Anna's Blog

This came from the Oregon.gov website via Jake Carls, Executive Director at Coast. Jake said that he believes this can be directly attributed to the efforts of the staff and management team who have fully embraced the person-centered approach and looking at what’s important to and for people rather than what’s best for the agency.

Way to go Coast Rehab…You make this Therapite PROUD!!!!

Mother and daughter reunite after three decades thanks to caring staff

 The scene was incredible: A young woman reuniting with her mother, brother and sisters on a remote Indian reservation in Montana after 32 years of separation. “They were trembling with anticipation and then joy,” said one of the witnesses to this recent event. This amazing reunion happened because of the compassion of two Seaside area residential care staff who help put the pieces together.

“Ever since I was a teenager, I have wanted to find my mom, sisters and brother and to connect with my tribe,” said Joanne Clark, 35, of Seaside.
“With the help of some money left to me by my adoptive father and the guidance of my residential staff, I was able to travel to Montana and find them. It was so cool to see them and to learn about my family history.”

Joanne was born in Poplar, Montana. At nine months of age, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. When she was 17 months old, Joanne was placed in foster care as it was too difficult for her mother to care for her with her disability. A few years later her birth parents signed papers requesting she be adopted. She had no contact with her family for over 32 years.

Joanne grew up in the Warrenton-Seaside area with her adoptive family and attended Warrenton High School. After high school, Joann lived in a group home setting until she developed the skills to live more independently. Most recently, she has been living in supported living housing through Coast Rehabilitation Services (CRS) in Seaside. CRS is funded by DHS to provide residential support to people with developmental disabilities in community settings.

Even though her adoptive family was wonderful and so supportive, something in Joanne’s life was missing. She wondered where her sense of humor came from, or why she said and did certain things. She wondered if her actions were family traits.

“When I met Joanne three years ago, she never left her home,” said Cheryl Varese residential director for CRS. “She appeared very depressed, would sleep most of the day. She was not motivated to do anything. She always stuck to herself and would not reach out to others. But now something has happened. Ever since reconnecting to her tribe and her roots, something inside her has settled and changed,” Cheryl said with a smile.

Cheryl and Joanne Castro, residential manager for CRS, did the research to find Joanne’s birth certificate and more homework to locate her tribe. They also accompanied Joanne to Montana to find her family. With the support of her adoptive family, Joanne and her two caretakers flew into Billings, Montana, recently, rented a vehicle and drove five hours through rugged country to the North Dakota-Canadian Border to Fort Peck, the home of the Assabouine Tribe.

“It’s amazing how much this has changed her life,”Castro said. “This self-discovery has made her a more self assured and happier person. She is up early in the mornings now and is a go-getter, always smiling,”she said.

“The reunion was so touching, so memorable,” Castro said.   I won’t ever forget it. Her mother was so afraid that Joanne wouldn’t love her but it was an instant connection to one-another as well as with her siblings.

Varese, also of Native American heritage, added “I always felt she would benefit by going back. She got to see her ancestral burial ground, meet so many of her blood relatives. This connection is so very important.”

After much consideration and discussion with both her adoptive family and her birth family, Joanne has decided that this coming August she will be moving back to Montana and will live on the reservation with her birth family. She has the total support of her adoptive family. “We had such an instant connection,” Joanne said. “They asked me to come back home. The reservation is wheelchair accessible and I believe that is where I need to be,” she said.

As for Joanne’s residential care staff, whose efforts led to the reunion, they will miss Joanne but are so happy for her. “You have to celebrate what makes a person whole, what makes their very essence,” Varese and Castro said. “Her identity was missing and this connection has made her so very happy. We can’t wait to hear about her next chapter.”

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