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Our weekly e-newsletter to providers combines grantee resources, stories of interest, exclusive educational opportunities, and grant information. In this issue:
 
 October is World Bullying Prevention Month. Did you know at least 1 out of every 5 kids in the United States is bullied? In Texas, at least 40% of those who are bullied have seriously considered suicide. The conversation to prevent bulling can start as early as a when a child learns the difference between kindness and unkindness.
We've put together this social media toolkit designed to help caregivers have conversations with their children about bullying that can be posted on your organization’s websites or social media channels.
Included in the toolkit:
- Messages to use in promoting bullying prevention;
- Bullying prevention resources; and
- Sample bullying prevention imagery to share and post.
The messages and links in the toolkit can be used as is, or they can be customized in any way that works best for the month or year round in your community by directing to your prevention program’s information.
 If Your Child Sees Bullying
Someone who witnesses bullying is called a bystander. Bullying tends to stop when bystanders step in and become upstanders. An upstander is someone who interrupts or does something right then and there to stop the bullying. There are lots of ways that bystanders can become upstanders:
- Questioning the bullying behavior can sometimes feel safer than direct confrontation. If your child isn't comfortable telling the child who is bullying to stop, he might say something like, "Why are you messing with her?" or, "Why are you so grouchy?"
- Another strategy is to redirect the situation entirely, either by using humor or by drawing the attention of the child who is bullying to something else. Your child could say something like, "Don't we need to get to class?"
- Engaging directly with the person being bullied about something not related to the bullying can also help to change the subject and stop the bullying behavior. Even if it doesn't stop the bullying, this can be a comfort to the child who is being bullied and help him feel less alone.
- If your child doesn't feel comfortable intervening in the moment, encourage him to check in with the person who was bullied so he knows someone cares.
- Teach your children to stay away from anything that doesn't feel right, even if their friends are doing it.
- If they see physical fighting or weapons, kids should leave the area immediately and find an adult for help.
- Teach your child to be respectful even if others aren't, and not to get pulled into situations where others are talking or texting about people behind their backs.
If your child sees something, they should say something.
Studies have shown that just one upstander can help a person who is being bullied feel less alone.
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 Achieve OnDemand: Domestic Violence in Home Visiting (Self-Paced Course)
Domestic violence is a prevalent and recurring issue in home visiting. In this course, you will build your confidence to address domestic violence while working with families as their home visitor. Topics include the impact of violence on family systems, parenting, and child development. Common scenarios and strategies are presented for talking with parents about keeping themselves and their children safe. This course supports you in developing a non-judgmental approach in working with families whose background and circumstances may or may not be differ from your own.
Navigate the Four Generational Workplace
Diversity enriches the workplace, as long as everyone is respectful of differences. Leverage diversity on your team.
To take these courses: Type or paste the course names above into the search bar on the PEI Learning Hub:
- Click on the course and select “request”
- On your transcript select “launch” to begin
- When the video is complete, go to "completed" courses in your transcript
- Select "evaluate" to provide feedback
For questions, contact PEITraining@dfps.state.tx.us.
 Access the Essentials of Home Visiting live webinars through the Essentials of Home Visiting Portal free of cost.
Use this link to register for any webinars from Start EarlyTM
Domestic Violence: Safety Planning (Webinar)
Date: October 27th
Time: 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. CDT
Register By: October 26th, 12:00 P.M. CDT
As a home visitor, how can you support families impacted by domestic violence to develop a safety plan? This webinar discusses developing a working knowledge of community resources and collaborating with formal and informal institutions to support families using a strength-based, family-centered approach. This webinar complements the Domestic Violence in Home Visiting self-paced course.
Partnering for Change: Having the Conversation (Webinar)
Date: November 2nd
Time: 12:00 P.M. - 1:00 P.M. CDT
Register By: November 1st, 12:00 P.M. CDT
As a home visitor, how do you engage with families around the topic of substance abuse? This webinar explores strength-based strategies and conversation starters you can incorporate in your work with parents to successfully engage families around the issues of substance abuse and support the growth and development of their children.
