Fayette, two other family resource centers receive state honors

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Three school-based resource centers, including one in Fayette County, have been honored for providing exemplary service to families.

Melissa Goins, Executive Director of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services’ Division of Family Resource and Youth Services Centers (FRYSCs) announced the Harry J. Cowherd, M.D., Awards for Center Excellence during the statewide FRYSCKy Coalition’s Fall Institute virtual conference on Nov. 19, 2020.

The awards program is named after the late Harry Cowherd, former secretary of the Cabinet for Human Resources and advocate of the family resource and youth services centers concept.

Dr. Cowherd was the Cabinet secretary during the inception of the Kentucky Education Reform Act of 1990 and his vision helped to create the FRYSC network. He worked with legislators, community organizations and children’s advocates to establish legislation linking his agency’s programs with those of the Kentucky Department of Education.

The Cowherd Awards honor FRYSC excellence in three categories:

• The Family Resource Center Award goes to a center that serves elementary school children and provides a variety of services including, but not limited to, out of school time referrals or services, family skills training, parent and child education, and health services and referrals.
• The Youth Services Center Award is presented to a center serving middle/high school students. Some of the services provided by YSCs include health and social services referrals; career exploration and development; summer and part-time job development for high school students; substance abuse counseling and education; and family crisis and mental health counseling.
• The Family Resource and Youth Services Center Award goes to a center that provides a comprehensive array of services and support for pre-K-12 students and their families.

The 2020 Harry J. Cowherd, M.D., Awards for Center Excellence winners are:

• Family Resource Center: Coventry Oak Elementary Family Resource Center, of Fayette County Public Schools. The Family Resource Coordinator is Tiffany Runyon.
• Youth Services Center: College View Middle School Youth Service Center, of Daviess County Public Schools. The Youth Service Center Coordinator is Amy Nonweiler.
• Family Resource and Youth Services Center: The Family Connection Family Resource Youth Services Center, of Fulton Independent Schools. The Family Resource Youth Services Center Coordinator is Tracy Pulley.

“The winners of the Harry J. Cowherd Award for Center Excellence represent a commitment to excellence that is a long standing tradition for the Family Resource and Youth Services Centers,” Goins said. “These centers address the ever changing needs in their schools and communities to reduce barriers to learning and increase the protective factors that build healthy adults.”