We want to thank everyone who stood up in support of the nonprofit human services sector throughout the NYS budget process. We saw some positive things, including the inclusion of the cost of living adjustment (COLA) for some segments of our workforce.
 
But the jury is still out on an issue that has the potential to impact tens of thousands of New Yorkers every year. A law enacted in 2010 made it legally impossible for thousands and thousands of these trained, qualified, licensed, needed professionals, including Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHCs) and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs) to make these diagnoses. But every year since 2010, our elected officials have issued temporary exemptions to allow these professionals to make these diagnoses.
 
These temporary exemptions have helped more clients get help, and the past 13 years have proven beyond any doubt that these licensed professionals are capable and qualified. So why are we on the precipice of losing their ability to diagnose forever? The temporary exemptions will end forever this June if we don’t change the law. That means it’s time to change the law.
 
We need to make sure our state elected officials support the inclusion of legislation introduced in the state Senate (S5301-A) and state Legislature (A6008-B) to modernize and standardize requirements for these professionals. We need this settled by June 24, or people throughout the state will face even longer wait times when reaching out for help with mental health.
 
If you believe in this issue, let your elected officials know where you stand!

Find your NYS Senator
Find your NYS Assemblymember

Previous Budget Issues

March 10, 2022
I Gotta Feelin: Mental Health Scope of Practice

There are nowhere near enough mental health professionals in New York state, a fact that sadly has been true for decades. These professionals have the training and experience needed to enable them to make informed mental health diagnoses when a client comes into care. And having a proper diagnosis is vitally important when developing a treatment plan, working with insurance companies, and helping clients make real, meaningful progress.

Here’s where it gets confusing: Even though there has historically been a shortage of professionals, a law enacted in 2010 made it legally impossible for thousands and thousands of these trained, qualified, licensed, needed professionals (including Licensed Mental Health Counselors and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists) to make these diagnoses. But every year since then, our elected officials have issued temporary exemptions to allow these professionals to make these diagnoses.

These temporary exemptions have helped more clients get help, and the past 12 years have proven beyond any doubt that these licensed professionals are capable and qualified. So why are we on the precipice of losing their ability to diagnose forever? The temporary exemptions will end forever this June if we don’t change the law. That means it’s time to change the law.

We support the inclusion of legislation introduced in the state Senate (S5301-A) and state Legislature (A6008-B) to modernize and standardize requirements for these professionals. We can’t take tools away from more than 10,000 life-changing professionals because of outdated thinking. Waiting lists are too long already. Let’s get this language into the budget, and let’s keep serving New Yorkers.

March 3, 2022
Stayin' Alive: Prevention Services

Thanks to  new and better ways to treat children and families, over the past 10 years the number of children in foster care drop dramatically. For those children who do still require placement, the average length of stay has been reduced. Why? Prevention services.

Prevention workers work side-by-side with families, in homes and in communities, to help families find and get the help they need. These trained Prevention professionals get to know the rhythms of each household, and can see and address challenges before they become problems—problems that might lead to a youth entering foster care. During the pandemic, with the pain of disconnection adding to the stresses of h securing food, intimate partner violence, mental health crises, and substance use disorders, these Prevention workers stepped up and did even more to connect families to the help they needed. And they did it despite a ‘temporary’ cut in funding.

You know the old saying, “an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure”? Well, a dollar of Prevention funding equals fewer tax dollars spent in the foster care system. We applaud Governor Hochul for recommending the extension of the child welfare preventive funding statute for 5 years. The extension, however, fails to correct prior temporary cuts in reimbursement for local preventive services. Due to prior period state deficits, the preventive services reimbursement rate paid through to counties was reduced from 65 percent to 62 percent—year after year.

It’s a new day in New York, and these annual cuts are no longer needed. We recommend the preventive services funding be returned to the statutorily required 65 percent level effective April 1, 2022.

February 24, 2022
RESPECT: Retention Payments

The budget calls for one-time retention payments to be made to frontline staff in Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) programs. That means cutting checks to some of the frontline professionals who left their homes every day throughout the pandemic to deliver critical in-person care to some of the state’s most vulnerable individuals. These pandemic heroes didn’t ask for anything extra—they just kept going to work, helping others in need. We think they deserve these payments, and applaud the governor for including them.

