Just before heading off for the long weekend, to venture to our destinations and join our families and friends for the 4th of July weekend, we spent Thursday, the 2nd, celebrating Independence Day together, as our American Training family.
We enjoyed a cookout, great conversation, and the sunshine. We played dominoes, cards, and baseball. And the best best part of all of it was that we spend the day together, enjoying each other’s company and celebrating our freedoms!
Check out photos from the day below.
Our friends from Catholic HEART Workcamp were featured in this month’s Valley Patriot! Check it out:
Our new friends from Catholic Heart Workcamp joined us Monday, June 29, at four of our residential homes. Over the next few days, they worked on some great WOW! Magic projects that further our mission of bringing out the best in everyone we touch because life matters.
Over their four day stay, they landscaped, renovated a deck, built stairs for the deck, mulched, planted flowers and plants, and cleaned. And they did it all in our famous New England weather, toughing out the heat Monday, humidity Tuesday, downpour Wednesday, and, well, enjoyed a beautiful Thursday.
“They’ve all been so pumped to be here,” said Sarah Mallett, one of our residential managers, adding that she was impressed at how much enthusiasm they brought to the table each day, regardless of the weather.
The CHWC volunteers came from all over the country to do service work and engage in their mission to love, serve, and connect. And while they were here, they had the opportunity to meet and get to know our Residents and Colleagues and experience our signature WOW! Magic.
“I feel really accomplished and very happy that we were able to finish this,” said Richard Wilson, 16 a CHWC volunteer from Connecticut who worked on a landscaping project. “It makes me really happy we were able to do this for the Residents and make them happy.”
According to Mallett, they did just that. “Our Residents love the changes,” she said, adding, “it’s really been great having them here,” of the volunteers.
Check out pictures from the week here:
Check out news coverage from the event here, in the Sunday, August 30 issue of the Eagle Tribune.
Leaders in providing youth and family driven support: American Training Inc. and Building Bridges Initiative
August proved to be a month to remember for American Training! Over 350 partners in providing youth and family driven care across the country attended this year’s Building Bridges Initiative summer training event hosted by American Training at the Wyndham Hotel in Andover, Massachusetts. Youth and families provided valuable personal background, experience and expertise into the mental health and residential services provided across the country. One of those voices belongs to Samantha P., a former recipient of American Training’s Highfields residential program and TASH community-based services. Samantha’s speech echoed beautifully in the room Wednesday morning, August 5, at the conference kick-off:
“At Highfields, I felt like I was somewhere I belonged…things drastically changed when I got to Highfields. Instead of being told what my treatment there would be, I was asked what I wanted to work on, what I wanted to accomplish not just inside the program but in life,” said Samantha. She rose to the occasion and graduated with her Associate’s degree from Northern Essex Community College and was accepted to UMass Lowell to pursue her Bachelor’s degree. American Training’s commitment to positive outcomes for youth are a reflection of our 2013 and 2014 performance-based measures where 100% of youth obtained employment in 2013, 92% increased family contact in 2013 and 74% of youth reduced hospitalizations in 2014.
The BBI event continued to inspire, with BBI’s National Director, Beth Caldwell and Dr. Gary Blau, Chief of the Child, Adolescent and Family Branch, SAMHSA, pioneers of the initiative and partners in facilitating the massive event. With accomplished presenters and leaders in providing youth and family driven residential and community-based services in attendance, a number of states, counties, and agencies from across the nation,as well as Canada, have enacted agency-wide policy and fiscal improvements to enhance services for youth and families. BBI’s principles and practices support improved outcomes for youth and families receiving residential treatment. It is exciting to know that hundreds of residential and community programs across the United States, and now Canada, have made and are making improvements in their services.
BBI’s mission of Advancing Partnerships, Improving Lives makes for a strong linkage to American Training’s WOW! Magic culture.
American Training has been a leader in providing youth and family driven services for families in the Commonwealth for over 25 years. WOW! Magic stands for our Way of Working and is the culture of American Training’s support of youth, families and everyone we serve. WOW! Magic is about the unique opportunity to change lives for the better through every relationship we build, service we provide and life we touch. WOW! Magic culture is about making memories each and every day – it’s the extra effort that our Colleagues give in each moment while supporting the lives of youth and families. WOW! Magic is also about challenging yourself to provide a higher standard of work and service. Through this standard of service, youth and families learn to create more meaningful lives because Life Matters at American Training.
