DREAM .:About:.

DREAM was founded by Liz Terrell-Phillips, a board member of Federation of Families of Northern Colorado and Melinda Suits, the Fort Collins facilitator of EMPOWER Colorado.

Liz, the DREAM Development Director, worked for eleven years in Portland Oregon with community mental health, social services, and education developing family support programs and respite care services. The respite service, (Partner’s Project) served hundreds of families over a six year period, received a statewide award and was the subject of evaluation by Portland State. The evaluation showed high care giver satisfaction with respite and support services and increased child social competency. The family advocate program, (Ready, Steady, Go) trained over 50 parent advocates the first year and became a formal and permanent part of the regional children’s mental health system.

The DREAM program director, Melinda Suits, is a family member and facilitator the Fort Collins chapter of EMPOWER Colorado (www.empowercolorado.com), a family support for families of children with mental health challenges. EMPOWER has served over a hundred families in the Fort Collins community. The most presented topic is how to help our children improve their lives. Common worries are possible suicide, incarceration, substance abuse, and dropping out of school.

The need was identified in our own community in 2003 from the members of the EMPOWER Colorado. The number one request from the parents is respite care. Many parents have been burned out from the constant stress of caring for a loved one with high needs.

DREAM was accepted as a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center in 2004 as a 501c3 organization. Respite services began in June of 2006.