VAN WERT, Ohio – A key concept within the Family Teaching Model is called self-government, and it’s a way to help youths at The Marsh Foundation set certain rules and guidelines while holding themselves and their peers accountable.
It’s an inclusive process that promotes family cohesiveness, helps develop relationships and teaches responsibility, leadership and problem-solving skills.
One of the crucial components is the family conference and according to Emery Rogers, lead family teacher at Marsh Hall, it’s held three times a week.
“The purpose of the family conference is they (the youths) pick topics from the house, then self-govern,” Rogers explained. “It isn’t always the staff correcting behaviors or deciding what the rules are. What we find is kids are a little harsher than we would be.”
“What it does is help the kids invest in their own future. What we (family teachers) try to do is maintain the order of it, so if someone gets mad or gets out of hand, we back it up. We don’t solve the problem, except to ask how to handle it, then they come up with the solution.”
“Family conference is super important as it is the main vessel for youths to have more control over the everyday decisions that directly affect their daily life, Marsh Hall’s program manager, Ben Marsee said. “When done properly, the self-government process can be very effective. Youths learn to problem solve alone and in a group of their peers, and this knowledge transfers directly into the job market and provides them with skills they might not otherwise develop.”
A rotating manager is chosen on a weekly basis by peers to run the meeting, with notes taken by an assistant and during the meetings, youths have the opportunity to voice concerns and make suggestions.
“It is amazing to see a youth’s confidence grow as he becomes part of the managerial system,” Marsee said. “The youth then take that confidence with them to school and other parts of their life and are able to be more assertive and successful.”
At a recent family conference, one of the topics centered around changing the day of weekly elections of manager and assistant manager. After a group discussion, which included advantages and disadvantages of a change, the decision was made to keep weekly elections on Sundays.
“You’re not supposed to have dishes in your room,” one youth pointed out. “You’re not supposed to eat or drink in your room and it’s common sense those things attract bugs.”
“That’s exactly what the family conference is supposed to do, address how the house itself is run,” Rogers said. “If they understand the other kids don’t approve, they’re more apt to internalize it and change it.”
“It has a secondary effect to their cognitive skills,” Rogers continued. “What happens is most kids feel alone in the world, but when they have these meetings they understand they’re part of something and they begin to believe they’re part of something and part of a family.”
The use of regular family conferences and self-government also helps teach children at The Marsh Foundation the importance of listening, taking turns, giving and receiving constructive criticism, as well as group problem solving, lessons that are meant to be lifelong.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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VAN WERT, Ohio – Today, The Marsh Foundation Trustees and Directors broke ground in conjunction 
with Peterson Construction on a new fitness and dining facility. The new building will be connected to and located northwest of the Administration Building on their campus in Van Wert.
The 15,000-foot structure will house a gymnasium, locker rooms, restrooms, kitchen, dining area, staff offices and storage areas. Jeff Grothouse, executive secretary and treasurer, acknowledged the legacy of The Marsh family. “I believe it is appropriate to thank George, Hilinda and Katie Marsh for their vision of The Marsh Foundation in the early 1900s,” he said. “It is also appropriate to thank all past and present Trustees for their wisdom, guidance, service and stewardship to The Marsh Foundation. Their foresight and fiscal planning made this project possible,” Grothouse continued.
Director of The Marsh School, Robbie Breese, noted that the new facility will help accomplish many Marsh Foundation goals. “This project will help us expand the services that we provide to our youth and create more flexible learning spaces to help meet their varying needs,” he said. Breese also noted the increase in handicap accessibility as well as better fitness opportunities for both youth and staff.
“The number of Ohio youth that are in need of services is consistently growing,” Breese said. “This addition to our campus will put us in a position to be able to serve more children and families in need.”
Perhaps most importantly, Fanning Howey Architecture has been able to design a structure that will not only have a modern interior but match the style and majesty of the existing buildings on campus on the exterior. “Maintaining the integrity of our historical campus was extremely important to all of us as we went through this process,” said Kim Mullins, executive director, Child and Family Services. “I believe the end result is something that The Marsh family and all of our alumni will be proud of.”
Construction is expected to last a minimum of 12 months with occupancy expected by early to mid-summer of 2020. Future plans include renovation of the newly vacated space in the basement of the Administration Building into a fitness center with space for cardio equipment, weight lifting and aerobic exercise.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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Photo caption: Marsh Foundation Trustees and Directors break ground for the new fitness and dining facility; (l to r): Bob Gamble, Gary Clay, Robbie Breese, Kim Mullins, Jeff Grothouse and Gary Corcoran.
