Sally Elliott, Director Stokes County Operations Forsyth Technical Community College, shares information about the opportunities and programs available to residents at the Stokes County campuses.
Camp Middle School at Chestnut Grove August 11th and 12th
The transition from elementary school to middle school can be difficult and Camp Middle School is a great opportunity for your rising 6th grader.
CGMS: August 11th and 12th with AM sessions 8:00am-11:30 am and PM sessions 12:30 pm-4:00 pm
Registration for CGMS: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdlZGyfAvZ0QgozZOXJ8pH9nn6XhKT8m0YE3mf8uOTFJ7_faQ/viewform
Insight Human Services is providing the Camp Middle School program that will ease the transition to middle school. Insight will host students for two days at the middle school they will be attending. They will provide students with information about the school, allow them to participate in fun activities and games and provide them the opportunity to meet their classmates and make new friends.
Make sure to register for the 2021 Camp Middle School so your child is better prepared for middle school this fall.
For more information contact Sean Halstead at 336-406-8804
Camp Middle School at Southeastern Stokes August 9th and 10th
The transition from elementary school to middle school can be difficult and Camp Middle School is a great opportunity for your rising 6th grader.
SSMS: August 9th and 10th 8:00 am-11:30 am
Registration link for SSMS: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjxRYu6FOrSrMsht6SNpCMsajI8uJdNrzNcjJ48ckmVh3p9g/viewform
Insight Human Services is providing the Camp Middle School program that will ease the transition to middle school. Insight will host students for two days at the middle school they will be attending. They will provide students with information about the school, allow them to participate in fun activities and games and provide them the opportunity to meet their classmates and make new friends.
Make sure to register for the 2021 Camp Middle School so your child is better prepared for middle school this fall.
For more information contact Sean Halstead at 336-406-8804
Hidden in Plain Sight: Bedroom Project
The following is a resource for parents and guardians designed to edu.
Hidden in Plain Sight is an educational experience that walks you through a typical teenage bedroom. The inside of the bedroom is set up with drug paraphernalia “Hidden in Plain Sight.” This is an interactive display/program that offers adults insights into current trends in youth substance abuse, drug paraphernalia, concealment of illicit drugs & alcohol. It is designed to educate community members about drug trends, paraphernalia, how to talk to youth about alcohol & drugs, and what to do if a problem is suspected.
If you are a parent or guardian and are wanting to discuss this topic with your teens click here for some talking points that can help.
If you have questions or concerns about possible substance use by your teen please complete this form and we will be in contact.
Connecting Faith Leaders in Stokes County
If a member of your congregation asked,
“Where do you go for addiction/mental health support in Stokes County?”
Would you know what information to share with them?
Stop Overdose Stokes (S.O.S.) is a team of professionals, pastors and volunteers that formed in January of 2019 to engage churches to help reduce overdoses in Stokes County.
We meet second Wednesday of the month at 1:30pm in the fellowship hall of Chestnut Grove UMC. Address is 1024 Volunteer Rd, King and Rev. Dr. Evelyn Lemons chairs this group. Contact her at the church office at 336-983-9657 or by email at evelyn.lemons@gmail.com.
We are a faith-based subcommittee of the Stokes Citizens for Safe and Healthy Communities coalition that was founded in 2008. Derrick Vickers is the co-chair of the coalition and can be reached by phone at 336-287-2411 or dvickers@insightnc.org.
Call to Action: Stokes County Churches
Is the Lord calling your church to action because of the crisis we are facing?
Is your congregation concerned with people dying from overdoses in Stokes County?
As the body of Christ our work is to save lives to save souls.
- The professionals who work in this field are asking faith leaders to open your doors and be knowledgeable about resources in Stokes that can support citizens.
- Be aware of mental health and substance use issues in the county. There are free resources offered in Stokes by providers who will come to your church and provide information.
- Talk about what is going on in Stokes County with your congregation. Stigma is the number one barrier we are facing as a community, so talk to your church and engage them on this. Let the congregation know you are willing to have a conversation about this very difficult topic.
- We invite you to put out the suicide prevention cards in your church to let people know your church wants to help people who are suffering.