But a big group of pandemic heroes, heroes who stepped up and showed the same strength and courage, who have been left out. Child welfare and human services workers strapped on their PPE, kissed their families goodbye for the day, and kept right on showing up for abused and neglected children, the elderly, those in recovery, and hundreds of thousands of our friends and neighbors. They deserve the same level of respect, recognition, and thanks as their counterparts in OMH and OPWDD programs, and we urge our elected officials to include them in the pool of recipients.

A fulltime frontline human services worker starts at about $30,000 a year, per the rates set in many of these programs. That’s $600 a week, before taxes, to live on. That’s rent, food, insurance, student loans, and hopefully a little self-care for those who truly need it.  A retention payment can and would make an incredible difference in the lives of these heroes. They would be a way to not only say thank you, but truly show our gratitude. Let’s show them how we feel.

February 17, 2022
I Will Survive: Foster Parent Support

Foster parents are the core foundation of the child welfare system in our state, serving as a vital part of the effort to reduce out of home care and promote permanency. Foster parents receive a small stipend to provide care and support for children living in their homes—a stipend that for too long has not covered basic care and support. The Executive budget proposes an overdue increase those who provide in-home care to thousands of children each year.

Sadly, many potential foster parents, people who could and would make a real difference in a child’s life, elect not to participate because they have concerns about being able to financially support a foster child. The proposed monthly increase is deserved and will support the recruitment of new homes and parents. More foster homes means more children maintained in their home communities.

However, the financial increase is a cost for local counties. Increasing foster parent payments and then requiring local government to absorb the cost is just a cost shift and an example of state action that hurts local taxpayers.

Local governments will be forced reduce other programs to pay for the mandated foster parent increase. The options for reductions are few. Cuts will occur in preventive services programs, detention reduction projects and other youth focused services. Cutting one part of the human services safety net to bolster another is a zero-sum game.

That’s why we recommend the full funding of the foster parent increase through an increase in the level of appropriation for the foster care block grant.

February 10, 2022
Stand By Me: 11% for Special Education

New York state designates special education as “specially designed individualized or group instruction or special services or programs to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities, provided at no cost to the parent.” When a home district isn’t the right place for special education students to find success, they can attend what the state has designated as 853 Special Education schools. These schools feature smaller class sizes, higher staff-to-student ratios, more individualized educational options, and additional supports to these students. They provide extra help for those in need.

It stands to reason that extra help requires extra resources. Yet the state has historically funded these 853 schools at a lower rate than they fund public schools. Forget a higher level of support—853 schools haven’t even achieved funding parity from state lawmakers. Each year, advocates need to advocate for needed support, and far too often that support doesn’t make it into final budget packages.

This year, the proposed budget contains a one-time 11 percent boost in special education rates. We appreciate the recognition of the need for parity, and hope that such parity will be made permanent.

February 3, 2022
Here Comes the Sun: 5.4% Cost of Living Adjustment

New York’s families have faced many challenges in past years: the down economy, joblessness, homelessness, opiate/substance abuse, and violence in already plagued communities; for these forgotten New Yorkers, times are still hard. When families are in crisis and children are at risk, New York’s network of not-for-profit human services providers are both the first line of defense and the safety net.

Across New York state, 1 in 7 workers are employed by a not-for-profit organization. Women make up an astonishing 81 percent of the human services and direct care workforce in New York. This equates to 268,900+ skilled, well-educated workers who are paid significantly less than women in New York’s private sector.

The Executive Budget includes a one-time 5.4 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) to human services providers in FY 2023 for eligible programs and services, and we applaud the inclusion of the 5.4 percent COLA in the executive budget! These funds will flow to front line staff and allow them to make gains after years of underfunding. However, as part of the proposal permanent authority for the COLA expires. We recommend permanent extension of the COLA with annual adjustments to reflect the demands and importance of safety net programs--specifically, we recommend that the COLA be provided to the children and adult health home programs that have been started over the past decade.

