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A&C Foster Care Parents Share Their Experience, Advice On Fostering Children

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A breast cancer diagnosis is usually a nightmarish scenario for anyone. It doesn’t usually motivate them to begin fostering children.

Megan Mendez received the bad news three years ago. She and her husband, Jorge, turned that negative into a positive.

Why? Here’s their story, in their own words.

Jorge and Megan share their story on fostering children

“I have had breast cancer twice, and we always had talked about having multiple children. We had our one (biological) daughter and I used to (work in) home health, so I worked with a lot of foster families. That’s how I found out about A&C. The two of us talked about it & decided to go for it.

“We have two foster boys age 2 and 1,siblings, and we’re in the process of hopefully adopting soon. We got the 2-year-old when he was 6 months old. He had just turned 2 & found out his birth mother had another baby. We have a set of siblings we had for 2 years. An older set of siblings (ages 9 and 6) were the first two foster kids we got. They went home because of COVID, but are back in the foster care system as of August, and we’re trying to get back in our home. We also have an 11-year-old biological daughter.”

Watch Jorge and Megan Mendez share their story on WISH-TV:

What you should know

“The most rewarding aspect of fostering children is the happiness you see in the kids’ face, and just knowing that if they weren’t there, I think about where would they be. It makes me feel good to know it doesn’t matter, they’re here now.

“I see in the Facebook group I’m in that people want to give up. Push through the hard times, and there are great times. The hardest part is getting kids adjusted to your routine, then visits come into play and it messes up the routine. It’s definitely a rewarding thing to do and it’s definitely something your heart has to be in.”

“The biggest misconception about fostering children is how hard it is to see the kids going home to their biological families. A lot of people say that’s the hardest thing, that it’s hard to see them leave, but in our two situations, there was a rewarding thing to see their dad step up. A lot of people talked about dealing with biological families.

“We’ve had rough times and good times with that; everyone just has to be willing to have those good moments. You just have to know when to step away.”

How fostering children affects your birth children

“Our biological daughter doesn’t hide her feelings very well at all. She had her troubles when the foster kids first came, but when we told her about them coming back, she was explaining it to someone else and said, “My sister’s coming back,” so there was definitely a bond.

“I know our daughter missed them since they left. She’s obsessed with the boys. It’s hard for us to say they’re foster kids at this point. They’re our sons.”

Watch Jorge and Megan talk about fostering during the holidays.

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Agency News

SHAPE – A Live Arts Event | April 26

Indianapolis band, Frederic and Ronza are partnering with numerous agencies, groups and artists to bring to you, Shape on Saturday April 26th at the Athenaeum Theater, 401 E. Michigan, Indianapolis. The art show starts at 6p.m. and the live performance at 7p.m.  The arts are proven to support positive mental health. “Shape has been in the works for over a year with numerous artists and partners coming to the table with their ideas, talent and resources. This event will show how we have transformed lived experiences into art in a way that celebrates the resilience of those impacted by mental health and substance use issues,” said Kelly Fischer, senior lecturer at Ball State University.  Ball State University has formed a community partnership with Frederic and Ronza and the Consortium of Artists allowing their students to earn course credit as they participate in the process of creating this event, and there are also numerous artists and partners are involved. Through passionate music performances, spoken word, dance and a juried art show, the participating artists will render works that encourage the audience to listen, learn, gain perspective, be empathetic and gain a deeper understanding of these issues. The goal is to reduce stigma, elevate the voice of those affected, and bring hope to all who attend. The show will feature soul band Frederic and Ronza who will share original music. In addition, dancers from Dance Kaleidoscope will share a piece about grief that was choregraphed by Kristin Toner of the Indianapolis ballet.  Her work was inspired by watching a friend grieve the suicide of her brother, using dance to express emotions and inspire others. Toner said, “Art has helped me express my own feelings and thoughts about grief in order to provide a moment of emotion as the dancers connect with the audience.” Additionally, there are numerous others involved including poets and singers who will share their own passion and support for these issues.  All of the music, dance, poetry and spoken word were created or chosen based on the stories we heard during listening sessions. “The listening sessions were an opportunity to hear the stories of those impacted by these issues,” said Frederic and Ronza.  Through the numerous listening sessions, several themes emerged, including the need to reduce stigma, how everyone can help support recovery, and that mental health and substance use disorders can be likened to a storm.  “You will see the storm theme emerge throughout the show as we honor the feedback shared during the listening sessions,” said Frederic and Ronza.  Before the live performance, attendees can enjoy an art exhibit starting at 6p.m.  The art was selected by a jury panel for its excellence in artistic quality and its depiction of the Shape theme.  “We were impressed and moved by the artwork submitted and are sure attendees will be too,” said art juror Cierra Johnson. Artwork is also available for sale.  The event is being presented by Adult & Child Health. Matt Bane, Adult & Child Health, is working closely on the event said, “Having the privilege to be myself and share my personal story of my lived experience with having multiple mental health diagnoses and a substance use disorder has provided me the amazing connection with the SHAPE event.” The organizers, Frederic and Ronza are passionate about issues of mental health and substance use disorders. Knowing the pain and impact on so many, and even the danger of these issues, Frederic and Ronza’s concern led them to collaborate with all of these amazing partners to produce Shape.  “We want people to leave with a willingness to do something, whether that be learning more, talking more, or empathizing more, our goal is to reduce stigma by bringing these issues to light through the power of the arts,” said Frederic and Ronza.  Click here to purchase tickets online.