VAN WERT, Ohio – The Marsh Foundation Trustees and Directors have announced a groundbreaking ceremony to be held on Monday, May 6 at 1 p.m. The event will coincide with the start of construction of the new fitness and dining facility. The 15,000-foot structure will house a gymnasium, locker rooms, restrooms, kitchen, dining area, staff offices and storage areas.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony which will be held in the parking lot directly behind the Administration Building. Marsh Foundation leadership will be on hand as well as key project representatives from Peterson Construction and Fanning Howey Architecture.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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VAN WERT, Ohio – One year ago, The Marsh Foundation opened its Foster Care and Adoption Center on Main Street in downtown Van Wert. With the goal of being more accessible to the community, the new facility has been successful in helping The Marsh to achieve its main goal; helping more children and families.
Becoming more visible and accessible has helped The Marsh recruit additional foster families. “We have added eight more homes in Van Wert County alone,” said Melissa Snyder, foster care supervisor. That translates to helping 10 more kids each day than the foster care division was helping last year at this time.
According to Kim Mullins, executive director of Child and Family Services, agrees that the new location has been largely impactful on the foster care program at The Marsh. “This move downtown has given us new possibilities in serving foster children,” she said. “There is no greater gift to give a child than a family.”
Since opening one year ago, The Marsh has been able to give a home, and a family, to 90 children. “It is a great feeling to see our number of dedicated foster and adoptive families growing,” said Snyder. “We are thrilled about our expansion over the past year and look forward to even more future growth.”
The Foster Care and Adoption Center currently employs five full-time employees and is contains office space that is for used for trainings, meetings, family visits and more.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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Photo caption:
One year ago, The Marsh Foundation opened their Foster Care and Adoption Center on Main Street in downtown Van Wert.
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AN WERT, Ohio – Tim Slusher, owner of TAG Menswear in Van Wert, recently reached out to The Marsh Foundation about making a clothing donation. The men’s clothing presented to The Marsh includes sweaters, dress pants, dress shirts, jackets, t-shirts and more and is valued at more than $12,000.
To say that The Marsh is grateful is a massive understatement. The clothing will be used to help boys in Vance and Marsh Halls on The Marsh Campus. These two homes hold 20 boys together. They were very excited to be presented with some new items. “These are awesome! I feel like I can sleep in this jacket, it’s so comfortable,” said one boy.
Program manager at Vance Hall, MacKenzie Basil said that this donation benefits the youth by more than just providing them with clothing. “At times our kids come to us with nothing and this 
donation will provide them with quality clothes that they may never have had in the past. This will give them a sense of pride and self-confidence.”
The Marsh was proud to accept such a significant donation from a small business in our own community. Ben Marsee, program manager at Marsh Hall added, “I think it’s wonderful that many people in this community have noticed the important mission of The Marsh Foundation and find it worth donating to help continue that mission.”
Oftentimes, youth in care lack self-worth and pride. “This generous donation is not only a reflection of how our community cares for our kids, but a direct expression to our youth their value within the community,” said Megan Tuttle, director of residential services.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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Photo captions: Marsh Foundation representatives accept a sizeable clothing donation from TAG Menswear. Left to right: Christy Thees, Marsh Program Manager; Tim Slusher, TAG owner; MacKenzie Basil, Marsh Program Manager; Marcus Boatman, Marsh Consultant; and Megan Tuttle, Marsh Director of Residential Services.
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Boys at Marsh Hall excitedly go through some of the clothing items donated by TAG Menswear in Van Wert.
VAN WERT, Ohio – In an effort to raise awareness and funds to fight child abuse, The Marsh Foundation is teaming up with the Family and Children First Council of Van Wert County to host a ‘Run to End Child Abuse.’ All proceeds of this event will be donated to the Van Wert FCFC to help end child abuse in Van Wert County.
“We see the after effects of child abuse daily in the youth that we serve and are passionate about helping to put an end to abuse and neglect in our communities,” said Kim Mullins, executive director of Child and Family Services. “April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and we are hoping we can raise some awareness and help combat this serious issue.”
The event will feature a 5K walk/run as well as a one-mile fun run for kids. It will be held on Saturday, April 27 on The Marsh Foundation’s beautiful campus in Van Wert. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.; with the fun run beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the 5K at 10 a.m. Registration will be held at the Recreation Hall on the northeast side of campus.
“The Marsh is excited to spearhead this event,” said foster care supervisor Melissa Snyder. “Child abuse is a serious issue in Van Wert and surrounding communities. We are honored to be able to help combat it in anyway that we can.”
