Benjamin Perks Lauds The Center’s Public Health Approach to Ending Childhood Trauma in PBC

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases September 12, 2025Benjamin Perks, Center for Child Counseling, child maltreatment, Joel Lopez, Kathy Leone, Renee Layman, The Breakers, Trauma Proof, UN, United Nations

September 12, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Global Leader Sounds Alarm on Child Maltreatment and Lauds Local Nonprofit for Its Public Health Approach to Ending Childhood Trauma in PBC
Statewide leaders convened in person with Benjamin Perks at Center for Child Counseling’s Lead the Fight event.

The United Nation’s Benjamin Perks sounded the alarm on the “elephant in the world’s living room,” child maltreatment, in his address at the most recent Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) Lead the Fight event. Although Perks claimed child maltreatment as the world’s most prevalent and costliest public health problem, he also delivered the hopeful message that we are the first generation in history with the knowledge to end it. Perks lauded the Center for having all the proper resources, partnerships, and people in place to build a trauma-proof future for Palm Beach County.

Emceed by WPTV 5 award-winning journalist Joel Lopez and hosted by Kathy Leone, the event took place at The Breakers on September 9. 150 community and statewide leaders attended in person and more than 100 joined the conversation via zoom from across the country. Participants left with a greater understanding of their personal role in the fight to protect our most precious asset–our children.

“You are an integral part of dismantling the mental-health-crisis bomb exploding the lives of our kids, their families, and the hope of our entire future. There are solutions. Together, we can deliver them as a trauma-informed community,” acknowledged Leone in her opening remarks.

In addition to Perks sharing his personal traumatic story which eventually led to his work campaigning on human rights and child development for the UN in New York, he outlined the public health approach it takes to systemically protect children and promote healing, resilience, and well-being.

Through his experience of healing trauma within himself, Perks came to understand the possibility of preventing trauma for every child before it happens and healing every person who is affected by trauma. His story and theory is part of his newly released book, Trauma Proof: Healing, Attachment, and the Science of Prevention—a powerful exploration of how connection and care can break the cycle of intergenerational trauma.

Perks shared that the health costs associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in North America and Europe is $1.3 trillion annually but “we now know how to manage, the Center for Child Counseling knows how to manage, for a fraction of what is lost.”

The public health solution includes early intervention, prevention, and treatment.

Perks recommends an investment in primary attachment to include: optimum perinatal care; family-friendly policies, including parental leave and affordable childcare; universal progressive access to parenting programs.

“We also know now that the return on investment in early childhood is huge…for every dollar invested, you have up to a $12-13 return,” presented Perks.

The prevention piece includes secondary attachment: ensuring “universal access to schools where children are secure, safe, soothed, and seen.” Perk’s emphasis on treatment as part of the public health solution is investing in “targeted care, support, and response services for children at serious risk of violence and neglect.”

The alternative to addressing ACEs is adverse health outcomes which include increased risk factors to: be a drinker, have unintended teenage pregnancy, smoke e-cigarettes or tobacco, have sex under the age of 16, smoke cannabis, be a victim of violence, commit violence against another person, use crack cocaine or heroin, be incarcerated.

In Perk’s concluding plea to the audience, he emphasized, “We are the first generation in history to know how to end toxic stress and child trauma. And we must not be the last to accept it as an inevitable and insurmountable problem. It’s up to us!”

Center for Child Counseling, a Palm Beach County based nonprofit, focuses on a public health approach to building awareness and action around addressing childhood adversity and trauma. CFCC was founded in 1999 with the vision that every child will grow up feeling safe and nurtured in communities where they can thrive. Using a prevention and healing-centered lens, CFCC focuses on changing the systems and practices that keep adversity and trauma firmly in place.

According to Center for Child Counseling CEO Renée Layman, “We don’t have to wait for a child to have a mental health diagnosis or crisis before we do something. Children have tremendous potential–which our society needs–and which we have a shared obligation to foster and protect. We host these events, like Lead the Fight, in order for all community members to understand and own the idea that we each have a stake and role in child and family wellbeing. Our work will continue until we have a trauma-free Palm Beach County.”

