Document text
- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us February 24, 2005 More than a mentor By Jennifer Squires Ashland Daily Tidings Over the past two months Jamal has taught Brooks Durham how to play chess. While Durham now understands the game, he has a tough time getting check-mate against his seven-year-old opponent. Brooks Durham, a 29-year-old personal care attendant, plays catch with Jamal at the boy's home in Medford. Graham spends time with Jamal three days a week. Jennifer Squires |The Ashland Daily Tidings "He really knows how to play chess," said Durham, 29. "I played him a couple of times and he beat me." But things balance out. Durham helps Jamal with his homework once or twice a week and, when the two get together for a couple hours on Saturday and Sunday, throws a better spiral than the first-grader. "He's always excited to see me," said Durham, a Southern Oregon University graduate who works at Regence Bluecross Blueshield of Oregon. "He's a really cool kid." Three times a week, Durham swings by the east Medford apartment where Jamal lives with his mom and siblings to spend an hour or two with the boy. The pair was connected about two months ago through the new Personal Care Services children's program. The Medicaid-funded outreach run by the Jackson County Mental Health Services basically equates to the Big Brother/Big Sister program, except the children involved all receive mental health care under the Oregon Health Plan for issues such as anger-management, learning disabilities or attention-deficit disorder. "It's a really great program because there's a pool of money just sitting there," said Emily Green, a case manager with Mental Health Services who coordinates the program. "It does happen to be one of the few things that has money." The counselors, or personal care attendants, get paid about a dollar more than minimum wage for participating in the program, although Green 0emphasizes that people get involved to help out children, not the money. "At this point, they don't get really rich doing this," Green said. Durham was looking for a way to get work with children when he found the program on the SOU classifieds Web site. "It's a really rewarding experience," Durham said, pleased Jamal already considers him a friend. "In a way, I'm kind of like a brother to him." A personal care attendant spends 20 hours a month with a child through the program. Jamal and Durham play games and sports, go bowling, work on homework or just hang out and have a conversation. When the weather gets warmer, Durham would like to take Jamal on a day-trip to a lake or river. "We want them to develop a relationship," Green said. "It's awesome individual attention." This spring, Durham may take on another youngster and he's trying to get his twin brother involved in the mentor program. Green would love the help, as there are only two PCAs involved in the children's program right now. "I have a ton of referrals for kids," Green said. "The hold-up is finding people to work." Although the children's program only got under way at the end of 2004, a similar Personal Care Services program for adults has been run through the Jackson County Mental Health Services for four years. Although every county in Oregon has access to the Personal Care Services funding, Jackson County ranks third in the state for usage. About 40 adult clients receive social support through the program. These people live on their own, but take medication for conditions such as depression, anxiety or schizophrenia. The clients get assistance with life skills - paying bills, grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning house - while they make a friend who helps them interact with the community. "These are people who are functioning who need just a little bit of help," said Linda Jackson, a case manager with Mental Health Services who coordinates the adult program. Megan Hamilton, a 22-year-old senior psychology major at SOU, spends time with seven different clients on a weekly basis. "It's not even really like working," said Hamilton, who is verging on one year as a PCA with the program. "I go there and hang out with these incredible people and get some stuff done. It's like hanging out with a friend " Staff writer Jennifer Squires can be reached at 482-3456 x 3019 or [email protected]. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Deep Muscle Stimulator Ceramic Piggy Banks FREE Entertainment Guide Women's & Men's Slippers Accelerate Weightloss Products Backpacks Online Pharmacy Vegas Travel Guide Search Engine Optimization Student Loans Hotel & Airline Reservations Hammocks Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Online Casinos Community Bonus Casino Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Mailing Lists Click Here Advertisement .:Advertisements:. Site Search: RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams