CAF Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                Circle Around Families
February 13, 2004                                                         (219) 757-1822

CIRCLE AROUND FAMILIES ACHIEVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH

Lake County, Indiana  - Circle Around Families was nationally recognized for achievement in Communications at the 2003 Excellence in Community Communications and Outreach (ECCO) Recognition Program, which took place January 16 in San Antonio, Texas.

Circle Around Families competed with more than 87 entries submitted by mental health professionals and child advocates from across the country to earn recognition.

Circle Around Families’ entry was a video production. We placed 2nd.

The ECCO Recognition Program is sponsored by the Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program of the Federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The ECCO Recognition Program highlights communications achievements that promote children’s mental health. This honor also celebrates the talents, strengths, and successes of communities that are part of a CMHS program to build community-based "systems of care" for children with serious emotional disturbances and their families.

Circle Around Families’ system of care involves three areas:

• Parent empowerment and participation through the creation of a parent organization.
• Creation of a seamless community infrastructure through interagency collaboration, blended funding mechanisms, and a wraparound service process.
Enhanced mental health services for children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED) through the expansion of traditional and non-traditional array of services.

The recognition presentations by category included: Media Outreach, Community Outreach: Parents & Caregivers, Community Outreach: Children & Youth, Professional Outreach, Partnership Development, Communications Planning, Communications Training, Video Production, and Other.

All entries were peer-judged, and the criteria included consideration of planning, cultural competence/family involvement, message, execution, presentation, creativity, audience, effectiveness and evaluation.

For more information about Circle Around Families, contact Mimi Gardner-Suggs, V.P./ Project Director, at: Circle Around Families, c/o Geminus Corporation, 8400 Louisiana Street, Merrillville, IN 46410 -or- Tel: (219) 757-1822.

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