March 9, 2020 Interviews with Ms. Barb and Families at the Frank Sarris Library Prior to the start of the Washington County Focus Week (March 9 – 13, 2020), Trying Together visited staff, families, and young children at the Frank Sarris Public Library in Canonsburg for a reading of Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.” At the event, library staff member Barbara Somma, aka Ms. Barb, led children and their caregivers through a series of activities, including fingerplays, dances, and a Dr. Seuss themed craft. The classroom included creative play items for the children as well, including a puppet show theater, “grocery market,” books, legos, and more. After the class, Trying Together had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Barb and two participating caregivers, Karen and Kim. Featured below are our questions and each interviewees’ responses. Interviews Barbara Somma, Class Teacher Barbara Somma, or as the children call her, “Ms. Barb,” brightens the day of each child and caregiver who attends her classes. Having a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Special Education under her belt, Ms. Barb spent the last 10 years as a dedicated staff member at the Frank Sarris Public Library. If you stop by the Library, you can catch Ms. Barb leading Storytime, Little Picassos, Wiggles and Giggles, and the Summer Reading Camp! Odds are, she will have a crowd of young children giggling and following her happily! What programming does Frank Sarris Library provide for young children and families? The Frank Sarris Library offers a plethora of programming for children and families! Monday through Friday, we have activities geared towards preschool level children like storytime, yoga storytime, art, and a class called Wiggles and Giggles that is focused on body movement. During the month of July, we also offer a Summer Reading Camp for children in Kindergarten through fourth grade that includes creative themes like Fairytale Science, Mysical Beasts, and Magic School. They’re all meant to spark each child’s imagination. We offer services all throughout the year though, including books for readers of all ages, creative “Grable Kits,” several e-resources, and more. How can caregivers make literacy experiences meaningful for their young children? I think by just reading to your children all of the time. Read for 20 minutes a day, every day with your children. As a mother of two, I would always read a couple books with them right before bed. It’s also important to get a library card! They’re free and the library has tons of free resources for young children and families. Why do you feel early childhood development is so important for young children? Early childhood development is the basis for everything a child needs in life! Children learn from meaningful experiences and repetition. As adults, we need to make sure we are providing the time and patience for those experiences! How do you see your role at the Frank Sarris Library supporting early childhood development in your community? I think my role is really important here at the Frank Sarris Library. We serve many families and it’s important that we provide children with safe places to go. All of the staff here at the Library serve as role models within the community. However, our Library is an untapped resource. There are so many services that community members could benefit from if they stopped by. Karen and Granddaughter Ellie How did you like today’s event? What piqued your interest in attending? Everything Ms. Barb does is truly amazing. I’ve been coming here for seven and a half years and I’ve brought all of my grandchildren. I was interested in attending because I wanted to make sure my grandchildren had social interactions with young children, and Ms. Barb allows the children to have these great social experiences! By coming here, my grandchildren have learned language concepts and vocabulary. Ms. Barb is so dynamic. She exudes engaging and creative energy in everything she does! What’s your favorite book to read to your child? Why? Ellie doesn’t have a favorite book, she really just loves to read! She is very into the alphabet right now! Kim and Grandson How did you like today’s event? What piqued your interest in attending? Ms. Barb is great! Attending this program is the best thing I have done with my grandson! We heard about the children’s programs here through word of mouth. We have been attending since he was about six months old. We love Ms. Barb’s music and freeze dancing! What’s your favorite book to read to your child? He loves reading Elmo and Mini Mouse right now! More Information This session was one of many free services that the Frank Sarris Public Library provides, with options available for learners of all ages. To learn more about their services, visit the Frank Sarris Public Library website! To learn more about the Washington County Focus Week, read our news post!
