FALL NEWSLETTER 2022 September 2022 ADOPTION • CHILD’S WAY® • PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY HOSPITAL • PEDIATRIC VIEW We’re investing in a family today to Secure a TomorrowChild’s
Get to Know Us (Again)
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We’ve been around. In the past 129 years, the Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center has moved locations, added services, spearheaded policy change, and served thousands of children and families locally and around the world. But one thing hasn’t changed. For more than a century, we’ve dedicated ourselves to programs of empowerment. Our mission to promote the health and well-being of infants and children and establish and strengthen the family has been our guiding light and principle. The Children’s Home, which was founded as an early adoption model, may look a bit di erent than when it began in 1893 as The Pennsylvania Children’s Home Society. But we’ve always operated as a community change agent. Our neighbors, patients, business partners, funders, volunteers, board members, families, and sta believe in the collective good. We work together to meet the needs of each other. And that’s where you come in. We want to be around for another 129 years. We want to work with you to create and maintain programs that matter. Look at what we’ve been up to. Read about what’s important to us. Get involved.
WHAT WE’RE DOING – We work to ensure our team, foster families, and adoptive parents are trauma informed. We consider this training access important to the community, including anyone who works with a member of the adoption triad (birthparent, adoptive parent, adoptee). Our specialized counseling services also incorporate post-adoption needs, birthparents, donor conception, infertility, assisted reproduction, and surrogacy.
WHO WE ARE – Our adoption services have significantly expanded since they began in the 1800s. As a thriving, full-service adoption agency, we focus on infant adoption and children in foster care who are searching for permanent homes. The sta also provide counseling for birthmothers and adoptive families. The program has honed its expertise, as sta trains families who want to care for medically fragile children. Our caring social workers and counselors are always available to provide support.
WHO WE ARE – Child’s Way is a daycare for medically fragile children, housed within The Children’s Home & Lemieux Family Center. Dually licensed as a daycare and healthcare program, we are qualified to support children ages birth to 21 who need 4 or more hours of nursing care per day. We are certified 4 out of 4 Keystone STARS, delivering critical early education alongside individualized medical care.
ADOPTION • CHILD’S WAY® • PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY HOSPITAL • PEDIATRIC VIEW THE CHILDREN’S HOME & LEMIEUX FAMILY CENTER FALL NEWSLETTER 2022
WHAT WE’RE DOING – Child’s Way provides high-quality early education opportunities for children who are unable to attend traditional daycares. Medically fragile children, who would otherwise be isolated at home, can play, learn, and socialize within an inclusive community. We encourage parents and caregivers to pursue educational and career opportunities, knowing that their child is well cared for.
HOW YOU CAN HELP – Child’s Way o ers our services to families for only $32 a day. Donate today, and Child’s Way can deliver financial aid and scholarships to families who need it most.
HOW YOU CAN HELP – Become a foster parent for older youth and children with complex medical needs. Attend one of our monthly orientation meetings or fall awareness event during National Adoption Month in November. Participate in our upcoming training on September 29 that focuses on trauma-informed healing.
Child’s Way Daycare
Adoption and Permanency
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WHO WE ARE – The Children’s Home’s Pediatric Specialty Hospital is a 30-bed inpatient hospital that focuses on teaching the caregiver how to care for their medically fragile child at home. The nurse-to-patient ratio is low, so sta can teach hands-on care. Most days you will find nurses, PCTs, nurse practitioners, and physicians building confidence and certainty. Our clinical care is comfortable and relaxed, provided in a hospital designed to feel like home.
Dawn and her daughter, Emerald, say hello to baby Golden, born at 29 weeks.
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“We’re investing in a family today to secure a child’s tomorrow.”
Pediatric VIEW WHO WE ARE – The newest addition to The Children’s Home is Pediatric VIEW. This initiative assesses and identifies children with cortical visual impairment (CVI), the leading cause of visual impairment in all developed countries. Children with CVI have eyes that function normally, but the brain does not adequately receive the message from them. Within Pediatric VIEW, children and families receive the tools they need to improve their visual access of the world around them.
WHAT WE’RE DOING – Did you know that we have a successful infant-driven feeding program? Children and their caregivers can stay with us to learn how to eat, gain weight, and thrive at home. HOW YOU CAN HELP – Search our job openings to find several rewarding career opportunities, including RNs, nurse practitioners, PCTs, PAs, and LPNs.
