WADADS History from Informal
|
 Adjust Text Size |
We often say the only way that these first Dads got together was due to the fact that the Mariners were out of the pennant race, and the Seahawks had not yet started their pre-season schedule. So the first Dads that met that weekend did so, since there wasn't any excuse to give their wives not to go...
And there are two very important people who have been instrumental in not only the WADADS history, but making sure that had the resources for us to grow to our statewide status of today.
We often refer to these two ladies as the Moms of WADADS. The two wonderful ladies are Sandy Gregoire, and Judy Gosney. They saw the potential for a Dads' group, and were able to convince the powers that be to allow us some minor funding as a "pet project". From there the CoreDads, as we have come to be known, have been getting credentialed to provide training, become involved in speaking with legislators, attended numerous IEP meetings, organize our annual retreats, and perhaps the most amazing to us, we have presented at two national conferences:
Georgetown Training Institutes 2008
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health 2009
And we were also fortunate to present at the Portland Regional Conference 2009, which resulted in a standing ovation from a packed room...
WADADS History of the Network
In 2007 WADADS officially rolled out its website at www.WADADS.org to implement one of the Freedom Commission goals to leverage technology to access mental health care information.
This includes proficient use of:
- The internet: Needless to say we use the internet for the obvious, to use our website as a means to connect and distribute relevant special needs information to those who need it most.
- Email: Proficient use of email allows all WADADS to stay in touch with one another, and communication is key when running a network of chapters across the state.
- Sharepoint site: Our IT Director Ralph Lucier, has set up a Sharepoint site where we can also view, edit, modify, and collaborate on grant proposals, presentation abstracts, PowerPoints, handouts, etc. This saves the organization huge amounts of funds that would have to be spent for mileage and accommodations.
- Online and Teleconferences: By using teleconference services, we can assemble our regional leaders from around the state to have roundtable discussions about legislation, policy changes, plan events and workshops, discuss travel plans, or any other subject. WADADS is also trying out online video webinar services, which will allow us to have face to face meetings, without leaving home. And we are also planning to use this service to bring training workshops to rural areas, which allow for interactive discussion with those in attendance, while saving valuable funds for other use.
The communication network is achieved by voluntary distribution of contact information from the weekends, as well as the website. Upcoming events of interest pertaining to WADADS are posted and updated regularly at the site.
The next chapter of the WADADS history happened in 2007, Washington Dads was regionalized in 2007 to attempt to facilitate local connections for on-going support. The North Sound region covers Western Washington from Snohomish County to the Canadian border. South Sound is made up of King, Pierce, Thurston, Kitsap, Mason and Jefferson County. The Southwest region comprises Grays Harbor south to the Oregon boarder. The fourth region is made up of all counties east of the Cascades.
The North Sound Chapter of WADADS held its first regional event on May 3, 2008. WADADS partnered with Training Resources In Partnership (TRIP) to put on a social event for the families of special needs children in the North Sound area, which includes the counties of Island, Skagit, Snohomish, San Juan, and Whatcom.
The South Sound region held it’s first regional event in conjunction with A Village Project II and the King County Networks of Support in August 2008 at Saltwater Park. And the event took place again in August 2009.
Crisis Intervention Training
Throughout 2007 and 2008, Dads had opportunities to talk about some of the most troubling challenges they face with their children and youth. One topic that continued to rise to the surface surrounds the issues of variations and inconsistencies in the approaches that law enforcement organizations and personnel apply during crisis calls to the home. Almost every time the subject came up at a weekend or a regional meeting, new volunteers offered to be available to help in some way to improve the outcomes of these interventions.
During the year, one of the dads took the lead to become educated on the law enforcement process for handling domestic crises. Through meetings with multiple city and county police departments and sheriffs in Washington State, an opportunity has emerged to collaborate with the departments in educating officers concerning mental health issues, and to facilitate previously non-existing connections between families in the communities and local mental health resources.
WADADS has been invited to present to sheriff and police departments in various parts of the state. Connections with the law enforcement department are forecasted to grow judging by the demand experienced to date. Meetings have been conducted with the Auburn Police Department, Kitsap County, Tacoma Police, Washington State Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) leadership, and the Gig Harbor Police Department.
Connections
Dads are regularly being asked for printed information and business cards from organizations that wish to connect with other organizations. This year, brochures and business cards for the leadership has been essential for follow through on contacts made throughout the state.
There is a desire to communicate the successes of the WADADS group with other consumer mental health organizations across the nation and a desire to learn from their experiences. Upcoming conferences sponsored by Behavioral Mental Health, Federation of Families, Portland University, SAFEWA and the Mental Health Division are all possibilities for Fiscal Year 2009/10.
Sign Up for the WADADS News
Top of WADADS History page
Back to WADADS.org homepage
