March is Social Work Month and we’ve been honoring our social workers all month.
LaSonya Harper and Courtney Osborne: These two social workers deserve so much recognition for their work in general. But there was one case that really got to them both – the case of Evan, a cute boy who was in foster care for years. They stuck with him through many placements and a failed adoptive placement, and still worked to help him be ready for another family. It was a difficult case for them both. So they were thrilled when Evan’s last foster parents, Chad and Melissa Peters, decided to adopt. The adoption was final on Adoption Day in November.
Harper has been with the agency since 2009. Osborne is one of our Wendy’s Wonderful Kids recruiters and has worked for HCJFS since 2011.
Joe Poynter. a youth permanency specialist, joined HCJFS in April 1992. He’ll be retiring soon, so make sure you congratulate him on his nearly 25 years of service.
We appreciate you, Joe!
Ashley Queen-Janning, a family assessment case manager, has been dedicated to the intake division for several years. She helped with the rollout of the Alternative Response program. She maintains a positive attitude and has been committed to the intake division during a lot of its struggles. Ashley has worked here at HCJFS since October 2012. We appreciate your dedication, Ashley!
Few caseworkers have experienced what Stacy Sutton is going through.
A youth on her caseload recently committed suicide. So Stacy, who knew the youth well, had to help handle the situation while also working through her own emotions. She impressed her colleagues by handling this extremely difficult situation very well. She also drove to see the youth’s sibling to tell them in person about the loss.
Stacy is a caseworker in our ongoing unit. She just marked her 21st anniversary with HCJFS last week.
Adult Protective Services staff work with seniors, families and other professionals on complex cases. They coordinate services for seniors and stay very busy.
Gloria Campbell has been with Children Services’ Ongoing Section since 2012. She is an exceptional worker who puts all her efforts toward meeting the needs of her families. Though she has an extremely high caseload, she remains positive and encourages her teammates to be the best that they can be. She is always willing to help newer team members with understanding their roles and various functions. She is a huge asset to HCJFS and the families with whom we work.
Suzy Cuthbert has worked in the intake and assessment unit for about six months. Her commitment, compassion and expertise has been an asset to the children and families she serves. Ms. Cuthbert is well-respected by her families, peers and supervisor. She is known for having a calm and transparent, yet assertive approach when working with families. She has been assigned a number of extremely challenging and complex cases, where she has demonstrated impeccable clinical skills and an understanding of child safety. She is always willing to help her peers. Suzy goes above and beyond each and every day!
Marsha Gates’ favorite saying is, “I have to save the kids.” A Children’s Services caseworker in Family Services One, Marsha is very passionate about working with kids. She’s a team player and was very influential in the Crossover Youth Model. She’s a great advocate for children and families. Marsha has worked at HCJFS this time since 2012. She was also an ongoing worker here previously.
Jarvis Graham is a great asset to the Intake department and to the clients on her caseload. Since she was previously in the Mayerson unit, Jarvis receives extremely serious and difficult cases, and the safety of the children on her cases is always her top priority. She has also demonstrated that she is more than willing to assist her coworkers and to help new workers with their training. Jarvis will mark her second anniversary with HCJFS on March 27.
