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Page 16
August 31, 2011
Celebrating 30
Years for Kids
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Paulicka McClaurin-Blamont (from left), Nikki Nguyen, and Karina Carrasco enjoy the end o f sum m er carnival as part
o f S e lf Enhancement, Inc. ’s 30th anniversary community celebration on Aug. 20 at Unthank Park.
¡ S u b s c r ib e
I $60.00 for 6 m onths
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I N ame : ________________
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Attn: Subscriptions, The
Portland Observer, PO Box
3 j 37 Portland OR 97^08
T elephone :
I A ddress :
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I or email subscriptions@portlandobserver.com
$u(£ StawcM 5Mauiôfiïp (¿hutch
/\ Place to Belong A Place to Become
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Portland, O regon 97217
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greg46162003©yahoo
fullharvestfellow ship.org
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Sendees
Tuesday Noonday Prayer 12 PM
Tuesday Family Focus 7 PM
Thursday Life Skills By Appointment
Sunday Worship Service 2:30 PM
Sunday Youth Authority 2:30 PM
the law offices of
Patrick John Sweeney, P.C.
Patrick John Sweeney
Attorney at Law
1549 SE Ladd
Portland, Oregon
Portland:
Hillsoboro:
Facsimile:
Email:
(503)491-5156
(503)615-0425
(503) 244-2084
Sweeney @ PDXLawyer.com
Self Enhancement, Inc., a school and after-school
program for local kids, recently hosted a community
celebration and end of summer carnival.
In honorof SEI’s 30th year of service, the community
joined together for the lively party in Unthank Park on
Aug. 20.
Festivities included free food, music and activities for
the whole family. Free health and wellness screenings
were also provided alongside supportive services from
SEI's Community and Family Programs.
Everyone had a terrific time celebrating this milestone
achievement and taking advantage of the beautiful
Portland weather.
SEI Founder and Chief Executive Officer Tony Hopson
was on-hand to provide a perspective on SEI’s history
and the journey moving forward. T-shirts were available
for new supporters with the meaningful message “Yes-
terday. Today and Tomorrow.”
Mother Struggles with Expectations
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page5
insurance or a family may qualify for
state assistance, but he said there
are issues of availability.
Vliet, a single mother who lives in
a single bedroom apartment, said,
“A prime example is when my mental
health therapist asked for child
daycare, so I could do one-on-one
counseling, but DHS doesn't pay
child care services.”
She recognizes money is a big
problem, not only because DHS is
unable to provide services like child
care, but also because they are also
facing fiscal issues.
“They can ’t provide services
because there is no funding for it,”
she said.
Evans said DHS services have to
be paid for by the state or county
funds, and unfortunately part those
services have been reduced.
“Especially now, we are seeing
lots of reductions and cuts in all
kinds of services for low-income
families,” he said.
Vliet spoke of her friend in her
recovery group. “She couldn' t have
her overnights started with her child
without having a proper bed for the
child,” she said. “But she couldn't
afford the bed without having the
funding she n eed ed , and she
couldn't get the funding without
having some kind of statement.”
Vliet said she has undergone
numerous psychological evalua­
tions throughout the past several
years because the state says she
has mental health issues. She said,
however, the processes DHS has
put her through and their lack of
communication have only added to
trauma of her situation.
According to Evans, Multnomah
county juvenile court has created
an educational program for parents.
“It is that kind of ABC information
parent’s need,” he said. “People
who work in the system understand
it inside out, but it is very alien and
foreign to parents, especially par­
ents under stress.”
Vliet said, however, there needs
to be more of an effort to try to find
out what kind of learning style par­
ents have, and how they could prop­
erly communicate the information
to the family.
Evans agrees and said adding to
the trauma experienced by many of
the parents is not okay.
“It is a complicated process. We
have to remember these families are
also under stress because their chil­
dren have been removed,” he said.
“Communication is very important,
and communication so people can
understand is very important.”
Vliet said the reality is that the
system is failing to help families be
successful.
“DHS child welfare service’s mis­
sion is to help abused and neglected
children and provide safe atmo­
sphere for them,” she said. “But
they are falling away from the main
reason they started the program in
the first place.”
H ealth W atch
C ardiac-R ehab Exercises - A medically supervised
exercise program for people dealing with heart condi­
tions. For information, call 503-251 -6260.
themselves while caring for relatives or friends with
chronic illness. Class size is limited, and registration is
required. Call 503-413-8018.
Stroke A lert Screening — Check your carotid arteries
with a painless ultrasound to assess your risk. Fee $40.
To schedule a screening, call 503-251 -6137.
Leg Alert Screening - Check for peripheral arterial
disease with this safe, simple screening using ankle
and arm blood pressure. The fee is $40. To schedule an
appointment, call 503-251 -6137.
M anaging C hronic H epatitis C - Third Wednesday
of each month at 5 p.m. The informative session is led
by a registered nurse to help you manage side effects
of medications and dosage preparations and adminis­
tration; doctor referral required. To register, call 503-
251-6313.
B etter B reathers -- An asthma educational support
group meets on the 1 st Tuesday of the month from 1:15
p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Adventist Medical Center. For
information, call 503-251 -6830.
Powerful Tools F o r Caregivers - 6-week educational
series designed to help family caregivers take care of
Smoke-Free Support Group— Meets Mondays, 7 p.m.
to 8 p.m. For information, call 503-256-4000.
Family Caregiver Support Group - This topic-ori­
ented group offers a safe place to discuss the stresses,
challenges and rewards of providing care to an older
relative or friend. Meets the first Thursday of each
month at 3 p.m. at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital.
Chronic Pain Support Group - Meets the first
Wednesday at 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the third Wednes­
day of each month, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. For more
information, call 503-256-4000.