Spring-Summer 2010...Spring-Summer 2010 Number of children in foster care drops 40% to lowest rate since 2004 Circuit 15 Update Fewer Palm Beach County children are being removed from

with their parents. Of the children removed, 62 percent are reunified with their families within 12 months of their removal. Additionally, more local chil-dren who were unable to re-main safely at home joined permanent families through adoption or guardianship with relatives. From July 2008 through June 2009, 162 chil-dren were adopted from foster care. In FY 2007-08, 176 chil-dren were adopted, and 132 children were adopted in FY 2006-07. Florida‟s goal is to safely re-duce the number of children in foster care by 50 percent by

care, Child and Family Connec-tions collaborates with the De-partment‟s child protective in-vestigators, quality assurance staff, Children‟s Legal Services attorneys and other partners to review the best family-centered practices in child welfare. To-gether, the team addresses possible gaps in services in our community. To become a foster parent or adoptive parent, contact Child and Family Connections to receive the training and support to prepare you for caring for a child experiencing the trauma of separation from family and friends: (561) 352-2500 and www.cfcpbc.org

Community Meeting draws 150 to help DCF shape priorities

The Quarterly Publication for the Florida Department of Children and Families in Palm Beach County

Spring-Summer 2010

Number of children in foster care drops 40% to lowest rate since 2004

Circuit 15 Update

Fewer Palm Beach County

children are being removed

from their families.

The number of children in foster care in Palm Beach County was safely reduced by 40 percent from December 2006 to April 2010. In that time period, the num-ber of children in foster care decreased from 1,509 to 905, which means 604 fewer chil-dren in our community experi-enced multiple moves from foster home to foster home and school to school. Fewer chil-dren were separated from their parents, and more children exited foster care to be reunited

2012. Reducing the number of children who enter - and remain in - foster care has lasting, positive effects on the lives of children and families in Palm Beach County. Research has shown that the majority of chil-dren and youth who grow up in foster care and not with a per-manent family are more likely to experience homelessness, teenage pregnancy, unemploy-ment and incarceration. In Palm Beach County, the Department of Children and Families contracts with Child and Family Connections, Inc., to handle foster care and adop-tion services. As the lead agency for community-based

Photos by Richard Sprague

The Department has strong partner-ships with community organizations and, as a result, services are reaching resi-dents more quickly. Those improvements, participants of the Department‟s May 24 Community Meeting repeatedly said, are evident in all of the Department‟s pro-grams - child protective services, sub-stance abuse and mental health, food assistance and other public benefits, adult protective services and refugee services. The 150 who attended the meeting con-sidered six Department goals and dis-cussed the Department‟s strengths, iden-tified gaps and barriers, and answered the question: “Where should we focus our attention?”

The six goals are: 1. Reduce the number of adult deaths

and injuries related to abuse, neglect and exploitation.

2. Reduce the number of child deaths and injuries related to abuse, neglect and abandonment (emphasis on do-mestic violence and substance abuse).

3. Promote effective resettlement of refugees and decrease human traf-ficking.

4. Increase speedy access to food and public assistance when needed.

5. Increase the percentage of children, persons with disabilities and vulner-able adults who remain in or return to

their homes. 6. Increase the number of children and

adults who live in their own homes and communities free from mental illness and substance abuse.

Participants said they want increased community awareness of the effects of domestic violence and substance abuse on children; more education about human trafficking; continued community partner-ships to help consumers navigate the complex public aid system; timely food stamps for transient individuals; greater emphasis on prevention of abuse, neglect and injuries; and increased awareness of the abuse hotline (1-800-962-2873).

Continued on page 4

Page 2

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

Community joins together to help prevent child abuse

After a series of child deaths in recent months, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and DCF Southeast Regional Director Perry Borman recorded a child safety public service announcement, encouraging the community to report abuse to the hotline: 1-800-962-2873. That public service announcement was broadcast on local TV stations, is posted on the Commu-nity Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties‟ YourPBC.org (http://yourpbc.org/articles/detail.dot?id=73024) and is featured during a “Healthy Living” episode currently running on Palm Beach County Government Channel 20. (Go to http://pbcgov.org/publicaffairs/Local_Programs.htm. Scroll down to “Healthy Living” and click on the “Child Abuse” link.) The “Healthy Living” episode includes information about nutrition assistance (www.myflorida.com/accessflorida), foster care and adoption, recognizing signs of child abuse, and keeping babies and children safe.