Faith- Based Recovery Resources in Stokes County
- Willing Vessels: Located in King, offer counseling and support for people in recovery. Pastor Gary Adkins. Counselors Steve and Brenda Wright work with people in recovery. Their church has had great success in helping people in recovery! Contact Steve at swright432@gmail.com or 336-354-7002. Church 336-985-0222 Newest Program Freedom in Light will start in Mid-March 2020. Thursday nights at 7:00 pm.
- Calvary Baptist: Located in King, Friday at 7 pm night, Recovery Program for substance abuse and mental health; recovery program designed to rescue, recover and restore those in addictive behaviors
- Trinity UMC: Located in King, downstairs classroom next to the steps, parking in the back parking lot. AA meets Monday at 7pm and Thursday at 7pm. NA meets on Friday at 8pm.
- Exodus Ministry: Located in King, Exodus Ministries is a Christian mentoring program focusing on breaking destructive generational patterns of addiction, poverty, and abuse through the liberating power of God’s Truths. They offer group and personal ministry sessions to those in need. They offer assistance with entry into rehabs through their Hope Dealer scholarships program. Contact: Tamra Lilly 336-529-8993 or Exodusrestore@gmail.com
- Christ Episcopal Church: Located at 412 Summit Street in Walnut Cove, offers AA Tuesdays at 7pm and Fridays at 12pm. Al-Anon meets Tuesdays at 7pm at white house next to church. For questions contact 336- 406-1596.
- Poplar Springs: Located in King, Celebrate Recovery is a 12 step program for all addictions meets Thursday at 7pm in the education building.
- Harvest Temple Church: Located in King, Nar-Anon for families that have loved ones addicted to drugs meets on Tuesday at 6pm.
- Faith Baptist Church: Located on Flat Shoals Road, offers a jail ministry in Stokes. Working on adding an addiction ministry. Pastor Kenny Heath is also a chaplain for Stokes County Sheriff and can be contacted at 336-994-2400.
- Brown Mountain Baptist: Located in Westfield, Pastor Eddie Carter contact phone 336-593-9597
- Chestnut Grove UMC: Located 1024 Volunteer Rd, King, host the Stop Overdose Stokes meeting on Second Wednesdays at 1:30pm, Rev. Dr. Evelyn Lemons is a chaplain for Stokes County Sheriff Mike Marshall. Contact church office: 336-983-9657 or email at lemons@gmail.com . Rev. Lemons keeps the master list of this information sheet if you have additions or corrections, please contact her to make updates.
- James UMC: Located in Rural Hall. They offer AA meeting and Uptown Group who meet on Wednesday’s at 8pm.
- PALS (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones Support Group): offers Family Support Group at 9am Thursday mornings at Stokes Wellness Center, 3172 HWY 8, Walnut Cove and Thursday evenings at 108 E King St. King to PAL meeting Thursday evenings in King. For more information contact Dianna Altrath at love4artdianna@gmail.com or 336-345-6728.
- Chaplain Rick Hughes, also Stokes County Sheriff Chaplain, support for first responders.336-406-6589
- Dwayne Young, Pastor, New Birth Baptist Church, Walnut Cove. Church location: 6970 Dennis Rd, Phone: 336-283-5005. Dwayne is a volunteer with Stop Overdose Stokes, is retired from EMS Guilford County.
- Sid Lee Memorial Mental Health Association of Stokes County: Located at 530 N. Main St. Walnut Cove NC 27052. Contact person: Mary Lee at 252-542-9333. Mailing address PO 963 Walnut Cove, NC 27052
- Guardians of the Children, Director Daniel Massey helps advocate for children who have been through abuse or neglect. Contact: massey1973@gmail.com 336-618-4707
- Tabitha Ministries: Located in Summerfield. Christian ministry for women seeking to change their lives after prison, recovery from addiction or abusive situations, breaking free from prostitution, or working to overcome a history of abuse or trauma. For more information tabithaministry.com
- Randy Cook, Pastor, Shining Light Baptist 4593 Flat Shoals Road, Germanton, 27019
Also, Pastor of True Light Baptist 5033 NC 704 East, Sandy Ridge, NC 27046
Phone: 336-407-3295.
