As many of you know, if you’ve been following my other posts, I have a passion for customers we serve because of my experience growing up as the son of house parents.  They can’t call them that any more, and no one actually lives in the same residence as the clients.  Times have really changed.

Improving Access to Mental Health Act of 2015 (S.2173/H.R. 3712)

As you may have noticed, I have diligently avoided politics in this blog.  Every now and then, however, a social or professional issue wanders into the arena of politics, and I cannot completely ignore the issue.

The software industry is still a relatively “young” industry- think car manufacturing, steel manufacturing etc. begun more than a hundred years ago versus software starting in the 50’s but only becoming widespread in the late 80’s/early 90's. There is also the creative side of software design that enters the picture. Because of this there are many temptations to have a homegrown system built just for your organization.

What would a PC be without Windows? Back in the day I purchased a high powered laptop from an Internet dealer that was shipped without Windows preloaded. I removed the gleaming new machine from the box and immediately had one of those moments when you thought you knew where you were going, but suddenly realized you were lost. Here was the latest computer with the most robust memory and the fastest processor on the market, and I had no idea how to use it. I didn’t even know how to turn it on, let alone put it to work.

So, you’re planning a fundraiser for your nonprofit.

The cause? Check. The enthusiasm? Check. The planning……….

The key to a successful nonprofit fundraiser: proper planning. If you're not familiar with planning events, you might need some help deciding where or how to start. I would say no matter how big or small the event you should start planning AT LEAST 6 months, if not a year out from the event. 

Social workers report that the rate of PTSD among veterans and active military personnel is significantly higher than in the general population. PTSD occurs when one branch of the nervous system generates massive amounts of survival (fight or flight) energy to meet a threat, only to find the threat so overwhelming that there’s no way to use this energy for self-protection.

Bernie Sanders, a hopeful Presidential contender, has a simple message for Americans; the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. As it turns out, he’s right.

While working on an implementation at a customer site, I observed a caseworker in Michigan entering data into a SACWIS (State Automated Child Welfare Information System) computer system, then immediately enter the same data (plus some that SACWIS didn’t have) into the agency’s own system.

FAMCare makes data collection much easier and efficient.  Not only are electronic forms easy to read, the built-in workflow helps drive caseworkers in specific directions, helps them focus and keeps them productive. 

A friend of mine shared with me a personal experience that involved the loss of a friend.  I’m publishing his exact words here.  I also have a dear relative who is currently working through a debilitating illness at a hospice center.  As Frank mentions below – the professional hospice worker deserves our admiration and gratitude.  They have a tough job, however – manage to show empathy and support our loved ones – each and every day.