The Board of Commissioners of Palm Beach County presented a proclamation in recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month on April 6, 2010. Pictured above (left-to-right) are Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams, who sponsored the proclama-tion; Judith Warren, Chief Executive Officer of Child and Family Connec-tions, Inc.; Katrina Long, Afterschool Program Director, Westward Elemen-tary; Betsie Kalicos, Director on Assign-

ment, Department of Afterschool Pro-gramming; Oscar Artiles, DCF Child Protective Investigations Program Op-erations Administrator; Neela Dass, DCF Child Protective Investigations Specialist; and students Joy Howzell, Andrew Nutall and Kalie Brown. The students are displaying decora-tive hand cut-outs that they and fellow students in Westward Elementary School‟s afterschool program created. The decorative hands, reminders of the need to take care of our community‟s children, hung with thousands of others from throughout the state in the Capitol Rotunda in Tallahassee during Chil-dren‟s Week April 11-16, 2010. The Palm Beach County School Board also recognized Child Abuse Prevention Month with a proclamation on April 21. Pictured at right (left-to-

right): School board Chairman Dr. Mon-roe Benaim, DCF Southeast Regional Director Perry Borman, Forest Hill Ele-mentary Afterschool Program Director Anita Winkis, students Brayan Paz-Villanueva, Danarria Brown and Rachel Bailey, Child and Family Connections Community Relations Coordinator Vivi-anne Hall, and school board member Frank Barbieri Jr.

Workshops aim to “Demystify DCF” To help the community better un-derstand the programs and services the Department of Children and Families provides, the Department is hosting “Demystifying DCF” presen-tations. These presentations can be tai-lored to meet the needs of your com-munity group, neighborhood or busi-ness association. The Department is offering the workshops:

To better communicate with

partners in the community who help support our mission

To enhance existing, longstand-

ing working relationships with community organizations

To jumpstart new relationships

throughout the community that would strengthen our collective ability to serve residents

To provide accurate information

about how the Department op-erates in order to overcome barriers and correct misconcep-tions

To explain our partnerships with

numerous agencies, including our lead community-based fos-ter care and adoption organiza-tion, Child and Family Connec-tions, Inc.

To learn new ideas and better

ways to serve our neighbors. To schedule a presentation, call (561) 837-5686.

Circuit 15 Update is a quarterly publication de-

signed to inform employees and community

partners about the Florida Department of

Children and Families in Palm Beach County.

To conserve paper, and printing and postage

costs, this newsletter is distributed electroni-

cally. Please forward comments, submissions

to be considered for the next publication, or

any other inquiries to:

Elisa Cramer

Director of Communications FL Dept. of Children and Families

Circuit 15 - Palm Beach County

111 S. Sapodilla Ave. 301 D

West Palm Beach, FL 33401 OFFICE: (561) 837-5686

FAX: (561) 837-5106

To be added to the newsletter e-mailing list,

contact:

[email protected]

Photo courtesy of Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office

The Summer Food Service Program provides free meals for any child 18 and under throughout the summer. This federal nutrition pro-gram aims to fill the nutrition gap for children who through-out the school year rely on breakfast and lunch at school. For children who qualify for free and reduced-price meals, school breakfast and lunch

often provide up to two-thirds of their daily nutrient intake. This summer, any child can go to one of the feeding sites to receive a free, nutritious lunch. Many churches, schools and community centers are participating in this program. To find a location near you and to confirm the time the meal will be served, go to www.summerfoodflorida.org or

call 2-1-1. The Web site also provides posters you can hang at your office, in your neighborhood, your church or your community center. This program often goes underutilized simply because parents and kids don‟t know it‟s available. Please help spread the word!