This important conversation was made possible by The Breakers Palm Beach, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Pool Tek of the Palm Beaches, and WPTV 5. CFCC’s Fighting ACEs initiative to build trauma-informed communities is made possible with the generous support of Quantum Foundation, Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and private donors.

To learn more about Center for Child Counseling and how Lead The Fight continues to make a difference, visit centerforchildcounseling.org/fightingaces.

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Child First’s 10 Years of Impact in Palm Beach County

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases September 4, 2025Center for Child Counseling, Changeant, Charlotte Min-Harris, Child First, Children's Services Council, Courtney Williams, Dr. Lisa Williams-Taylor, Dr. Meghan López, Families First, Julie Swindler, Renee Layman

September 4, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Child First’s 10 Years of Impact in Palm Beach County
Celebrating community partnerships strengthening the systems of care for children and families.

Center for Child Counseling–in collaboration with Changeant, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, and Families First–celebrated a decade of Child First’s significant impact in Palm Beach County with a breakfast on Wednesday, August 27, at Opportunity Early Childhood Education and Family Center.

“Today we celebrate not just 10 years of this program, but 10 years of lives changed. We celebrate resilience, healing, and hope. And we thank each of you–our partners, funders, staff, and families–for making this journey possible. Together, we’re building a stronger, healthier, and more hopeful Palm Beach County,” stated Renée Layman, CEO of Center for Child Counseling.

Over the past 10 years, Child First has walked alongside families in our community–supporting parents, nurturing children, and building stronger foundations for brighter futures. Child First is funded by Children’s Services Council and is a program of Changent, a national organization that implements and supports data-driven programs.

With close to 100 people in attendance, the celebration honored the visionaries who brought Child First to Palm Beach County, the dedicated staff who show up every day for children and families, and the partners and supporters who make the work possible. In addition to Layman’s remarks, the breakfast program included impactful speeches and stories from CEO of Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County Dr. Lisa Williams-Taylor, CEO of Families First Julie Swindler, Child First Parent Ambassador Courtney Williams, Chief Program and Network Officer of Changent Dr. Meghan López, and President and CEO of Changent Charlotte Min-Harris.

When young children grow up in environments where there is violence, neglect, mental illness, or substance abuse, the stress can be toxic to their developing brains. This damage can be prevented with effective intervention, as proven through the Child First program–Changeant’s first replication and expansion site outside the state of Connecticut.

According to Dr. Williams-Taylor, “What makes child first so effective is that it’s a home-based, multi-pronged, two-generation approach–a care coordinator first stabilizes the family by connecting them to community resources and helping them access basic needs. A clinician then guides the family through appropriate therapeutics interventions. This team approach, based on developing a trusting relationship with families, is what makes all the difference.”

Williams-Taylor continued, “For years, Children Services Council and our partners in Palm Beach County had taken the time and energy to think creatively. We were open to innovation and brave enough to take risks. We were building a strong and flexible early childhood system of care, and we had invested in the concept of collective impact…We were proud of the continuum of prenatal developmental therapeutic and parenting services available to Palm Beach County families…But we also recognized there was a gap for families who needed even more support in our early childhood system of care. Child First fills that gap.”

The Child First program is an example of how community organizations can work in partnership by tapping into each organization’s unique strengths and reduce duplication of services for the good of all. With funding from Children’s Services Council, Center for Child Counseling and Family First lead the charge in providing the therapeutic interventions. Since its inception, Child First has served 1,790 families to change Palm Beach County for the better.

“The data tells us what we already know in our heart–the program changes lives. But beyond the numbers are the stories. Stories of parents who felt overwhelmed and alone, finding support and hope. Stories of children once broken by trauma and stress who are thriving now. Stories of families building resilience that will ripple forth for generations. None of this would be possible without the incredible Child First team in Palm Beach County,” commented Layman.

Min-Harris added, “Wow, almost 2,000 families served…That is a testament to the dedication, the commitment, the heart-centered hard work that you bring to the communities and children and families that you serve. As President and CEO of Changeant, I couldn’t be more proud to be in partnership with you. And that’s because those partnerships matter. We’ve heard this in the room, how important those community partnerships are and that is how we are going to strengthen the systems of care, so more children and families can thrive because that is how we are going to move the needle.”

