Page 17 - Our Hands Spring 2023

ROCK STARS

Smoking, Vaping, Tripping,
Sipping: Let's Get Lit on
Drug Trends and
Interventions
Anthony Mueller, Vice President of
Substance Use Disorder Services, was
a featured panelist at the 2023 Child
and Adolescent Behavioral Health
Summit, a Children's Foundation
initiative that focuses on the issues and
solutions affecting Michigan's children
and teens. His presentation, titled
"Smoking, Vaping, Tripping, Sipping:
Let's Get Lit on Drug Trends and Interventions" was a featured learning
session at the one-day conference. Anthony has also been recognized in
Crain's Detroit Business as one of the Notable Leaders in Behavioral Health.

Fighting for the Wellbeing of Children and Families
The Michigan House of Representatives 2021-2022 Adoption and
Foster Care Taskforce passed multiple house bills in 2022 to
strengthen the state’s overall Child Welfare system.

However, on February 22, Legacy Adoption Services (LAS) Executive
Director, Rachel Sykes, argued in front of the House Health and Human
Services Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services,
chaired by Representative Christine Morse that more is needed to
achieve transformational change.

Reform can begin with increased rates to manage Child Welfare
Samaritas Speaks Out Programs so agencies like Samaritas and LAS can provide more
Three of our Samaritas rockstars spoke at the 2023 Lutheran Immigration and equitable wages to retain skilled staff needed to provide these vital
Refugee Services (LIRS) National Resettlement Conference agenda, held in services. Increased rates can also provide solutions to reduce burnout.
Baltimore earlier this year. Anthony Muller spoke at two breakout sessions on
Refugee Mental Health topics. Chris Cavanaugh, director of New Americans “Our agencies are asking for administrative rate increases this year
West and Christina Field, a supervisor with New Americans East, also because we believe we can make a real difference tackling this
presented on resettlement topics. together. Some days, our staff grapple with the knowledge that they
could work at Starbucks for equal pay and the worst mistake they
It's Easy to "Go Pro" would ever make would be to mess up someone’s latte order. That’s a
With the Going PRO Talent Fund grant, Samaritas Corporate Relations hard realization for a professional with a Bachelor of Arts or Master’s
Manager Tanya Horan was able to take her skill set to the next level. As a degree,” said Rachel Sykes, Executive Director of Legacy Adoption
Services (LAS).
result, she now has a Project Management Certification program through
Davenport University. “I learned three new things that were super helpful,” The next generation of child welfare professionals want to be a part of
said Tanya Horan. “I’m able to tweak some of the things that I'm currently something transformational – they are hungry to make a real
doing to be more efficient and better communicate with my team and our difference.
volunteers.” Samaritas received a 2023 Going Pro Talent Fund grant for
southeast Michigan from the Michigan Department of Labor West DC Think Tank Top 50
MichiganWorks! office.
Octavia Lindsey was invited to be one of the 50 national leaders
The agency awarded chosen to participate in The Ujima Think Tank for Black Family
Samaritas $49,156 to assist Connection. Ujima convened 50 Black leaders in child welfare in the
in hiring, training, and Nation's Capital on May 22-23, 2023 for an intimate personal
developing employees. exploration of our everyday decisions that impact Black family
Support like this is one of connections. This will create a safe and liberated space for open and
the ways, Samaritas is
working to help staff reach honest discussions by hosting this first ever Think Tank as an affinity
their full potential. group for Black/African American leaders.

Samaritas Nation can reach out to Rachel Sykes at
Rachel.Sykes@samaritas.org to learn how the public can
make initiatives like this a reality. 17