You hear the term “clinician” a lot when discussing human services work. And while that term might bring to mind a white lab coat or a research facility, the reality is that you can’t spot a clinician by what they wear or where they work. The best way to identify a clinician is to look at the difference they make, at the help and guidance they provide, and at the trust they develop in the children, adults, and families in their care.

At Northern Rivers, our clinicians work in a variety of disciplines. They’re highly trained, very experienced, and licensed by New York State in their fields of practice—Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Licensed Master Social Worker (LCSW), and Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)—to fill important roles on treatment teams. They’ve earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees, passed rigorous state tests, and take continuing education courses to ensure they’re at the forefront of advances in care. And while there’s no way to capture everything clinicians do here, we wanted to show you some examples of just how valuable clinicians are on our teams. Here are just a few ways they make a difference:

Behavioral Health Center-Fee for Service Clinician LMHC

As a clinician at one of our Behavioral Health Centers, Olivia maintains a caseload of about 80 clients. She performs comprehensive assessments when clients first come in, works with clients to understand their goals, develops treatment plans, works with the medical team to make decisions on medication management, and provides therapeutic and case management services. This isn’t old-fashioned, “lie on the couch and tell me about your mother,” care; it’s active, engaged, client-focused mental health counseling, whether it’s in-office at 7 p.m. or via secure telehealth software from anywhere.

Clinical Community Service Provider (LMSW)

As a Clinical Community Service Provider, Jamie travels throughout a three-county area to meet with teenagers and their families in their homes, in restaurants, or anywhere else in the community that feels comfortable. These clients, enrolled in Child and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS) programs, have exhibited mental health needs and need help with professional evaluations, psychotherapy, support with going to school and getting jobs, and learning how to advocate for themselves and access all the resources available to them. A 7:30 a.m. meeting at a diner next to the high school with Jamie can make the difference between a skipped day of school and a passed algebra exam.

Foster Care Clinician (LCSW, LMSW, LMHC, LMFT, LCAT)

As a foster care clinician, Chris’ day may be spent driving to a foster parent’s home to observe the youth and family in their natural environment, identify needs and complete a comprehensive assessment for services. Once Chris and the family have identified the needs and goals a treatment plan will be developed with participation from the youth and family. Chris will work alongside the nursing and permanency team to ensure all areas of the treatment plan are being addressed in a client-focused manner. Chris will provide individual and/or family therapy to the youth, foster family and/or biological family. These services can occur in the foster family home, office, school, via telehealth or at a location comfortable to the youth and family. Once the youth is discharged from foster care Chris can continue to provide therapy services to the youth and family for up to one year to assist with transitions through adoption or returning to biological home.

No two days are alike for our clinical staff at Northern Rivers, and no one in our care would be as successful as they are without that clinical support. Here’s to our clinicians and to all those who put in the time to make a difference.

We’ve come a long way as a society in our fight to stop the stigma surrounding mental health challenges. More than ever, people know that it’s not just okay to say they need help—it’s something you should be doing. In these times it’s more important than ever to make sure you’re taking care of your own mental health and that you’re checking in with others to make sure they’re taking care of theirs.

Normalizing mental health discussion is a great first step, but what comes next? What is “help,” and how do you find it? Understanding what resources are available and how to access them is a huge part of mental health awareness, and sharing information with each other is that next important step toward a healthier community.

Great resources include the NYS Office of Mental Health, your local county mental health department, federal resources like Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and a number of regional, statewide, and national mental health associations.

This month we’re sharing information on social media about mental health awareness and some tips from experts from our mental health programs. We encourage you to learn about the many mental health services we provide, from traditional clinic-based counseling at our Behavioral Health Centers and School-Based Behavioral Health Program to innovative, intensive support for unique psychiatric challenges through programs like Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) and our new Youth ACT program, which kicks off later this year.

Learn more about our different programs here: https://www.northernrivers.org/our-services/behavioral-health.

Pride. It means celebrating the freedom to be yourself, feeling good about who you are. It’s something everyone should feel about themselves, every day. It’s about safety, security, happiness, and openness, rejecting prejudice and hatred, embracing our similarities and loving ourselves and each other.

