September 2008:
Contact us:
24-Hour Crisis Line
(206) 461-3222
(866) 4CRISIS or
(866) 427-4747
(206) 461-3219 TTY
24 hours, daily
2-1-1 Community
Information Line
Dial 2-1-1 or
(206) 461-3200
(800) 211-WASH
(206) 461-3610 TTY
M-F, 8am-6pm
Teen Link
(206) 461-4922
(866) TEENLINK or
(866) 833-6546
(206) 461-3219 TTY
6-10pm, nightly
Business Office
1515 Dexter Ave N
Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 461-3210
Fax: (206) 461-8368
M-F, 8am-5pm
Volunteer Services
(206) 461-3210 ext.
611
M-F, 8am-5pm
New Crisis Clinic Housing Brochures
The “Low-Cost Housing” brochures
have been updated and split into two brochures – “Low-Income Housing” and
“Transitional Housing.” The Transitional Housing brochures now distinguish
between programs that require referrals and those that do not. The new
brochures, as well as brochures highlighting other services for homeless
people in King County are available for download here.
Free Copies of Child Abuse Guide Available
Parenting Press has received 1,000
copies of “It’s My Body” which are slightly damaged (a half-inch tear in
the bottom of
the title page) and thus unsalable. Because the book describes how toddlers
and preschoolers can avoid sexual abuse, we are donating these books to
nonprofits and government and military agencies that work with children who
may be vulnerable. This is a 32-page picture book designed to be read to
children. If your agency would like copies of this title (a limited number
are
available),
contact Parenting Press on agency letterhead at PO Box 75267, Seattle, WA
98175. Recipients may be identified by name on our Web site. For details
about the book, click here.
Economic Stimulus Payments Still Available
United Way of King County reports
that more than 28,000 taxpayers in King County are eligible for the Economic
Stimulus Payment but have not filed a tax return. If these individuals
do not file by Oct. 15, they will not receive the $300 or $600 they are
entitled to, and approximately $8.5 million will fail to come back into our
community. Individuals who received more than $3,000 in wages, Social
Security payments, Social Security Disability payments and/or veterans*
benefits in 2007 are eligible for the payment. For outreach materials for
clients, call (206) 461-5048.
Get Connected at Community Resource Exchange
Friday, Sept. 12,
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Qwest Field Plaza, Seattle
The United Way of King County Community Resource
Exchange brings community members and organizations together to provide
homeless individuals and families in King County with immediate services, all
in one place, in one day. Services include long-distance phone calls, care
packages, legal assistance and foot care. Child care will be available for
participants. In 2007, the event helped more than 1,000 people. For details,
click here.
EKC Habitat for Humanity Holding Info Meetings
Habitat for Humanity
of East King County will hold four information meetings in September for families interested
in homeownership. Families must attend one of the information meetings to get
an application packet. Habitat for Humanity of East King County is seeking
families for two-, three- and four-bedroom homes in Snoqualmie and Issaquah
(and possibly Carnation). For more information on eligibility and for the
times and locations of the meetings, click here.
Free Civil Rights Forums
The King County Office of Civil Rights
is hosting a series of six free community forums at King County libraries in
September and October to help people learn more about their rights and responsibilities
under anti-discrimination laws. Civil Rights Specialists will be there to
provide practical advice, focusing on civil rights basics, such as how to
recognize discrimination, where and how to report it, and how to prevent
discrimination from occurring. These workshop locations are accessible and
have free parking. For information, click here, or call (206) 296-7592
or e-mail.
Accessible Voting Machines Publicized
Alliance of People with disAbilities
is engaged in a campaign to increase community awareness
of accessible voting machines and is providing hands-on practice voting
before Election Day. The machines feature easy to read, large and high contrast text ballots, audio
ballot options in English and Chinese, and tactile pieces to assist blind voters.
For more information call (206) 633-6623.
September is Disaster Preparedness Month
Washington state’s Emergency
Management Division has named September National Preparedness and Weather
Radio Awareness Month. Events include a statewide drop, cover and hold
earthquake drill Sept. 24 at 10:15 a.m. Weather radios are being promoted as all-hazard warning
systems. The governor has recommended weather radios become as common as
smoke detectors. For details, click here.
