have already been piloted in Worcester County .

With resolve, legislators and advocates have achieved an important victory . If the bill's provisions are implemented, some children who might have died or been injured will be spared.

Jetta Bernier is executive director of Massachusetts Citizens for Children and directs its SBS Prevention Center. Harry Spence is commissioner of the state Department of Social Services.