Youth, Family, Providers: Moving towards the future
BBI has been greatly sustained through SAMSHA’s leadership; providing a pathway for youth and families to promote successful engagement through community partners and providers. Featured speakers and inspiring presenters included Kathryn Power, Regional Administrator for SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) for the Northeast Region 1; Bryan Samuels, M.P.P with extensive background supporting youth and families in Chicago as the former Commissioner for the Administration on Children, Youth and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, spending an extensive amount of his career improving positive outcomes for children; Commissioners from the State of Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and Department of Mental Health, Linda Spears and Joan Mikula, respectively; and Janice LeBel, Director of Program Management for DMH, oversees DMH’s 200-bed continuing care service system for children and adolescents ages 5-18.
The event was an opportunity to merge, embrace and open the floor for communication for stakeholders, non-profit agencies and providers nation-wide, and state agencies supporting youth and families through residential treatment and community-based services. Attendees had several opportunities throughout the 3-day event for continued dialogue to engage in discussion about the challenges, the changes, and the future of services.
The presentations struck a chord with several BBI attendees who remarked, “The representatives from around the country really made me feel tremendously proud of what we do. I came away from the conference feeling refreshed and full of ideas after hearing from all of you, and knowing there is such strong support for the parents’ point of view.” Another attendee offered, “…I learned a great deal and was truly impressed and inspired by every presenter…”
Among the presenters, we were proud to offer three great perspectives from American Training, through our President and CEO Tom Connors, the Director of our Highfields and TASH programs, Renee Ghembaza, and our Peer Mentor, Samantha Poirier. See their bios below:
Vision, Connection, Engagement
The Building Bridges Initiative summer training event was a chance for youth and families’ voices to be heard, for truths to be spoken, for industry leaders to continue to strengthen the lives of youth and families. American Training is a strong supporter of long-term positive outcomes for youth receiving residential interventions and strives to improve the lives of everyone served. At American Training, we recognize the importance of re-envisioning our role in the lives of providing mental health services and the importance of youth, families, communities and authentic engagement.
Resources
Building Bridges Initiative continues to provide partners in the field with resources that promote positive outcomes and enhance the lives of youth and families. Please find recently released documents by visiting, the Building Bridges website.
Check out photos from the event here:
Our Taste of New England Reception for the attendees, from across the country and continent, was amazing! Everyone had a blast. We had live music, delicious New England favorites from Simply Elegant, video debuts, WOW! Magic decor and ambiance, a fantastic photo booth, and great company.
Thank you to the more than 200 of you who attended! It was amazing to share the evening with you. We hope you enjoyed your WOW! Magic experience. And, we hope you enjoy that classic New England saltwater taffy courtesy of our friends at Ye Olde Pepper Candy Company and those delectable cupcakes from Buttermilk Baking!
Check out photos from the evening here:
To learn more about American Training, our Highfields and TASH programs, and other services we offer, please take a moment to explore our website. Find out more about our unique events and activities through our events page and blog.
To learn more about Building Bridges and their latest news and events, visit their website here.
What do Wally of the Red Sox, Merida of Disney’s Brave, Pat of the Patriots, Canalligator of the Lowell Spinners and the American Training family have in common? We all spent Friday, June 19th, together at one of the biggest and definitely the best party of the year; American Training’s 15th Annual Tie Dye Day & Carnivale!
The hotly anticipated day was filled with friends, food, sunshine, wild colors, and so much fun.
Every year we surprise our Guests, Residents, and Students with a new feature. Last year, we were lucky enough to have nationally renowned speed painting artist Rob Surette perform. This year we spent the day with Pat the Patriot from our New England Patriots, Wally from our Boston Red Sox, and Canalligator from our Lowell Spinners! They signed autographs, took pictures, danced with us, and even tried their hands (or claws) at each of our games! Our friends from National Fiber Technology even stopped by with costumes galore and danced the afternoon away with us!
Our DJ extraordinaire, Greg from NRG Entertainment, kept everyone dancing and moving. Our dunk tank, carnival games, blow-up sports games, sand art, spin art, and Miguel’s Magic Show kept everyone laughing and smiling. And Nick’s Ice Cream truck and delicious BBQ food kept bellies full and happy. And of course, the tie-dying was a big hit! The best of all? Our signature WOW! Magic (because you can’t do an American Training party without it)!