We celebrate Pride Month because we believe in its importance, full stop. We support the LGBTQ+ community. We understand the trauma and harm that come from intolerance, and we fight against the parts of our world who encourage hate, fear, and repression. We work every day to improve our understanding, increase our sensitivity, and broaden our perspectives. It is the only way to be.

All month long, staff and clients are participating in Pride Month community events. Follow along on social media to see where we are and what we’re doing. To learn more about our commitment, click here to visit our Diversity and Inclusion pages.

We believe that understanding is key to vanquishing hatred and developing understanding. That’s why SATRI offers a robust variety of trainings to help those in our field develop their skills to better support the LGBTQ+ community. These trainings, sponsored by the NYS Office of Children and Family Services, cover topics including working with LGBTQ+ youth and adults, advocating for LGBTQ+ youth, and sharing experiences and challenges in supporting the LGBTQ+ community. Click here for a list of our offerings.

Never stop learning. Whether you’re in the human services field, education, medicine, finance, public service, or anything else, you need to know what’s new, what’s changing, and what else can help you be the best you can be—whatever your profession. That’s why professional development is right for everyone, and that’s why we believe so strongly in our Sidney Albert Training and Research Institute (SATRI).

Understanding what trauma is and how it affects people can help an IT worker work more effectively with the students in a school. Learning about the unique challenges facing LGBTQIA+ individuals in the workplace can make an HR director more able to support their workforce. Participating in a group training in implicit bias training can help first responders connect more effectively with those they help. And learning about the latest research into understanding suicidal behavior can help everyone be more prepared to help save a life.

Once you’ve decided to expand your knowledge and understanding as a professional in any field or as an administrator, where do you turn? You turn to SATRI! Our interdisciplinary team of experienced trainers can provide engaging, impactful trainings that meet your needs—whether they’re covered by something we have in our catalogue, or if you’d like to work with us to build a customized training solution. At our facility, on your site, or virtually, or even if you’re just looking for help with conference logistics, SATRI works with you so you can work better.

Ready to learn? Visit the SATRI homepage or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get started!

The right learning environment can make all the difference. Sometimes the unique needs and challenges of a particular student just can’t be met in a public school district. Classes may be too big, enough individual attention may not be available, or the environment just might not be the right fit. And sadly, academic performance suffers, students and families get frustrated, and school becomes a place associated with frustration and failure.

That’s where special education schools can make all the difference in the world. Special education schools are places where every member of the staff is trained and ready to help students who struggle with educational disabilities, family instability, emotional trauma, delinquency, mental illness, truancy, and substance abuse. These schools boast small class sizes, specialized curricula, and clinical and support personnel to help every student and every family feel like success isn’t just possible—it’s achievable.

Our Northern Rivers special education schools, the Neil Hellman School in Albany and the School at Northeast in Schenectady, bring that success home for more than 300 students each year. We’re proud to have graduation rates around 90%, but we’re more proud that our students feel safe, respected, and empowered in our classrooms.

Want to learn more? Visit https://www.northernrivers.org/our-services/education.

You can help prevent suicide. We all can. Maybe you have faced suicidal thoughts, or maybe a friend or loved one has. Maybe someone in your life has completed suicide. Whoever you are, suicide has touched your life in some way. Every struggle is different, but one thing is the same: Help is always out there.

The establishment of 988 as an easy way to contact the national suicide and crisis lifeline is an important step to provide support to those in need. It’s one more tool to help reach those who don’t know where to turn, and the more we talk about it and publicize it, the better chance we have of reaching people before it’s too late.

But there’s so much more that we can do. We can talk to people we worry about, show them we care, and ask them how they’re feeling. We can participate in awareness events, like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walks that happen throughout the country. We can learn, advocate, and volunteer to help bring knowledge and awareness to our homes, schools, and communities. And we can share our stories of suicide and mental health, because the more we talk about it, the more we help each other understand that it’s ok to talk about it.

