Transitioning Times

Over the past three days, I've trained as a facilitator for The Strengthening Families Program for parents and youth between the ages of 10 and 14 years old.  PROSPER (PROmoting School-community-university Partnerships to Enhance Resilience) provides evidence-based programs for youths ages 10 to 14 and their families. Many school districts in Pennsylvania have PROSPER programs. As a matter of fact, for six years, 14 rural school districts in Pennsylvania and Iowa have used these programs to coordinate a community-wide effort to reduce alcohol, tobacco, and drug use among youth. I knew going into this training that these programs were somewhat relevant to our mission as a comprehensive crime victim center, but I wasn’t certain just how significant they would be until I completed the course.  For three days we concentrated on bringing families together through a series of sessions for a seven-week period.  These sessions are filled with problem-solving activities, ...

The best way to understand what Transitions does is to break down what we do in terms of Safety, Advocacy, and Education in Union, Snyder, and Northumberland Counties. Transitions has increased its efforts to improve safety for all of the victims in our counties, with a particular recent emphasis on Northumberland County.  We increased the numbers of staff members committed to direct services for victims in the county and in 2014, purchased and renovated a large house that serves as our Safe House in the eastern end of the County.  In 2016, we were able to dedicate a Legal Advocate specifically for Northumberland County, as well. In addition, we have improved Advocacy (Medical and Legal) in several ways.  While our Legal Advocates can support victims in the process of obtaining a Protection from Abuse Order (PFA) from the Courts, they are not attorneys and cannot provide legal advice.  Our Legal Advocates work within the legal system to ensure victims are able ...

If you want to learn about how people are making their homes and communities safer and better around the world, read A Path Appears , by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn.   This book explores how agencies and individuals from all walks of life are using studies, outcome-based techniques, and creativity to stand for peace, love, kindness, and equality for all in the face of poverty, ignorance, and oppression.     Using stories about everyday people who are working hard just to make it through each day makes this book relatable to our work and to the lives of many of our clients.   We already know what a fright poverty can be and the havoc it wreaks upon lives across the lifespan.   A Path Appears gives us accounts of all that, and also provides clear and concise examples of individuals and agencies who brought about ongoing positive change.   This book is a best-seller, and that alone gives me hope.   Most other people in the world, I li...

TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL VIOLENCE             Why didn't I fight? This is probably the question I am most asked by others. For a long time, it was a question I could not stop asking myself. The following is an excerpt from my memoir, written years ago when I was still grappling with that question.             “Right,” I told him at the intersection. He smiled and turned left.             “What are you doing?” I asked, my voice jumping in fear, which I tried to disguise as playfulness. Of course this was a joke. See? I get that it’s a joke. Now turn around. Turn around. Turn around. My eyes focused on my hands on my lap, the seatbelt tight across my chest, suddenly feeling too tight. The inside of his car was grey, all grey. I wanted to think of what to say, to do, but all I could think about was the grey. ...

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) – June 15, 2017 and EVERYday June 2017 by Tara R., Medial/Legal Advoate The United Nations has designated June 15, 2017 as the 12 th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day with t he theme being   “Understand and End Financial Abuse of Older People: A Human Rights Issue.” The issue of Elder Abuse is of international concern due to the increasing size of the older adult population, to the fact that it is among the least investigated types of violence even though 5-10% of senior citizens experience financial exploitation in addition to other types of abuse, and to the lack of reporting whether due to shame and embarrassment or cognitive difficulties. A variety of organizations and agencies around the globe will join in efforts to raise awareness about this global problem. The 3 rd Global Summit on Elder Abuse will take place on WEAAD in Washington, D.C. as well. What is Elder Abuse? According to The Elder Justice Roadmap , ...

At Transitions' Annual Auction on June 1, 2017, former Executive Director Dr. Margaret "Marty" Gates was presented the Pete Macky Advocacy Award by Judge Michael Hudock and Nancy Macky. Pete Macky inspired us to create this award. Last year, as his retirement approached, we were excited to present this award to Pete who was preparing to travel extensively and enjoy his retirement. With some of his free time, Pete was a mentor to Elizabeth deCastro, Esq. and Jamie Grobes, the staff of our newly formed Transitions Legal Center (TLC).  Pete helped us establish this Center and, as always, left his indelible mark, complete with his remarkable knowledge and humility.  Pete richly deserved this award for his amazing dedication to the rights of victims in the Susquehanna Valley.  He was the best of his time and will remain with us forever through his legacy of caring and commitment to the underserved among us.  As an attorney with North Penn Legal Services, Pete was the...

Seventeen years ago this month, my daughter died from injuries suffered in a car accident.  She had just graduated from high school; she had won a scholarship to NYU, and was looking forward to a summer internship at the United States Institute for Peace in Washington, D.C.  During this time of anguish and grief, many of my family members, friends, and coworkers seemed lost and unable to talk to me.  They didn’t know what to say or do – and so many of them said and did nothing.  Years later, many would apologize and ask me to forgive them for their inability to share in my grief and show their compassion for what I was going through.  I often think about that time in my life. Family and friends who braved the pain of losing Manda with me, who came and held my hand, shared a memory, cried and laughed with me, and brought me food and drink will always have a special place in my heart.  They didn’t talk about their own losses, but shared fully in my loss....