Latino Family Health Fair
Saturday, Sept. 6
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
1320 Auburn Way, S
Auburn
The 4th annual Latino Family
Health Fair offers free information and resources for the entire family,
including the following health screenings: Mammograms, Paps, Diabetes, Blood
Pressure, Vision, Dental and Osteoporosis. Food, prizes, local clinics and
English classes also available. For details, call (253) 874-7642.
Web site Helps with School Readiness
Foundation for
Early Learning has created a new Web site, Getting School Ready, to help
prepare children for school. The Web site contains the same information as the Getting School
Ready booklets - helpful resources that support adults in preparing their
early learners for kindergarten. This online resource also includes book
lists developed by children’s librarians, links to help find neighborhood
libraries, and downloadable early learning resources.
Apple Health for Kids Bus Comes to King County
The Apple Health for Kids bus
has been touring Washington promoting a new initiative to increase enrollment
in children’s medical assistance programs offered by DSHS. The initiative
streamlines the application process. The bus will be in Auburn Sept. 6 and in
Seattle Sept. 10. Click here
for complete schedule and times as well as more information about the
program.
|
Respite Care Program: An Essential Element of Supporting Local Family
Caregivers
By Carole Bourree, Aging and Disability Services Respite Care
Coordinator
Taking care of a loved
one can be a full-time job. It
requires hard work, patience, and good health. Unpaid caregivers need time off to maintain their health
and well-being.
The Seattle-King County Respite Care Program
gives unpaid caregivers a much needed break from the daily routines of
caregiving.
We’d like to share with
you a look at the vital support that the Respite Program provides for one
local family.
Grace Newman and Son Don Both Enjoy Their Wednesday Afternoons
Whatever other hopes and dreams he might have harbored
for his golden years, at age 77, Donald Newman finds himself in the role of primary,
unpaid caregiver for his 96-year-old mother. Her low vision, profound
hearing loss, and significant mobility issues have made Grace Newman
dependent on full time care by her son. Despite his own difficulties and
losses in his life, Don is committed to helping his mother live out her life
in her own home. They are grateful that Grace has remained alert and
oriented. She is keenly aware of the wonderful care she receives from her son
and the sacrifices he has made for her. For his birthday this year, she
demonstrated her appreciation with a homemade card, which took her weeks to
complete with fingers so stiff she can barely hold a pencil. While an
outsider might not be impressed with the result, Donald will always treasure
it for the love that his mother put into it.
Grace rarely leaves her
Ballard home these days. A past hip fracture contributed to her difficulty
with walking, despite a hip replacement and her trusty walker. Stairs have
become nearly impossible for her. So it is not safe for Don to leave his
cherished, frail mother home alone. But both look forward to Wednesday
afternoons, when their respite aide arrives to spend a few hours with Grace.
This gives Don a much needed break from caregiving. It affords him an
opportunity to spend time with other important people in his life, run
essential errands, or go to medical appointments to manage his own health
concerns.
A special bond has
formed between Grace and home care aide “Joan,” who comes to them through
Solid Ground Home Care (formerly Fremont Home Care), a contracted respite
provider agency. Grace especially enjoys savoring a cup of tea, which Joan
has learned to make “just the way she likes it.” The family has been
fortunate to keep the same aide since enrolling with the Respite Program. Don
cared for his mother with very little help for three years before he learned
about the program in 2004. He was approaching “burnout,” an all too common
state for long-term caregivers. He says Joan is “super” and he doesn’t know
how he could have continued to take care of his mother without the assistance
of the Respite Care Program.
The Seattle-King County Respite Care
Program is administered by Aging and Disability Services, in the City
of Seattle Human Services
Department. You may qualify for
Respite Care if you are:
·
18 years or older and caring for a person with a disability who is 18
years or older.
