New Year's resolutions

The weeks between Christmas and New Year’s Day is a great time at Hillsides as residents come and go from day trips and family visits. School has not been in session so it is a less structured period when residents and staff in smaller groups can engage in fun, relaxing activities that help to reset the agenda for each child as we plan for the beginning of the new year.

For all of us, this is a time to assess the past year and identify goals for the new year. The key, of course, is to establish reasonable and attainable goals so when we achieve them, a sense of accomplishment develops.

The individual goals for each child and family in our care are specific but they fall within some general categories: staying safe, improving their sense of well-being, and finding their way back home. No matter the individual details, all the goals fall within these three categories.

Staying safe

Although certain measures are in place to assure safety, it has more to do with the frame of mind than the physical setting. Unsafe activities are generated by feelings of desperation that can lead to entertaining risky or unsafe behavior. More than anything else, being sensitive to the traumas that have been experienced and supporting relationships that allow our residents to address those traumas are essential to keeping them safe.

Improving well-being

Related to this, of course, is the provision of quality care that is focused and individualized, oriented to effectively address issues that result in an improvement of behavior, an understanding of the causes, and measurable progress towards improvement. This is easier said than done, but absolutely essential if the child and their family can hope to be restored as a family unit.

Finding their way back home

These elements of safety and well-being are the foundation for establishing a pathway towards stability and permanency so that disruptive patterns can be broken and hope for normalcy established.

These are significant goals that are important to achieve but I am reminded that without the support we receive from so many, we would be hard pressed to accomplish much. As we have in the past, during the holiday season we count on the generosity of the community to help us create a memorable holiday for all we serve. Again this year we were truly blessed by an outpouring of generosity allowing us to fulfill the many “wishes” that had been conveyed to us by all those we serve. Thank you to all who so generously supported us during the holiday season. Such amazing contributions allow us to support the children, youth, and families we serve as they start the new year hopeful that the goals and dreams that they have for 2014 will be realized. 

Wish List for 2012

 The start of 2012 feels more like ground hog day than the beginning of a great new year. As 2011 came to an end, word came from Sacramento that a short fall in state revenues will require $1 billion in budget cuts in 2012! And where will these cuts come from? Schools, libraries, prisons and services for the disabled, leaving me to think that the Mayan prediction of the world ending in 2012 just might be true!

All joking aside, this news is a sad start to the year for our great state and as Gov. Brown has said the solution lies not just with cuts, but indeed raising the much-needed revenues that would allow us as a community to fulfill our many responsibilities to the State’s most vulnerable.

Some would argue at this time of political impasse at both the national and sate level that there is little that can be done. I argue that it is precisely at this moment that our voices must be raised loud to be heard over all the political vitriol to advocate for the children, youth and families we serve.

So I offer the following wish list as a point of reference for all that we hope to accomplish this year in spite of considerable odds.

1. Keep all we serve safe and healthy, free of harm and hopeful for a better life
2. Provide our dedicated staff with a supportive work environment, honoring their commitment and dedication
3. Continue to cultivate our network of dedicated volunteers
4. Secure adequate public funding for all our services, but especially the education programs
5. Encourage a commitment on the part of our public policy and elected officials to address the needs of children, youth and families we serve
6. Develop a clear and compelling plan to bring Hillsides into a new century of service as we anticipate our centennial anniversary in 2013
7. Strengthen Hillsides’ recognition in our community and in this field
8. Develop a Master Plan for the revitalization of the campus
9. Introduce new donors to the Hillsides mission and successfully raise $2.5 million in private funds
10. Identify opportunities to further fulfill our historic mission

 The one thing we can not afford is to lose our resolve to make 2012 better than 2011 for all those we serve. Join me in making our many wishes for 2012 come true.

New Year's Resolutions

There is something compulsive about setting New Year’s resolutions; the majority of resolutions are often unattained. In reflecting on this upcoming year, there are a number of things that I would like to see happen and certainly will lend my support and energy to achieve; they are:

• Restored funding for mental health services for special education students in California
• Full funding for CalWORKS
• Federal funding for a White House Conference on At Risk Children and Youth
• A stable family for every child in the foster care system
• Peace and Joy in our world!

None of the above are good resolutions since I have little control of the political wrangling required to achieve any of them, but they are worthy resolutions. Regardless whether they are achieved or not, we must not lose hope that some day in this great State and Country we will fund these efforts and assist the most vulnerable fulfill their dreams.

Along with these aspirations let me focus on that which is achievable.

As you know from previous postings, Hillsides is committed to constantly improving its quality of care. We made a commitment to become nationally accredited by our centennial celebration in 2013. Related to this is a set of resolutions for 2011 that will help us not only become accredited, but also further develop the quality of care we offer.

• Prepare to apply to the Council on Accreditation by July 2011
• Fully implement all aspects of the Open Doors demonstration project regarding residential based services
• Develop strategies to fully utilize the services offered at Hillsides Education Center
• Determine a plan for further development of Youth Moving On

No matter what the specific resolutions may be, what is essential is continuing to be tireless in effectively addressing the needs of the children, youth and families we serve.

We’ll keep you posted on our progress. Happy New Year!