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Belonging: Melanie Bailey, Intake/Admission Coordinator
 First impressions matter. Thanks to Melanie Bailey, the first impression clients have of Cunningham Children’s Home is that they are welcome here.
In her role as Intake/Admissions Coordinator, Melanie is the first person that clients will meet. She evaluates whether potential clients do, in fact, belong at Cunningham through a careful assessment of their clinical needs. Potential clients often feel a great deal of anxiety during this process, and Melanie does her best to put them at ease, knowing when to ask the ‘tough’ questions and when to back off.
Once they are admitted, Melanie welcomes clients and helps ease the transition into their new placement. What could be just another meeting with forms to fill out, photos to take, and a brief tour of campus, in Melanie’s hands is the first of many warm welcomes a young person will receive. She even goes so far as to try in advance to learn their favorite color, so that the quilt that greets them when they arrive will be in a color they like. Clients remember who Melanie is after the admission process, and it says a lot that they enjoy stopping by her office to say hello.
Melanie also is a licensed play therapist. This service has been an important part of treatment for clients, and she has worked to make the play therapy room a warm and inviting place. She celebrates their accomplishments in play therapy and strives to ensure they feel ownership over their own treatment.
Finally, Melanie goes above and beyond the requirements of her role by working to create a supportive and positive atmosphere for staff. Among her many contributions, she has spearheaded the agency’s annual wellness fair—reminding staff to take care of ourselves. She has also worked to create a supportive atmosphere in the coordination of the on-call committee, instituting the “extra hand” award for staff who have logged the most hours on call.
Melanie has served the children of Cunningham Children’s Home since 1995. Creating a positive environment for staff and communicating a welcoming first impression to our clients, she truly exemplifies the value of Belonging.
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