Agency News

Mental Health America recognizes Adult & Child Health will Gold Bell Seal

Adult & Child Health received the national Gold-level Bell Seal certification from Mental Health America, which recognizes policies, practices and benefits supporting employee mental health and wellbeing.  Every year since 2019, Mental Health America has recognized employers for implementing policies and practices to improve employees’ mental health. Companies across all sectors undergo a 54-point evaluation that includes surveys of employees.  Adult & Child Health employs more than 600 people in southern Indiana, with areas of focus on behavioral health, primary care and treatment for substance use addictions.  “The work our team members perform on a daily basis is challenging, but they continue to live our mission of providing access to quality care for all who need it on a daily basis,” said Dr. Christine Negendank, Adult & Child Health Regional President and Chief Medical Office. “This recognition from Mental Health America is a testament to our team members and the work they do in order to make Adult & Child a great place to work.”  Part of Adult & Child’s recognition comes from a three-pronged strategy to address employee mental health:  1) Adult & Child’s employee assistant program provides mental health services, including short-term counseling and provider referrals. The average time between an employee inquiry and their first session with a provider is five business days. The EAP program provides up to five free in-person or virtual therapy sessions.  2) The HOPE Taskforce is a safe place for non-managerial staff members to convene to discuss work stressors, life stressors, mental health resources and coping strategies in a space that encourages colleagues to support one another.  3) The GROW committee is for leaders to convene and develop support systems for one another.  Mental Health America is the nation’s leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and illness prevention. Its Bell Seal awards recognize an average of fewer than 300 American companies per year.

Sarah Miller, PMHNP-BC

Sarah Miller works with the addictions team, general psychiatry for adolescents and adults, and the competency restoration team. She is board-certified as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Her specialties are working in addictions and with people who experience serious mental illness.

Miller graduated from Indiana University with a psychology degree and went back to school for nursing. She received her nursing degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and worked in a nursing home and also spent time working in a group home with adolescents. She received her master’s degree from Vanderbilt University.

She enjoys hanging out with her family and her two dogs, and going to sporting events.

Joanna Chambers, MD

Dr. Joanna Chambers is a psychiatrist who began seeing Adult & Child Health patients in November 2021. She graduated from Medical College of Georgia with her Doctorate of Medicine in 1996 and completed her residency in psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine. In addition to bringing a wealth of experience, she currently serves as an associate professor at Indiana University School of Medicine where she teaches Clinical Psychiatry. She is certified in Addiction Medicine and has a special interest in treating pregnant and postpartum women. She is President of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry Organization as well as a sitting member of many medical association boards. Recently, she has won the Residents’ Award for Teaching Excellence in 2020 from Indiana University and has received “Best Doctors Award” in 2010, 2011, and 2014. Dr. Chambers is incredibly active in the medical, academic, and research realms of medicine. She is currently accepting new patients on Wednesdays.