ChildStrive 2/22/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

City of Everett Human Needs Grant January 1 through December 31, 2017 ChildStrive Counseling In Early Intervention, Shelter Program EXHIBIT A: Program Summary Objective: Through ChildStrive's Counseling in Early Intervention Program, parents of children with disabilities will improve their mental health status by reducing depression, grief, and loss issues and children will benefit from increasing their positive attachment and bonding between parents and children. This program aligns to the Everett Human Needs Priority#3—Persons with Disabilities and/or Barriers c) Counseling/Guidance. Program components and structure: ChildStrive has four Early Intervention teams and each team has a Social Worker or Marriage& Family Counselor on the team. Other team members include Educators, Speech Language Pathologists, and Physical and Occupational Therapists. Each team member can refer families to counseling who need extra support with issues related to depression,grief and loss regarding their child's diagnosis or who would benefit from assistance to better attach and bond with their child. Additionally, any team member can consult with the counselor on the team about a child/family they have concerns about and the counselor may go on a home visit with the therapist to meet the family and determine what supports might benefit them. Every family is discussed by the team at least every 90 days and questions may arise that lead to a referral to counseling. The other agencies in the county that provide Early Intervention Services (Providence Children's Center; Sherwood ExCEL; Kindering and Wonderland Development Center) also can refer families to ChildStrive counseling staff. Carol Good, LICSW, the manager of ChildStrive Counseling services, serves families from other agencies and provides reflective supervision to the counselors. When families agree to accept counseling services, goals are developed with the family and added to the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). The counselor then makes home visits or meet with family members at our facility to work on those goals. If the goals involve the relationship with the child, the visits typically occur in the child's natural environment—where the child is most comfortable. If the issues are ones that would be better to discuss away from the child, the sessions occur at one of our sites (Everett or Lynnwood) where we have a counseling office. Who is to be served: Families of children birth to three years of age who qualify to receive Early Intervention Services by having at least a 25%delay in one or more areas of development. Parents are typically the focus of the services because of their issues of depression, grief and loss, inability to attach or bond with their child, or marital discord or stress related to their child's condition.The child may be involved in the sessions if attachment or bonding is a problem. Ultimately the parents and the child benefit from the adults resolving these difficult issues and being more present and capable as parents.