Education and Prevention Services

Education and Prevention Services — Center for Child Counseling
Education & Prevention

Education & Prevention Services

From grassroots community programming to grasstops system-level advocacy — this is how we bring our public health approach to life.

Education and Prevention Services is not a single program — it's the foundation of everything we do. Our team of Program Specialists and interns work across partner sites, schools, childcare centers, community events, and our mobile unit to deliver prevention education, early intervention, the HOPE framework, and the A Way of Being with Children approach that runs through every corner of our organization.

Grassroots

Prevention education and early intervention delivered directly in childcare centers, schools, and communities across Palm Beach County.

HOPE-Centered

Everything we do is grounded in the HOPE framework — building positive childhood experiences and the protective factors that help children thrive.

Grasstops

System-level awareness and advocacy through nationally renowned speakers, community events, and partnerships that drive lasting change.

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Our Approach

The Foundation of Everything We Do

Education and Prevention Services is the engine that drives our public health approach — ensuring that the HOPE framework and A Way of Being with Children reach every child, every family, and every community we serve.

Our approach begins with a simple belief: we don't have to wait for a child to fall apart emotionally before we do something. By embedding prevention education and early intervention in the places where children spend their days — childcare centers, schools, after-school programs, and community events — we reach families before challenges become crises.

Our team of Program Specialists and interns delivers KidSafe programming, prevention education, HOPE framework and trauma-informed care workshops, Feelings and Coping Curriculum, and SNAP® services — including both SNAP® in Schools and Communities and SNAP® clinical groups. They work at partner sites, in the community, and through our mobile unit.

But our education and prevention work extends far beyond direct programming. Through a grassroots to grasstops strategy, we also drive system-level awareness and advocacy — bringing internationally renowned experts to Palm Beach County, producing educational videos and resources, building online learning platforms, and championing policy and practice change at the local, state, and national level.

This is where our philosophy becomes practice. Every interaction our team has — whether it's a KidSafe presentation in a school cafeteria, a SNAP® group in a community center, or a training for childcare providers — is rooted in the HOPE framework and A Way of Being with Children. We don't just deliver programs; we model the kind of relationships and interactions that help children feel safe, seen, and supported. And because our team works alongside teachers, parents, and caregivers in real-world settings every day, they are often the first to identify when a family needs more — and to make that warm connection to the next level of care.

Renée Layman, President & CEO
Renée Layman
President & CEO · HOPE Champion

Drives the organization's education and prevention vision forward, including authoring the updated A Way of Being with Children PreK manual using the HOPE framework.

Jibby Ciric, Senior Director, Strategic Impact
Jibby Ciric
Senior Director, Strategic Impact

Oversees Education and Prevention Services, ensuring the team's work is aligned with our public health approach and HOPE framework across all partner sites and communities.

Dominika Nolan, Senior Director, Development and Events
Dominika Nolan
Senior Director, Development & Events

Leads county and statewide educational efforts, bringing internationally renowned speakers like Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Dr. Tina Payne Bryson, and Dr. Gabor Maté to Palm Beach County, and coordinates clinical training with experts like Dr. Eliana Gil.

Yassaira Martell, Director, Early Intervention Services
Yassaira Martell
Director, Early Intervention Services

Leads the day-to-day delivery of SNAP® services and early intervention programming, managing the Program Specialists and interns who bring our work directly to children and families.

KidSafe Programming

Personal safety education for children and adults — in schools, childcare centers, community events, and through our mobile unit.

Explore KidSafe →
SNAP® Services

SNAP® in Schools and Communities (universal prevention) and SNAP® clinical groups (targeted early intervention) for children ages 6–11 and their families.

Explore SNAP® →
A Way of Being with Children

Training, workshops, tip sheets, and videos that bring our foundational approach to parents, teachers, and caregivers everywhere.

Explore AWOB →
Online Learning at BeKidSafe.org

Our digital education platform — delivering KidSafe curricula, training, and resources to schools, camps, healthcare professionals, and parents nationwide.

Visit BeKidSafe.org →
Videos & Resources

Original educational videos for children and adults — including Ways to Talk to Children, Ways to Play, Feelings and Coping, and more.

Explore Resources →
Lead the Fight

Our signature event and system-level advocacy effort — building awareness and action on childhood adversity through nationally renowned speakers and community engagement.

Learn About Lead the Fight →
"

The manual is wonderful and is full of what I have been teaching for decades, and it's done in such a way that it is accessible and applicable for parents and professionals, focusing on the key ideas for how to connect and relate.

— Dr. Tina Payne Bryson

On the updated A Way of Being with Children PreK Manual

Education and Prevention Services — Center for Child Counseling
In the Community

Where the Work Happens

Our team brings prevention education and early intervention directly to the places where children and families live, learn, and grow — at partner sites, community events, and through our mobile unit.

Education and Prevention Services mobile unit
Education and Prevention Services mobile unit with kids
Education and Prevention Services team in the community
Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Partner of the Year 2025
2025 Recognition

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Partner of the Year

In 2025, Center for Child Counseling was recognized as the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office CIT Partner of the Year — honoring our collaborative work in crisis intervention training and community-based mental health support.

Read More →

From Grassroots to Grasstops

Bringing nationally renowned voices to Palm Beach County through our Lead the Fight initiative.

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris with child at Opportunity Early Childhood Center
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris in Palm Beach County
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris speaking at the Kravis Center
Paul and Kathy Leone
Champions for Children

Paul & Kathy Leone

Paul and Kathy Leone have been extraordinary champions in the fight for children's mental health in Palm Beach County. Through their leadership and the generous partnership of The Breakers Palm Beach, they have hosted multiple Lead the Fight events — creating powerful spaces where community leaders, policymakers, and families come together to learn, connect, and take action.

Their commitment has helped bring internationally renowned voices like Dr. Nadine Burke Harris and Dr. Tina Payne Bryson to our community, elevating awareness of childhood adversity and the science of resilience at the highest levels. Kathy's personal dedication to this work has been a driving force — helping to move our mission from awareness to action and ensuring that the conversation about children's well-being reaches every corner of our community.

We are deeply grateful for the Leone family's unwavering belief in children and their future.

Educational Videos

For Kids
Feelings and Coping
For Adults
Ways to Talk to Children
Get Involved

Partner With Us or Explore Resources

Whether you're a childcare center, school, community organization, or family — we'd love to bring our education and prevention work to you.

Partner With Us

Bring our prevention programming, training, and HOPE-centered approach to your site, school, or community.

Contact Us
Access Training

Explore our online learning platform for KidSafe curricula, A Way of Being training, and more.

Visit BeKidSafe.org
Explore Our Resources
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