Connecting, Supporting and Empowering Maryland Families

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Volume 16 Issue 3

September 2020

This month we share:

MCF Supports Families of Those in Recovery

Does a Young Adult in Your Family Struggle With Behavioral Health Issues?

One Quarter of Young Adults Contemplated Suicide During Pandemic

5 Ways to Make Virtual Back-to-School The Best Possible Experience

Six Realistic Self-Care Practices for Right Now

Get Connected With Our Online Support Groups

Also included: upcoming trainings and events and employment opportunities.

MCF Supports Families of Those in Recovery

National Recovery Month is an observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with substance use disorders to live healthy and rewarding lives. Now in its 31st year, Recovery Month celebrates the gains made by those living in recovery.

While recovery is the ideal and hoped-for outcome, caring for a family member with a drug or alcohol issue can be frustrating, exhausting and scary. We know because we've been there. Our Family Peer Support Specialists provide one-to-one support and help you to:

Access evaluation, assessment and treatment services

Navigate recovery services and supports

Understand insurance coverage

Connect to other families dealing with similar challenges

Learn about other services and supports available in your community

Take care of yourself and manage stress

All of our services are completely free and confidential, and our workshops and support groups are available online.

Learn More About

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Family Peer Support

Does a Young Adult in Your Family Struggle With Behavioral Health Issues?

If you have a loved one ages 18-26 in your family who is dealing with behavioral health challenges, join us on September 10 at 6 pm for Supporting Your Family: When to Worry, What to Do. This virtual workshop will be facilitated by Taking Flight, MCF’s team of youth engagement specialists. They will use their lived experience with behavioral health challenges to offer insight and support to families of young adults coping with issues such as:

Anxiety and depression

Disordered eating

PTSD

ADHD

Mental health struggles in college

Identifying unhealthy coping mechanisms

Struggling to find effective treatment

To attend, email Haley Rizkallah at [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

to receive the Zoom meeting link. We hope to see you there!

Learn

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More

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About Taking Flight

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One Quarter of Young Adults Contemplated Suicide During Pandemic

One in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 say they've considered suicide in the past month because of the pandemic, according to new CDC data that paints a bleak picture of the nation's mental health during the crisis.

The data also flags a surge of anxiety and substance abuse, with more than 40 percent of those surveyed saying they experienced a mental or behavioral health condition connected to the Covid-19 emergency. The CDC study analyzed 5,412 survey respondents between June 24 and 30.

Read the Online Article

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5 Ways to Make Virtual Back-to-School the Best Possible Experience

With many school districts choosing to begin the school year with some variation of a virtual environment, this year will be another one for the record books. Even if last year ended in frustration with the virtual format, we are here to make this year’s transition a bit easier for you and your child with our top five tips for a successful back to school. These tips are designed to not only engage your child academically, but to head off frustrations that are bound to happen--before they occur.

Read More

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Six Realistic Self-Care Practices for Right Now

It’s tempting to use the pandemic as a reason we don’t have time or energy to take care of ourselves right now. It seems that every day we must deal with unfamiliar and unexpected challenges. Just when we feel like we have a handle on our current situation, it changes. For some of us, the working from home arrangement that seemed like a short-term solution has now become a long-term reality. Others have lost employment or needed to take a leave from our work to care for family members. Those of us with children are trying to figure out what virtual learning will look like this fall and how to make “hybrid” learning work for our schedule and our children. Most of us are living with the nearly constant worry that we or someone we love will get sick.

These are all current realities and it makes sense to think that taking care of ourselves will be one more source of anxiety. Yet, self-care practices are exactly what we need to keep our immune system working well, our stress levels in check and our families strong.

Now is the perfect time to take stock and get creative in establishing (or reestablishing) healthy habits. At MCF, we have scoured the internet and asked health professionals as well as our staff, to give us their top tips for self-care practices that are simple, inexpensive and that don’t require a lot of time.

Read More

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What You Should Know About Voting by Mail

If you do prefer not to vote in-person in the November election, you can request a mail-in ballot.



