School-based Program
Launched in 1998 within the Azusa community, the CFDC school-based outreach program now includes more than 20 schools (preschool through ninth grade) which offer counseling and guidance services to children on site. Counseling is provided to students during school hours and includes servicing students and their families through referrals for weekly therapy at the CFDC offices. Sessions last 30 minutes and generally span an eight-week period, depending on the referral. The School-based Program addresses such issues as:
- Anger outbursts
- Conduct problems
- Death in the family
- Demanding behavior
- Depression
- Divorce
- Family conflicts
- Nervousness
- Regressed behavior
- School transitions
- Self confidence
- Social isolation
- Social issues
- Student/teacher conflicts
Before a student participates in a session, parental consent is obtained. The teacher completes an observational measure and the child is observed in the classroom to establish his or her baseline behavior. This helps the therapist gain understanding of specific struggles the child may be experiencing.
Before developing a collaborative relationship with any school, program leaders meet with administrators, school principals, and other relevant parties in order to better facilitate the following process:
- Understanding the needs of the school
- Understanding the teachers’ needs
- Understanding the needs of the students
- Determining the community’s resources
- Ensuring that the CFDC is prepared to meet these needs
- Establishing a collaborative working relationship
Benefit to Schools:
- Counseling provided to students during school hours and on the premises (unless not therapeutically appropriate)
- Close connection and collaboration with CFDC’s executive director and clinical training director
- Coordination with school’s selected staff members, teachers, and school psychologists
- Collaboration with outside mental health or physical health agencies
- Availability of services from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday
- Services reviewed 90-180 days into the contract
- Services offered to children and families who speak a variety of languages, including Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Korean
For more information about the School-based Program, please call the Child and Family Development Center at (626) 815-5421.