WHAT WE’RE DOING – In July, our Pediatric VIEW practitioners attended the 9th annual American Conference on Pediatric Brain-based Visual Impairment. During this conference Christine Roman-Lantzy, PhD, founder of the program, received a hall of fame award for her service in advancing the needs of children and families with CVI from the Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society. The National Eye Institute also presented its strategic plan for CVI and its dedication to research and advancement of this important issue. In addition, we have developed a support scale that will assist us in working with the schools where children with CVI attend. We have met with more than 200 children since we began the program here a year ago. We have also added an occupational therapist and an additional practitioner, Jonathan Graves, to our team. HOW YOU CAN HELP – As we advance our strategic plan of CVI awareness, early detection, and education/collaboration with professionals, we need your financial support. Any funding designated to Pediatric VIEW will directly impact our e orts to provide a free care fund for any family who is unable to access our services.
N If you would like to help children and their families get the services they need, please visit childrenshomepgh.org to make a donation.
Pediatric Specialty Hospital
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The Children’s Home is fortunate to enjoy the generosity of so many people and organizations in the community. By hosting an event, you can use your special skills, talents and connections to help make a lasting impact!
third-party fundraiser to benefit
Critical Needs Alert
Need help thinking of a fun fundraiser you can host? hosting your own The Children’s Home? Check out our Third-Party Guidelines and contact Taylor Dozier at tdozier@chomepgh.org or 412-441-4884 ext. 2044.
Thanks to your generosity, we raised $19,238 in #ONEDAY on August 9th to support The Children's Home of Pittsburgh and our four programs: Child's Way, Pediatric Specialty Hospital, Adoption, and Pediatric VIEW. We are grateful for The Pittsburgh Foundation and The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County and this opportunity to collectively help raise $1.7 Million alongside 192 other nonprofit organizations in our area. Close to 50 individuals donated through us this year. Didn't get a chance to donate to our #ONEDAY Critical Needs Alert? You can always support The Children's Home by donating now and mentioning this initiative. Visit our online blog to read more about sweet Sam Johnston, the face of this year’s fundraising campaign.
Third FundraisersParty ME!SCAN 4
Here are some ideas: • Car Wash • Spaghetti Dinner • Employee Dress Down Day at Your Company • Birthday or Anniversary Party • Garage Sale Interested in
Update
On Sunday, July 17th, The Children’s Home celebrated the 5th Annual Birthday Toy Drive hosted by our generous volunteer, Ti Setzler Ti has been collecting toys for The Children’s Home in honor of her birthday and her daughter’s half birthday for half a decade, and this year she expanded this event to make an even greater impact. Ti worked tirelessly to coordinate an in-person closeout event where over 30 vendors gathered in support of The Children’s Home, along with live music. Guests were asked to bring toys from The Children’s Home Amazon Wishlist to be donated to those served in our programs. This year, we were able to collect 475 toys and bring in over $1,175 in monetary donations! Thank you to everyone who made a donation and helped support this wonderful event.
Pam joined the sta of The Children’s Home during the 100th-year anniversary celebration of the organization. It was a memorable event, as she recalls the board and sta dressed in vintage clothing from the late 1800s. At that time, The Children’s Home was located on Kentucky Avenue in Shadyside, a small building that made up in character for what it lacked in size and parking spaces. Shortly after, Pam became chief executive o cer. Her professional background as a registered nurse was instrumental in implementing the first transitional pediatric care ventilator program in 1995. It empowered families to medically care for their children in a practical way. In the mid-90s, during her first pregnancy, Pam then recognized the need for a medical daycare facility. At that time, there was no alternative to in-home care for medically fragile children. She met with and listened to caregivers who were struggling to earn a living, go to school, and support their families. She spent countless hours observing similar facilities in Florida and fought to implement that method here. With the support of state legislators, she successfully lobbied to pass Act 54, which enabled the first Pediatric Extended Care Center (then located on Baum Avenue) to be licensed. Her e orts then paved the way for 27 additional centers to open and operate across the state of Pennsylvania. Healthcare Recognized as a Carlow of for Current
1993 - Joined TCH 1995 - Admitted First Ventilator Patient - Journey to Develop Child’s Way 1997 - Opening of Child’s Way - Open BiologicalAdoption:parentsparticipate in the process of placing the child with an adoptive family and may continue contact thereafter. 1999 - American Hospital Assoc. Touchstone Award: Recognize projects and products worldwide to enhance health, safety and wellness; increase value; improve outcomes; and, engage stakeholders. 2000 -
Univ. Woman
Pamela Keen, CEO, Celebrates 30 Years at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh
Hero Award Pittsburgh Business Times 2004 -
Spirit - Led Planning
Building on Penn Ave. 30 Years with Pam Keen 5
ADOPTION • CHILD’S WAY® • PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY HOSPITAL • PEDIATRIC VIEW THE CHILDREN’S HOME & LEMIEUX FAMILY CENTER FALL NEWSLETTER 2022
Pam’s attention has always focused on the growth and diversification of its programs by implementing services where there are gaps in support. Decades ago, The Children’s Home became one of the first privately licensed adoption agencies to implement open adoption techniques. Additionally, she led the agency to apply the least discriminatory and restrictive policies to ensure that all couples or individuals could grow their family through adoption. In 2004 Pam led the planning e orts for a $22 million replacement facility on Penn Avenue in the Garfield/Friendship neighborhoods. Three years later, all programs – Adoption & Permanency, Pediatric Specialty Hospital and Child’s Way –moved in under one larger, compassionate roof, the third physical location for The Children’s Home in its history. (The building would undergo a two-story addition for the hospital in 2015.)