Today, Changeant aims to replicate Child First’s exemplary program in Florida alongside the almost 300 organizations they are in partnership with across the country, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and several Tribal Communities, serving almost 60,000 families a year.

The event also recognized three individuals with the Community Champion Award: Dr. Williams-Taylor, Judge Kathleen Kroll, and Tammy Fields. These three champions help strengthen mental health and relationships for families, infants, and young children through the Child First program.

For more information on Child First, visit: centerforchildcounseling.org/child-first-program.

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About the Community Champions Award Recipients:
Dr. Lisa Williams-Taylor is a respected psychologist and public servant known for her leadership in child welfare and human services. She currently serves as the CEO of the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Florida, where she focuses on improving outcomes for children and families. Dr. Williams-Taylor holds a Ph.D. in psychology and has extensive experience in policy development, research, and community engagement. Her work emphasizes equity, early childhood development, and data-driven decision-making.

Judge Kathleen Kroll is a longtime judge serving in the 15th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida, located in Palm Beach County. She was first appointed to the bench in 1993 and has presided over a wide range of cases, including family, civil, and criminal matters. Known for her fairness and professionalism, Judge Kroll has built a strong reputation for her commitment to justice and the legal community over her decades of service.

Tammy Fields is a well-respected leader in juvenile justice and child welfare in Palm Beach County, Florida. She served as the Director of the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department, where she played a key role in developing programs to support at-risk youth and their families. With a background in social work and extensive experience in government and nonprofit sectors, Fields is known for her dedication to improving outcomes for children through prevention, intervention, and advocacy.

About Center for Child Counseling
Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships. www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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Program for Fathers and Kids Ages 6-11, Begins August 18 2025

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases July 15, 2025July 15, 2025Center for Child Counseling, Father First Initiative, Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, SNAP, SNAP Fatherhood, Stacy Gromatski, Stop Now and Plan

NEWS RELEASE
July 15, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Free Program for Fathers and Kids Ages 6-11

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) is supporting fathers and father figures in building stronger bonds with their children. Through the agency’s Stop Now and Plan (SNAP®) program, a new fatherhood initiative offers tools and guidance to help fathers grow as parents and role models. Fathers and their children, ages 6-11, are invited to join the free 13-week evidence-based program. Groups begin August 18.

The program aims to help youth and their father figures improve communications, pro-social skills, and family relationships. It is funded by the Florida Network of Youth and Family Services as part of its Father First Initiative.

According to Stacy Gromatski, CEO of Florida Network, “We are excited to partner with the Center for Child Counseling in helping fathers and father figures in our lives to learn, grow, and push toward being better every day with the right resources, encouragement, and connection. We stand together with all dads, showing that perfection isn’t the goal, but being present is.”

The SNAP® Fatherhood Groups are open to any father, stepfather, grandfather, uncle, or male caregiver of a child who wants to strengthen their relationship and parenting approach.

If you are interested in learning more or have questions about the program, please email SNAP@centerforchildcounseling.org.

About the Father First Initiative
Father First is s statewide and community-driven initiative empowering fathers to embrace their unique roles in their children’s lives. For more information, visit fatherfirstfl.com.

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Unveiling of Mobile Unit: A New Way to Deliver Hope to Kids

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases June 23, 2025Ali Eger, Center for Child Counseling, data dashboard, early intervention, mental health services, mobile unit, Opportunity Early Childhood Education and Family Center, Renee Layman, ribbon cutting

NEWS RELEASE
June 23, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Center for Child Counseling Unveils Mobile Unit: A New Way to Deliver Hope to Kids

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) is expanding access to mental health care for children in Palm Beach County by driving its services directly to the kids who need it most. The official launch and ribbon-cutting ceremony of a new mobile unit took place on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at Opportunity Early Childhood Education and Family Center in West Palm Beach.

Much more than a bus, the new 25-ft mobile unit is a moving, healing space that delivers trauma-informed care, prevention tools, and hope to hurting children. It will eliminate barriers to accessing care and transform how services are delivered throughout the county: ensuring that no child’s future is determined by their zip code.