·
The primary caregiver
·
Unpaid
for your caregiving
Call one of the
following Senior Information & Assistance (I&A) Programs to find out
if you are eligible:
Seattle, North
& South King County
Senior Services I & A
(206) 448-3110
(800) 972-9990
East King County
Evergreen Care Network Case Management Program
(425) 899-3200 1(800) 676-6692
Chinese-Speaking
Persons
Chinese Information & Service Center
(206) 624-5633 •
Eastside Cultural Navigator Program:
Help is now available in Spanish, Russian,
Chinese and Languages of India
Many people previously stymied by language difficulties
are now able to get help for their families thanks to the full launch of the
Eastside Cultural Navigator Program.
The Eastside Cultural Navigator Project is
designed for immigrants and refugees who may have difficulty accessing
health, housing or human services or who need assistance in learning the
norms of everyday life, such as how to talk to a school teacher, how to apply
for a job, or how to take the Metro bus. The program works to ensure needs
are met with available resources and also works to limit the problems that
can arise through isolation and lack of information.
“We’ve struggled for many years with the
difficulties of ensuring that all are able to tap the services on our
campus,” said Pam Mauk, Executive Director, Family Resource Center. “The
great increase in immigrants and refugees on the Eastside corresponds with
tremendous funding pressures for human services agencies. The 18 agencies on
the Family Resource Center campus are very grateful to have a better way to
help immigrants.”
The program has been experimenting with its model
for the last year but has now launched with a full contingent of
“navigators,” including Russian support at Crossroads Mini City Hall and near
full-time support in Spanish at Family Resource Center. Chinese-speaking
assistance is found on Wednesdays at the Center, and four hours of supports
in the languages of India are available on Tuesdays.
East King County has a greater percentage of
immigrant and refugees than the city of Seattle. It’s estimated that 31% of Bellevue residents speak a
language other than English at home. That is true of over half of those
tapping services at HealthPoint medical clinic on the Family Resource Center
campus.
In response, the Eastside Refugee and Immigrant
Coalition (ERIC) was formed to meet these growing needs. After a first effort (the printing in
five languages of a resource directory, Healthy Communities), ERIC
convened a group of interested agency leaders to work on a new strategy. From
this group the Eastside Cultural Navigator Program was launched. Chinese
Information and Service Center was selected to coordinate the program, and
funding was garnered from the cities of Redmond, Kirkland and Bellevue, and
King County.
Russian-speaking customers of the program recently
wrote a letter to the city of Bellevue, which was signed by scores. “When we
are worried or scared we come to (Irina Chermeshnyuk) and (she) helps us
decide what to do next…We feel a part of the community because...of this
wonderful cultural program provides someone who speaks our language to help
us.”
For more information, call or e-mail the program
coordinator, Chor
Phen Ng: (425) 289-8607,phenn@cisc-seattle.org,
at Chinese Information & Service Center. •
Return to the top
Basic
Food Program Expanding Eligibility
The income
limits will increase for Basic Food, Washington’s food stamp program, Oct. 1.
To inform and educate people about the program changes and benefits, DSHS
will incorporate many of the following key messages in a comprehensive
marketing and outreach campaign.
WHAT
IS THE BASIC FOOD PROGRAM?
Basic Food
is a food and nutrition program for individuals and families who meet income
guidelines. Also known as the
food stamp
program, Basic Food helps people to afford a nutritious diet by providing
eligible households an electronic
benefits
card and monthly benefits to buy food at participating grocery stores.
THE
RULES HAVE CHANGED!
The gross income
limits to apply for the program will increase to 200% of the Federal Poverty
Guidelines, which means a family of 4 will qualify if they make less than
$3,534 per month. Net income limits and asset limits are also waived under
this expansion. If someone applies in September 2008, DSHS will look at
eligibility for October at that time.
GETTING
BASIC FOOD IS EASIER
·
People can
apply in person at the local office, by mail, or online
·
We can
arrange a phone interview anytime an in-office interview is
·
inconvenient
and we can help verify any required information
·
People can
call toll-free at (877) 14-FOOD (3663) for more information or to request an
application
·
On average,
applications for eligible households are approved in fewer than nine days
·
More than half
of all applications are approved in fewer than six days
·
Fewer
reporting requirements and longer eligibility periods make it easier to keep
getting Basic Food every month •
Return to the top
Critical
Resource Updates
Compiled by Resource Center Staff
It
is always recommended to check Community
Resources Online for additional information and for the most current information
updates of the following resources.
