Ohio town

DINO COPPOLINO Publisher

ABOUT US

Mailing Address: PO Box 22067, Lincoln RI 02865

Publisher: Dino Coppolino Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm weekdays. Closed evenings and weekends. Phone: 401-837-0328

READER SERVICES

ADVERTISING

Contact Dino Coppolino at 401-837-0328

GOT A STORY IDEA

For story ideas, contact us at the411papers@gmail.com.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Let our readers know about your events sponsored by your non-profit organization, school or church. • Deadline: Monday at noon • Submit: We prefer to receive news via email. Send yours to the411papers@gmail.com. Receipt does not guarantee publication. Event marketing by forprofit businesses requires paid advertising. You can also mail us your event.

ERRORS & OMISSIONS

Must be reported within ten days of publication. Only space equal to that of the error will be issued as compensation.

THE 411 EDITIONS:

The 411 is published monthly with editions in: Lincoln, Smithfield, Cumberland, North Providence, East Providence, Pawtucket, Barrington, Cranston, Warwick, East Greenwich and North Kingstown.

COPYRIGHT

The 411 is published monthly by CGL Printing, Inc. ©2022. All rights are reserved. Neither The 411, nor the advertisers are responsible for any errors in the ad copy. The 411, RI Senior Living Guide and The Real Estate Journal serves the right to refuse any ad from being published in this newspaper. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1988 as amended which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, family status or national origin or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.”

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertisement which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all content, stories, advertisements in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-800-347-3735 or the R.I. Human Rights Commission at 1-277-2661.

The 411 news or any of its content may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher. The411news.com or its content may not be linked to any other website without the written consent of the publisher.

The 411 and The Real Estate Journal are supported solely by advertising dollars. If you enjoy our product and would like to see the newspaper grow and prosper, visit any advertisers and businesses in our communities. Keep your dollars working at home and shop local.

RI DCYF Receives Approval for Family First Prevention Services Plan

The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) today announced the Administration for Children & Families (ACF) has approved its five-year Family First Title IV-E Prevention Services Plan. This plan will allow the Department to build upon its focus and mission of strengthening the capabilities and expanding the capacity of parents and caregivers to effectively care for their children and safely reduce the need for foster care where possible, keeping children and youth safe and healthy at home. In addition, it will continue to drive forward the goal of eliminating disproportionality and disparity in our child welfare system and create equitable access to services and programming within DCYF ensuring culturally appropriate options are available.

The Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA), enacted by Congress on February 9, 2018, is landmark federal legislation that offers a major opportunity for states to strengthen prevention services by allowing Title IV-E funding reimbursement for mental health services, substance use treatment, and in-home parent skillbased programs for children or youth who are at risk of entering foster care, pregnant or parenting youth in foster care, and the parents or relative caregivers of those children and youth.

“We believe – and local advocates, policymakers and community stakeholders agree – that passage of Family First is an opportunity that offers exciting possibilities for Rhode Island to be responsive to the specific needs of children, teens, and families,” says Governor Daniel McKee. “Family First provides additional resources to promote innovations and flexibility in our efforts thanks to federal reimbursement for prevention services. This is an important opportunity for us to engage the entire community in planning and implementation and gather ongoing feedback on improving our preventive services and practice models. This includes engaging with communitybased organizations, private providers, the community, and other stakeholders. I am grateful for the collaborative efforts taken by DCYF to lead this effort and I’m confident Rhode Island’s Family First plan will greatly improve the future of children, youth, and families in our state,” McKee adds.

Family First is based on several core principles shared by DCYF and its parent agency the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS). These principles are reflected in DCYF’s vision, mission, and guiding principles. DCYF’s mission is to partner with families and communities to raise safe and healthy children and youth in a caring environment.

“A strong federal-state-community collaboration is the foundation for Family First,” says EOHHS Acting Secretary Ana Novais. “We believe that the family, community, and government share responsibility for children’s safety, protection, and well-being through a family- and child-centered wraparound model of care. Systems should work to keep families together whenever possible by providing access to prevention services so children and teens can grow up in their own home and caregivers who need access to treatments and support can improve their ability to care safely for their kids. The Family First plan will serve to help DCYF build on its ongoing efforts.”