 Date: October 26th
Time: 10:00 A.M. CDT
This Fall, TexProtects is virtually “traveling” to seven different Texas regions to discuss the best ways to serve families and children and how to navigate those needs in the upcoming Legislative Session. These community-focused virtual meetings give us deep insight into the unique needs of children and families throughout Texas and help shape the future of our policy work. TexProtects is honored to partner with PdN Children’s, a leading provider of therapeutic, educational, childcare, and support services in the El Paso community. They are dedicated to ensuring all children, especially children with special needs and their families, thrive and achieve positive outcomes.
FY22 Final Billing Office Hours
This setting is for grantees who had access to TANF PEAF (Pandemic Emergency Assistance Fund) dollars in FY22. PEI will provide guidance and information on how to finalize both your regular and final TANF billings for the FY22 period.
Click on the link below to register and watch the recording.
 Date: November 29th - December 1st
Time: 9:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. CST
Register Now
The 6th Advancing Behavioral Health Collaboration (ABC) Annual Summit will be held virtually on November 29th, November 30th, and December 1st. Registration is free.
This year’s theme is Integrating School Mental Health to Support the Whole Child. Presentations will focus on ways to elevate and integrate school mental health and wellness to support the whole child by advancing school mental health practices and strengthening community partnerships.
Each of the three days will highlight different levels of tiered integrated students supports including universal, targeted, and intensive interventions. This summit will showcase best practices, shared insights and provide resources to advance school mental health.
Participation is encouraged for professionals working in education service centers, local education agencies, state agencies, and community organizations who desire to support schools, learn from colleagues, and strengthen student mental health in Texas.
Check out these new employment openings at PEI!
Program Specialist V
This position performs advanced (senior-level) training and development work designed to advance the skills and knowledge of the prevention workforce and improve existing trainings. Work involves analyzing training needs, coordinating, and conducting training sessions using a variety of training methods, and developing and evaluating training programs. May plan, assign, and/or prioritize the work of others. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment.
Program Specialist V
This position provides oversight and support for community-based grantees implementing PEI programs. This position will provide program support for PEI Early Childhood Programs such as the Healthy Outcomes through Prevention and Early Support (HOPES) Program, Texas Home Visiting Program (THV), and the Texas Nurse-Family Partnership (TNFP) Program. These programs are designed to strengthen families with young children, promote child and family well-being in early childhood, and support positive outcomes for families with children ages 0 to 5 years. Programs offer services such as evidence-based parent education, home visiting, and other family support programming. The Program Specialist engages in program planning, writing policies and procedures, coordination and facilitation of meetings, conducting site visits, and planning and providing training. The position will serve as a subject matter expert for program-related information, evidence-based models and frameworks, community-level initiatives, and best practice in implementation of programming and community systems efforts.
PEI Early Childhood Programs Lead
The Early Childhood Programs Lead provides lead program support for PEI Early Childhood Programs such as the Healthy Outcomes through Prevention and Early Support (HOPES) Program, Texas Home Visiting Program (THV), and the Texas Nurse-Family Partnership (TNFP) Program. These programs are designed to strengthen families with young children, promote child and family well-being in early childhood, and support positive outcomes for families with children ages 0 to 5 years. Programs offer services such as evidence-based parent education, home visiting, and other family support programming. The position will serve as a subject matter expert for program-related information, evidence-based models and frameworks, community-level initiatives, and best practice in implementation of programming and community systems efforts. This will include ensuring community programmatic needs are met while meeting grant requirements, coordinating and collaborating with state agency and community partners to promote PEI programs and services, developing internal policies and processes, assisting with program planning, development, implementation, and oversight, working with data and evaluation teams, advising staff of emerging trends in the field and best practices, liaising with stakeholders and partners, conducting training, presentations, and meetings, and compiling and reviewing reports, forms, and materials. The Program Lead will also assist and support Early Childhood Program Specialists and other PEI staff in their work and efforts.
Over 300,000 Activity Books have enriched the lives of Texas children this year - order yours now! GetParentingTips Activity Books feature artwork, puzzles, and language learning activities, and each box comes with crayons for children. They're free to order and ship throughout Texas.
Thoughts, comments or suggestions to make PEI Grantee News work better for you? Send them to PEInews@dfps.texas.gov!
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