IFSI’s Behavioral Health Clinic and

       Its Wraparound Services Are Growing

   Miriam H. Evans - Doing What She Does Best

   IFSI’s Board of Directors is Expanding

   Tracy Tann, Sr. - Heart, Soul and Commitment

Message from the 

Executive Director 

-- back to the top --

It is my great pleasure to introduce the premier issue of Hands On, the quarterly newsletter of Intercultural Family Services, Inc. (IFSI). We believe that this title reflects the goals and philosophy of IFSI. 

From our agency’s inception as a social service organization devoted primarily to assisting immigrants and refugees, IFSI has evolved into a multipurpose institution that serves a broad constituency. Through these changes, there has always been one constant – we have always strived to maintain a personal relationship with our clients and the surrounding communities, one that is truly Hands On.

In every issue we hope to celebrate and explore the beauty of the diversity that we see all around us – in our clients, staff, neighborhoods, city, nation, and world. I personally invite all of you to participate in this celebration as we approach the new millennium and all of its joys and challenges.

-- back to the top --

by Audrey Dean

Intercultural Family Services, Inc.’s long history of quality service is continuing at its new behavioral health clinic. The clinic opened last summer and is directed by Harold R. Frye, who has a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. Dr. Frye has been in the mental health business for 20 years and has served as director of other behavioral health programs. He received a certificate of recognition from the University of Pennsylvania for “Five Years of Continuous, Loyal and Conscientious Service” as a staff psychologist, and also taught a mental health program at the 1199C local hospital union.

In February 1999, the facility was licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Welfare, Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, and certified by the City of Philadelphia’s Community Behavioral Health (CBH). In keeping with the vision of IFSI’s management, the program being used at the clinic consolidates all of IFSI’s services into a “one-stop shop.” This means that multicultural residents and immigrants in Philadelphia who are serviced by 
IFSI no longer have to go outside of the social services agency to get mental health treatment.

Dr. Frye is soft-spoken and measures his words carefully, but he doesn’t mince words when listing the behavorial health facility’s accomplishments despite its short tenure: 

• The Behavorial Health Clinic is currently servicing more than 400 clients.

• BHS has van service that picks up clients who are unable to pay for transportation to our clinic.

• “The clinic is staffed with full-time qualified, multicultural mental health professionals, and several who work on a contractual basis.” 

The clinic’s highly competent staff is credited by Dr. Frye with being responsible for its success, including Vanessa Bundu, Program Supervisor of Wraparound Services. “We kind of pride ourselves on the selection of quality people, who are dedicated to providing quality services to children,” he said.

Dr. Michel Bien-Aime, a board-certified psychiatrist, is Medical Director in charge of clinical activity. Judith Burns has an M.S. in Social Work.

Last September, the clinic was credentialed by CBH to provide EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment). Known as “wraparound” services, EPSDT has been growing on a consistent basis, said Ms. Bundu. “We care for children with social and emotional disorders. First, however, they have to have a mental health diagnosis.” She explained the program as “A comprehensive system of care that involves all child care systems -- family, social and educational. Wraparound services are staffed by a behavioral specialist, mobile therapist and therapeutic staff support (TSS). Therapeutic staff support provides services based on the needs of the child, and all are centered around a treatment plan.”

According to Dr. Frye, a wraparound referral is given by a “medical necessity diagnosis,” performed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. “Medical necessity is the important part,” he said, “because the children have disorders that are not managed by traditional outpatient services. Wraparound comes into play when all other services do not work. Services encompass the school, the church and the family. One case requires an evaluator and three staff members to carry out the treatment plan.”

“Services must be authorized by CBH,” said Dr. Frye. During an interagency service planning meeting, which includes the family, provider agency and educational agency, a child is evaluated, then they determine what type of care is needed. A request is then given to CBH. Meetings are usually held at the school, and the targeted population is 5 to 21 years of age. Referrals are primarily received from CBH and many other sources in the city, including the Philadelphia School system. 

The sounds of construction were booming throughout the building, at 4254 Chestnut Street, during the interview. Currently housed at IFSI’s 4225 Chestnut Street office, Ms. Bundu will move to the Behavioral Health Clinic when her office is ready. “We want to centralize all of the mental health services,” she explained. 
“I think it’s important to give some credence to the facility and how quickly IFSI has developed the facility and staff,” said Dr. Frye. “They’re working on the facility so the wraparound can be done in-house.

“Our success in staffing, in the short period of time we’ve been open, has been very good,” he continued. “We have a Human Resources Department, headed by Myra Brown, that has devoted a large percentage of its time to staffing the EPSDT program.” 

Asked about the rate of success of the wraparound program, Dr. Frye responded, “We’ve had several success stories. One child is no longer being monitored by DHS because his family has learned how to appropriately discipline their child’s behavior. We developed an anger management group several months ago. We’ve also been awarded a grant from the National Recreation Foundation, in collaboration with the American Trauma Society, to evaluate and treat, through art therapy, children that have been traumatized. Children have been clinically diagnosed through art therapy and treated in psychotherapy by the art therapist.”

