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CIACC Corner

Submitted by Saanvi Kataria, Youth CIACC Member

I had the great honor to meet with LuAnn Dias, the Service Area Director for Somerset County’s local Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen (CCDOM) through Kristy Soriano, who I’ve become close with over the past couple of months. It was a great privilege to learn about the work she has done over the decades and about social services in general. In today’s CIACC Corner article, I am so excited to talk more in depth about this social service provider and the constant compassion she gives to people of all kinds.

LuAnn joined Catholic Charities in 1994, and was involved with the CIACC for 15 years! She appreciates how the CIACC connects the agencies together, and she contributes a large part in doing so. The CIACC is the place to connect the agencies to each other which can be helpful in the social work field when dealing with youth or people who may need other types of care. LuAnn is always the one to ask questions; she does her best to speak her mind because she knows that others may have the same questions; and her compassion and determination is always shown in the meetings. LuAnn is quite known for her networking and is still close with the people she first worked with. CIACC overall is a great networking body in her eyes, and she observes how others can help her and her services all the time. Her contributions to the CIACC are simply amazing. It is important to understand that the CIACC is not a decision making body, but one for suggestions to solutions. For instance, she has shared issues and problems with others during meetings and they help to “drive direction” to solutions. LuAnn has also contributed to discussing workplace problems and hiring and cares about linking people in CIACC to refer to one another.

LuAnn got started with the Catholic Charities because she was interested in program development. Her first assignment was to create an “access center” for Middlesex County services. At the time, a couple of decades ago, Catholic Charities did not have a point of entry to obtain calls from programs and people. So, with her initiatives and problem-solving skills, she helped create a process to connect people to Clinicians and verify insurance in the Middlesex Offices.  

Fast forward, LuAnn became the Service Area Director of Middlesex and Somerset County Youth Services.  She helped develop mental health programs for children and youth as well as oversee all DCPP contracts. Currently, there are six area directors in CCDOM and she is responsible for one of them. LuAnn takes care of the business and clinical services, and also supervises staff. One of her jobs is also to look for grants and work with a team of people to write a lot of grants. This can be quite a tough process. 

CCDOM, since it incorporated in 1982, has always been mission driven to serve the poor and vulnerable populations. They operate two homeless shelters in Middlesex County; transitional housing as well as facilitates many housing vouchers. In addition, CCDOM operates an immigration program in which applications and resources for people to apply for citizenships and green cards take place. Catholic Charities centers are positioned in the most need-based communities throughout the Diocese such as New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Manville, and Phillipsburg. Unity Square in New Brunswick was established out of a “community organizing and social concerns initiative”.  In collaboration with the city of New Brunswick we worked to “revitalize’ a section of the neighborhood that was underserved. Now there is a social service Hub in a renovated Fire House where families with food insecurity can get groceries and individuals can get help with their social service needs.  Similarly, in Phillipsburg, there is a social center and a thrift store that is managed by Sr. Michaelita! The store is conveniently located in the heart of the community and provides necessities such as pots and pans as well as suits for job interviews. Even with these issues this social service organization remains a place of hope. People are always accepted.

I thought to myself how important the act of service is, and how much work these people do for others. That is why it is even more salient that youth get involved with these social services to be the catalyst of change in underprivileged lives. LuAnn suggests one wonderful way youth can get involved in helping those in need is through meaningful volunteering! There are always childcare programs for people to volunteer in for both before and after school programs in towns such as New Brunswick, Hillsborough, and Phillipsburg. There is also always a high need for volunteering in children-related events, so youth can keep their eyes out on the webpages of services such as Catholic Charities, and much more. In addition, college students can work as interns in social service organizations to learn more about the process. Youth like me can get involved with more volunteering in community centers and it is absolutely crucial that we connect with the people we help.

There is a common feeling in the social work field that it is hard to help everyone but LuAnn stresses the importance of never ever giving up. It is so necessary to build more empathy for people and to always lend a helping hand. LuAnn challenges us to have compassion for people that live in poverty and sometimes they live in areas that you don’t know about, especially in big cities. We could all use a support system but that is something that people and children who are less privileged need the most. I feel that opportunities, role models, and a support system are the three factors that can probably guarantee a healthy life. But it is unfortunate that some people can miss out on that. Being one of the three is a goal that I think we can all try to achieve for someone. For example, teens can be role models to younger children in childcare, migrants can get immigration opportunities, and families can find a support system through community centers, food banks, and much more. I’m so grateful to be more educated on how people obtain access to social services and the types of work that social workers such as LuAnn work hard to do. So that is why it is just as important for us to do our part in being the support system for underrepresented people.

