DCCA-DYS parent leader receives 2016 national award

Division of Youth Services parent leader Candy Panaga receives the 2016 Jolly K. Award last Sept. 2 during the last day of the 2016 National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington, D.C. (Contributed Photo)

Candy Panaga, a parent leader who continues to serve the Division of Youth Services parents and others in the community for well over seven years, was awarded the 2016 Jolly K. Award last Sept. 2 during the last day of the 2016 National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect in Washington, D.C.

The Division of Youth Services, through the CNMI Parents Anonymous Inc. group (an accredited DYS parent support group), submitted a nomination for the award to the National Parents Anonymous Inc. in January 2016.

The Jolly K. Award recognizes a Parents Anonymous Parent Leader who exemplifies strong Parent Leadership as first modeled by Jolly K., the founding parent of Parents Anonymous.

“Jolly K. sought help for herself and her family, which created a national movement that has provided help, support, strength and hope to hundreds of thousands of families since 1969 through community-based Parents Anonymous groups.”

The 2016 nominee submission was the second year that DYS had forwarded a nomination for the award.

Through her untiring commitment and leadership roles, Panaga bested other nominees from the worldwide Parents Anonymous Network. Panaga’s accomplishments these past seven years include taking on parent leadership roles during support group meetings, recruitment of other parents for the group, ongoing engagement in numerous DYS outreach and public awareness activities, instructing during DYS Summer Camp, participation and planning for DYS proclamations and events and assisting other parents in obtaining community assistance services, including those in crisis.

Panaga has continued to work endlessly to transition not only her life, but also touch the lives of many in the community.

“It was truly an honor to be able to put the CNMI on the spotlight as it was also a first time for the Division of Youth Services to receive a national award with the Parents Anonymous Inc. What is even more important now is to bring this award home and continue to work with parents in our community through empowerment programs that will allow for peer support, most especially working with parents that are facing challenges in their homes,” said DYS administrator Vivian Sablan.

The award was presented by Elaine Stedt from the Children’s Bureau Office on Child Abuse and Neglect under the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services and joined by Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, president and chief executive officer of the National Parents Anonymous, Inc.

Joining Panaga in receiving the award was DYS administrator Vivian Sablan, Jennifer Teigita (DYS Saipan caseworker), Augusta Famaw (DYS Tinian caseworker), and Mildred Sikebert (DYS Rota caseworker).

Panaga was also awarded locally for the Jolly K. Award during the Parent Leadership Month Parent Development Workshop in February 2016.

DCCA-DYS is currently accredited through the National Parents Anonymous Inc. and is conducting PA group sessions on Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. For more information, you may contact 664-2550/287-2847. (PR)