Program provides free meals for kids all summer long

Page 3

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

„Look Before You Lock‟ reminds drivers of danger kids face in hot cars

When temperatures rise, so does the risk of an unthinkable tragedy - a child accidentally left strapped in a car seat and dying from exces-sive heat exposure (hyperthermia). Parents and relatives aren't the

1- to 4-year-olds have highest drowning rate in Palm Beach County

We are blessed to live in the Sunshine State where outdoor activities can be enjoyed year-round. With such enjoy-ment, however, can also come tragedy. According to the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner‟s Office, there have been approximately 688 drowning deaths from 1997-2009 within Palm Beach County. Among these drowning victims, children ages 1-4 had the high-est drowning rate. Regardless of one's age, race, gender or socioeconomic background, drowning can occur. Help prevent a loved one from becom-ing a statistic. Practice water safety, using the following layers of protection: 1. Never swim alone, even if you're a

proficient swimmer. 2. Have constant adult supervision for

children - EYE-to-EYE contact.

only ones who forget a child in the back seat while going to work or running errands. Each year, there are reports of child care providers who accidentally leave children in a daycare bus or van. According to an Associated Press analysis, the number of incidents of child heat ex-haustion deaths from being left in a hot car has risen dra-matically since the mid-1990s. The Children‟s Services Council of Palm Beach County and the Safe Kids

Coalition of Palm Beach County offer these tips:

Having a visual reminder

such as a pacifier or other small baby item on your keychain can help to make sure you don't leave your child in a hot car. Or place a sticky note with the word "baby" on the dash, or place a small picture of a baby in a prominent position that the driver can't overlook.

Child care center opera-

tors driving multiple chil-dren can utilize body

not read, talk on the phone or have outside distractions. Af-ter 15 minutes, hand over the distinguishable item to another adult for 15 minutes and so forth.

11. Learn to swim.

Did you know that there is a Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County that offers free, land-based water safety presentations to audiences of all ages? In addition, they can help you find reasonably priced swim lessons and an-swer your water safety/drowning preven-tion questions. Call (561) 616-7068 or e-mail [email protected]. Source: Anna Stewart, Manager, Drowning Prevention Coalition of Palm Beach County

3. Always swim in front of a lifeguard at the beach.

4. Have physical barriers around a pool area (i.e. fence) that include self-closing, self-latching gates.

5. Have window and door alarms that sound when breached.

6. Use pool safety covers when the pool is not in use.

7. Use pool alarms that float on the surface of the pool.

8. Use alarms that go around a child's wrist and sound if the wrist touches water.

9. Stay away from pool and spa drains.

10. While at a party, designate an adult “WATER WATCHER” (using a dis-tinguishable item such as a lanyard or funny hat) whose sole responsi-bility is to watch the pool area and

counts, two-part tagging systems (where a driver collects one part as kids board a bus and then re-distributes them when they exit), or a simple name roster check-in/check-out system to offer additional safety assur-ance.

Parents can set up a

simple "reminder" system for babysitters, grandpar-ents or other relatives watching their young kids as a memory jogger as well.

Page 4

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

DCF fights human trafficking

DCF receives input from community, recognizes “Champions”

Continued from page 1 Participants included organizations that contract or otherwise partner with the Department to provide treatment for sub-stance abuse and mental illness, to help residents apply for public benefits, to pro-vide foster care case management and adoption services, to provide adult protec-

tive ser-vices and to help refugees become self-sufficient. Indi-viduals

who receive services through the Depart-ment and/or our partners also partici-pated, as well as local elected officials or their representatives, and advocates for consumers of Department services. Overall, the participants expressed ap-preciation for the opportunity to provide input on the Department‟s Strategic Plan and said the meeting was informative and productive. Several participants also ex-pressed a desire for the community meet-ings to continue next year. So...stay tuned! The meeting in Palm Beach County was similar to Community Meetings held by the Department throughout the state in an effort to gain input from the com-

munity about the Department‟s strategic plans, to provide an update to the com-munity on local services and to update our partners on new legislation affecting the Department. The meeting also provided an opportu-nity to recognize some “Community Champions” of local children, adults and families in need. Southeast Regional Director Perry Bor-man presented certificates of commenda-tion to (at left) Charles Bender of Place of Hope, (from bottom left to right) Cornesha Dukes-Chisholm of the Pahokee Beacon Center, Tammy Lampi of the Division of Senior Services, Claire Howzell of the Department‟s ACCESS Program, Janine Mulberry of Mega Nursing Services, and

Michele Poole of Grandma‟s Place. Alton Taylor of the Drug Abuse Foun-dation of Palm Beach County and Obadiah Payton of Florida Youth Shine also were recognized.