- Piedmont Health Services and Sickle Cell Agency. Services Offered: Free Hep-C, HIV and other STI Education and Testing, including In-Home.
Contact Name: Savalas R. Squire Sr., Phone: 336-430-1165 (mobile), 336-274-1507 ext 124 (office). Availability: On-Call based on Client Availability. Address: 1102 E. Market St, Greensboro NC
- Laura Bullins, Stokes County Community Paramedic, 336 593-5409, office.
Home Safety Assessments, Care Coordination, Substance Abuse Resource Navigation,
Mental Health Resource Navigation, Medication Assistance
Transportation Assistance to Medical Appointments, Physical, Mental and Functional Assessments, Medication Reconciliation,, Intensive Case Management
Public Education, Opioid Response Team
Resources for Youth: Avoiding Substance Use
For youth who want to make positive choices and avoid substance use there are links below to support you.
Resource for Faith Leaders: Mental Health
If you are a faith leader and would like more information related to mental health issues that may affect your congregation click on the links below to learn more.
National suicide prevention hotline information
crisis support text line information
National Crisis Text Line – Text “HOME” to 741741
The trevor project: resource guide for lgbtQ youth or Call 1-866-488-7386
Trans Lifeline: Transgender crisis hotline or call 1-877-565-8860
a Faith leaders’ role in the community: treatment and recovery
myths and facts every faith leader should know about mental health
Resources for Families Coping with Mental and Substance Use Disorders
This link provides information on Mental Health Recovery and resources to promote recovery
Covers signs and symptoms of various disorders and how and where to reach out for assistance. This website also offers education about Mental Health Recovery. We encourage you to use this as a resource and to not use for self-diagnosis
If you are living in Stokes County and do not have insurance or are insured by Medicaid you can use this link to be connected to local providers as well as information on recovery and keeping yourself well
Mental Health Screening Tool
NAMI stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness- This website offers support and education for individuals struggling with mental health issues as well as family and community members.
For Chatham and Orange County
How to Avoid Passing Your Anxiety on to Your Kids
Help yourself, and them, by learning techniques to manage stress in a healthy way.
Brigit Katz, Child Mind Institute
On a recent afternoon, JD Bailey was trying to get her two young daughters to their dance class. A work assignment delayed her attempts to leave the house, and when Bailey was finally ready to go, she realized that her girls still didn’t have their dance clothes on. 
She began to feel overwhelmed and frustrated, and in the car ride on the way to the class, she shouted at her daughters for not being ready on time. “Suddenly I was like, ‘What am I doing?’” she recalls, filled with anxiety. “‘This isn’t their fault. This is me.’ ”
Taking cues from you
Witnessing a parent in a state of anxiety can be more than just momentarily unsettling for children. Kids look to their parents for information about how to interpret ambiguous situations; if a parent seems consistently anxious and fearful, the child will determine that a variety of scenarios are unsafe. And there is evidence that children of anxious parents are more likely to exhibit anxiety themselves, a probable combination of genetic risk factors and learned behaviors.
It can be painful to think that, despite your best intentions, you may find yourself transmitting
your own stress to your child. But if you are dealing with anxiety and start to notice your child exhibiting anxious behaviors, the first important thing is not to get bogged down by guilt.
“There’s no need to punish yourself,” says Dr. Jamie Howard, director of the Stress and Resilience Program at the Child Mind Institute. “It feels really bad to have anxiety, and it’s not easy to turn off.”
But the transmission of anxiety from parent to child is not inevitable. The second important thing to do is implement strategies to help ensure that you do not pass your anxiety on to your kids. That means managing your own stress as effectively as possible, and helping your kids manage theirs. “If a child is prone to anxiety,” Dr. Howard adds, “it’s helpful to know it sooner and to learn the strategies to manage sooner.”
Learn stress management techniques
It can be very difficult to communicate a sense of calm to your child when you are struggling to cope with your own anxiety. A mental health professional can help you work through methods of stress management that will suit your specific needs. As you learn to tolerate stress, you will in turn be teaching your child—who takes cues from your behavior—how to cope with situations of uncertainty or doubt.
