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Novi

16 February 19 • 2015

On JFS Now
And Moving Ahead
Shaindle: When you look at the land-
scape of business and health care today,
information technology is a huge driver.
Organizations that are not evolving will
not survive. Today, more than ever, we
must gather not only the subjective infor-
mation that we need to function, but
also the objective, measurable data to get
from point A to B, moving us forward to
demonstrate how we meet our goals.
At JFS, we've just finished a strategic
plan, based on the information we have
today, to map out where we think our
resources will be most needed in the
future. My role is to be the "integrator"
between the different JFS departments.
That includes understanding finance,
programming, client services, IT and our
investments in resources to ensure we
have the best, most cost-efficient infra-
structure in place to meet the needs of
the community.
Q: Where do you see those needs rising
most critically?
Shaindle: It's a balance, of course. The
demographic of our population contin-
ues to age. We need to understand how
the needs of our seniors are expanding
and will continue to grow. And we need
to be well-positioned to do more with
potentially the same or fewer resources.
Q: On the other end of the scale,
what programs and tools are in place to
meet the growing needs of young people,
particularly in light of the rising numbers
in the diagnoses of ADHD, depression,
bipolar disorder, eating disorders and
other mental illnesses?
Shaindle: JFS has counselors specifi-
cally equipped to work with youth and
teens and focused on greater efforts
toward identification of mental illness
to help intervene prior to tragedy. We
are, in fact, partnering with Federation's
Alliance for Jewish Education on a teen
mental health conference on March 1.
[See related story on page 31.]
Additionally, we recently received a
grant for our Mental Health First Aid
program, which is allowing us to train
those people who work with youth to
be better equipped to identify the signs
of mental illness. This will help ensure
that those who need help receive it. We
already have provided this training to
some community professionals working
with teens. We also are placing increased
focus on suicide prevention. Early treat-
ment is the key focus.
We also offer psychological testing ser-
vices to the community to help families
identify cognitive, developmental or psy-
chological conditions in young members
of our community so they can be treated
effectively.

On Project Chessed
Q: Project Chessed has been well docu-
mented as a model program. Interestingly,

it has yet to be duplicated. Why do you
think that is the case?
Shaindle: You have to say there's
something in the water here. I think the
difference is Detroit. A huge number of
people who were willing to step up to the
plate — from our physician community,
our Federation, The Jewish Fund and the
Sinai Medical Foundation — all worked
together to make it happen. Detroit is
unique. When you say you have a prob-
lem, people are not going to just give you
lip service; they are prepared to do what
needs to be done.

On Detroit
Q: What changes have you seen in Jewish
Detroit over the recent years?
Shaindle: From my best recollection
growing up here, I think that our com-
munity has become a far more integrated
Jewish community where you have
Reform, Conservative and Orthodox rab-
bis and congregations working together.
We've embraced our diversity now to
become what is truly a unified Jewish
community. That's something we try to
market to people thinking about relocat-
ing to the area from out of town. From
West Bloomfield to Oak Park, we can
show them beautiful neighborhoods
with homes and Jewish day schools that
people can actually afford without having
to choose one over the other.

On Balancing Family
And Professional Life
Shaindle: Talking about balancing home
life, a blended family, four kids and a
career — my husband, Mendy, is the
person who keeps us going. He's always
been there, encouraging me to do what
I do because he believes in my work as
much as I do.
We've been married and a blended fam-
ily for nearly 10 wonderful years, and when
people meet us, they are always a little sur-
prised because we don't act like a "blended"
family. We have four amazing children — I
say three are my stepchildren only because
I can't take credit for giving birth to them,
not because they aren't mine.
They make me weep with pride some-
times. Like when you tell your kids to
do things, and you raise them a certain
way and they turn around as adults (like
our oldest son) — and say things like
"Bye, I'm going to Israel to join the army
— because I feel I have an obligation to
fight for my homeland:' And you think
omg, he listened to me! Really?
In the balance, being Shabbat-
observant also is important in regard
to keeping family time a priority. Come
Friday at sundown, I'm home, the phone
is off, the computer is off. There's noth-
ing but family.

❑

Vivian Henoch is editor of myjewishdetroit.

org, where a longer version of this story first

appeared.