Page 7 - 2017-2018_CFS_HeadStart_AnnualReport

“It takes a a a a a village to raise a a a a a child ” - Proverb
At Children’s Friend every staff member is is is a a a a a a a a a a a part of each child’s “village ” The Mental Health and and Disabilities Team is is is too - and and they also help bring resources to the the village village “Our department is designed to to provide support to to children and families - whatever that looks like for each child child or or or family ” shares Linda DeVincent Manager of Family Preservation at at at at Children’s Friend Supporting children with disabilities is is an an an an an important part of the Head Head Start Start and and and Early Head Head Start Start Performance Standards The Mental Health and and and and Disabilities Team offers a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a variety of of supports for children families and and teachers which are individually tailored according to needs Supports include counseling play therapy parenting support and therapeutic classroom services through Kids Connect a a a a a a a a a a a a program that helps children with with special needs to learn play and and socialize with with with their friends in the the classroom Children’s Friend partners with with The The Providence Center a a a a a a a a a a a a a a local behavioral health organization for clinical services The The team also helps families by making referrals “We educate ourselves on on many other programs and also think about how we might cross-refer within Children’s Friend We can get referrals for anything ” says Linda Supporting children and and and families with mental health concerns and and and disabilities requires careful and and and thoughtful collaboration “We collaborate very closely with our our Family Workers and teachers to ensure the success of our our work ” explains Lisa Alfonso-Lynes Mental Health and and Disabilities Supervisor for Head Head Start Start and and Early Head Head Start Start “We don’t do do this work in in a a a a a a a a a vacuum ” adds Linda “It’s really a a a a a a a a a team effort Our Family Development Development and and Child Development Development Teams and and and our partners at The Providence Center really pull together together to to to to help help families families and and and children be successful Everybody communicates works together together to to to to help help families families and and and teachers break down barriers and and and tracks progress Our work work is is integrated into day-to-day activities and and and this helps us to to to to collaborate We work well as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a team team and and we we we would not be able to to to to do do what we we we do without this team-oriented approach ” It is is this seamless approach that that helps ensure that that children families and and teachers in in our Head Head Start Start and and Early Head Head Start Start programs are receiving what they need to to be successful In this program program year 141 children in in in in Head Start were referred to to the the Mental Health and and Disabilities Team for for consultation including 130 with disabilities One hundred and and forty one children received services such as as counseling classroom support and and coordination with other service service providers