Page 11 - Boca Exposure - October '24

Boca Exposure, Page 11

Lead The Fight from page 10

health as a recipient of services.
When in high school, the school
social worker, Mr. C, invited him
to join a “divorce group.” This
group helped Bernstein gain the
support of his peers, learn coping
skills, and build resiliency. He
then took a peer support class
and by senior year was leading
a class for the younger classmen
and giving back.
“He [Mr. C] really set me on Margaret Rollins, Dr. Michael Glazier, Dominika Nolan, Lizeth Henry, Andrea
this path of who I am today … it Stephanie Noel, Denise Lafoy Sam and Karry Meshberg Elizabeth Larsen Goytia Rios
really made me into an advocate
to really eliminate barriers to access school mental Center for Child Counseling CEO Renée Layman gave has educated tens of thousands of parents, professionals,
health services for youth and their families … I’m totally a brief overview of the agency’s public health framework and systems leaders.
committed to supporting the mental health of our children and their data-to-action approach of prevention, early Partnership sponsors who are leading the fight in
and the support of our families and hope that you will be intervention, and treatment. The center realizes that making these important and necessary conversations
superheroes also in this fight,” advocated Bernstein. children don’t necessarily need treatment only, the possible include: BeWellPBC; Children’s Services
Dr. Mucenic re-stressed the importance of students caregivers need ways to help their own kids. Council of Palm Beach County; Florida Association for
and families being able to access mental health supports “We have focused largely on building the capacity Infant Mental Health; Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital;
in schools and gave a detailed overview of the services of people who work and live with kids to promote their Hanley Foundation; Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies
that are provided in the 179 schools that make up the well-being and resilience,” said Layman. Coalition of Palm Beach County; Mead Johnson Nutrition;
Palm Beach County School District. Dominika Nolan, director of education and prevention Palm Beach Pediatrics; Palm Beach Pediatric Society; and
As part of the school district’s strategic plan, they are services for CFCC gave an overview of all of the services Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley.
measuring and following objectives to support mental offered to children, families, schools, and communities in CFCC’s Fighting ACEs initiative to build trauma-
health and well-being, including enhancing a sense of order to build the capacity and promote positive mental informed communities is made possible with the generous
belonging, safety, and acceptance for all students; and health for all. support of Quantum Foundation, Community Foundation
trauma-informed care and practices. In the closing remarks for the evening, Dr. Fox-Levine for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and private donors.
The schools recognize the importance of destigmatizing encouraged all attendees to think about, “How can you CFCC’s pediatric integration program is made possible
mental health services and share the message throughout take action now and step out of this room tonight and thanks to the support of Quantum Foundation, The
their campuses that, “It’s okay to be okay. It’s okay to not into your day tomorrow and be a superhero, even more Frederick DeLuca Foundation, and Palm Beach County
be okay. It’s okay to ask for help.” than what you have been in the past, with the information Community Services Department.
Mucenic emphasized, “We have people on every and energy from tonight about the exciting things that Part 3 of the Lead the Fight 2024 series, Positivity Will
school campus to support mental health. It’s really are happening with our schools and being able to partner Give HOPE for Our Future, will take place on December
important.” with schools?” 4. The event focus will be on understanding the effect of
Each school’s mental health team includes: school In 2015, Center for Child Counseling launched positive childhood experiences on countering the long-
counselor(s), ESOL school coordinator, school Fighting ACEs to build awareness and action to mitigate term possible effect of adverse childhood experiences.
psychologist(s), school behavioral health professional, the impact of ACEs and build well-being through positive For more information about Center for Child
co-located mental health professional (at 115 of the childhood experiences (PCEs). In conjunction with Counseling visit www.centerforchildcounseling.
schools), and SBT/CST leader. There are also supports Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2017, the center org, Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC, Facebook: @
provided at the district level, such as the CAPE Team, developed “Lead the Fight” in 2016 to bring awareness CenterforChildCounseling, Instagram: @childcounselpbc.
Mobile Response Team, and community-based agencies to system leaders around fighting childhood adversity
with whom the district partners. with advocacy and action. Since that time, the agency Photos by Tracey Benson Photography

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