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PRESIDENT'S
COLUMN
JEWISH FAMILY.SERVICE
By John D. Marx, D.D.S.
As I sit down to write this article, two ongoing
projects have a profound impact upon the future of
Jewish Family Service. The first is Jewish
Federation's priority setting process. The second is
our own strategic planning project.
Every day our clinical staff helps people of
all ages and from every income level deal with
the whole spectrum of problems which can prevent
a person or family from functioning well. A child
growing up in a healthy environment is much
more likely to have a positive view of himself
and his family.
Our own strategic planning process is analyzing
every aspect of our agency's operation — from
its counseling and family violence prevention
programs to its transportation service and the
many ways in which it helps to resettle our new
Americans. We are studying the impact of outside
forces; specifically, the rapidly growing health care
trend towards managed care and changes at the
federal level as our government struggles to balance
the budget.
Most of the families which. our agency serves
will be deeply affected by proposed cuts in
Medicaid and Medicare, and the numerous entitle-
ment programs which act as a "safety net" for so
many of them. Other pending legislation could
severely restrict the number of immigrants to this
country and curtail many of the programs to which
all immigrants are currently entitled.
Federation is taking a long, hard look at every
perceived need in the community and at every
agency to which it gives funds. The needs will be
ranked and campaign dollars will be distributed in a
manner which reflects the results of the priority
setting process. At JFS, we are sure that Federation
will continue to recognize the importance of the
Jewish Family — how a strong, healthy and happy
Jewish family will go a long way towards "keeping
our grandchildren Jewish."
I am confident that our strategic planning com-
mittee, with its invaluable input from our staff and
Board of Directors, will identify JFS' key objectives
and strategies needed for the 21st century. Together
we will develop the tactics to implement them. JFS
has been and will continue to be pro-active in
addressing changes which affect our clients and our
agency.
As I prepare to end my Presidency this summer,
I admire and am grateful for the committed staff of
JFS, and appreciate the expertise of Alan Goodman,
Executive Director, and Margaret Weiner,
Associate Executive Director. They are dedicated,
knowledgeable professionals in every sense of
the word.
My sincere thanks to the Executive Committee
and all the members of the Board of Directors. The
many hours which they have spent to help JFS excel
are greatly appreciated. I extend special thanks to
Betsy Winkelman and the Resettlement Service
Board of Directors. Their commitment and
unselfish devotion made the merger of our two
agencies proceed smoothly. We are one agency
strong and a model for our whole community.
May we go from strength to strength.
R E A C H
ction
ADOPTION
JFS offers adoption support services, home studies and post-adoption supervisory visits by Esther Krystal, M.Ed.,
M.S.W., appointed as a confidential intermediary by the Oakland County Probate Court. Couples considering
adoption abroad may wish to explore adopting a child from China. For more information, please call Esther Krystal at
(810) 559-1500, ext. 212.
BRANCHING OUT
The JFS Branch at 6950 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 202, in West Bloomfield, offers Sunday service from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. and is also open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Individual counseling, marital, family and group
therapy are available at the Branch. JFS staff presently conduct groups for men and women. For information and
scheduling, call Yvonne Bernstein, M.S.W., at (810) 737-5055.
"GOOD FEELING" WORKSHOP
"How to Feel Better about Yourself and Your Life Today," was the focus of the November Jewish Family Service
Senior Services Department workshop led by clinical social workers, Arleene Goldenberg-Green, M.S.W., and Carol
Plotkin, M.S.W., for residents at Franklin Club Apartments in Southfield, MI. A video presentation of the WTVS,
Channel 56, public television network program, "Detroit - Remember When," gave residents the opportunity to recall past
days in Detroit and share feelings about themselves and their lives today.
UPCOMING PARENTING WORKSHOPS
To parents of teenage children: Are your children hopeful, exhausted, confident and confused from day to day
and week to week? Are you? Would you like to learn strategies to become an effective parent? We are offering
a parenting workshop series designed to provide parents with support and information while they struggle with age
appropriate developmental issues. The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursdays, March 21, and
March 28th. Enroll now by calling clinical social workers, Sara Eisemann, M.S.W., or Sophie Fierro-Share, M.S.W.,
at (810) 559-1500.
THE GROUP
Adult siblings and parents of people with disabilities meet the fourth Wednesday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m. at
the JFS' Main Office, 24123 Greenfield Road, Southfield. Calling themselves "The Group," the group evolved from the
Family Circle program of workshops for families of children with physical and mental disabilities.
Led by Associate Executive Director Margaret Weiner, M.S.W., a certified group psychotherapist, participants
discuss feelings and issues related to living with a disabled family member and providing support to disabled family
members who live elsewhere. If you would like to participate, please call (810) 559-1500, ext. 238.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
Caring, compassionate and fun-loving person sought to be a very special friend to a six-year-old youngster. A com-
mitment of four to five hours per week for a minimum of one year is required. Please call Carolyn Davidson, Volunteer
Services Department, (810) 559-4046, ext. 294, for more information.
HIV/AIDS
A support group for men and women living with
HIV/AIDS is forming at Jewish Family Service. The
group will be led by two master's level clinical social
workers. The group counseling is free and transportation
to the group meeting can be arranged. These counseling
and transportation services are being provided with funds
from the Michigan AIDS Fund.
JFS also offers group counseling for family and signifi-
cant others of persons affected by HIV/AIDS through
funding from the Ryan White C.A.R.E. Act, Title 1.
To commemorate World AIDS Day in December of
1995, JFS displayed one large panel of the NAMES Project
of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. If you wish to help make
panels for the AIDS Memorial Quilt, workshops are being
conducted at 1 p.m. on April 21 and May 19, 1996, at the
Detroit Institute of Arts.
Please call Elissa Driker, C.S.W., HIV/AIDS
Coordinator, (810) 559-1500, for more information about
these group and program activities.
Jewish Family Service (JFS) and the Jewish Community Center (JCC) have designed
a creative after-school program, "Stretch and Reach," for children with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). JFS provides transportation for the children from their
schools to the Jewish Community Center for activities.
"Stretch and Reach" offers children supervised recreation and socialization group
activity. Programming encourages children with ADHD to stretch and reach new goals,
make new friends and achieve their full potential. A series of concurrent parenting work-
shops provides support for participating parents. All programming is led by trained JCC
recreation staff and WS masters' level social work staff.
Groups met for eight weeks in the fall and began meeting again in January.
For information, please contact Ellen Yashinsky, M.S.W., at (810) 559-1500.
"Stretch and Reach" is funded by a grant from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit's Max M. Fisher Jewish Community Foundation.
CHANUKAH?
The Rose Morgan'Chorale performs for the
residents of the Group Apartments for the Elderly
at the December Holiday Party.
Spirituality, memory and celebration are linked as
residents Mona and Sam Lipson welcome Chanukah
by lighting the holiday candles. Joining them in this
sacred ceremony are Jan Bayer, Manager of Group
Apartments for the Elderly Program (center), and Alan
Goodman, Executive Director of Jewish Family Sen,ice.