A message from the Director
Dan Fox remarks on families in crisis
The call comes early Wednesday morning. The mother's voice chokes with emotion as she describes her meeting with the school counselor; her daughter's declining school performance, attendance problems, and use of drugs as well as her own pending divorce after a bitter separation. The mother is at a crisis point where she needs to ask for additional help. Family & Children First is there to respond.

This scenario repeats itself every hour and every day at F&CF. This family crisis, and thousands like it, bring families from throughout our community to F&CF. The range of our services and multiple locations make it possible for families to find the help they need. The services are provided at no cost or on a sliding fee basis because of the support we receive from Metro United Way, Crusade for Children, state & local government, individuals, foundations and corporations.

This news letter focuses on the families who are receiving help through our Family Counseling Service. These are headline stories for the families involved even through we will never hear or read about them. They are stories of families finding their own answers to the challenges they face and emerging stronger.

Dan Fox
Executive Director

Families in Crisis
Our Family Counseling Service is always available to families struggling with challenges of parenting, children’s behavior, divorced and blended families, substance abuse, depression and work related issues. Often, an unimaginable trauma will lead them to us.

For Local Families
On the night of the Pegasus Parade, Aaron, Shana and four-year-old Nora had begun unpacking the car and heading toward their doorway. Darkness had fallen and Shana was concerned her child would run into the street. She parked her car near their building and hurried the little girl to catch up with her daddy. Before she reached him, shots were heard. Tragically, her husband, Aaron, was hit by eight bullets fired by unidentified men in an unknown car. He did not make it to the hospital. Fortunately, Nora was not fast enough to catch up with him that night.

Their marriage was two years of “the best thing that had ever happened” to Shana. Aaron, a loving husband and doting father, worked hard to provide for his sweet family. When he died, he left behind two children - his adopted daughter and an unborn baby. The family never returned to the home, staying instead with Shana’s mother and later moving. With help from Charlos Thompson, West Louisville Office Team Leader and Counselor, Shana endured, coped with her grief and began to heal. Even on her own, she cared steadfastly for her daughter and young son; few of our clients are more inspirational than Shana. Loss of a loved one is always difficult, but the loss of someone in such a disturbing way can profoundly affect survivors. It is difficult for a child to move on when it is so to difficult to understand death and deal with the searing memories. A parent’s recovery is pivotal for a child. At times, play therapy also plays an important role.

All counseling given to children dealing with traumatic losses must be geared to their developmental level. Their reactions may include emotional shock or lack of feeling which helps them detach from the pain; regressive or immature behavior such as a need to be rocked or held; explosive emotions or acting out internal feelings of anger, terror, frustration and helplessness; asking the same questions repeatedly because the information is so hard to believe or accept.

Tips to help children who experience loss of parents or loved ones are on our web site, www.famchild.org. F&CF’s professional counseling, if needed, is provided at our offices: 209 Executive Park (East Office), 2828 Grant Line Road (New Albany), 10936 Dixie Highway (Southwest Office) , and 703 South 31st Street (West Office). For information/appointments contact our Intake Department at 893-3900, ext. 275 or 276.

For Visiting Families
Their faces helped tell their stories. Touching moments were plentiful following Hurricane Katrina, as families who evacuated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast arrived in Louisville, exhausted but grateful for the kindness of family, friends and strangers. F&CF reached out to them with counseling at Louisville Gardens’ Family Assistance Center.

A young woman said, “I’m not sure how long I’ll be here. It’s my third stop since leaving Louisiana. A friend said I could come.” An elderly couple explained, “We lost everything. Water was over our roof. But, we are grateful to be here.” From a young father, “I’m not sure where to find work. I’ll try anything. My wife is worried about our kids.” An older man asking for a stuffed animal told us, “Since I lost my wife, I’m alone.”

Especially poignant was a little four-year-old boy desperately looking through a big bag of toys for a “flat bed truck like the one at home.” Knowing how important a familiar item is for a child’s security, a staff member walked the downtown area until finally finding just the right one at a local store. As calm came over the boy, the child’s grandparents were overwhelmed anyone would “go to that kind of trouble to cheer him up.”

We all cope differently with tragedies - a familiar toy for security, gratitude for one another, trying something new, or having a friend. Lives are rebuilt little by little, kindness by kindness. Professional help can enhance recovery, too. Family & Children First is offering free ongoing counseling for those impacted by the hurricane. Evacuees will receive priority appointments or can walk into any counseling Center.

Collaborative Efforts
At our Southwest and West Offices, F&CF has joined area mental health providers in Louisville Adolescent Network of Substance Abuse Treatment, which provides assessment and treatment for substance abusing teens.

