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| Health Access Network to Host Guest Speaker |
| On Behalf of the Relatives as Parents Program |
| Press Release 11/08/2007 |
The Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) are pleased to announce that Bette Hoxie will be speaking at Health Access Network on November 13th. Bette has been honored nationally numerous times for her leadership supporting foster parents statewide as Director of Adoptive and Foster Families of Maine (AFFM) in Old Town. These awards include the Maine Foster parent of the Year 1980 & 1984, New England Foster Parent Association Award 1987, Nancy Gentile Award for Child Advocacy 1988, NFPA award for Region I Vice President 1988 & 1999, Jefferson Award 1996 local & state, and the 2004 Kidspeace New England Unsung Heroes Award.
Bette has a working knowledge of DHHS, Department of Education, Special Education, and Judicial system, and has implemented and presented several trainings for foster adoptive and kinship providers and other child welfare advocates. Because of this experience, she has been able to develop and teach courses such as Your Special Needs Child in the Community, Day to Day Living with Children with Affects of Prenatal Substance Abuse, Developing Empathy with Grammy, and Transitioning from Foster Care to Adoption to Adulthood.
Bette has a lifelong commitment to children and families and is very dedicated to kinship care. Kinship care may pertain to a grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, cousin or a good friend of the family who are stepping in to care for a relative’s child (ren) or may be the practice of connecting more children who come into foster care with relatives or extended family. The children may be in the relative’s care, or the relatives may be working towards that goal.
Please join Bette on November 13th from 9:00 to 10:30 at Health Access Network in Lincoln for a discussion of the unique family dynamics of kinship care giving. Topics will include drug and alcohol addiction, signs and symptoms of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FAS and FAE), obstacles faced by children with the diagnosis, understanding your legal rights, how to deal with the emotional issues of the children in your care, and other foster care and kinship related issues. Bette is an individual in Maine who makes a difference for children through profound personal and professional commitment. For more information, contact Tracey at Health Access Network, 794-6700 or 1-866-426-4584.