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Relieving Stress: Services to Taos High School and the Chrysalis Program

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“Whenever we first receive a referral on a student who is struggling at school, we always ask them if there is anything going on at home that we should know about,” says Madalena Miera, the manager for the Comprehensive Community Support Services (CCSS) program for Taos High School and Chrysalis Program.  The CCSS staff at Taos Behavioral Health provides wrap around services for students referred by teachers and counselors.

“Sadly, we may hear that a student is sleeping on the floor, that there is no heat in the house, that there is not enough food” states Miera—all situations that result in stress that can be seen at school. The CCSS staff then tries to activate appropriate community support to help the family and the  student. [Read more…] about Relieving Stress: Services to Taos High School and the Chrysalis Program

New Services at Taos Behavioral Health

Mary Gray McPhail

By Mary McPhail Gray
Board Chair

“It’s a client empowerment  program!” says Brian Salazar in describing the new Community Coordinated Social Services (CCSS) program at Taos Behavior Health.

“Our goal is to empower all clients to be as independent as possible” says Salazar, who coordinates the newly-hired staff of 10.

All referrals of youth and adults receive a qualifying diagnosis and are supported by Medicaid.  After an initial clinical assessment, goals are set in the areas of socialization, education, employment or work participation, positive living, and  recreation/self-care.  Services can be offered in our offices, in the school, homes or communities—wherever a goal can be worked toward and the client is comfortable.

The new CCSS workers are assigned to specific programs housed in the TBH agency: [Read more…] about New Services at Taos Behavioral Health

Listen and Learn

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
NVW Board Chair

“Instead of working on our homework, we were sitting in our math class planning where we would duck and hide if the warning suddenly came.”
— a Taos High School student at the March 14th rally on the plaza.

“I am frightened to leave the classroom and go to the bathroom.”
— a student in the discussion at St. James after the march from the plaza.

“The high school is not safe.”
“We do not feel safe.”
“Anyone can walk in and out all day”
— comments heard at the St. James gathering.

“I became a teacher to develop, mentor and grow young people. To ask us to hold guns is not in our nature.”
— Pasqual Maestes

The iron in our bodies becomes stars when we are killed.
Respect the stardust in our blood instead of killing it.
— The poet Micalle Lewis, a 2017 graduate of Taos High

 

Ted Wiard, director of Golden Willow Retreat, stated that this community and the nation need to act through FEAR—Face Everything and Recover.

Can we face the obvious observation that the youth have taken over the narrative the adults should be creating?  Most adults over 40 did not experience the challenges our young people do today.  Can we do what Wiard said was needed—honor their anger by agreeing that something must change?  And protect them by holding space for action? [Read more…] about Listen and Learn

A Year to be Grateful to our Many Partners!

Mary Gray McPhailBy Mary McPhail Gray
NVW Chair

As 2016 comes to an end, I reflect on how Nonviolence Works is deeply grateful to the community partners who collaborated with us to provide the services to 700 youth and 150 adult clients during the last 12 months. Our mission “To inspire, train and empower all people to lead lives of nonviolence” compels us to work with other community agencies and leaders who share our vision to support human growth and change. [Read more…] about A Year to be Grateful to our Many Partners!