Latest news with #MarionCountyFamilyResourceandSupportNetwork
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Marion County residents needed to serve as foster families
FAIRMONT — As child abuse awareness month continues, the Marion County Family Resource and Support Network stressed the need for foster families in the county. At the FRSN monthly meeting with its community collaborators Wednesday, Nicci Hawkins, licensing specialist at NECCO Foster Care, said older children often get overlooked when families decide to become foster parents. The child welfare agency recruits and certifies families to take children in for foster care. 'We need foster families who are willing to take all ages, zero up to 18, but the biggest need right now here are families who are willing to accept the older kids, six and older, and the sibling groups,' Hawkins said. 'Sibling groups are split the majority of the time because we don't have enough families who are able to take three or more kids or families who can take kids of the opposite gender.' There are currently 6,000 kids in foster care across the state, Hawkins said. The budget passed by the Republican Supermajority West Virginia State Legislature paid $174 million for foster care. Del. John Williams, D-Monongalia, said foster care was already underfunded under Gov. Jim Justice's flat budgets. Child Protective Services is underfunded, understaffed and overworked. West Virginia Watch reported on April 3 the Republican House of Delegates tried to reduce Gov. Patrick Morrisey's request of $182 million for foster care down to $121 million. Angelica Hightower, Department of Human Services spokesperson, said the governor's original request was essential funding for the Bureau of Social Services. Hawkins said foster care is important because those kids are in a situation out of their control. It's not their fault. Also, the system considers children over six, old. 'So we want to make sure they have that safe housing, that they have that love and they have that acceptance so they can still be able to succeed while their family is doing what they can to be able to get them back and reunify,' Hawkins said. Hawkins said 49% of kids in foster care are between the ages of 9 and 17. Older children placed at shelters typically become forgotten because of their age or because of the trauma they've accrued from growing up in their environment. Hawkins said there's a lot of misconceptions out there on who can be a foster parent. There is a qualification process which includes background checks and fingerprints, but applicants don't have to be married, they can be single or dating. A large home isn't needed, any dwelling such as an apartment or trailer with an extra bedroom for a child can be used. Hawkins said some kids benefit from fostering with single people, while others do better with fosters who are LGBTQ. Some kids do better with families who are transgender, because that might be a process the child is going through, Hawkins said. Fosters don't have to be preexisting parents either. NECCO also offers its foster parents plenty of support, including after hours if there's a crisis or difficult challenge. Shannon Hogue, chief executive director of FRSN, said foster care is extremely important for children. The state of West Virginia has a high number of children who are out of homes and not receiving direct care, she said. Part of the work at FRSN is creating activities and programs that prevent child abuse or prevent children from entering crisis situations. 'Statistics say there are a host of different things, lack of resources, lack of support, lack of education or families in the area that create crisis situations,' Hogue said. 'One of the things we can do here is take an account of what gaps and services there are — are there things that we can provide to families and make them feel safe?'
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Community baby shower provides resources to Marion County moms
FAIRMONT, (WBOY) — Bringing a baby into the world can be stressful and expensive, but as the saying goes, it tales a village to raise a child. On Saturday, that village showed up in the form of the Marion County Family Resource and Support Network's third annual Community Baby Shower. 30 moms who were either expecting or had a baby up to the age of six months was able to sign up for the completely free event, which included learning from experts on how to care for a baby and receiving essential supplies like baby wipes, diapers and more. Moms were also taught about postpartum depression and where they can find help if they are struggling. 174 players compete for $2000 at 'Almost Heaven' Smash Bros. tournament Shannon Hogue, CEO of the Marion County Resource & Support Network, told 12 News just how much the event means to the community. 'Baby showers are probably a luxury for some folks and so yeah, this is really a great way to, again, not only do the educational piece and the essentials piece but also to help moms connect because you know if a mom's going through a journey and they're isolative, maybe they don't have family in the area, this is a way to connect with other moms, ask questions and kind of feel support.' Reyce Kuhn, mom who's expecting her second baby, was grateful to have attended the shower. 'It's pretty nice, I'll say, a lot of people don't have those kind of opportunities for them, but I appreciate it myself.' Hogue told 12 News if moms missed the cutoff date for this annual event, they can still get help with essential supplies after filling out an intake form, but families must reside in Marion County. The pantry is open Tuesday and Thursdays beginning at 11 a.m., with the last walk-in accepted at 4:30 p.m. To learn more, go here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Marion County Commission allocates opioid funds for mindfulness program targeting teens
FAIRMONT — In a world filled with smartphones, gadgets and devices, the Marion County Family Resource and Support Network wants to get kids to touch grass. 'Until they're five years old, they're allowed to play video games, do whatever, and then they have to sit quietly in school,' Jan Smith, Family Support Center director, said. 'We're setting them up for failure.' Smith showed up to Wednesday's Marion County Commission meeting with a $25,000 request from the county's opioid funds. The money will be used to develop a program that will allow the FRSN to go into local schools and teach young people as an alternative to vaping or drugs. Smith sees electronic devices as responsible for having created an overwhelming demand for mental stimulation among young people. A review of studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health found that most studies found an association between screen time and attention spans in children, with excessive exposure linked to attention problems. An article published on the American Psychology Association's website found there was a correlation among 8-11 year-olds who exceeded screen time recommendations and lower scores on cognitive assessments. Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University, found that heavy smartphone users experience anxiety after 10 minutes of not having access to a smartphone. Smith's own experience with her grandchildren bear this out. She said anytime their phones are taken away, it's comes off as the worst punishment in the world. Smith believes the smartphone induced need for inflated mental stimulation opens a gateway to risky, but stimulating behaviors, such as vaping or drug seeking. 'Very young kids say vaping relaxes me, and it's like, no — you need natural things to relax,' Smith said. 'You teach them to go into nature and sit quietly. Young people don't sit quietly. There's no meditation. There's no mindfulness about what they're doing. They're just scattered running from one place to the other.' Smith said the goal of the new initiative is to introduce students to meditation and mindfulness techniques that will reduce the need to seek stimulation through vaping or drug seeking. The whole idea is prevention, she said. Commissioners approved the funding request. Smith hopes to have the program ready to launch in the 2025-26 school year. Commissioners also awarded a $31,000 contract for work to Carpet One for a project replacing the carpets of the second floor of the J. Harper Meredith Building. County Administrator Kris Cinalli said it's been at least 25 years since those carpets have been replaced. Commissioner Ernie VanGilder opened competing bids at the public meeting, assigning the award to the lowest bid according to West Virginia State Code. The next competing bid came in at roughly $34,000. Finally, commissioners also approved a cost reimbursement subaward for the Appalachian Regional Energy Hub initiative. Marion Regional Development Corp. Executive Director Bruce McDaniel said Brian Redmond, principal owner of Hog Lick Aggregates and also the regional hydrogen organization, applied for a grant to help develop hydrogen infrastructure in Marion County. 'Basically, they've hired a consultant that's going to coordinate a training aspect for hydrogen vehicles, how to work on them, how to service them, how to drive them,' McDaniel said. 'The whole thing is going to be a collaboration between WVU and Pierpont, and the County Commission has passed the necessary resolutions to make that go forward.' The next commission meeting is scheduled for March 19.