Last year, we dyed more that 300 t-shirts. This year, we dyed over 500! It was our biggest Tie Dye Day & Carnivale yet! Check out photos from the day below and a full album of photos on our Facebook page.
A huge thank you to our friends from Stoneham Bank and Conlin’s Pharmacy who joined us to help out at the event this year. We were so happy to share the amazing day with them! Thank you to our friends at MetLife for the Snoopys, Harvard Pilgrim for the water bottles and hand sanitizer, and BBS Benefits for the sunscreen packets. We were delighted to be able to share these donated items with our Guests, Residents and Students! A special thank you to our 2015 Fund-A-WOW! supporters: Susan & Richard Ingham, Janet Cruickshank, Kathy McGillicuddy & Sally Mancuso, and Tom. And thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers! We couldn’t have made the day as wonderful as it was without you!
After replacing the American Flags at the graves of Veterans this spring, just ahead of Memorial Day, our Guests and Colleagues were honored, July 8th, by Mayor Stephen Zanni for their service to the Veterans of Methuen who have been laid to rest. Check out pictures from the event below (photos courtesy of Jennifer Myers) and their flag replacement story as your scroll down.
For more than a decade now, our Colleague Joe Robichaud has brought a team from American Training to do something very special at the cemeteries throughout Methuen. Each spring, in early May, Robichaud and his team spend a day replacing the American Flags, worn and tattered from braving Winter’s worst, at the graves of each local Veteran, with a bright crisp new Flag.
Then when families throughout the area visit their loved ones on Memorial Day, each grave of each Veteran holds a new Flag, something that shows that though their loved ones are gone, the sacrifices they made are never forgotten.
Our Guests and Colleagues are proud to be a part of that. This year’s team included Robichaud, Colleagues Adam Jackson and Molly Rizk as well as Guests John DiFruscia, Greg Trepanier, John Ruggiero, Moises Carabello, Jeffrey Murray, Danny Santiago, Francisco Cruz, Miguel Maldonado, Crystal White, Sapenh Sat, Miguel Colome, and Jonathan Boucher.
Check out their story, featured on page 7 in the May 22 edition of Rumbo News, below.
While we honor and pay respect to those who have passed, we hope not to forget those who are living. As Mary Harris Jones said, “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” As you honor and remember those who now lay at rest, please keep in mind those who are in need of our care now. Find out how you can help by visiting serve.org and using the keyword “veterans” or by contacting your local Veterans’ Services Coordinator.
Check out our 2014 Flag Replacement and Retirement stories here.
This MAP Training will be held June 16 and 17, 2015, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6 Campanelli Drive in Andover.
Course Description
This two-day course will prepare and qualify you to take the MAP test.
At the end of this session, you will be able to:
• Safely administer medications as regulated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Administer a liquid oral medication, use an oral medication cup, oral dosing syringe, and dropper
• Properly document, record, and store medication
Meet Our Trainer
Meghan Fisk is a Bachelor’s prepared registered nurse, with over 2 years experience, providing quality care to diverse individuals. She has dedicated her career to acute, advanced cardiac care as well as intellectually disabled populations.
Costs
This 2-day course is $250 per person. This price includes training, lunch on the first day, and all course materials. Please note that D&S Diversified Technologies may require you to pay additional testing fees if you are not covered by the Department of Mental Health (DMH) or Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
Registration
To register, please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 or daniellelapointe@americantraininginc.com.
Questions
Please contact Danielle LaPointe at 978-655-6850 or daniellelapointe@americantraininginc.com with any questions.
Tuition must be paid prior to beginning the course and you must present a current photo ID.
Search for other training opportunities on our events page.
Red Nose Day might be our new favorite day! It combines so much of what we love; a great cause, silliness, lots of laughter, and lots of love!
As soon as we heard of a day dedicated to getting silly to help eradicate poverty stateside and around the world, we were in! We put together a bake sale fundraiser, bought hundreds of red noses, plus a bunch of fun stuff like bubbles, balloons, leis, and silly hats, and added our signature WOW! Magic to the mix.
The result? A day of silly fun featuring only the tastiest of snacks and treats at our big bake sale, hilarious costumes, lots of giveaways, and the best of all…a comedy show filled with hysterical one liners, lip syncing superstars, and dance moves like you’ve never seen!
Thank you to all who donated baked goods and great food to the bake sale, those who donated the raffle prize, and all who purchased items and raffle tickets. Together, we raised over $650 to help combat poverty here in the U.S. and around the world.
