Riverside Guidance Center Program
Tapped to Coordinate Domestic Violence Prevention Grant
We have all been horrified by evening news stories of women killed by their abusers. As part of a national effort to address these grim statistics, Riverside is delighted to announce that the Guidance Center’s Children with Voices: A Child Witness to Violence Program has been selected to coordinate services for a $380,000 federal grant from the Department of Justice’s Office of Violence Against Women. The grant will be administered through the City of Cambridge’s Police Department. The goal of the program is to reduce and prevent domestic violence homicides and hold offenders accountable by refining and tightening existing relationships between police, courts, and community providers in the communities of Cambridge, Arlington, and Belmont.
Children with Voices: A Child Witness to Violence Program is one of the Guidance Center services that became part of Riverside with the recent merger of our two organizations. The program focuses on enhancing and facilitating services for child witnesses of domestic violence and their caretakers.
As coordinator for the grant, the program is charged with putting together a Domestic Violence High Risk Assessment and Response Team made up of representatives from all three police departments, the courts, community shelters, batterer intervention programs and other community providers. The Team will identify high risk cases of domestic violence, coordinate protective services, and provide training to all of the police officers in three communities involved.
At a press conference to announce the program, Gerry Leone, Middlesex District Attorney, explained, “We know that combating domestic violence requires a comprehensive approach and that means coming together like we have today, working on the front end to prevent tragedies before they occur. Dr. Ilana Amrani-Cohen, Director of Children with Voices, added, “We are fortunate to work with community partners who embrace cutting-edge interventions and innovative practices which bring safety and security to families.”
Riverside is proud to be part of this important effort.
Good Fun for a Good Cause:
Concert Raises 15K to Support Children's Services
Eyes bright with wonder and the sounds of laughter filled the Creative Movement and Arts Center in Needham when 250 children and adults came together on April 30 for a performance of the amazing “Airborne Comedians” who wowed the crowd with their high energy juggling antics. The event, which was a fundraiser for Riverside’s Early Intervention program in Needham, attracted a sell-out crowd of families who feasted on organic pizza, drinks and delicious nut-free, lactose-free cupcakes donated by Stone Hearth Pizza, Whole Foods Market, and Stix desserts.
More than $15,000 was raised to support Early Intervention services that help infants and toddlers with delays in their development reach their highest potential. We want to thank our sponsors: Camp Micah, Jordan’s Furniture, Second Time Around, Johnny’s Restaurant, Roche Bros., and Amerasport. A special thank you to the Creative Movement and Arts Center for the donation of space and to the event planning committee of Jodi Sokoloff, Elizabeth Navisky, Stephanie Albertson, and Dana Elisofon.
Needham Bank Successfully Nominates Riverside for Award
from Massachusetts Bankers Association
As a result of a nomination submitted by the Needham Bank, Riverside has been awarded a $1500 community grant from the Massachusetts Bankers Association (MBA) Charitable Foundation. Riverside was one of 25 non-profits in Massachusetts to receive an award this year.
The MBA Charitable Foundation was established in 1996 to highlight the contributions that Massachusetts-based banks make to deserving organizations. On behalf of the banking industry, the Foundation makes gifts annually to deserving causes nominated by member banks. To date the Foundation has dispersed over $900,000 in awards and supporting activities to non-profit organizations.
"Needham Bank's nomination of us for this award from the Massachusetts Bankers Association Charitable Foundation is just the latest example of the Bank's commitment to the people Riverside serves, said Scott M. Bock, Riverside's President/CEO. "We are pleased to be recognized by the Foundation and thankful to Needham Bank for their continued support."
Riverside Tapped to Provide Mentoring and In-home Therapy Services
Riverside has been selected as one of the human service organizations that will provide Therapeutic Mentoring and In-home Therapy Services to children and families in the Cambridge/Somerville, Central Massachusetts, and Metro Boston areas. Funded through the Child Behavioral Health Initiative, these new services will be available to eligible youth under the age of 21 who are covered by MassHealth and their families. They represent the latest phase in the Commonwealth’s efforts to improve access to community resources for youth with mental health issues.
Therapeutic Mentoring is designed to help youth develop specific independent life skills as part of an overall treatment plan. For example, a mentor working with a teenager eager to find an after school job, but with a phobia about taking public transportation, might help them map out the bus route to the mall and ride with them a few times until they become comfortable with the journey. Or, a mentor might help a young girl, paralyzed with anxiety around making decisions, learn how to evaluate her options in order to register for college classes.
The goal of In-home Therapy is to maintain youth in the community, rather than in a hospital or residential program, by offering short-term intensive counseling in the home. The clinical team will work to stabilize the current situation and, if necessary, provide follow-up or referrals to other services.
Riverside is already providing services as part of the Child Behavioral Health Initiative through our two Community Service Agencies and Emergency Service Programs. |
