Page 10 - Talk of Tequesta - October '23

Page 10, The Talk Of Tequesta

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Senator Harrell And Rep. Roth Present $300,000

In State Funding To Center For Child Counseling

Meeting The Mental Health Crisis And Staffing Frontline Responders

The data is alarming: In 2021, 41.5 percent of Palm health concerns and
Beach County high school students reported that they felt trauma, and support
hopeless, and 20.7 percent of total high school students children and families
seriously contemplated suicide (Palm Beach County in crisis. Services
Youth Behavioral Health Survey). Florida Senator Gayle are provided where
Harrell (District 31) and Florida Rep. Rick Roth (District children, adolescents,
94) presented a check for $300,000 to the Center for Child and families need
Counseling (CFCC) on Friday, Sept. 8, in response to the them most – in-person
children’s mental health crisis. (office, school, home,
In conjunction with the check presentation, there was and community based)
a discussion related to how the appropriations will be and virtual activities
used to mitigate the crisis. The center serves around 7,000 including: mental Florida Senator Gayle Harrell
children and families each year in Palm Beach County, health support groups and lobbyist Matt Spritz applaud
and there is still a waitlist. The funding will directly and education; one the efforts of what Center for
address the extreme backlog of 800 children on average to one mental health Child Counseling is doing to help
waiting for services from the center. The project will build consultation for children and families.
a department of frontline responders – mental health and parents and adult
program specialists – to immediately support children and Left to right: Florida Rep. Rick Roth, Florida Senator Gayle caregivers; and a campaign to educate the wider
adolescents waiting for care right now. The approach also Harrell, CEO of Center for Child Counseling Renée Layman, community on how to support children’s mental health
focuses on building caregiver and community capacity to and lobbyist Matt Spritz stand with $300,000 check presented and resilience. Prevention services include community
support children’s mental health. to the center to help with the children’s mental health crisis. and statewide education for parents and adult caregivers
According to the center’s CEO Renée Layman, “No on specific mental health topics to build the ability of all
child in crisis belongs on a waitlist when a parent or In Senator Harrell’s address to the more than 20 mental adults to support children’s mental health and well-being.
caregiver has reached out for help.” health specialists and staff in the room, she emphasized Layman expressed her gratitude to both Senator Harrell
With this funding, mental health and program the work the State of Florida is doing with respect to the and Rep. Roth, “We are so proud of this and so grateful
specialists will provide immediate triage and care for the resources allocated to our schools but recognized that to you for making this happen. This is a big dream that
children and families waiting for services from Center for the need of addressing children’s mental health extends you’re making a reality; so, thank you. For the kids that
Child Counseling. beyond the schools. we’re serving, it means everything.”
“I think early intervention is absolutely the key, and Senator Harrell is the chair of the Senate Appropriations
the way to go. We need more mental health counselors. Committee on Health and Human Services and Rep. Roth
iT’s The law We need more therapists who are really frontline. We need is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
therapists to do treatment and that is essential,” stated
About Center For Child Counseling
Senator Harrell. Since 1999, Center for Child Counseling has
One in four children in Florida is experiencing a mental been building the foundation for playful, healthful,
health or behavioral concern. “It is crucial that we address
and hopeful living for children and families in Palm
Did You Know this crisis, for the immediate and long-term well-being Beach County. Its services focus on preventing and
healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic
and resilience of Florida’s children and families,” added
That, In Florida… Layman. stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy
The center has transformed the approach to mental
family, school, and community relationships. For more
health care using a public health framework of prevention,
information, visit centerforchildcounseling.org., Twitter at
early intervention, and treatment to address the current ChildCounselPBC, Facebook at CenterforChildCounseling
By Adam S. Gumson, Esq. crisis and build capacity for the future. It includes tiered and Instagram at childcounselpbc.
implementation of services that prevent adverse childhood
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