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DEPARTMENT of FAMILY SERVICES |
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 Welcome to the Department of Family Services' Community Corner. Our weekly newsletter, updated each Wednesday, provides information about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more! Share these helpful posts with your family and friends.
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Gail Ruf: Bringing Joy to Children Experiencing Homelessness
Gail Ruf is full of boundless energy. After raising three children while enjoying a successful career in television, she retired from work but didn’t slow down. She has filled her retirement years with pursuits she is passionate about, devoting hours volunteering at Fairfax Public Access, using her experience and expertise to help others create TV shows from scratch. However, the bulk of her time is spent concepting, shopping for, assembling, and delivering customized bags full of arts and crafts supplies to children living in family shelters throughout the region. This project is purely her own, born out of a lifetime love of arts and crafts and the knowledge that creative expression can bring joy and relieve some of the stress experienced by children who are homeless. Read more about Gail in the March issue of the Golden Gazette.
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DFS Celebrates Social Work Month!
March is Social Work Month – a time to recognize, appreciate, and celebrate the important work of social workers!
Department of Family Services social workers are on the forefront of pressing issues facing our nation, including providing services to our aging population, treating people affected by an ongoing opioid addiction crisis, and helping people find affordable housing and adequate health care.
Learn more about the work they do on behalf of children, families, people impacted by interpersonal violence, older adults, and adults with disabilities.
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March 16 Gaming Tournament for Young Adults Ages 15-19
Join for four rounds of interactive games on Saturday, March 16, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Hybla Valley Community Center.
- Beat Saber
- Left Center Right
- Jenga
- Uno
- Bananagrams
FREE to Participate! FREE Food! Prizes!
Register now! Sponsored by the Department of Family Services, Employment and Training Youth Initiatives.
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The Fundamentals of Training
Virginia requires foster parents to complete 30 hours of training every three years to stay licensed- that’s only 10 hours each year. The good news is that with so many online training opportunities, it’s never been easier to get in those mandatory training requirements at the touch of a finger. So check out these suggestions for Fairfax County foster parents to boost your training hours.
Learn more about becoming a foster parent.
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The Intersection of Gender-Based Violence and Economics
Ending gender-based violence requires us to see all the aspects of the issue. Often, when we think of intimate partner violence, we envision only bruises or broken bones—things we can see—or perhaps verbal abuse. But domestic violence takes many forms, including financial abuse, a subject that is often overlooked. The truth is personal safety and economic security are inextricably linked for victims of domestic violence. Research from the Centers for Financial Security shows financial abuse is present in 99 percent of domestic violence cases. Learn more about the intersection of domestic violence and financial abuse.
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It's Social Work Month: Meet Melody Vielbig
Melody Vielbig, Clinical Services program manager with Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, has worked in the Department of Family Services for nearly 30 years. Find out more about Melody’s social work story and why she’s stuck with DFS for so long.
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Unscripted: Conversations about Sexual and Domestic Violence—Sexual Intimacy after Sexual Assault
New Unscripted episode alert: The scale of sexual violence in the U.S. is massive. Statistics show us that every 68 seconds someone is sexually assaulted. Nearly 1 in 2 adult women and 1 in 4 adult men have experienced unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime. On average, there are about 465,000 victims (age 12 or older) of sexual violence each year, with more than 63,000 children experiencing sexual abuse. So, it stands to reason that many of these survivors may struggle with sexual intimacy at some point after the violence. On this episode of Unscripted, host Kendra Lee talks with Kathryn Harlow, domestic and sexual violence counselor for Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, and Jo-Ann Rojas, a licensed clinical social worker in private practice and a licensed training supervisor at RAINN (Rape Abuse and Incest National Network), about the tough topic of returning to intimacy after a sexual assault.
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Understanding Reproductive Coercion
Reproductive coercion: when your partner won’t let you see your doctor, sabotages your birth control, forces you to have sex without protection, or threatens your pregnancy. And it’s a type of sexual violence. Learn more about what reproductive coercion looks like and where you can go for support if you’re being impacted by it. |
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Thursday, Mar. 7 – Virtual Fairfax Kinship Peer Support Group
These free groups are designed for kinship caregivers, raising a child or children for a family member or a friend, to connect with other families for support and encouragement. Virtual support groups are hosted and facilitated by Formed Families Forward, in partnership with Fairfax County Department of Family Services. This group meets from 6:30-8 p.m. Learn more or register online.
Tuesday, Mar. 12 – Virtual Parent Café: Brain Tricks for ADHD and Executive Function
Join us to learn ways to support and encourage your child(ren) in managing their ADHD. Explore brain tricks that can help improve motivation and initiative. Become aware of factors that may impact your child(ren)’s negative self-talk and increase their anxiety/depression. Fairfax County parents or guardians with children ages 0-18 years old are welcome at this group which meets from 6:30-8 p.m. Sign up by sending an email or call 703-324-7720 to register at least one business day before the Parent Café date. Learn more about our parenting resources.
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Tuesday, Mar. 12 – ElderLink Virtual Support Call for Family Caregivers of Older Adults
Caregiving for multiple individuals such as a parent, or grandparent, and children or grandchildren presents unique rewards and challenges to caregivers. Caregivers may experience pride and joy in their duties and at the same time feel overwhelmed by the high demand of responsibilities. Join us on March 12 from 7-8 p.m. for a brief presentation and discussion with Allegra Joffe from the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging’s Caregiver Unit. We will learn more about intergenerational caregiving including the rewards, challenges, tips, and the importance of creating space for self-care.
Support calls are held virtually. After registering for a support call, a Microsoft Teams Meeting link and phone number will be provided so that you can join virtually or by phone.
Saturday, Mar. 16 & Sunday, Mar. 17, 2024 – Domestic Violence Tier 1
DV Tier 1 is a training on the dynamics of domestic violence, the systems that respond to those crimes, and available resources in our community. This 2-day training (March 16 and March 17, 2024) is free, but registration is required.
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 Access Fairfax is a twice monthly newsletter sharing news, resources, and events for people with disabilities in Fairfax County.
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 Our weekly Career Resources Newsletter includes information on job leads, upcoming webinars and employment events.
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 Our monthly Foster Family Newsletter shares resources and experiences relevant to foster and adoptive parents, children in care, and the resource workers who support them.
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 The quarterly newsletter The Update covers helpful information and topics for persons receiving long-term care services and their caregivers.
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 Our Volunteer Post Newsletter provides a glimpse into the many ways to get involved in making a difference and supporting families in our community.
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 Please follow us on Facebook at Fairfax County Department of Family Services for news, events, tips, stories and training opportunities. We support families and county residents of all ages and stages of life. Join our community and engage with us through social media!
Join Us! Learn about career and volunteer opportunities in the Department of Family Services.
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The Department of Family Services (DFS) envisions a community where everyone lives their success story and thrives. DFS strengthens the well-being of our diverse community by protecting and improving the lives of all children, adults, and families through assistance, partnership, advocacy, outreach, and quality services.
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