And we can make sure that everyone is aware of resources like the 988 hotline, or getting immediate text help by sending the word TALK to 741741, or contacting our Mobile Crisis Services at 518.292.5499. Follow us on social media this month as we share more information on what we all can do to help. 

Bullying isn’t just a big kid stealing a smaller kid’s lunch money. It takes on many different shapes and sizes. It might be a group of middle-schoolers making mocking videos of a classmate on TikTok, or a workgroup in history class all pretending not to hear the contributions of one member, or writing something cruel on a lunchroom table.

Bullying can be physical, social, verbal, and increasingly digital, with the prevalence of technology everywhere. At its core, bullying is about an imbalance of power, and the abuse of that power by those who have it in a way that’s hurtful to those who don’t. National studies say that about one in five teens experiences bullying in any given year—and that’s just in school.

The negative effects of bullying aren’t confined to the victims, either. Bullies themselves are more likely to engage in risky, dangerous, violent behaviors as they grow up, and kids who witness bullying are more prone to face mental health challenges. In short, with bullying, everyone suffers.

That’s why it’s so important that everyone stands up to put a stop to bullying. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, a child or teen, or just someone with eyes and ears, you have a role to play. Pay attention, foster communication, set a good example, and most importantly, take action if you see something wrong.

We have a zero-tolerance for bullying, and our schools are the front line for our efforts. More information is available in our student handbooks (Click here for Neil Hellman School, click here for School at Northeast).

October is Head Start Awareness Month, and all across the country Head Start programs are raising awareness of this life-changing program. Head Start is a federal program that launched in 1965 to help young children and families overcome the damaging effects of poverty and prepare for success in school and in life.

Over the past 57 years, the program has evolved and grown, and now includes Early Head Start programs like the one Northern Rivers operates in Schenectady. Today more than one million children from birth through age 5 are served each year by more than 2,800 Head Start and Early Head Start programs nationwide, receiving the educational, health, and parental support services they need to thrive.

Services are provided both at educational centers and right in homes, engaging the entire family to help young families when they need it most.

Below you'll meet some of the incredible people who help make Early Head Start such an impactful program.

Early Head Start Stories

Hi my name is Karen Williams. 

I would like to talk about my experience with Northern Rivers/Parsons Early Head Start, and how it helped my family and me excel in our lives. I am a native New Yorker who relocated with my one-year-old daughter Alisha and my husband Warren to upstate New York in 2000. Upon moving here, I tried odd jobs and decided to go back to school. In 2003 we moved to Steinmetz Homes and we were told by neighbors about Parsons Child & Family Center and applied because I was now a mother of three and looking to improve myself and my family. I enrolled my youngest daughter, Erica in Early Head Start, center-based, in 2006 and it was a great experience for her and for me.

 At Early Head Start, we felt welcomed and supported, and as if they were an extension of our family. Staff were very helpful in cultivating us to becoming better parents as we were still very young. I started out as a parent volunteer and Warren and I were members of the Policy Council for three consecutive years. Staff were available and supportive and that reassured us that our Erica would be safe and well taken care of. I also felt that I could focus on improving myself by becoming a medical assistant because they alleviated some of my stresses about childcare for her while my older children were in their own schools or day programs.

In 2008 after completing my medical assistance program and receiving my certificate I found out that I was pregnant again with Marcus. I was helped by the Early Head Start family support workers to enroll as a prenatal mother, and later enroll him in the program. There was no hesitation and there was no red tape to getting us enrolled. 

I did not feel defeated when I was wondering where and what I was going to do with another pregnancy because Early Head Start was there to help. Marcus was enrolled and I continued working as a medical assistant up until 2009 at which point the doctor I was working for decided to close his practice. I spoke to my Early Head Start family support worker and they asked me if I would be interested in being an Early Head Start employee.  I applied and became a substitute teacher, then a year later they encouraged me to begin the Child Development Associate (CDA) program. They offered the classes on site, so I didn't have to worry about traveling or who was going to watch the kids after school. This opportunity was another way I was able to do more to improve myself and my family situation. When I completed the CDA program and earned my credential, I became a teacher in my own classroom.

