April 24, 2008

Family Resource Centers of Crestwood Children’s Center staff excel in helping prevent child abuse

Linda James and Reginald Cox receive statewide honors for work with grandparents and fathers 

Rochester, NY-April 24, 2008- Prevent Child Abuse NY and the New York State Children and Family Trust Fund have rated the work done by two Family Resource Centers of Crestwood Children’s Center staff members to prevent child abuse as “excellent.” 

Linda James, Skip Generations coordinator, and Reginald Cox, Fathers’ Program coordinator, were each selected to receive a 2008 Excellence in Child Abuse Prevention award during the 13th Annual Child Abuse Prevention Conference held in Albany. The awards are presented each year to individuals who do outstanding work that supports and strengthens families and assures that children live in nurturing and protective homes. 

“It was a great honor for Family Resource Centers of Crestwood Children’s Center to receive these awards for our colleagues working in prevention with the support of the New York State Office of Children and Family Services and Prevent Child Abuse NY,” said Mary Jo Brach, Family Resource Centers of Crestwood Children’s Center service director. 

James was recognized for her work providing support and educational services to grandparents raising their grandchildren. As the Skip Generations coordinator, James utilizes her personal experience of parenting her grandchildren to help the program fill a special and growing need in Rochester. The Skip Generations program offers weekly parenting education groups. Additionally, James provides individual assistance and advocacy to kinship caregivers as they move through the application process for guardianship, the Child Only Grant, and Supplemental Security Income for their grandchildren. 

“For the past 10 years, Linda has labored tirelessly to lend support and facilitate the empowerment of grandparents like her who have often found themselves in the unexpected position of being the primary caregiver for their grandchildren. She knows firsthand the many obstacles and challenges that are faced in trying to meet this responsibility and provide the best for the children,” said Brach. 

Cox received acknowledgment at the conference for the work he has done facilitating a weekly group meeting of fathers with the Fathers’ Program at Family Resource Centers, as well as his contributions throughout the state to efforts that engage fathers. 

“As a father of 10 children, Reggie is recognized by the dads who come to the Fathers’ Program as one of them. He is respected as a strong role model, a passionate advocate for fathers’

involvement in the lives of their children, and a challenging, yet supportive partner to them in the efforts to improve their parenting skills,” said Brach. 

About Crestwood Children’s Center
Crestwood Children’s Center is an affiliate of Hillside Family of Agencies. Crestwood Children’s Center offers a continuum of services from primary prevention within the community to intensive, campus-based treatment to promote the growth and development of children and families. Crestwood Children’s Center provides mental health, child welfare, and family development services for children ages birth to 21 and their families.

Hillside Family of Agencies (www.hillside.com) is a family and children services organization that provides child welfare, mental health, youth development, juvenile justice, special education, and developmental disabilities services across central and western New York. Hillside Family of Agencies is comprised of affiliates Crestwood Children's Center, Crestwood Children's Foundation, Hillside Children's Center, Hillside Children's Foundation, Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, and Snell Farm Children's Center.