Photos by Richard Sprague

A 6-year-old, a 10-year-old, an 11-year-old and a 14-year-

old were the youngest of the six children alleged to be vic-

tims of human trafficking in Palm Beach County in the past

year. At least four of the victims were girls.

Those are the allegations that were reported to the Depart-

ment of Children and Families, which on May 1, 2009, began

investigating human trafficking of children based on calls to

the statewide abuse hotline. In the year since, statewide

there were investigations of 156 instances of children being

trafficked.

Florida is one of the top three destinations for trafficking

victims in the United States. To help fight this crime and to

better assist victims of human trafficking, the Florida Com-

mission on Human Relations responds to discrimination,

human trafficking cases or human rights-related issues

throughout the state. Last year, the Legislature created the

Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force.

To join local efforts to combat human trafficking, the Palm

Beach County Human Trafficking Coalition meets on the

second Wednesday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon at

the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center. Call

chairperson Susan Larson for more information, (561) 837-

5025 ext 168.

Sources: Regina Bernadin, Statewide Human Trafficking

Coordinator, Florida Department of Children and Families Office of

Refugee Services; and Florida Commission on Human Relations

http://fchr.state.fl.us

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

DCF and community team to better serve vulnerable adults

For the past eight months, the Department of Children and Families in Palm Beach County has been working with law enforcement and other agencies that serve vulnerable adults to improve the community‟s response to residents in emer-gency situations and those who need ongoing services. When the Department‟s abuse hotline (1-800-962-2873) accepts a report of abuse, neglect or exploitation of an elderly person or vulnerable adult, the Department‟s Adult Protective Services Program investigates. The adult protective investi-gators‟ priority is to make sure the person is safe and to en-sure the provision of any necessary services to enable the

person to remain at home if safely possible. The collaboration between the Department, law enforce-ment and other agencies is prompted by this goal: to ensure the resident does not have to return to either system – Adult Protective Services or law enforcement. The team has drafted a Vulnerable Adult Protocol. This collaboration will have a quarterly review by an advisory group and ongoing quality assurance and training, to ensure a smooth and effective delivery of assistance to our vulner-able adults.

During Mental Health Month in May, Jeff Industries and the Department of Children and Families‟ Circuit 15 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Program Office part-nered with the Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County to provide help to individuals and families. At three separate resource fairs, the Department and doz-ens of service providers from throughout the county offered tools to buffer the ef-fects of stress and help Palm Beach County residents cope better with the many challenges they face. The behavioral health events, “Splash to Recovery,” also celebrated individuals in recovery and the treatment professionals who have helped them reclaim their lives. This is the second year the Department has hosted Splash to Recovery, an alco-hol-free, substance abuse and mental health resource event with water activities, children's games, food, and exhibitors of

These posters are the winning

selections created by clients of local substance abuse and mental

health treatment providers.

More than 1,000 attend DCF‟s „Splash to Recovery‟ events

services and resources to aid fami-lies. More than 1,000 attended the three, free events at Pioneer Park in Belle Glade (May 8), Barracuda Bay in Rivi-era Beach (May 15) and Calypso Bay Waterpark in Royal Palm Beach (May 21). Sponsors of the 3rd Annual Splash to Recovery included Magel-lan Health Services. The Department targeted residents who need help coping with losing a job or not being able to find one...residents searching for relief from family de-mands and work stress…residents attacking a substance abuse or mental health challenge and looking for reso-lution…anyone seeking information for themselves or someone they care about. As the Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County says, It’s Okay to Get Help!©

Employees give foster kids Easter treats

Continuing a three-year tradition, employees of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Pro-gram Office in March made 41 beautiful Easter baskets for children in foster care. The baskets, filled with toiletries, games and sweet treats, were dis-tributed to the children through he Foster and Adoptive Parents Association.

The Board of Palm

Beach County Com-

missioners proclaimed

May Mental Health

Month during its May 4

meeting. Pictured at

right are: Sandra Free-

man of the Depart-

ment’s Substance

Abuse and Mental

Health Program, Clau-

dia Roberts of Jeff

Industries, County

Commissioner Jess Santamaria, Angie Vyas of DCF’s Substance

Abuse and Mental Health Program Office, Pam Gionfriddo of the

Mental Health Association of Palm Beach County and Liz Downey

of the National Alliance on Mental Illness for Palm Beach County.