Through Family First, DCYF will have the ability to enhance its efforts with respect to prevention and early intervention services to keep children safe, strengthen families and reduce the need for foster care whenever it is safe to do so. This five-year plan will give the state the option to use these federal Title IV-E funding for evidence-based prevention services and programs (EBPs).

“DCYF is excited to receive confirmation its Family First Prevention Services Plan has been approved by the Administration for Children & Families,” says Acting Director Kevin Aucoin. “This five-year plan was created through a partnership with our colleagues in our sister health and human service agencies, as well as the input from our community stakeholders. The Department’s plan codifies its efforts to work with stakeholders and the local communities to connect children, youth and families with services aimed at preventing child maltreatment. The plan emphasizes the value of child safety and well-being and strong families through collaboration with local communities and program providers.”

In Rhode Island, Family First will build upon the Department’s focus and mission by: • Strengthening the capabilities and expanding the capacity of parents and caregivers to care for their children effectively and safely at home • Reducing the need for foster care by partnering with families and communities to raise safe and healthy children and youth in a caring environment. • Expanding the home-based service array that supports future procurements • Continuation of work to shift the focus from out-of-home care to prevention and increased family stability and well-being. • Investing in evidence-based interventions and applying a trauma-responsive lens to the continuum of prevention services. • Partnering across systems (mental health, substance use disorder, juvenile justice, early childhood, health, etc.) to align prevention efforts. For more information about DCYF’s Family First Title IV-E Prevention Services Plan visit the DCYF Family First webpage to review the Executive Summary for Family First Title IV-E Prevention Services Plan.

Basic Center Program for Homeless & Runaway Youth Expands with 2 New Grants

Two years after the federal program was established in Rhode Island, the Basic Center Program at Family Service of Rhode Island (FSRI) will now be able to help even more homeless and runaway youth find emergency short-term housing through host homes, case management, and basic needs assistance, with the recent announcements of two expansion grants.

The Consolidated Homeless Fund grant of $109,183 over one-year funds a higher daily stipend for licensed Host Homes, and supplies funding for basic necessities during the stabilization processes, such as clothing and toiletries for the youth they serve.

Similarly, the HUD Rhode Island Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Grant of $223,713 over two years expands the age range of qualifying youth from 12-17 to also include 18-25-year-olds.

“The age expansion grant for the Basic Center Program is a huge step forward for us, as over the last few years we’ve received at least 7 referrals for youth who couldn’t be served due to their age,” said Candace Johndrow, Vice President of FSRI’s Hope Division. “But now, those youth could be served through this expansion.”

Licensed and vetted individuals and families who volunteer to be a Host Home provide a temporary living space in their home for a period of 21 days or less. Until the receipt of the Consolidated Homeless Fund grant, they received a very small stipend to cover the expense of hosting a youth. With the new grant in place, FSRI was able to increase the Host Home stipend, and allow funds for basic necessities, like clothing and toiletries, that youth might need during the stabilization process.

The Basic Center Program is the only one of its kind in Rhode Island, offered by FSRI through funds awarded in a $600,000 HHS federal grant in 2020. The Emergency Youth Center can serve 8-15 youth at a time, with an estimated 130 youth served annually.

FSRI is pleased to offer an alternative to youth who find themselves in difficult circumstances. We want the youth in our community to know that there is a place they can turn to now, thanks to this funding, that will listen to them, partner with them, and help them move on to the next step.

To learn more about becoming a Host Home, click here. To help a homeless youth in need of emergency shelter, contact us here or call our Intake Department at (401) 519-2280. This program is supported by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $600,000, with 91% funded by ACF/HHS and $0 funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACF/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative, and National Policy Requirements. About Family Service of Rhode Island: FSRI is a comprehensive non-profit social service agency and an essential part of the Rhode Island community. FSRI provides support to children and families from birth to adulthood through services focused on three general areas: physical and mental health, education, and overall well-being. Every program or service FSRI offers is geared towards promoting healthy families and strong communities.