South Shore's Autumn Gala, "An Evening at The Towers", will be held on Friday, October 15, 2010 at 6:00 PM at The Towers, Ocean Road in Narragansett. Honorary Co-Chairs of the event are Dr. and Mrs. Barry Wepman of Wakefield.

Attendees will enjoy an evening of fine dining, live entertainment, testimonials, and Live and Silent Auctions. All proceeds will benefit programs and services provided by South Shore.

Auction items are being sought from the community.

For more information, please contact Kathy Cournoyer at 401-364-7705, Extension 3301.

We are in the process of updating our data base and contact information. Please contact us through this website and give us your e-mail address so that we can keep you informed on upcoming events. Also, if your address has changed, please let us know. We appreciate your support!

South Shore Vocational Services is working with the Rhode Island Department of Human Services to provide transitional job opportunities to low-income families. This unique program not only offers individuals the opportunity to gain new skills, but also will help them to acquire recent work experience while searching for more permanent jobs.

This program is state and federally funded and was created to help the unemployed and underemployed gain the skills and experience necessary to obtain permanent employment. It also offers businesses a chance to create short-term job positions at no financial cost.

BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES
* Employee wages are covered at no cost to the employer.
* Positions can be created for 3 - 6 months at 5 - 40 hours/week.
* South Shore Vocational Services is the employer of record.
* Prior screening is completed to match employees and jobs.
* Ongoing support is provided for both employer and employee.

BUSINESS ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
* Non-profit and for-profit companies
* Employers who offer a safe working environment
* Employees have not laid someone off in the division or type of work the Transitional Job employee is assigned to do
* Be able to train and supervise Transitional Jobs employees, evaluate their performance and provide timesheets and progress reporting.

WHO QUALIFIES FOR THESE TEMPORARY PAID WORK EXPERIENCES?
* A member of a family with a child in the home under age 18 (under age 19, if the child is a high school student)
* A youth, age 18 or 19, in the home of a low-income family where there is another child under the age of 18
* A pregnant woman in the third trimester
* A non-custodial parent with a child whose custodial parent is receiving public assistance
* A member of a low-income family with income at or below 225% of the federal poverty level
* Families who are recipients of RI Works, SNAP and MA

For more information, contact MELISSA BOSS at (401) 789-1367, Ext 3328.

Effective July 1, 2010, South Shore Mental Health Center, Inc. officially became South Shore Center.

Chief Operating Officer Dorothy Yeamen said, "We are no longer just a mental health center and haven’t been for quite some time now. We believe the new name more aptly reflects the full range of our services as well as the diversity and variety of individuals and families that we serve."

Changes have already begun to our website, letterhead, and marketing materials. Signage, and other items, will take a little more time but will come. South Shore will maintain its name and local presence in our community. We will continue to maintain our agency license with the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Hospitals and our accreditation with The Joint Commission.

Ms. Yeamen states, "We enter this new fiscal year strong and energized, and with five new Board members all from our local area. We are committed to continuing to serve you with the quality, care and compassion you have come to rely on."