February 22, 2019 Community Check-Up Staff Interview Every Monday from 1:00 – 5:00 pm, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Lydia Strickhouser performs a wide array of services for children and young adults ages birth to 21 years old at the Homewood-Brushton Family Support Center as part of Community Check-Up. Service Examples Asthma and Allergy Care Check-Ups Driver Permit Physicals Hearing and Vision Screens Lead and Anemia Screens School and Flu Shots Sports Physicals WIC Forms Schedule an Appointment To schedule an appointment, contact Lisa Drake at 412.310.7114. Share this flyer with your network. Interview We interviewed Lisa and Lydia to learn more about their experience working Community Check-Up as far as what they do, how they’ve grown, and what it’s like building relationships with the families. First, tell us more about Community Check-Up and your roles within it. Lydia: Community Check-Up has been going on since October 2017. On average, we see five to seven patients each Monday afternoon, and eight is the maximum. Technically, children only need to be seen once per year for check-ups, but families can come as often as needed. We offer follow-up appointments for specific concerns like weight or blood pressure checks. It’s really about the needs of the patient. In addition to seeing patients for all the different types of appointments, I also work with them in social and behavioral health as well. A lot of research shows how the social disparities a person faces significantly influence people’s physical and mental health, so it’s important that I assess each family’s needs in a comprehensive way. This includes making sure they have adequate food and asking about other concerns like employment and child care. All of these factors affect their outcomes. Lisa: Having this clinic in the heart of Homewood helps minimize transportation as a potential barrier. Some of our families who come in live within walking distance, and the Center provides transportation services for those who need help getting to the appointments. My goal at the Center is to support the parents in bringing their children to appointments. Community Check-Up started as an initiative to decrease the no-show rate of Homewood children at doctor’s appointments by bringing services closer to them, and it has been much more convenient for the families. On top of scheduling the appointments and doing outreach in the community, my job is to look out for certain things. Parents and children both have needs, and I work to assess them and connect families with the necessary resources. What was your first impression of the Center? Lydia: I hadn’t realized that the Center would be a house. I assumed the building would be more square and colder, but because it’s a house, it’s like you’re walking into someone’s home. The environment is open, warm, and inviting, and it’s helpful to be able to give patients care in this type of environment. I got into this position because of my work in community health. The previous doctor moved out of state, so I was approached about working here, and I fell in love. Lisa: I found out about Community Check-Up when I was called about my son’s doctor’s appointment and asked if it would be helpful to bring him here instead of the Oakland location. My uncle used to live in this house before it became a family support center. I was excited to take this position because as a parent, I know how much of a difference having these services in Homewood has made for me, and I want to share that with other families here in the community. Getting to the Oakland location was difficult to manage with my son’s school schedule and transportation difficulties. I had to take two buses to get there. I understand how hard it can be to get your children to their doctor’s appointments and how easy it can be to fall behind on immunizations. Working here at the center as a community peer advocate gave me the ability to help parents with the same areas that were difficult for me. What can caregivers and children expect when coming to Community Check-Up? Lisa: Respect, comfortability, and a warm environment. We are interested in the parents’ and their children’s wellbeing, so we work with them to uncover their needs and any things that may hinder them from getting to the appointments, such as issues with housing, food, and water. We ask what we can do to help, and we are genuinely concerned about them. It’s more than just a check-up. Lydia: In addition to asking social questions about each family and getting the forms and consents we need, we also have normal conversations with the parents. We are careful to not be accusatory, but instead, we are supportive in gauging situations so that families get the best help. How have the families impacted you? Lydia: Working with the families has changed how I ask questions and encouraged me to show more understanding when parents don’t get their children to appointments. Also, I have become more realistic in my tests and referrals, and my approach to medicine in general. I can order 50 tests and make 10 referrals, but maybe this patient can only do one of each. Again, social disparities are so important in determining health and behavioral outcomes. Through this role, I’ve learned to be sensitive while still getting an honest answer. Lisa: Working here has helped me learn how to approach families, especially those headed by single parents. As we mentioned before, it’s important not to be accusatory towards parents who need support. People are so quick to judge situations they know nothing about, and we shouldn’t be one of those people. I’ve learned that you never know what a person is dealing with, so I have made it a point to be more understanding, more patient, and more helpful. This role has made me want to help people as much as I can. What do you find most satisfying about your interactions with families? What is most challenging? Lisa: The most satisfying part of my job is seeing results and seeing them show up. Nothing makes me happier than them showing up. There are chaotic days when everyone is here at once, and there are children everywhere, but I love that. We have really mannerable kids here. The most challenging part is wanting to satisfy the parents and families, and making sure they have everything they need. The most important part of getting to know the families is building trust and comfortability. We have to establish communication that is open and long. When I call parents, I do more than just remind them of their appointment I feel good when they open up to me and feel safe enough to tell me what’s going on, and I am proud of being available to help them and give them feedback. Lydia: Watching the children’s growth and development is the reason I got into pediatrics in the first place. It’s neat to see how much the kids progress, especially the little ones three and under, who come in more often, every two to three months. I love getting to talk to the kids individually, finding out their goals, seeing them get taller, and asking them about school. The most challenging part for me is the amount of paperwork and charting that I have to do. It’s important to me to maintain relationships with the families and not focus solely on the computer. Usually, I will put in four hours of work before coming in and three to four hours afterward. It’s a full day, but it allows me to focus on the parents and kids while they are here. Are there any changes you see in the parents as they come back with their kids for appointments? Lydia: Sometimes parents get more relaxed after a while. It’s nice to see their comfort and familiarity with Lisa and me. The kids love the toys, and it’s a very friendly environment. Lisa: I noticed that a couple of parents who used to miss appointments with their child are on it now. The consistency has grown. Is there anything else that you want the families to know? Lydia: Just that we’re here, 1:00-5:00 p.m. You can show up just to talk if you need to. Though we need to know ahead of time to prepare for appointments, I am able to talk to you about any concerns you have or to look up immunization records if needed.