Submitted by Saanvi Kataria, Youth CIACC Member

Pictured: Lily's family from Left to Right, Nicole (daughter), Wain, Lily, Eric (son)

A couple of months ago, I met with Linda Porcaro and Kristy Soriano, who are two wonderful people who work in the Youth Services [Department], and do so much for the community. I am extremely grateful that I was able to connect with them, as I got the opportunity to attend CIACC (Children’s Inter-Agency Coordinating Council) meetings and learn about the providers and community service organizations that exist for underrepresented youth and communities. In addition, I was also able to meet Lily, a passionate parent who advocated for autism awareness, through Kristy. Kristy and another youth named Julia and I were able to conduct an interview with Lily on her experiences as a parent, as a person, and as an advocate for what she believes in.

Lily has been in CIACC and has attended meetings since September of 2017! She was the first family member to join the CIACC in Somerset County. She has an incredible passion for helping others with autism, and educates herself on great resources for her children, with a goal to lead a purposeful life. Lily is knowledgeable in autism awareness because she raised two of her own children with autism. Her children now are already adults, one child being diagnosed with autism at the age of 3, and her other son also diagnosed with autism at a young age.

Throughout her time as a parent, she has taken many action steps for autism awareness and understanding the policies created for the autistic community. For instance, she advocated for Bernards Township school district to start an autism program in the district, and people moved there to attend said program. In addition, she was one of six founding members of a grassroots, non-profit called Hope Autism Foundation. Through connections, an adult autism program called Hope Autism Solutions was formed by Our House. She served as the founding trustee for two years as a secretary, and this organization was able to raise one million dollars! This is an incredibly exciting goal for Lily and all the work she has done. In addition, Our House hosts other adult programs and employment services for autistic and other disabled adults. I believe this is so important to have as a resource, because autistic adults are often not acknowledged in society, as much as autistic children are. It is incredibly important to make sure we stand with autistic adults. Lily also runs a parent support
group called the NJ Parents of Exceptional Adults, and shares information about events and resources where parents can support each other on issues regarding housing and employment. She truly cares about the parents of this county.
 
As a parent herself, Lily began by doing a lot of research, attending meetings and workshops, reading all sorts of books, and attended many fairs and conferences in this county. Some of these conferences and training programs she did include NJ Partners in Policymaking and the NJ Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities from The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at Rutgers University. Lily also attended SPAN (Statewide Parent Advocacy Network) workshops and other meetings.

She is also a passionate advocate and is interested in learning about resources and being able to share that with families. That is what she worked towards and learned in the CIACC. She has learned about various agencies such as the Tri County Care Management Organization, Mobile Response Services, the Family Support Organization, the Bridgewater Rehabilitation Services and its data collected month to month, and much more. It is really important that parents and youth are informed on the resources there in the county, and CIACC was the place to go to learn about community connection. Lily herself has many ideas for parents to help out in the community and encourages parents to follow her path. Parents can help by volunteering a little bit more in their days and weeks and be involved in other opportunities in service in the disability, mental health, and substance abuse world.

However, she also recognizes that as a parent, one of the most difficult responsibilities is to take care of a child, especially when they have special needs. Lily acknowledges the importance of a parent also taking care of themselves, and that parents deserve self-care too. If a parent is mentally and physically healthy, then it would be easier to raise a child, especially one with disabilities and autism, to follow suit. Her compassion is powerful, and she understands how it can be hard for a parent in public too, because when a child has a tantrum, it is simply because they cannot communicate with their parents. Lily believes that children should have a connection with their friends and build bonds with their family and friends early on. Lily’s perspective is truly unique because she has empathy and sympathy for adults with autism, and cares about their real-life issues concerning employment and housing.

In general, she is a strong supporter of using academics and the arts to really raise awareness on autism and raising children with autism. In our interview, she cited how studies have shown that being involved in the arts can help children with autism. She also recognizes how a healthy lifestyle, in terms of nutrition and exercise, is important, as well as having mentors and practicing mindfulness. Some possible solutions she thought about was to have after school programs where autistic children have a mentor, which could definitely be possible through the service providers that are  
involved in the CIACC. Service organizations in general should be inclusive of people with disabilities and autism.

As a youth, it was really an honor to learn from Lily and her story as a parent, person, and advocate for autism awareness. I’m always trying to be open-minded and learn from others, and I am grateful to have been able to learn from a kind and knowledgeable person such as Lily. I believe that it is important for youth to have productive conversations with people that have gone through diverse experiences and learn from their stories. Similarly, one of the main problems I hope to solve is getting resources for youth and families out to underrepresented communities and people who may need it. Everything is there in the CIACC, yet many people in this county are not aware of the many providers, social service organizations, and people that are doing great work for communities. This is something that youth can come to solve with their influence online and outspokenness, so people just as amazing as Lily can have their stories reach many audiences, and that other families can be just as informed as Lily.