“A big part of treatment for children with anxiety,” explains Dr. Laura Kirmayer, a clinical psychologist, “is actually teaching parents stress tolerance. It’s a simultaneous process—it’s both directing the parent’s anxiety, and then how they also support and scaffold the child’s development of stress tolerance.”
Model stress tolerance
You might find yourself learning strategies in therapy that you can then impart to your child when she is feeling anxious. If, for example, you are working on thinking rationally during times of stress, you can practice those same skills with your child. Say to her: “I understand that you are scared, but what are the chances something scary is actually going to happen?”
Try to maintain a calm, neutral demeanor in front of your child, even as you are working on managing your anxiety.
Dr. Howard says, “Be aware of your facial expressions, the 
words you choose, and the intensity of the emotion you express, because kids are reading you. They’re little sponges and they pick up on everything.”
Explain your anxiety
While you don’t want your child to witness every anxious moment you experience, you do not have to constantly suppress your emotions. It’s okay—and even healthy—for children to see their parents cope with stress every now and then, but you want to explain why you reacted in the way that you did.
Let’s say, for example, you lost your temper because you were worried about getting your child to school on time. Later, when things are calm, say to her: “Do you remember when I got really frustrated in the morning? I was feeling anxious because you were late for school, and the way I managed my anxiety was by yelling. But there are other ways you can manage it too. Maybe we can come up with a better way of leaving the house each morning.”
Talking about anxiety in this way gives children permission to feel stress, explains Dr. Kirmayer, and sends the message that stress is manageable. “If we feel like we have to constantly protect our children from seeing us sad, or angry, or anxious, we’re subtly giving our children the message that they don’t have permission to feel those feelings, or express them, or manage them,” she adds. “Then we’re also, in a way, giving them an indication that there isn’t a way to manage them when they happen.”
Make a plan
Come up with strategies in advance for managing specific situations that trigger your stress. You may even involve your child in the plan.
If, for example, you find yourself feeling anxious about getting your son ready for bed by a reasonable hour, talk to him about how you can work together to better handle this stressful transition in the future.
Maybe you can come up with a plan wherein he earns points toward a privilege whenever he goes through his evening routine without protesting his bedtime. 
These strategies should be used sparingly: You don’t want to put the responsibility on your child to manage your anxiety if it permeates many aspects of your life. But seeing you implement a plan to curb specific anxious moments lets him know that stress can be tolerated and managed.
Know when to disengage
If you know that a situation causes you undue stress, you might want to plan ahead to absent yourself from that situation so your children will not interpret it as unsafe. Let’s say, for example, that school drop-offs fill you with separation anxiety. Eventually you want to be able to take your child to school, but if you are still in treatment, you can ask a co-parent or co-adult to handle the drop off. “
You don’t want to model this very worried, concerned expression upon separating from your children,” says Dr. Howard. “You don’t want them to think that there’s anything dangerous about dropping them off at school.”
In general, if you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed with anxiety in the presence of your child, try to take a break. Danielle Veith, a stay-at-home mom who blogs about her struggles with anxiety, will take some time to herself and engage in stress-relieving activities when she starts to feel acutely anxious. “I have a list of to-do-right-this-second tips for dealing with a panic, which I carry with me: take a walk, drink tea, take a bath, or just get out the door into the air,” she says. “For me, it’s about trusting in the fact that the anxiety will pass and just getting through until it passes.”
Find a support system
Trying to parent while struggling with your own mental health can be a challenge, but you don’t have to do it alone. Rely on the people in your life who will step in when you feel overwhelmed, or even just offer words of support. Those people can be therapists, co-parents, or friends.
“I am a part of an actual support group, but I also have a network of friends,” says Veith. “I am open with friends about who I am, because I need to be able to call on them and ask for help. ”
Information provided by https://childmind.org/article/how-to-avoid-passing-anxiety-on-to-your-kids/
Tip for Parents/Guardians on How to Support Kids in the Home During Coronavirus
As schools close and workplaces go remote to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus, parents everywhere are struggling to keep children healthy and occupied.