Operational Emergency Center, a
multi-service agency serving South Seattle and the surrounding area has
closed due to financial difficulties. The agency provided basic assistance,
including food, clothing and household supplies to individuals and families.
Seattle Housing Authority is
expanding its waiting list check-in program called “Save My Spot” to those on
its waiting list for senior housing. Beginning Oct. 1, it will require senior
housing applicants to check in once a month to keep their position on the
list. For details, click here. •
Return to the top
September and October Selected Resources
Compiled by Crisis Clinic’s Resource Center
Staff
This
column highlights timely resources in the community information database that
might otherwise go unnoticed by our users. It is always recommended to check Community Resources Online
for additional information and for the most current information concerning
the following resources.
September Resource
Highlights
American Lung Association of Washington
Web site locates flu shot clinics by ZIP codes. The
Locator, at http://www.flucliniclocator.org/,
provides the date, times, address, phone number and a map for the clinics
offering flu shots near the ZIP code. Site reopens with new information each
September.
Atlantic Street Center
Provides a research-based and research-validated early childhood literacy and
school readiness program that strengthens families and prepares children for
academic success through extensive home visiting. Program services start in
late September and run throughout the school year. Program duration is for
two years.
Gethsemane Community Services
Serves a hot meal followed by a movie each Saturday at 11 a.m. from September
through May. Ticket pick-up: 9:30 a.m., Saturday. Doors close at 11:30 a.m.
Millionair Club Charity, Inc.
A weekly eye clinic is available for clients who need an eye exam. Clients
are eligible for an exam and a pair of glasses once per year. The program is
run by volunteer opticians and optometrists Thursday mornings from September
through June and is funded by the Lions Sight Foundation.
Municipal League of King County
Non-partisan organization investigates issues impacting residents and
governments of King County. Volunteers are coordinated to prepare an election
guide in July and August. September and November reports carry the League’s
report on candidates and ballot issues. Reports are free and available to the
public.
October Resource
Highlights
Families
for Effective Autism Treatment - FEAT of Washington
Program hosts children with autism and their siblings. Activities are designed
to get children out of the house and facilitate productive social interaction
with other children. Activities are run by trained facilitators and include
fun, social and educational activities geared specifically for children with
autism and their siblings. Provides three hours of quality respite for
parents. Every second Saturday of the month 10 a.m.-1 p.m. October through
June.
SmileMobile
Mobile dental van offers oral health services for children on a year-round
basis. Basic dental services include examinations, preventive care, fillings
and minor oral surgery. Van locations vary in Washington state. Will be in
Tukwila Oct. 29-Nov. 3. Accepts medical coupons and offers sliding scale fees
with up to 90 percent off the fee.
Solid Ground - Volunteer
Program
Volunteers, many who are homebound, knit or crochet handmade hats, scarves,
mittens and baby items for homeless people in Seattle/King County.
Approximately 3,000 items are made annually. Volunteers who want to make
clothing are asked to call or visit the office. Finished clothing is given to
shelters and agencies in the community. Agencies should enquire in October
about application and distribution dates (usually November-December) every
year. •
Return to the top
“Resource
Talk,” Crisis Clinic’s free monthly e-newsletter, provides critical resource
changes, community events, feature articles on important health and human
service topics and updates to the annual publication of the Where to Turn
Plus directory. Click here to
subscribe or unsubscribe to Resource Talk.
You may view past issues of Resource Talk by clicking here.
Crisis
Clinic offers a variety of products to help connect people with critical
resources. Information about purchasing Crisis Clinic’s Where to Turn
Directories, Where to Turn CD-ROMs, customized reports, customized mailing
labels and holiday lists can be found online
by clicking here.
Crisis Clinic respects the privacy of our Web site
users.
For business purposes, please e-mail us at ResourceCenter@CrisisClinic.org
or call us at (206) 461-3210.
http://www.CrisisClinic.org
This Newsletter was last updated on Friday, August 29, 2008 03:27 PM
|