Registered voters should automatically receive an application for a mail-in ballot in early September. The application will have instructions for how to request a ballot online or through the mail. Another option is using this link to request your mail-in ballot if you have a Maryland driver’s license or MVA-issued ID card: [link removed]

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The advantage of requesting a ballot with the above link is that the instructions are clearer and easier – some people have found the instructions confusing in the link listed in the ballot applications that are automatically generated. Regardless of which way you request your ballot, they will begin going out to voters in September. The deadline to apply for mail-in voting is October 20.



You will need to return your completed ballot by Election Day, November 3, 2020. Officials advise that you return your completed ballot as early as possible. You can mail it in (the ballots will have pre-paid postage), or hand deliver it to a ballot drop off box (addresses of drop boxes will be provided in the ballot packet that you receive), your local board of elections, an early voting center, or an Election Day voting Center.



One of our greatest rights is the right to vote. Let your voice be heard!



Get Connected With Our Online Support Groups

MCF now offers many online support groups

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to provide a safe space for you to learn, share and receive compassionate help. All are facilitated by trained Family Peer Support Specialists who have dealt with similar challenges in their own families. Current groups are available for:

Parents and caregivers of children with behavioral health challenges

Young adults ages 18-26 struggling with behavioral health challenges

Anyone who cares for a person struggling with substance use (alcohol or drugs)

Parents who have lost a child to overdose

Anyone who cares for a person struggling with problem gambling

Groups are free for all participants and are held on different days of the week and different times of day. Find one or more that can work for you and join us soon!

Find a Support Group

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Also online:

5 Back-To-School Resources For Parents No Matter Your Family's Situation

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11 Tips for Anyone Who Doesn't Know How to Relax

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Suicide After Suicide: What We Must Do to Break the Cycle

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First Recovery High School in Maryland Opens in Frederick

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Upcoming Trainings & Events:

Western Maryland Family Leadership Retreat

This retreat is for parents and caregivers who have a school-age child with mental health challenges and live in Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett or Washington County. Learn how to collaborate with your child's school and become empowered to promote the needs of your child and family, as well as take care of yourself.

When: September 25, 6:00–9:00 PM and September 26, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM

Where: Online

Deadline to register: September 11

Read More and Register

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Mid-Shore Family Care Events

Join other caregivers and loved ones of someone with mental health, behavioral health or substance use challenges for a series of events designed to help you relax with while sharing ideas and taking time for yourself.

When: Thursdays, September 24 and October 22

Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM

Where: Online

Read More and Register

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Healthy Minds Drop-in Book Club

Maryland Coalition of Families invites you to join other families and loved ones who care for someone with mental health, behavioral health or substance use challenges. We’ll explore and discuss a thought-provoking book each month and share some relaxing time together.

When: Fourth Tuesday of Each Month

Time: 2:30– 4:00 PM

Where: Online

Read More and Register

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For a complete list of upcoming trainings and events, visit our web site

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MCF Employment Opportunities

MCF is growing, and we have employment opportunities that might be perfect for you or someone you know! We currently have job openings for:

Substance Use/Problem Gambling:

Family Peer Support Specialist, Baltimore City

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Family Peer Support Specialist, Mid-Shore

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Family Peer Support Specialist, Prince George's & Anne Arundel countie

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s

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Mental Health

Family Peer Support Specialist, A

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nne Arundel County

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Family Peer Support Specialist, Baltimore City and County

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Early Childhood

Family Peer Support Specialist, Central Maryland

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Family Peer Support Specialist, Eastern Shore

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Family Peer Support Specialist, Western Maryland

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/Hagerstown

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Family Peer Support Specialist, W

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estern Maryland/Frederick

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Click here for further information on employment opportunities

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Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) helps families who care for someone with behavioral health needs. Using personal experience as parents, caregivers, youth and other loved ones, we connect, support and empower Maryland’s families. Our staff provide one-to-one support to parents and caregivers of young people with mental health issues and to any loved one who cares for someone with a substance use or gambling issue.



10632 Little Patuxent Pkwy Suite 234 | Columbia, MD 21044

Toll Free: (888) 607-3637 | Fax: (410) 730-8331

www.mdcoalition.org

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Copyright © 2020, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:

Maryland Coalition of Families

10632 Little Patuxent Parkway

Suite 234

Columbia, MD 21044

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