If you’re anxious about how to protect and nurture kids through this crisis — often juggling work obligations at the same time — you’re in good (virtual) company.
KEEP ROUTINES IN PLACE
- The experts all agree that setting and sticking to a regular schedule is key, even when you’re all at home all day. Kids should get up, eat and go to bed at their normal times. Consistency and structure are calming during times of stress. Kids, especially younger ones or those who are anxious, benefit from knowing what’s going to happen and when.
- The schedule can mimic a school or day camp schedule, changing activities at predictable intervals, and alternating periods of study and play.
- It may help to print out a schedule and go over it as a family each morning. Setting a timer will help kids know when activities are about to begin or end. Having regular reminders will help head off meltdowns when it’s time to transition from one thing to the next.
BE CREATIVE ABOUT NEW ACTIVITIES AND EXERCISE 
- Incorporate new activities into your routine, like doing a puzzle or having family game time in the evening. For example, my family is baking our way through a favorite dessert cookbook together with my daughter as sous chef.
- Build in activities that help everyone get some exercise (without contact with other kids or things touched by other kids, like playground equipment). Take a daily family walk or bike ride or do yoga — great ways to let kids burn off energy and make sure everyone is staying active.
- David Anderson, PhD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, recommends brainstorming ways to go “back to the 80s,” before the time of screen prevalence. “I’ve been asking parents to think about their favorite activities at summer camp or at home before screens,” he says. “They often then generate lists of arts and crafts activities, science projects, imaginary games, musical activities, board games, household projects, etc.”
MANAGE YOUR OWN ANXIETY
- It’s completely understandable to be anxious right now (how could we not be?) but how we manage that anxiety has a big impact on our kids. Keeping your worries in check will help your whole family navigate this uncertain situation as easily as possible.
- “Watch out for catastrophic thinking,” says Mark Reinecke, PhD, a clinical psychologist with the Child Mind Institute. For example, assuming every cough is a sign you’ve been infected, or reading news stories that dwell on worst-case scenarios. “Keep a sense of perspective, engage in solution-focused thinking and balance this with mindful acceptance.”
- For those moments when you do catch yourself feeling anxious, try to avoid talking about your concerns within earshot of children. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, step away and take a break. That could look like taking a shower or going outside or into another room and taking a few deep breaths.
LIMIT CONSUMPTION OF NEWS
- Staying informed is important, but it’s a good idea to limit consumption of news and social media that has the potential to feed your anxiety, and that of your kids. Turn the TV off and mute or unfollow friends or co-workers who are prone to sharing panic-inducing posts.
- Take a social media hiatus or make a point of following accounts that share content that take your mind off the crisis, whether it’s about nature, art, baking or crafts.
STAY IN TOUCH VIRTUALLY
- Keep your support network strong, even when you’re only able to call or text friends and family. Socializing plays an important role in regulating your mood and helping you stay grounded. And the same is true for your children.
- Let kids use social media (within reason) and Skype or FaceTime to stay connected to peers even if they aren’t usually allowed to do so. Communication can help kids feel less alone and mitigate some of the stress that comes from being away from friends.
- Technology can also help younger kids feel closer to relatives or friends they can’t see at the moment. My parents video chat with their granddaughter every night and read her a (digital) bedtime story. It’s not perfect, but it helps us all feel closer and less stressed.
KEEP IT POSITIVE
- Though adults are feeling apprehensive, to most children the words “School’s closed” are cause for celebration. “My kid was thrilled when he found out school would be closing,” says Rachel Busman, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. Parents, she says, should validate that feeling of excitement and use it as a springboard to help kids stay calm and happy.
- Let kids know that you’re glad they’re excited, but make sure they understand that though it may feel like vacations they’ve had in the past, things will be different this time. For example, Dr. Busman suggests, “It’s so cool to have everyone home together. We’re going to have good time! Remember, though, we’ll still be doing work and sticking to a regular schedule.”
Information provided by https://childmind.org/article/supporting-kids-during-the-covid-19-crisis/