Page 5

Photo by Palm Beach County Department of Public Affairs

Page 6

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

„Bite-n-Trike,‟ Italian feast inject a little fun into workday

DCF hosts 34 students for „Take A Child To Work Day‟ Nearly three dozen children of Department employees spent April 22 learning about social services, the Department‟s partners throughout the community and professional etiquette. Us-ing the theme “1Youth, 1 Dream, 2Morrow‟s Leader,” the children participating in the annual Take a Child to Work Day activities also said they had a lot of fun. Five students participated at the Belle Glade Service Center, where Carla Hills coordinated activities. Thirteen participated at the Lake Worth Service Center, where Sharmes Rolle, Jackie Knowles, Jamekia How-

ard and Debbie Ellis coordinated activi-ties. The activities included “Walk a Day in My Shoes,” which allowed students to shadow a parent or guardian at work, a

talent show and an office word scramble. At the Sapodilla Avenue office, 16 students partici-pated, with a team of chaper-ones, donors and program participants, including Ana Valdes, Stephen Faroni, Eve-lyn Ellison, Roz Davis, Marjorie Fries, Cathy Claud, Maggie Miller, Julie Coleman and Margie Martinez.

Students and Department volunteers met with Judge Ronald Alvarez, and

Deputy Harden provided a tour of the juvenile holding cell at the courthouse.

(Above) Doris Carroll of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America leads students in creating

posters with anti-drug messages. (Below) Southeast Regional Director Perry Borman

thanks Tanya Normil of Florida Youth Shine for sharing tips for effective youth advocacy.

A newly formed Southeast Region Em-ployee Recognition Committee has been hosting a series of events throughout the region to ensure employees realize how valuable and appreciated they are...and also to make sure employees occasionally have quirky, silly, plain ol‟ fun! In Palm Beach County, teams of volun-teers organized an Italian luncheon on March 8, turning a conference room at the Sapodilla Avenue office into La Cocina. Then, on April 30, the Lake Worth Ser-vice Center hosted a “Bite-n-Trike” - breakfast followed by tricycle races. Enthu-siastic employees cheered on the fearless competitors (pictured below, left-to-

right: Allyson Spector, David Kratzer, Perry Borman and Gus Artau, who - appropriately clad in professional racing gear - trounced Borman and won all races). Nominate an outstanding co-worker for recognition: http://eww.dcf.state.fl.us/ser/ser_employee_recognition.shtml

Keep your ears and eyes open for

more information about

upcoming Employee

Recognition events!

Page 7

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

Hats off to ACCESS!

DCF faces 52% jump in families with food stamps, tackles backlog

There are more than 122,858 Palm Beach County residents receiving food stamps. In April, the Department issued more than $17 million in food assistance benefits. In Palm Beach County over the past year, there has been a 52 percent in-crease in the number of families receiv-ing food assistance. With no additional staff handling the increased number of applications, the Department‟s backlog grew to the worst rate in the state by March 2010. But by focusing on the backlog and enlisting the help of Department employ-ees in Broward County, the backlog rate is now one of the lowest in the state!

The Department continues to partner with other state and county agencies, as well as 180 community organizations in Palm Beach County, to increase aware-ness of the Supplemental Nutrition As-sistance Program (SNAP - commonly known as “food stamps”). The Depart-ment and the U.S. Department of Agri-culture want to ensure that anyone in need is able to access nutritious food. You may have heard ads on local ra-dio stations about SNAP. The Depart-ment also is circulating brochures and fliers that include the online application Web address: www.myflorida.com/accessflorida and listings of Community Partners throughout the county that can assist applicants.

Statewide, on April 23, employees

of the Department‟s ACCESS Pro-

gram wore bright, colorful, silly hats -

just for fun. The ACCESS Program

(Automated Community Connection

to Economic Self-Sufficiency) han-

dles applications for public benefits -

that‟s food stamps, Medicaid and

temporary cash assistance.

Employees of other programs also

wore fun hats in a show of solidarity.

Below are a few snapshots from

ACCESS Spirit Day in Circuit 15

(Palm Beach County).

