Brandy Bursey and Scott Coulthard Receive TFA Award

Lonnie and Elaine Phillips Award

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randy Bursey and Scott Coulthard (Closer to Home Teaching Parents) received the Lonnie and Elaine Phillips Award that recognizes a certified practitioner couple or individual for their outstanding contribution to the Teaching-Family Association as implementers of the Teaching-Family Model.

Brandy and Scott have been Teaching Parents at Closer to Home for almost six years, and in that time have worked with dozens of challenging youth. They’ve nurtured and gently supported a youth who longed to be home with his family. They’ve persevered with a young man who raged in anger at them, knowing he grieved for the parent who was absent. They’ve provided a caring home for a young person who struggled to trust anyone. They’ve kept their door and hearts open – unconditionally – to the youth who ran away to an exciting but risky lifestyle but who returned to the safety and security of Brandy and Scott’s care.

Brandy and Scott welcome parents into the Teaching Home and respectfully teach them how to parent their children again so they can be reunited. Brandy and Scott stay in contact with these families to offer support when needed, never questioning or blaming parents who reach out for their support. They not only support their youth in the community, they support all youth from their community! Scott developed and still coaches a community basketball team for youth with special needs so one of the young people from the Teaching Home could join a team and be successful. Now, many youth in their community benefit from this team.

Brandy and Scott are heroes for so many children and families. The staff and volunteers at Closer to Home Community Services have been privileged to have Brandy and Scott as part of our agency. On behalf of all the many children and families they have made such a difference for, we thank them!