many of the children who are patients in our hospital and children who attend Child’s Way have CVI. Additionally, The Children’s Home recently developed the Temporary Emergent Medical Pediatric (TEMP) program for patients whose caregivers need support and assistance.
While her tenure at The Children’s Home is not over, join us in celebrating three decades of Pamela Keen. Congratulations on 30 years of holistic and compassionate leadership!
Dawn and her daughter, N
2007 - All Programs Moved to 5324 Penn Ave. 2009 - Heart in PediatricHandCare Award 2010 - Diamond Award: For leadership of a Non-profit organization, Pittsburgh Business Times 2015 - Fast Tracker Award: For leadership given by Katz Business School, Pittsburgh Business Times 2021 - Ready.ImplementedSet.Home 2022 - WelcomedPediatricVIEWtoTCH - Created TEMP 6
The Children’s Home still calls 5324 Penn Avenue “home” to this day. Within the past year, Pam orchestrated purchasing the property across from our current location to expand and enhance our services, recycling and repurposing as much as possible from that location. With Pam’s guidance, The Children’s Home welcomed Pediatric VIEW to 5324 Penn last year, a program dedicated to treating patients with cortical visual impairment (CVI). Pediatric VIEW was a natural addition to our services, as
TEMP is an approved inpatient stay while parents or caregivers are recuperating from a procedure or may be unable to receive or provide care during a di cult time.
CEO credits her success to a visionary board of directors, an incredible management team, and her executive assistant, Becky McIntyre, who has supported her work since she arrived at The Children’s Home.
Pam’s hard work and collaborative attitude continue, as The Children’s Home recently executed Ready. Set. Home. This integral support service includes a series of printed and video materials for families learning g-tube, tracheostomy, and other critical hands-on care Thistechniques.business-savvy
Although she is a transplant from Rockville, Maryland, Pam considers herself a Pittsburgher. She loves her Children’s Home family, supportive husband James, four children Cameron, Samuel, Sarah, David and “fur-babies” Maple and Rusty.
ADOPTION • CHILD’S WAY® • PEDIATRIC SPECIALTY HOSPITAL • PEDIATRIC VIEW THE CHILDREN’S HOME & LEMIEUX FAMILY CENTER FALL NEWSLETTER 2022 7
We are looking for full-time Nurse Practitioners, RNs, LPNs, PCTs and PAs who have a passion for medically fragile pediatric patients with the drive to educate families for success at home. Rotating and Steady Nights Available Questions: Contact Nicole Walach, Human Resources Manager, at nwalach@chomepgh.org or 412-441-4884 ext. 1056. - Independence with Physician Support - Great Learning Environment - 1:3 Nurse to Patient Ratios - Self-Scheduling - Competitive Compensation - Bonus Opportunities - Incredible Benefits - 401k & Employer Match - Paid Time O (PTO) - FREE On-Site Parking - And More! We Are Hiring! Join our amazing team scan here What you can expect: 8
Today you can make your valuable support go even further by becoming a member of The Friends Club at The Children’s Home. By being our Friend, you’ll enjoy:
This summer
$10 : $20 : $35 : $50 : $100 : Provides supplies for welcome bags for Pediatric VIEW patients Provides gift cards for birthparents in need of food, clothing and other needs
Monthly donors are dedicated, strategic and make our work sustainable. Our new monthly giving program, The Friends Club, is for those who want to make an ongoing commitment to supporting critical services to children and families served by The Children’s Home.
