Family Care Services, Inc.

We're at Greencastle Sidewalk Days today till 8 and all day tomorrow! You can stop by our tent on Jefferson Street!

We're at Mercersburg SpringFest till 4:00 today!

You can find us here today!!

🎉Today is the day! Join us for FREE family fun at Learn & Play Day with United Way! We’ll be at First United Methodist Church in Chambersburg from 10am-1pm with tons of activities in store for your kids to enjoy.

Activities include…
➡️Touch-A-Truck sponsored by Volvo Construction Equipment North America
➡️Inflatable Playgrounds
➡️Kids’ Crafts & Activities - made possible thanks to sponsor WellSpan Health
➡️Community Vendors
➡️Snack Shack - sponsored by Capital Blue Cross
➡️Reading Corner - sponsored by Buds of Promise
➡️Scavenger Hunt
➡️Sensory Exploration Station

Visit uwfcpa.org/learn-and-play to learn more. See you soon!

¡Hoy es el día! ¡Únase a nosotros para divertirse en familia GRATIS en el Día de aprender y jugar con United Way! Estaremos en First United Methodist Church en Chambersburg de 10am-1pm con toneladas de actividades reservadas para que disfruten sus hijos.

Actividades incluidas…
➡️Touch-A-Truck patrocinado por Volvo
➡️Parques infantiles inflables
➡️Manualidades y actividades para niños: posibles gracias al patrocinador WellSpan Health
➡️Proveedores comunitarios
➡️Snack Shack - patrocinado por Capital Blue Cross
➡️Rincón de lectura - patrocinado por Buds of Promise
➡️Búsqueda de tesoros
➡️Estación de exploración sensorial

Visite uwfcpa.org/learn-and-play para obtener más información. ¡Nos vemos pronto!

Today is May 1st & the start of .

I get that that it’s easier to look away than to deal with the broken system, but if it’s not us, then who will it be? The 300,000+ kids living in foster care need you.

We are not all called to do the same thing, but we can find a way to help & do something.

Our first event of the year! Come on out to Healthy Kids Day at the Chambersburg YMCA today till 11:00!
https://facebook.com/events/s/healthy-kids-day-at-the-chambe/434473299118210/

The Franklin County Commissioners have proclaimed March to be Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in Franklin County. In doing so, they are drawing attention to the unlimited potential possessed by all residents – including those with developmental disabilities – to live, work and thrive in Franklin County.

Did you know... the Franklin/Fulton Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities program provides support to 561 individuals and their families in Franklin and Fulton counties who are registered with the program. Of those individuals:
- 86 have competitive, integrated employment;
- 141 utilize Community Participation Supports either through a licensed day service family or in the community;
- 135 use residential support programs such as Lifesharing, chapter 6400 community homes, or an apartment program;
- 413 live independently or with family; and
- 80 are under the age of 21 and are supported through their insurance

Press release: https://bit.ly/49MsftS

March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! ♿

In honor of this important month, we are offering two upcoming webinars that address the healthcare needs of Pennsylvanians with disabilities:

💻 Medicaid and Social Security Benefits for Transition-Age Youth with Disabilities
March 26, 2024
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Register: http://buff.ly/49uCiUe

Medicaid is an important safety net for children and adults with disabilities. It offers health insurance and services that help people stay independent and healthy. The rules to qualify for Medicaid change at age 18. It is important to prepare for this transition in order to avoid breaks in coverage or services.

In this training, join experts from PHLP and the Social Security Administration to learn:

• Who qualifies for Medicaid?
• How do I apply for Medicaid?
• How do I keep Medicaid once I turn 18?
• What happens if my application is denied?
• How can I work and keep my Social Security benefits?

This project is funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. For accessibility accommodations, please email Danna Casserly at [email protected].

💻 Understanding Medicaid Home and Community Based Waivers for People with Disabilities
April 2, 2024
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Register: buff.ly/3uEPUx7

Co-hosted with our friends at Achieva Family Trust, this webinar will teach the basics of Pennsylvania's Medicaid Home & Community- Based Waiver programs. These important programs offer services that help people live and thrive in their homes and communities.

Topics to be covered include:

• How to qualify for Medicaid waiver programs
• The application process
• Available services in eaiver programs
• Annual waiver clinical eligibility redeterminations

This project is funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council. For accessibility accommodations, please email Patty Yerina at [email protected].

Unpopular opinion:

The easiest thing to do as a foster parent is to confuse what’s best for the child in your care and what will keep your heart from being broken. We think that what is best for them is also what is best for us, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, what’s in their best interest is to go back home, to go with a relative or to go with another foster family that has their siblings, no matter how long they’ve been in our home. Even if this might break our hearts and might even break the child’s heart as they leave you. However, kids are resilient and they can endure the trauma of the change of moving and flourish, but sometimes what’s more difficult for them to endure is the years of being separated from biological family. If it is safe for the child, always fight for family, even if your heart might get broken!

instagram.com/fosterthefamilyblog

Want to come work with us? Check out our open foster care position at https://familycareservices.org/careers/

Are you an adoptive, foster, or kinship family and want to attend the 2024 PA Permanency Conference at the Kalahari Waterpark and Resort? The ACFC is giving away a family scholarship! Find out more here:

2024 Permanency Conference Scholarship App.pdf Shared with Dropbox

“If a child needs nurture and I give him structure, I harm his ability to trust me. If a child needs structure and I give him nurture, I harm his ability to grow.” - Dr. Karyn Purvis

We are always grateful for the support of churches, businesses, and organizations who donate to our adoption and permanency program. They are an important part of supporting children and families in our community! There are many who help keep our program running with their annual contributions. And to you we shout, "THANK YOU!"

Solomons Evangelical Lutheran Church, Burt J Asper American Legion Post 46, Chambersburg PA, Timmons Oil, Rodney B. Smith Plumbing Heating & Cooling, Knights of Columbus Home Association, Mercer/Marsh & McLennan Companies, AmVets Post 224, American Legion Post 561

SAVE THE DATE! The 2024 Families Rising Adoption & Foster Care Conference will be held virtually on July 18 & 19. Mark your calendars now, and stay tuned for more info!

We're helping out The Boys & Girls Club of Chambersburg and Shippensburg at The Santa Shed on the square in Chambersburg today. Come get your picture taken from 2-4 with Mrs. Claus and an elf or with Santa from 5-7!

We've got a couple people who are becoming FCS famous! First Deb makes her debut in an FCS video, and now Jess is featured in a podcast! Check it out!

FCS Featured on “Ask the Expert” Podcast! - Family Care Services In November 2023, FCS Supervisor Jessica C***s was interviewed for the "Ask the Expert" podcast by Katy from WAYZ and VerStandig Media. As many people haven't heard of Life Sharing, this was the perfect opportunity to describe the program and encourage people to consider becoming caregivers. During....

“Respond to your children with love in their worst moments, their broken moments, their angry moments, their selfish moments, their lonely moments, their frustrated moments, their inconvenient moments, because it is in their most unlovable human moments that they most need to feel loved. -L.R. Knost

traumainformedparenting