The service consists of 5 weekly group sessions. The first two are with the teen and parents; the final three are group sessions geared toward helping teens develop refusal skills and understand the dynamics of their substance abuse.

A collaborative effort at our New Albany Office, with New Albany- Floyd County Consolidated School Alternative to Suspension, allows students who have been violent or threatening to others or who have exhibited drug or alcohol use at school to attend counseling. We provide 8-10 psycho-educational sessions for teens and parents so a student can return to school and take positive steps toward improving his or her life.

We place counselors at Lighthouse, a church-based, after school character building program. Counseling is offered by members of Face Forward Kentuckiana, an organization for children with cranio-facial differences.

The Hazelwood Family Initiative joins the school and Family Resource Center in a new effort. Hazelwood has the highest family turnover rat (31%) in the school system. However, we found that 55% of its families want help to stabilize their lives, knowing their students suffer when families are forced to relocate. Community Foundation of Louisville and UPS Foundation are making this project possible.

ResourceOne is our Employee Assistance Program purchased by national or area businesses. They find this to be a benefit well worth the investment. Services include prompt assistance to employees and families, training, assessment, short term counseling, referrals and management consultation, available at a company's location workplace or at our offices. After EAP benefits are used, clients are eligible for other F&CF Counseling Services. New contractors are: Eagle Steel Products, Papercone Corporation, Anthem EAP, EAP Health Network, Life Era, ERN-Dawn Foods, Aurora Health Care.

Studies show that an Employee Assistance Program can reduce absenteeism, tension, turnover, accidents and health insurance claims. It can also increase productivity and efficiency, enhance decision making and workplace relationships and improve crisis responses.

Lonna Smith, manager of our Employee Assistance Program, can explain how this arrangement helps families. If you are interested in discussing a ResourceOne service for your employees, please contact her at 502-893-3900, extension 272.

Preventing Problems
Many people wonder how to avert family crises. F&CF provides an array of Prevention Services to families raising children. We are pleased to announce free parenting classes thanks to a grant from Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky. For anyone wishing to prevent a problem, classes are held at our Jefferson County offices. For information or to register, call our Intake Department, 893-3900, extension 275 or 276.

Specialized Services
Dr. Lisa Pfitzer joins us as Medical Director of our Child Advocacy Center in collaboration with University of Louisville Medical School Department of Pediatrics. Dr. Pfitzer is helping expand our service capacity for children who are sexually abused. In just 3 months, the number of medical exams provided have more than doubled. Prompt attention, sometimes within hours of abuse, tells children that they are believed, they are not responsible for being abused, and they are not “bad” or “in trouble.” We may alleviate families’ concerns about diseases or injuries and can begin counseling at the very first visit. Last year, the CAC helped 972 children, up 26% from the previous year. Children receiving help came from every zip code in a 7-county region of Kentucky. Despite initial funding for the doctor and other staff, more funding is still needed to provide services for a projected 1,250 children this year.

In Memory We mourn the loss of Harold Schaars, former Executive Director of Family & Children’s Agency, and extend sympathy to his wife, Arlene. A leader of the Family Service movement he worked in Milwaukee and Mobile before joining the agency. Mr. Schaars led our organization from 1965 to 1985 He oversaw its introduction of Family Therapy, opened branch offices for Counseling, began Training and Consultation Services, and initiated Fund Development efforts. He maintained his enthusiasm and interest in Family & Children First and was a loyal supporter until his death.

Helping Others
On September 13th, Sue and Howard Vogt, of Rodes for Him·for Her, a leading area clothier, offered a Fall Fashion preview at Rick’s Ferrari Grill. Thanks to Sue and Howard, 100% of admissions went to F&CF.

On June 1st, F&CF’s First Family Reunion Benefit Breakfast brought together hundreds of old and new friends to learn about services we now offer the community, especially those which provide help for children who are abused.

The Second Family Reunion will be held Friday, November 18th, from 8-9AM at the Olmstead. Guests will gain a better appreciation of how children who witness family violence are affected and will be moved by a personal story shared by one former victim of violence about overcoming his experience in order to help others.

Please join us on this important occasion. We hope to acquaint more of you with the impact of F&CF’s services. There is no charge for the light breakfast, but please call Tanja Eikenboom, Associate Director of Development, at 893-3900, extension 261, for information and a reservation.

To celebrate the annual National Family Week, which coincides with Thanksgiving Week, F&CF will release a pamphlet of Tips for Families. A series of helpful ideas, it highlights common situations contemporary families face. For a copy, contact Cindy Douglas, Executive Assistant, at 893-3900, x 260.