Pictured below (left to right): Kathie

Beeson and Stephen Faroni, Gloria

Loyer and Mary Lints, Claire Howzell,

Margie Martinez

Group photo: (Back row) Eva McCrary,

Michelle Bergen, Kathie Beeson, Melanie

Swager, Stephen Faroni. (Middle row)

Marietta Moreno, Miriam Rosario, Margie

Martinez, Claire Howzell, Julie Coleman,

Mary Lints. (Front row - seated) Carmen

Arellano, Gloria Loyer and Violeta

Kosevic.

Read about the 2nd Annual Southeast Region ACCESS Community Partner Summit on page 8.

pal Church, 3600 Australian Avenue, West Palm Beach.

The event is free to the public. Call the

Sickle Cell Foundation at 561-833-3113

for more information.

To learn more about the 30-year-old,

family-oriented, nonprofit organization

dedicated to helping all people affected by the extremely

serious health problem of sickle cell disease, check out the

Website: www.sicklecellpalmbeach.org

Circuit 15 Update Spring-Summer 2010

Our Mission

Protect the vulnerable, promote strong and economically self-sufficient families,

and advance personal and family recovery and resiliency.

Our Vision

We will be recognized as a world class social services system, delivering valued services to our customers.

We are committed to providing a level and quality of service we would want for our own families.

DCF honors 250 who „partner for a healthier community‟

Hurricane season has begun...Are you prepared?

In recognition of the 2nd annual World Sickle Cell Day on

Saturday, June 19, the Sickle Cell Foundation of Palm Beach

County and Treasure Coast is convening a panel of persons

affected by sickle cell who are from different countries. The or-

ganization also will host a health fair. The aim of the event is to

draw attention to the diversity of those affected and to empha-

size the global nature of sickle cell.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Grace Episco-

Sickle Cell Foundation to host free health fair, panel talk

Hurricane season began June 1 and continues through Nov. 30.

During this time of year, when hurricanes are more

likely to strike than at other times during the year, it is important to prepare before a disaster happens. Not sure where to begin? Go to the Florida Division of Emergency Manage-ment‟s Web site (floridadisaster.org) to cre-

ate a Personalized Family Disaster Plan that you can print out and save for any future emergencies. The plan would include:

Recommended

amounts of food and water, based on your family information

Contact information for

your local Emergency Responders and maps of your local Evacua-tion Zones, and

Checklists of important

steps to take before, during and after a dis-aster.

One in four people in the United States receives assistance from one of the fed-eral government‟s 15 Food and Nutrition Service Programs. One in seven people in the country receives food stamps. With staggering increases in need for food assistance, the Department of Children and Families‟ ACCESS Program, which administers those benefits in Palm Beach County and throughout the state, values its Community Partners. As Lisa Pino told the 250 who gathered at the Depart-ment‟s June 3 Southeast Region AC-CESS Community Partner Summit in Boca Raton, “You are the front line where people go when they don‟t know where to go.” Pino is the Deputy Administrator of the United States Department of Agricul-ture‟s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance

Program (SNAP - commonly known as “food stamps”). As the Summit‟s keynote speaker, she discussed some of Presi-dent Obama‟s priorities related to food

and nutrition, specifically that there are “safe, nutritious meals for all children. The President made it crystal clear this is the paramount priority,” Pino said.

The USDA is working toward a goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015. The Obama administration also is committed, Pino said, “not only to ending hunger but to fighting obesity.” To learn more about First Lady Michelle Obama‟s initiative to help fight obesity nationwide, go to letsmove.gov. With state and local partners, the USDA also is focusing food stamp out-reach on seniors, the working poor and Hispanics - groups with disproportionate participation rates.

At the 2nd annual Southeast Region ACCESS Commu-nity Partner Summit, participants learned in a series of work-shops how to better assist residents who are applying for public benefits. The theme of the Sum-mit was “Partnering for a Healthier Com-munity.” Maria Soldani of the Soldani Group energized the group with “Jest for the Health of It: 10 Tips to Tickle You Through Tough Times.” Physical trainer Terrance Young offered a fitting after-lunch workout. To learn more about becoming an AC-CESS Community Partner in Palm Beach County, call (561) 837-5660.

Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator, USDA

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program