We seek to make lasting change in the lives of those we work with by providing services that are durable, measurable, and sustainable. We will maximize our impact by investing in staff and board development. Feedback gathered from our entire community will enhance and strengthen our programs and their outcomes.
Mario is a therapist for our Caminos Program at the Baltimore Campus. He was nominated for impact due to his devotion in ensuring that the youth of the Caminos program are constantly engaged in activities that promote wellness. Mario has joined youth in playing board games, sports, and initiating life skills discussions and huddles to clarify rules and schedules.
Mario pays very close attention to the needs of residents and always reports any issues to ensure follow up and appropriate action.
These daily interactions make a difference in the lives of the Caminos residents here at BCC. Mario, I appreciate your continued dedication and support. Congratulations on this well-deserved award!
Board of Child Care President and CEO Laurie Anne Spagnola aka LA, Reverend Dr. Stacey Nickerson and our Board Members are in Nashville this week for the United Methodist Association (UMA) annual meeting. The UMA presented Board of Child Care with Eagle accreditation for providing excellence in quality Christian Health and Human Services. BCC pursues nationally recognized accreditations to ensure its programs and operations meet and exceed industry best practices.
EAGLE’s collaborative approach aligns with BCC’s viewpoint that all charities and organizations must come together to solve some of our community’s most challenging problems. Via the UMA we routinely reach out and work with other faith-based organizations to exchange ideas and resources.
BCC deeply appreciates having EAGLE and its incredible network of peer reviewers as guides and mentors to ensuring spiritual wellbeing is closely interwoven throughout BCC’s service offerings and supports for staff.
When asked about BCC’s accreditation and success LA cheered “We are thrilled about it!”
For more information on the UMA and Eagle accreditation click below on “Pathways to Excellence.”
If you are able and would like to join with our youth in Baltimore in celebrating, you are welcome to come to the Chapel on Wednesday, April 18 from 4:15 until 5:00 p.m. Mr. Shawn will be hosting a small reception. We will have certificates for all of our participants. If you would like me to email one to you, please reply to me with your request.
If you cannot join us in person, please pause wherever you are and offer a moment of gratitude to God for yourself and for all of our BCC family! I will be in BWI Airport, most likely, at that time – but please know that I will be expressing my gratitude with intention.
Keep up the positive actions and positive thoughts!
I will be sending more emails of encouragement. Remember, you may opt out from receiving them whenever you wish.
May the beauty and promise of the butterfly inspire us to embrace change with courage, joy and gratitude!
God’s Blessings to you,
Stacey
Board of Child Care Program Director Dr. Meg DePasquale will be the new Director of Clinical Services for the Maryland Development Disabilities Administration starting Wednesday, April 18, 2018!
Dr. DePasquale is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a doctorate degree in Social Work and current Program Director for the Baltimore Board of Child Care. Prior to that, she was an adjunct instructor of social work courses at Salisbury University. She provided clinical supervision at The Benedictine School for 13 years and worked as a primary therapist for adolescents in a residential setting at Edgemeade Focus Point for six years. Please welcome Dr. DePasquale to the DDA.
How do you measure a year in a life?
In daylights? In sunsets? In midnights? In cups of coffee? In inches? In miles? In laughter? In strife? In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure a year in a life?
Measure in LOVE.
Thankful and grateful for the seasons of love we shared with Dr. Meg Despaquale at Board of Child Care. From the entire staff at BCC, congratulations on the next chapter in your journey to be the change in the world.
At the Board of Child Care, we support various recreational activities. One of most recent campus events was a Staff Vs. Resident basketball game. In the game, there was a referee, we had the scoreboard working, we took stats… the game was competitive, but competition wasn’t the focus of the event. One of our goals is to encourage appropriate interactions social interactions, and in order to encourage and guide such interactions we included a physical activity that most people like. At the end of the game, each team high-fived each other and said “good game”, showing good sportsmanship.
Our final week brings us to the fourth core value of BCC:
Aim for Impact. In other words, we are striving to make a difference.
I invite you to look back over your calendar of these last few weeks.
Does any one action stand out for you? Spirtual
Where were you most challenged?
