Integrated Community Alternatives Network (ICAN)

Many of our ICAN employees are celebrating Ramadan! Each year, Hawa Juma – a Behavior Specialist for Utica City School District System of Care – sends an email out to all of our locations and programs to share information on Ramadan and give tips on how we can support our team members, clients and students who are celebrating. It is so helpful and appreciated! We connected with Hawa this week to create a more permanent resource to live on our website for anyone at ICAN. Check it out! https://lnkd.in/gcD_-A3k

At our IPA, we're dedicated to helping our providers thrive. We offer monthly training and orientation sessions to keep everyone on the same page, from best practices to regulatory compliance and HIPAA. Whether you're new or a seasoned pro, our sessions are designed to streamline processes and foster collaboration. At our latest session, our CEO/Executive Director, Steven Bulger shared what it means to be part of the ICAN family and how IPA Providers are essential to Keeping Families Together! These sessions equip providers with the tools and connections needed for excellence - Its also a nice opportunity to meet the ICAN employees they will be working closely with. Interesting in Joining our IPA? Check out their website for more information on how! https://www.icanipa.com/?

Come Join our TEAM! Our Herkimer System of Care Team has an Outreach Coordinator position available! This person will serve as the point person to multiple agencies and school districts to ensure that youth and families get the support they need. Come work for a place that puts you and your family first, so you are able to put your clients first! See the full job description here: https://lnkd.in/gRh_MNCf?

Tune in TOMORROW! - 97.9/105.5 KISS FM at 7:45am - Mix 102.5 around 8:00am Listen in to hear Jesenia Wright, our Director of School Based Mental Health for the Utica City School District System of Care, talk about her program, ICAN and the Empowered Voices: A Conversation with Tamika Mallory event coming up THIS Saturday. This FREE event is a collaboration between us, MVCC Step and SNUG and will have: - A reading from Tamika’s new book “I Lived to Tell the Story”? - Conversation on inclusivity and advocacy - Limited book signing and networking PLUS! We will have a drawing for 20 advanced copies of her NEW book.

Black History Month is a great opportunity for reflection and celebration, along with learning, being inspired and sharing. We want to kick off the month by re-sharing a few things we have created in the past AND inviting you to stick with us throughout the month of February here on social media for some NEW things! A spotlight on Black pioneers in social work and the mental health field (stay tuned for a sequel article this month!) https://lnkd.in/gsffy8QX Books for inspiration: https://lnkd.in/e_mdWxme Q&A with Utica artist Mayika West https://lnkd.in/eWywrNsc Ted Talks to Celebrate Black History https://lnkd.in/gyPcu4si Also... don't forget to sign up for an event NOT to be missed on February 8th from 12-3pm as our Utica City School District System of Care, MVCC STEP and SNUG Utica present "Empowered Voices" - a Conversation with Social Justice Leader Tamika D. Mallory. Register for FREE here: https://lnkd.in/ePSCN7h9

Heidi, a member of our IPA network who works with girls 9-13 years old, shares tips, a successful story and how rewarding mentoring is for her! She works with girls who have been through trauma and uses her experience as a mother of six, her extensive background in education and her love for being a kid herself (!) every day to help girls become confident, culturally enriched and creative! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gJfghcxW

Stephanie's mentoring experience is just beginning but already she can see how impactful a mentor can be in not only the child’s life, but also the families. She has some great FREE places to take mentees already as well as some helpful ideas for activities and building relationships with your mentee. See how her experience is going so far and get some great tips here: https://ican.family/news/

One of the most important parts of mentoring is building trust and consistency. Mentors can be THE person for a child who needs help through a particular challenge. Jessica Medicis, a Student Engagement Specialist in our Utica City School District System of Care, shares a story of how she, a student’s father and the school worked as a team to help the student overcome fear of home-to-school transition. The success of them working together made mornings easier and less stressful for the WHOLE family! READ MORE HERE: https://lnkd.in/gFbRskk9

Our CEO/Executive Director Steve Bulger had the honor of being invited to Albany to attend Governor Hochul’s 2025 State of the State address.?Governor Hochul said that in 2025 she is committed to fighting for families. At ICAN we know how important it is to fight for all families, not just the clients we serve. We look forward to continuing this work into the new year!

You will rarely see longtime IPA Provider Christine Perez in the community without a mentee with her! We can always count on her to share tips, find new experiences and places to give mentees a great experience, and get into a great conversation about the MANY rewards of being a mentor. Here’s a few things she shared for National Mentoring Month! Read more about Christine here: https://lnkd.in/gAhR_YjZ And even more tips on mentoring from her here: https://lnkd.in/ghuBAp73