Check out some pictures from the day below! And start your own fundraiser or learn more about Red Nose Day here. For more American Training events, click here.
Has London ever looked so glamorous as it did Friday night?! We think not!
London sprang to life at our 2nd Annual Celebrate Good Times Gala May 16th at the Andover Country Club. Visits from favorite British celebrities, characters, and even a few royals delighted our Guests! Like a trip down the red carpet, we ran into Elton John, Harry Potter, Kate Middleton, Austin Powers, James Bond, and the even the Queen herself, among others.
Guests enjoyed a fine dinner, delectable cupcakes from our glorious Tower of Yumdon display (which was featured here), a photo booth, a balloon wall of the Union Jack, and even a fabulous band, 4EverFab, who filled the posh evening with our favorite Beatles tunes!
While the whole night was filled with WOW! Magic, the highlight of the evening was the awards.
We recognized and celebrated our Guests who have remained competitively employed for 5 or more years with same company. Congratulations to Moises Caraballo of Market Basket, Tim Scanlon of Univertisy Cap and Gown, Luis Hincapie or Papa Gino’s, Beverly Oakes of St. Michael’s School, Linda Hinckley o Harrison’s, Victor Sanchez and Sean Valentine of AXI, Robert Twarhog of Marshall’s, Frank Bekkenhuis of Target, and Florence Durkee and R. Michael O’Connor of Chili’s!
Our big award winner of the evening was Margarita Rios who took home the coveted Citizenship Award for her dedication to serving others and the community. Over the past year, Margarita has done everything from organizing a yard cleanup at a local church to purchasing and delivering “get well soon” balloons to the young patients of Boston Children’s Hospital. She even asked guests of her birthday party to forgo gifts in lieu of random acts of kindness.
Margarita doesn’t just do good deeds, she gets other involved. Her kindness has a ripple effect that affects those around her, making a collective ripple that is far-reaching. Congratulations, Margarita!
Check out more news coverage of the event here and here and pictures from the excitement below:
A feature article in the July 8th edition of Rumbo news:
A featured shot from the June 2015 issue of the Valley Patriot:
Every year we take you on a trip to a new, beautiful, WOW! Magic destination. Two years ago, we got jazzy in New Orleans for a trip to Mardi Gras, last year we jet-set across the pond for an evening of British sophistication in London, and this year, we picked a destination that you couldn’t get to by plane, train or automobile.
There was only one way to get where we went this year. First, we ventured somewhere over the rainbow. Then, down a yellow brick road. And, you guessed it! This year, we went to Oz and it was absolute WOW! Magic!
We spent the evening with our favorite and most beloved characters and relived the joy of our childhoods. We danced the night away with the wonderful people of the Munchkin City and explored all that the Emerald City has to offer. We found out just how much courage the Cowardly Lion really has, just how much love the Tin Man is capable of, and exactly how smart Scarecrow really is!
We celebrated those who exemplify Courage, Wisdom, and Heart best! A special congratulations to our award winners: Meghan McCarthy and Amanda Stephens – the Courage Award; Beverly Dunn and Miguel Maldonado – the Wisdom Award; Richard Bernard, Randy Hulse, Sean Valentine, Michael Teague, Mark Sirois, and David Grasso – the Heart Award.
Check out the pictures from our fun-filled evening in the Merry Ol’ Land of Oz, featuring dancing, dinner, awards, entertainment galore, and our signature WOW! Magic!
A special thank you to all of our 2015 Contributors: Stoneham Bank, Jeffrey & Kathleen Winacoo, John W. Marsinelli, Alice & Larry Pahigian, Sylvia Robichaud, Alice Rondeau, the Taglieri Family, Neal Brown, Joanne Parolisi, Treadwell’s Ice Cream, Fuddruckers, Salon 97, and Vincenzo’s Restaurant.
Thank you to all who joined us at Margarita’s of Methuen on May 4th for our Noche Mexicana Fundraiser! Your support is so greatly appreciated! (And thank you to Margarita’s too, we had a blast with you!)
We were delighted to share the evening with our own American Training family members, a few of our Partners, and even some friends we hadn’t met yet! Together, through the 15% donation, we raised $142.62! Thank you!
We handed out information, answered questions, and even asked some of our supporters to take pictures with our awesome photo booth props.