I worked at Early Head Start for a long and wonderful 10 years. During my last year there, my older children Alisha, 16, and Danielle, 15, became summer youth employees through Schenectady County Job Training Agency. There they developed their love for working with young children. Having seen my professional journey and being involved in activities at Early Head Start helped them to develop their goals. 

My daughter, Alisha worked as a substitute at Early Head Start while attending college. She is now 23, graduated with her Bachelor’s degree and earned her CDA credential. She is employed as a teacher at Early Head Start.

My daughter, Danielle, is now 21, and works as a substitute at Early Head Start, and is in her senior year of college where she is studying Early Childhood Development.

My oldest son Jayden also works at Early Head Start as a staff member in the kitchen. My daughter, Erica, who attended Early Head Start as a child, worked there this past summer as a youth employee through the county’s job training agency. My son, Marcus, now 15, is hoping to be placed at Early Head Start next summer, also through the summer youth employment program. 

My husband and I have grown and our children have grown up with Early Head Start. We have come full circle and we are a testament to the power of genuine caring, support and positive connections. This program has been a consistent source of support and encouragement for my family, and stood beside us during some of the toughest times in our lives. I have always had the support of Early Head Start.

I am thrilled to have my children still connected to this program. They are thriving and happy in their work, and feel a part of the Early Start family. They now get to be employees and are there for other families as staff were there for us.They get to give back and do the work that they love. 

Head Start works, and its impact is multi-generational. I am forever thankful to be a part of the Head Start family. 

Click here to see the family video.

 Hi there! My name is Ariana Saffares, and I am an Early Head Start teacher. I wanted to share my story with all of you!

I first heard about the Early Head Start program back when my son was 2 years old in 2019. He was part of the Early Intervention program because of some of his developmental disabilities. So, they suggested that he start in a school program and Early Head Start was their first suggestion. I reached out and the program immediately contacted me to help my son start in the home-based part of the program. He loved his home-based teacher, and she offered me a lot of different resources as well as how I could be involved in the program as well.

This is where I began my journey as an incredibly involved mother. I started in Policy Council and loved the experience so much that I eventually became the president for about a year. I was also heavily involved in the moms’ group and the parent committee and helping my child’s program make important decisions!

He then began going to the program in the summer of 2019 in the Koalas classroom with his two incredible teachers Miss. Jennifer and Mr. Peter. But, shortly after this he had to move from the Early Head Start program and attend a special education school. His new school did not provide diapers or meals for my son, so it was a struggle for me and my family to keep up with these expenses. I let Early Head Start know about my struggles and they ended up providing my son with six months worth of diapers! Even after he left the program, they cared about him and the rest of my family, also allowing him to be home-based again until he turned 4 years old.

Then Covid hit and we were all stuck at home with each other. Sharon, the Executive Program Director, reached out to me, knowing how interested I was in furthering my education and offered not only to pay for me to get my CDA (Infant/Toddler Child Development Associates program) but offered me a position as a substitute in the Early Head Start Program! Of course, I said yes, and this is where my journey begins as an employee in the program.

I began the class and within exactly one year I had finished and earned my certificate. As soon as I completed my certificate, I was offered a full-time position as a teacher in the program to which I said “Yes!”. I also enrolled in a college program to begin earning my Early Childhood Associates degree part time. I began working in the same exact classroom that my son began in, the Koalas, with my very best friend Alisha, along with getting to work alongside so many amazing people!

In February of 2022 I found out I was pregnant, and the Early Head Start Program did not fail to support me and helped me enroll my daughter in the home-based program. I couldn’t be happier or feel so lucky to be a part of the Parsons Early Head Start Family. People always say it takes a village to raise a child, my family is everyone in this program and I am so grateful for every single one of them!

My name is Reem Elmardi. I would like to share a short story about myself. I’d like to do this to show people that life will throw you curveballs, but what truly matters is that you fight through it! Things will get better sooner or later. I have faith that struggles makes you stronger.

In 2005 I came from Sudan to the United States with my husband and my oldest son who was 2 years old. It was a tough time for me because I left my family behind coming to a new life and culture and it took me a while to adapt.

