With Your Family in Mind

Social Security is expanding the services available with a my Social Security account, a personalized online account that people can use beginning in their working years and continuing throughout the time they receive Social Security benefits. 

This time of year, I am interviewing prospective interns who want to work with children and families in preparation for a career in Social Work or Human Services.  What does it take to develop the skills and competencies to work with abused and neglected children and with families whose lives are in upheaval?  It takes a lot!

When custody agreements cannot be reached between the parents in a divorce, the Judge has the option of ordering a custody evaluation.  Parents may have the perception that the process is fairly simple or uncomplicated.  However, the fact of the matter is, a custody evaluation is a very in-depth exploration of the relationship the child has with each parent, the personality characteristics and traits of each parent, an in-depth evaluation of the parents’ thinking and behavior patterns, followed by a report with the expert evaluator’s opinion.

Santa Clarita Magazine readers continue to send in great questions about the voice-acting business.  This is the fourth part of my answer regarding voice-over demos:

Q:  I’ve voiced a number of commercials, and think I’m ready to make a demo.  But do I really need to?  Any suggestions as to how to go about it? – Roberta K., Santa Clarita, CA

Gardening has many health and therapeutic benefits for older people.  The love of gardening spans generations.  Its benefits extend beyond baskets of veggies or flowers nestled in a vase.  Gardening enriches your body, your diet and your spirit.

As we ring into the first quarter of 2013, a college bound junior needs to know that 2013 marks as the official start of the college planning process and now is the time to take action.

How long should we wait to take absolute steps to change?  How long should we wait and continue to live an unfulfilling life?  How long should we suffer?  How many times should we promise to change and experience the disappointment of failing before we realize our determination and understanding is simply not enough?  How long should you remain the way you are when you can be so much better?

Become a dental assistant and you will be on your way to an exciting new career in just 10 weeks!  The first question you may have is “What exactly is a dental assistant?”  The answer is that they play an important role as the first line of defense in dental care, often becoming a dentist’s second pair of hands. 

Every child deserves to have a safe, loving and permanent home.  Children’s Bureau needs foster families who will care specifically for infants and toddlers during the reunification process with their parents.  There are also 114,000 children currently in foster care who are unable to return to their families of origin. 

In 17 years of litigating high conflict divorces, I have seen and heard more than you can imagine.  I have seen lawyers write letters costing $395 per hour over a $40 Halloween costume. 

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration over 23.5 million Americans age 12 and older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problems in 2011.  Of these, only 2.6 million or 11.2 percent of those who needed treatment received it.  The numbers are staggering.

We know how the uncertainty associated with a pending divorce can be unsettling to everyone.  The husbands and wives that are totally dependent, upon his or her spouse for their financial welfare, as well as the welfare of the children, are the most frightened and uncertain.  For a spouse fearful for his or her physical safety at the hands of an abusive mate, this strain can make the prospect of divorce more than they are willing to face.

Health, fitness, wealth, and leisure for a better life!  This unique two-day event is designed to attract five thousand attendees who have a need or interest in the opportunities, products, services and information resources presented by the exhibitors, sponsors, advertisers and presenters participating in the festival. Please note the number of exhibitors may be limited by category. 

Spend the day with your special someone at Rancho Camulos Museum National Historic Landmark to experience “Romance at the Rancho.”  Bring a picnic and blanket and enjoy the beautiful romantic setting.  A special treat will also be provided.  The suggested donation is $14 per couple.  Rancho Camulos Musuem is a 40-acre National Historic Landmark situated within an 1800 acre working ranch. 

The Santa Clarita WorkSource Center hosted a series of recruitment events lastmonth to identify candidates for available positions with companies including LAPD, American Business Machines and Staffmark.  The recruitment events were held at the Santa Clarita Worksource Center, located at the College of the Canyons University Center, Suite 250 at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road.
The first recruitment opportunity began January 16, targeting individuals who are interested in a career with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).  Participants took the LAPD Entrance Exam to be eligible to join a world-class police force that has long set the standard of excellence for police training and performance.

Brian Safdari made personal mistakes that cost him over $50,000 in unnecessary debt.  Because of this, he decided to devote his life to teaching other parents the truth about the college planning process that will allow kids to attend the college of their dreams without the parents going broke.  Thus, College Planning Experts was born.

With College Planning Experts, each family is provided personalized one-on-one guidance to students on how to get accepted into their dream colleges and help parents with receiving grants and scholarships, regardless of their income or assts, and design a custom funding plan that will allow the parents to fund college without jeopardizing their current lifestyle or retirement.

Action Family Counseling’s Santa Clarita Parent and Teen Support Group Program members walked to educate the community Saturday, January 12, drawing attention to California’s new Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Law that went into effect January 1.

Long overdue, California’s new law encourages witnesses at the scene of a suspected drug or alcohol overdose to seek emergency assistance right away without fear of arrest for minor drug law violations.  The law, commonly referred to in other states as the “911 Good Samaritan Law,” was introduced by Assembly member Tom Ammiano and passed in 2012.  California becomes the tenth state to pass a law encouraging people to call 911 for help for suspected overdose victims.

Failing to Make Your Agreement an Order of the Court

Here is how the scenario goes: Father and Mother, after deciding to separate, will usually obtain an initial child support order, whether through the Family Law Courts or the Department of Children’s Services.  Then something happens and there is a change in circumstances, which warrant a change in the child support amount.