-- back to the top --

by Audrey Dean

Board member Miriam Evans is the quintessential volunteer. She has served on the board of The Philadelphia Tribune Charities, Inc.; Area Council for Economic Education; Girl Scouts of America; North City Congress; North Philadelphia Community Impact, and is currently a board member of the Columbia North Branch 
of the YMCA and Elleanor Jean Hendley’s Teen Shop, Inc., to name a few. Charity and goodwill emanate from Miriam’s attractive face as she discusses these organizations, particularly Intercultural Family Services, Inc. IFSI recognized Miriam’s efforts as a dedicated volunteer by giving her an award at its March board meeting.

She joined the multicultural organization as a board member 14 years ago, service that has never stopped despite her hospitalization from an automobile accident that required both knees being replaced and extensive rehabilitation. Despite what some may consider a setback, Miriam has continued her volunteer work.

“Community service, as a whole, is where I feel I’m needed and where I feel I make the most impact,” she said. “I’ve been a part of community groups for a long time, ever since I became a part of the former Bell of Pennsylvania’s Public Relations Department. I was the first black female to work full-time as a company spokesperson. The responsibilities of this position started in Philadelphia and expanded to include the entire state of Pennsylvania and Delaware.”

It was during this time that Miriam met several staff members of IFSI, while serving on the board of the Philadelphia Tribune Charities. When she was asked to help at IFSI, Miriam readily agreed, saying, “I saw the need to assimilate these refugees into American culture. The need was there, so I just stayed. I didn’t think I could do it all, but I was willing to help those who were making a difference. The people we worked with were dedicated and committed. We all just melded together.”

Later, Miriam became Secretary of the Board of Directors. Now, she holds the dual position of Secretary/Treasurer. For two years, she worked part-time at the agency as a consultant, training employees for a Speakers Bureau she created. A training book she had written at Bell of Pennsylvania, where she had worked for more than 35 years, was used to train IFSI employees. They were given instruction on how to present a public relations slide talk called, “Reaching Beyond Our Grasp,” which she wrote for them. The IFSI Speakers Training included preparation on the use of audiovisual equipment, social skills, speaker techniques, effective speech pronunciation and appropriate behavior skills when first going into an organization. “The speakers, both vocational and management employees, wanted to go out to community groups to talk about IFSI,” she said.

In 1991, Miriam retired from Bell of Pennsylvania, now known as Bell Atlantic, and worked brief stints as Executive Assistant of the North Philadelphia Partnership, Manager of Yorktown Arms and then their Senior Citizens Center. However, when Bell Atlantic asked her to come back as a Consultant in External Affairs, she didn’t hesitate. “It was a matter of economics, and I didn’t have to work as hard and as long,” she explained. Now, she works three days a week handling situations related to City affairs for Bell Atlantic.

She proudly recounted her work with IFSI. “I’ve stayed with this group because I bought into the vision of Evelyn Hidalgo and how they continue to help individuals and to help the whole family. I’ve seen the progress. In some ways, I’ve been a part of it. The future is bright for the organization. They’re professional, they’re compassionate, they’re effective and they’re family.”

That sense of family is clearly felt by Miriam at IFSI. Her vision for the organization is greater expansion beyond West Philadelphia. “They’re moving beyond West Philadelphia. In the early days, it was a very small group of about a dozen people. Now, IFSI has nearly 150 employees. The fact that we can attract better-qualified people, who hopefully, will stay with the organization, is a plus. I think we’re doing a better job of taking care of the employees as well. We can now offer better benefits such as, health care, pension plans, educational opportunities, a recreation team and a yearly retreat to help to bring the IFSI team together away from the job. It’s a wonderful experience, and a way to build relationships within the organization. Employees are encouraged to participate in outside conferences and seminars for their personal and professional growth.”

Why has she stayed with the organization for so long? “With IFSI, I found a way to help myself to grow and to help people at the same time. Being involved in a multicultural organization, I’ve learned of some of their struggles. It helps me to appreciate things in my personal life. I like the way that they accept and respect me, as a person and as a professional. There’s a lot of warmth and love there.

“Evelyn cares about the people that she employs, as individuals, as humans. She’s dedicated to the organization -- it’s her life! To see someone so dedicated to helping others makes you want to be a part of it, you want to be a part of her vision. Her warmth of character is contagious. When you’re around her, you just want to become a part of her efforts. If I had more time, I would spend it there (at IFSI). Anyone would be proud to be a part of that success, to watch how the organization has grown over the years. 
It’s gratifying to know that I had a small part in it.”

IFSI’s Board of Directors 
is Expanding

-- back to the top --

Tracy Tann, Sr. – Heart, Soul and Commitment

-- back to the top --