How have you grown?
What will you do now?
Imagine with me the cumulative effect of all of our positive actions and thoughts blessed by God’s grace. Thank you!
May God multiply our impact for the good of young people and their families in our communities and in our world.
I have been reading a book recommended to me by two of our colleagues – The Gratitude Diaries: How A Year Looking On The Bright Side Can Transform Your Life by Janice Kaplan.
The above quote is from the book.
We are nearing the end of our 40 day commitment and I recommend that each of us begins to plan how we will continue to focus on positive actions and thoughts. I am going to pursue some type of gratitude journal because I know that I need some type of structure in order to keep focused.
Whatever you decide, let’s continue to support one another in positive actions. I am grateful for each of you and this opportunity we have to work together for a common purpose of enriching communities, one family at a time.
At the Board of Child Care, there are many departments that come together to provide the care you the youth. For National Social Worker Month, our Social Workers were interviewed to give us a better understanding of their role in their current position, as well as who they are as individuals. The following interview represents Ms. Micaela Itter
How long have you been for working at the Board of Child Care?
I was an Intern for 1 year, Child Care Worker for 1 year, and now I am a social worker for almost 7 months.
Favorite memory while at the Board of Child Care?
When a resident gave me a chicken for Christmas
We all have the same goal but achieve it differently. How are you working to fulfill this mission statement?
Promoting unification whenever possible
What is your greatest strength in one word?
Advocating for the youth that I serve
How do you display said strength while working?
Collaborating with all parties of treatment to ensure that all need are met and making sure that youth have the opportunity to display improvement.
Can you help us understand why you chose to include the image below?
The single most memorable day of my life was spent with Rebecca, Trina and Chloe. It was my first time in NYC and I will be forever grateful for our fearless leader and chaperone.
At the Board of Child Care, there are many departments that come together to provide the care you the youth. For National Social Worker Month, our Social Workers were interviewed to give us a better understanding of their role in their current position, as well as who they are as individuals. The following interview represents Ms. Alexander Glover
How long have you been for working BCC?
In June 2018, it will be 7 years.
Favorite memory while working for the Board of Child Care?
One of my favorite memories was when one of our long-term residents returned to go to Strawbridge. He was so excited to see me that he started running as fast as he could to me. When he got to me he leaped off the sidewalk on top of me to try to give me a hug. He was going so fast that he lost his balance, fell backward and pulled me down with him. He was going to hit his head on the cement, so my reaction was to quickly put my hand behind his head to protect it, in doing so my wrist skid across the ground. To this day, I still have a scar that when I look down at it, it always reminds me of that youth. While it hurt at the moment, it brings a smile to my face knowing that I was able to build such a positive relationship with him and his family
We all have the same goal but achieve it differently. How are you working to fulfill this mission statement?
My role is to support all of the talent in the upper campus program. A huge part of my support is to ensure that the staff work with the mindset of helping both the youth and their families with their needs. “We are not only here for the youth while they are in care but, we are here to forge a path in which they will succeed in the future,” says Glover. “Our job is not done if they can only do better here.” I also like to have direct relationships with families so they know they have someone they can go to as a resource.
What is your greatest strength in one word?
As a social worker, we wear many hats. The one that resonates the most with me is an advocate.The ability to channel my passion for our youth to serve them productively in their best interest
How do you display said strength while working?
We often have to work with interdisciplinary teams and departments. Many of us come from different educational backgrounds and specialties. It is our job as social workers to bring our knowledge base to help educate and Inform agency decisions that make sense for our youth
It is important to remember that feeling empathy and compassion for others and our selves leads to action if we are to have an impact.
I offer this prayer from a Native American tradition:
Oh, Great Spirit,
Help me to remain calm and strong
in the face of all that comes toward me.
Let me learn the lessons you have hidden
in every leaf and rock.
Help me seek pure thoughts and act
with the intention of helping others.
Help me find compassion
without empathy overwhelming me.
-Great Spirit Prayer
We hold you in our prayers and compassionate intentions.
On behalf of the Spiritual Life Team
-Stacey
How long have you been for working at the Board of Child Care?
