July 31, 2006

Charleston Gazette Readers' forum

RFRN serves local communities

Editor:

Thank you for publishing the July 22 article about the Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center. As executive director of Regional Family Resource Network, I wish to correct the description of the network. Although a large amount of information exchange does occur at our monthly networking meetings in each county and on our Web site, www.regionalfrn.org, this is not the sole or primary purpose.

Primarily, RFRN is a community organization encompassing Boone, Kanawha and Putnam counties which facilitates strategic planning among families, providers and others who wish to fill gaps in, and improve, the human service system. In fact, family resource networks (of which there are 44 covering 52 counties across the state) are one of the few organizations required to include those who are, or have been consumers of the human service system in their governing bodies. These family representatives are empowered to contribute equally with administrators of agencies in decision-making.

Each of our counties has a Strategic Work Plan which is available for viewing on the RFRN website, which also includes a newsletter, a list of helpful resources and links, and regularly updated resource guides for each county.

Michele Baranaskas

Charleston