For registration forms and information, see The Marsh website or Facebook page. Questions regarding the event can be directed toward Snyder at 419.238.1695 ext. 307.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living services. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 30 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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Photo caption: Pictured above is the design that will be featured on the T-shirts given to participants in the Run to End Child Abuse on Saturday, April 27.
VAN WERT, Ohio – Megan Tuttle, LISW-S, has joined The Marsh Foundation as the new director of residential services. No stranger to The Marsh, Tuttle first worked on campus as a family teacher, then program manager of Clymer Hall.
“We are thrilled to have Megan rejoin our staff at The Marsh Foundation” said Kim Mullins, executive director, Marsh Foundation Child and Family Services. “She brings with her great skill and a real knowledge about the children and families we serve.”
Tuttle holds a master’s degree in Social Work from The Ohio State University. For the past six years, she’s worked as a therapist at Westwood Behavioral Health. She’s also a certified trauma specialist. Tuttle said she is passionate about helping children and is glad to be returning to The Marsh.
“I look forward to living out the mission, to inspire hope, to teach and to care for children and families,” Tuttle said. “Each piece of this mission is such an integral part into shaping these children and giving their hopes and dreams back to them.”
Tuttle said it is so rewarding for her to work with children and witness them improve their lives. “I love working with youth when they feel life cannot get better and they are just stuck, then you teach and care for them, then a light bulb comes on and they get that their life can be better, and they get to be a part of making it better. This light bulb moment, this spark is such a special time and it’s a privilege to get to walk alongside a youth and experience this with them.”
It is Tuttle’s hope, she said, to contribute to the exceptional services The Marsh offers to the youth they serve. “It is one of my desires to continue to strive for excellence with every youth that we are able to serve,” she said.
Tuttle lives in Van Wert with her husband Matt and their two children.
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Photo caption: Megan Tuttle is the new director of residential services at The Marsh Foundation.
VAN WERT, Ohio – A surprise announcement was made at the 2018 Marsh Foundation Christmas party when the Administration Building’s auditorium was renamed Bagley Auditorium. The name change is in honor of past director, Ronald R. Bagley.
Bagley was born November 26, 1937. On July 1, 1962 he was employed at The Marsh Foundation at the age of 25 as a teacher. On June 23, 1972, he was named Director of The Marsh Foundation School where he served until his resignation on August 23, 1991. This capped 29 years of employment with The Marsh.
Bagley currently volunteers to serve as the official Marsh Historian and has starred in various videos and historical documentaries about The Marsh Foundation.
“I believe Ron has an incredible respect for Mrs. Hilinda Marsh and her Christian life and values,” said Jeff Grothouse, executive secretary/treasurer. “Mr. Bagley has the undeniable and much deserved respect of the Marsh Alumni and students that were in his care.” So much appreciation that they presented Bagley with a plaque at the 2015 Marsh Alumni Reunion stating this.
There is no greater purpose in this life than to change the life of a child for the better. Bagley has lived his entire life for this purpose.
The Marsh Foundation recognizes both Ron and Linda Bagley for their service to mankind and to The Marsh Foundation. On Thursday, November 29, 2018, The Trustees of The Marsh Foundation by unanimous vote – changed the name of The Marsh Auditorium to “Bagley Auditorium.” From this date forward, all correspondence, events, mailings will refer to The Marsh Foundation’s “Bagley Auditorium.” The first event to be held in the new Bagley Auditorium was the winter program and graduation last week.
“I am humbled and honored to be the one selected to represent all of the dedicated and hard-working staff members at The Marsh Foundation Home and School,” Bagley said of the announcement.
Congratulations Ron and Linda, and thank you for your commitment and years of service to The Marsh!
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 36 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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Photo caption: Mr. Ron Bagley, past director of The Marsh Foundation School, and his wife Linda were surprised to learn at the recent Marsh Christmas party that the auditorium in the Administration Building has been renamed Bagley Auditorium in honor of his lifelong service to the organization.
VAN WERT, Ohio – Bridges is a statewide program administered by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services through a contract with The Child and Family Health Collaborative of Ohio. As a member of this Collaborative, The Marsh Foundation was given the opportunity to help deliver this program to young adults who are transitioning out of foster care and into the community. Therefore, The Marsh Foundation is excited to add a full time person to work as a Bridges Liaison in the Northwest region of Ohio.
Kyle Pressley, who has worked as a Family Teacher at The Marsh Foundation for the past two-and-a-half years, has been promoted to the position. Pressley holds a bachelor’s degree in clinical and counseling psychology from Ohio Northern University.