A year later I got pregnant with my daughter, Dina who started in the Early Head Start home-based program and later transitioned to the center. Two years later I had a second daughter, Zina.  She was two weeks old when we enrolled her in Early Head Start.

I partnered with the Early Head Start staff to develop personal and professional goals for myself. One of my goals was to enroll in a program to earn a Medical Associate certificate. Early Head Start staff told me about a grant that would allow my daughters to stay in program for longer hours so that I could go to school. I applied for the grant and was approved. I felt good because I knew that my children were safe and well cared for while I attended school. 

In 2008 I finished school and received my certificate. I started looking for a job. A few years later I found out that there was an opening at Early Head Start. I decided that I really wanted to give back to the program and help other parents and caregivers as I had been helped and supported. I was hired at Early Head Start in 2010 as a family support worker.

Initially I was afraid that it would be hard for me to communicate with staff and families, as English is my second language. But when I started working, the opposite happened! I received a lot of support from the Early Head Start staff and I formed positive partnerships with parents and caregivers. I was encouraged to enroll in the Family Development Credential training program to enhance my skill and knowledge for my job. I successfully completed this program.

In 2022, I enrolled in the National Head Start’s Family Service Credential training and successfully graduated in July 2022.

My children have grown. Dina is now 16 years old and still remembers her time in Early Head Start. She comes in to visit and to volunteer in the classroom. Dina’s goal is to become the Early Head Start Director. She has made the current director aware of this and they have discussed an educational and career path for achieving this goal. 

Zina is now 14 years old and her goal is to become a travel nurse.

My family is healthy and happy.  We continue to be a part of the Early Head Start family and always feel welcomed and appreciated. I love my job at Early Head Start, and often talk about how I started my journey as a parent in the program and am now a veteran staff. Early Head Start encouraged and supported me and helped me to build my confidence.  Head Start works – My family and I are proof of it!

 Click here to see Reem's video.

My name is Fatima Rafi. I am an Early Head Start teacher. This is my story.

In 2016, I came to the United States with my husband and five-year-old daughter. A month after arriving I gave birth to my second daughter. Our first year in the United States was difficult for us.We left all of our family in our country, knew no one here and did not speak English well. There was a lot to learn but we were determined to make a good life for our family.

We enrolled our oldest daughter in Kindergarten and our family enrolled the baby in the Early Head Start home-based program. During this time our youngest daughter was injured and needed treatment. She was hospitalized away from home for several months.This was the most difficult time of our lives. We juggled caring for our 5-year-old, working when possible and travelling several hours each way to see our baby. Thanks to the Early Head Start for assisting with resources and support throughout this difficult time. We will never forget the caring and thoughtfulness of program and agency staff. They really helped me with all the things that I needed.

When my daughter was better, Early Head Start transferred my daughter from home-based to the center-based program where she learned and had fun in a safe, healthy and encouraging environment. It was great to see her healthy and thriving. I am grateful for everything that Early Head Start did for my family.

In 2019, I was hired to be a classroom substitute at Early Head Start. This was my first job in the United States. My first language is Arabic, and I struggled with communicating in English. Early Head Start Staff encouraged me to enroll in the Infant/Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) credentialing course, and I completed it successfully in June 2021. Everyone came together to support and encourage me until I got my CDA. They really stood by my side when I needed them.  With my CDA credential, I moved into an Early Head Start teacher position. 

In 2020, I became pregnant with my third daughter and I re-enrolled in the Parsons Early Head Start home-based program. She started in the center-based program shortly after she was born and continues to learn and grow here at the center. Today, my three daughters are healthy, happy and thriving.  They all speak both Arabic and English and have a love of learning.

Early Head Start is not a daycare. Early Head Start programs provide early childhood education services that are tailored to the unique needs of infants and toddlers. Early Head Start programs promote the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of infants and toddlers through safe and developmentally enriching caregiving. This prepares these children for continued growth and development and eventual success in school and life. Early Head Start programs also mobilize the local community to provide the resources and environment necessary to ensure a comprehensive, integrated array of services and support for children and families. These services were and continue to be a great support to me and my family. 