The special limited-edition ornaments are in production at Wendell August Forge and will be distributed to our Friends Club Members as a token of our appreciation for your consistent support. making a erence in the lives of medically fragile vulnerable
Covers one day of care in Child’s Way©, our daycare for medically fragile children Provides emergency assistance for children in our TEMP program
Helps cover the cost of medical bills in our Pediatric Specialty Hospital
di
Other :
children and
Know?
aforYOUTHANKbeingfriend! • A club members only custom gift • A subscription to our newsletters • Bi-annual thank you impact reports • The knowledge that your donation is put to work immediately • Hassle free automatic monthly donations from your credit or debit card • The ability to change or suspend your donations at any time • The joy of knowing that you’re
Sign up today to join a group of monthly donors who are committed to making a di erence in the lives of children in need. Whether you sign up for a recurring gift of $10, $50 or $100, you’ll know that your gift helps us ensure that The Children’s Home has resources for families in need every single day because of your generosity.
Join our Friends Club with a Monthly DonationDidYou
9 ACSN EREHTOLE ARNMORE
The Children’s Home opened its first ever call for artists, encouraging Pittsburgh artists to design a one-of-a-kind image to be used for The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh 2022 ornament. Of the artwork submitted, an anonymous design entry was selected.
families in our communities
Monthly donations provide consistent support to families where it’s needed most in our four core programs at The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh & Lemieux Family Center: Adoption, Child’s Way©, Pediatric Specialty Hospital, Pediatric VIEW and Temporary Emergent Medical Pediatric (TEMP).
Choose an amount that works best for you! Any amount, big or small, can make a lasting impact for a family in need
Here are just a few examples of the many ways your monthly gift will help:
As a SPECIAL THANK YOU for being a member of our FRIENDS CLUB, you will receive a custom designed Children’s Home of Pittsburgh ornament!
Upcoming Events
In-Service
and Identify elements of trauma in the adoption triad, birth family, adoptive family, and adopted children, treatment techniques, ACES, and resiliency.
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October 2022 11th Pediatric VIEW Early Intervention 9:00am to 12:00pm Impariment,
In-Service
Healing Within the Adoption Triad -
– National Teddy Bear Day We have teamed up with our partners at Bayer to provide the children we serve with a plush present for comfort and companionship. Bayer employees have collected toys for weeks and we are excited to distribute! 19th –
Clinical Implications for Children Birth to 3 years 29th –
September 2022 9th Pediatric VIEW Early Intervention 9:00am to 12:00pm or 1:00pm to 4:00pm: Cortical Visual Impairment, Grand Rounds: A Trauma-Informed Approach 12:00pm to 1:00pm: Define
Cortical Visual
Clinical Implications for Children Birth to 3 years November 2022 TBD – Adoption Event Check our website for updates about this Adoption Awareness Event 29th – Giving Tuesday Save the date to support The Children’s Home during this special day of giving! April 2023 22nd – Shake Your Groovy Booties Save the date for our 21st Annual Fundraising Gala! Featuring music from Dancing Queen. For more information about registration for upcoming In-Service or Grand Rounds, contact Bethany Bartlison, Program Relations Manager at bbartlison@chomepgh.org. For questions about upcoming events, contact Taylor Dozier, Events, Marketing and Development Manager at tdozier@chomepgh.org. CVI Awareness Mth Natial Adti Mth 10
The Children’s Home of Pittsburgh 5324 Penn Ave Pittsburgh PA, 15224 NONPROFIT ORG. US PERMIPITTSBURGH,POSTAGEPAIDPATNO.2165 Get ready to Boogie! Our largest fundraiser, SHAKE YOUR GROOVY BOOTIES, is making a return to Acrisure Stadium on SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2023, bringing together over 450 guests in support of our programs. Join us for a far-out evening of dinner, games, auctions and live music by DANCING QUEEN to help us reach our fundraising goal of $240,000. All proceeds benefit our programs at THE CHILDREN’S HOME OF PITTSBURGH – can you dig it? Grab your dancing shoes and let’s get funky all for a great cause. It’s gonna be o the hook! SavetheDate!