Pressley said he’s looking forward to the opportunity to work with young adults in Northwest Ohio. “I hope to establish trust in the young adults I work with and become a person they look up to,” he said. “My ultimate goal is to provide them with direction and help them become successful and happy adults.
The Bridges program was established in December 2017 to extend housing and case management services to eligible young adults who leave foster care on or after their 18th birthday but have not yet turned 21. Pressley will work with young adults in this age range who have recently emancipated from foster care. He’ll supply them with resources and help them with tasks such as finding affordable housing, finding a job, creating a budget and transportation. Essentially, he’ll help with anything that helps them transition to adult life.
“I’m excited about this position because in the past, young adults leaving foster care did not receive the help they needed,” he said. “Now, being able to help these young adults during this important transition period will hopefully result in more successful adults later in life.”
In his free time, Pressley enjoys collecting vinyl records, going to concerts and bowling in leagues.
The Marsh Foundation is a not-for-profit children’s services agency that provides services in a variety of settings. Services include group homes, family foster care (ages 0-17), an intensive treatment program, adoption and independent living. Located in Van Wert, Ohio, the organization’s group homes are licensed for up to 36 children ages 7 – 17, offers an on-campus school for grades 2 – 12 and provides a variety of clinical services to group home residents, foster care children and community members.
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Photo caption: The Marsh Foundation has promoted Kyle Pressley to Bridges Liaison.
VAN WERT, Ohio – Transitioning to adulthood is one of the most difficult times of a person’s life. It’s even more difficult for youth who are in residential or foster care. Without a parent to travel this journey with, these youth sometimes are lacking the important skills and knowledge needed to become a successful adult. This is why the Independent Living Program (IDL) at The Marsh is such an integral part of the continuum of care. There is a commitment to helping ensure youth at The Marsh start off strong with a good foundation of experience and skills when they leave care.
Christina Flinn, Community Psychiatric Support (CPST), works directly with the youth at The Marsh that are aged 15 ½ and over in the IDL group on campus. Many recent projects have been related to money. They have worked on a bill paying project, paying monthly bills, balancing a checkbook and managing a budget. Lessons have included talking about credit, understanding the language and the math of borrowing money.
“Being able to manage your money is one of the most important things an adult has to learn to do,” said Flinn. “Often our youth have no idea how to begin, then they suddenly have to do it when they go out on their own. With projects we do as part of IDL, they are able to make mistakes, ask questions, and learn so that when they have to do these things for real, it is not so scary,” she said.
Another focus of the IDL group has been cooking. A cooking class has been held once a month at the First Presbyterian Church in Van Wert. These classes not only teach hands-on meal preparation skills like measuring, chopping and serving, but they also teach the planning and budgeting aspect. Youth are responsible for planning the meal on a specified budget, purchasing the needed ingredients and then preparing the meal.
It’s a learning experience they say they enjoy. One girl in the program stated practical reasons for liking the cooking class. “This will help you survive,” she said. “It isn’t possible to eat raw food; this cooking is something you need to know how to do.”
Another stated that she likes to cook and it’s beneficial to her well-being. “It helps me to cope,” she said. Another said she hopes to go to Vantage and study culinary arts in the future. Moving forward, these skills are something that they will be able to take with them when they leave The Marsh’s program.
Over the past summer, monthly activities were held that promoted social awareness. Activities included things like visiting a car dealership and taking public transportation. These are things that many of the youth will need to do in the future but as of yet have never been exposed to. Future plans also include first aid and CPR training.
According to Flinn, a lot of people tend to learn better by doing, and the youth at The Marsh are no different. “It is boring to talk about money but when you have to balance a checkbook and figure out how to pay the bills on time and still have money left over to eat, there is more of an impact,” she said. Physically doing these types of tasks helps the youth to remember them. “We talk about healthy eating but actually going to the grocery store or farmer’s market, touching the food and then bringing it home to cook it makes it more memorable,” she added.
The IDL group has been credited with several youth successes. They have discussions about saving money and how they will be able to live within their means instead of on credit. The youth that have jobs have been actively saving money. “I have also seen some IDL youth make their own medical appointments and actively take a role in their personal health,” Flinn said. They fill out their own medical paperwork, memorized their social security number and educate themselves about side effects to their medications.
Some of these things may be taken for granted by most, but for youth in care they are often things that can get overlooked. It is important to The Marsh Foundation to not only provide housing and meals for youth, but to also impart knowledge and lessons that will stick with them well into their future.
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Photo caption: The IDL group has recently started a series of cooking classes which involve planning, budgeting and preparing the meal.