I have continued to work as a full-time teacher at Early Head Start since receiving my CDA credential. I love interacting with young children and helping them learn and grow every day. My dream for this year is to focus on professional development in my field and to maintain a positive and inviting classroom environment for the children and the families.

I strive to balance between my work and my family as they are both important to me.  My hard work is an example to my daughters. I want them to know that anything can be accomplished through hard work, determination, concentration and persistence. I want to let my daughters know that with perseverance and patience they can achieve anything that they set their minds to.

I am thankful for the Early Head Start staff who encouraged and supported me as a parent, and who have continued to support me as a teacher.

 Click here to see Fatima's video.

My name is Yelena Martinez Melendez. In 2011, I moved from Puerto Rico to Schenectady with my husband and one-year-old daughter.  In 2012 I had a second daughter and we enrolled in the Parsons Early Head Start home-based program shortly after she was born. 

My older daughter received speech therapy, and Early Head Start assisted me with getting my younger daughter evaluated and approved to receive speech therapy. Today she is an intelligent 12-year-old girl with the ability to communicate in English and Spanish. I am grateful for everything Early Head Start did for my daughter and my family.

I was determined to succeed and applied to be a classroom substitute at Early Head Start. Fortunately, I was hired and that's where my love for educating young children began. I also transferred my young daughter from home-based to the center-based program where she learned and had fun in a safe, healthy and nurturing environment. 

The biggest challenge that I had to face was the language barrier. My primary language is Spanish and I struggled to communicate in English. Despite that, and with encouragement from Early Head Start staff, I enrolled in the Infant/Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) credentialing course and completed it successfully. It was a challenge as my first language is Spanish, therefore it was and still is a challenge to complete a degree in a language that is not my own.

In 2016, I enrolled at the local community college and started work on an associate's degree in Human Services. I earned my degree in 2019, and in the same year I began working toward my bachelor’s degree with a concentration in Community and Human Services at  Empire State College.

I graduated in September 2021 with my bachelor's of science, Suma Cum Laude with a 3.9 GPA. In addition, I was recognized as a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I was also part of a program called the Empire Opportunity Program that helps minorities and disadvantaged students.

I was re-hired by Early Head Start as a Home-Based Family Support Worker in 2021. Being in the role of educator prompted me enroll in college to work toward a master's degree in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in special education. 

I currently work at Early Head Start during the day, and also work the overnight shift as a Residential Specialist at a shelter for women and children. My goal is to work at an administrative level so that I can advocate for funding and services for children and families. Obtaining a master's degree in education will help me achieve this goal. My commitment and hard work is an example to my daughters that anything can be accomplished through hard work, determination, resilience and perseverance.  My goal is to instill in them a love of learning and the confidence that they can achieve anything that they set their minds to. 

I am thankful for the Early Head Start staff who encouraged and supported me as a parent, and who have continued to support me as a college student and as a staff.

Click here to see Yelena's video.

It’s often not hard to tell when someone has a physical injury or impairment. Bruises, casts, and crutches are easy to see, and who among us would even think twice about offering help or accommodation to someone who’s hurt? Mental illness isn’t as easy to see, but millions of Americans experience serious mental illness. In fact, one in 20 adults experiences a serious mental illness each year.

Mental illnesses are disorders that affect someone’s mood, their thinking, and their behavior. Terms like anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and schizoaffective disorder aren’t things to be afraid of—they’re illnesses that can be treated and successfully managed. With the right support, living safely with mental illness is just as possible as it is to live with a chronic illness like diabetes.

People experiencing mental illness aren’t ill because they did something wrong, and they can’t just “snap out of it” any more than someone can “snap out of” having asthma, or Parkinson’s Disease, or osteoporosis. And just because you can’t necessarily see the symptoms of mental illness, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t real and challenging to those afflicted.

How can you help? A mental health diagnosis can all too often cause an individual to experience discrimination, bullying, and being feared or ostracized. We all can work on our understanding of mental illness and on being more kind and welcoming to those who experience it. This month, we’ll share some tips and strategies on social media.

Click here for helpful information for family members and caregivers from the National Alliance on Mental Illness