“We don’t have to wait for a child to fall apart emotionally before we do something,” is a steadfast motto of the Center for Child Counseling and a statement CEO Renée Layman emphasized during the ceremony.

The agency is leveraging innovation, technology, and data-driven solutions in response to the escalating youth mental health crisis–“building the capacity of the people who live and work with kids to promote their mental health and well-being. That’s the vision behind this,” added Layman.

The Center for Child Counseling leadership team, board members, staff members, donors, and partners were present to officially cut the ribbon of the mobile unit.

Ali Eger, executive director of Opportunity Early Childhood Center, shared the story of a three-year-old girl who experienced trauma. In her struggles, she would screech and rip everything to shreds in the classroom. With the help of the Center’s on-site therapist and play therapy, the child’s life was transformed. Today, she is in a high school honors program, has friends, and participates in theater.

“We are so thrilled about this mobile unit and how it’s going to expand the services for our children and the whole community,” stated Eger.

Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships.

The current state of the world has taken a toll on everyone’s mental health, well-being, and even sense of hope for the future. Coming out of the pandemic, our community (and world) experienced a heightened youth mental health crisis. Families and communities continue to struggle with threats to their sense of safety: overwhelming grief and loss from the pandemic, economic insecurity, racism and discrimination, political unrest, war, school shootings, and policies that are a direct threat to their sense of safety.

The data is alarming: One in four children in Florida is experiencing a mental health or behavioral concern. And it is estimated that 70-80% of children in need of mental health services do not receive them.

Beginning in 2019, CFCC partnered with WebAuthor to map out a Data Dashboard to directly address the youth mental health crisis. Populated with data from more than 10,000 children the Center serves, the Data Dashboard shows exactly where they are located within the county with the various issues they are facing.

CFCC looks at data in real time and uses the information to pinpoint emerging trends in specific areas. The data also eliminates any guess work on the community needs. Presently, the dashboard highlights concerns such as behavioral issues, family conflict, and anxiety as the most common.This innovation in data is helping target the most vulnerable children, families, and communities to embed support–without first having to diagnose a child with a mental health disorder.

The geomapping of data is driving the agency’s vision to better serve kids and families in Palm Beach County with the acquisition and launch of the new mobile unit. The initiative will provide an integrated approach that spans prevention, early intervention, and intensive mental health services.

The purchase of the mobile unit was made possible by an anonymous donor and friend of Center for Child Counseling. Its operating costs are being supported by Boca West Children’s Foundation, Impact 100 Palm Beach County, Men Giving Back, and a local private foundation.

For more information on Center for Child Counseling or to refer someone for services, visit centerforchildcounseling.org.

ABOUT CENTER FOR CHILD COUNSELING:
Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships.

CFCC’s office locations include: Child and Family First Center, 5205 Greenwood Avenue, West Palm Beach; Admin and Child First Office, 8895 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens; Child First Office South, 2328 10th Avenue North, Lake Worth; and U.B. Kinsey Educational and Community Center, 720 8th Street, West Palm Beach. CFCC’s services and therapists are also integrated within 35 locations throughout Palm Beach County–schools, childcare centers, and pediatric offices. The new mobile unit now helps ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code. www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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Four Key Employees Promoted to Leadership Roles

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases May 22, 2025May 23, 2025Amber Payne, Center for Child Counseling, Dominika Nolan, Employee Promotions, Hannah DeMarco, Yassaira Martell

NEWS RELEASE
May 22, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Strengthened Leadership Better Positions the Center to Serve Children and Families.

Center for Child Counseling recently announced the promotion of four of its key employees to leadership roles within the Palm Beach Gardens-based nonprofit organization: Amber Payne as chief quality officer; Dominika Nolan as senior director of development and events; Hannah DeMarco as senior director, marketing and communications; and Yassaira Martell as director of early intervention services.

“In these times when our mission has never been more critical, I am filled with gratitude and pride in the extraordinary work we continue to do to create lasting impact for children and families. The strengthened leadership of these four remarkable women improves our organizational alignment and better positions our capacity to serve children and families through a trauma-informed, HOPE-centered public health approach,” stated Renée Layman, CEO of the Center.

Payne now leads the agency’s data-driven quality improvement initiatives and guides its continuous improvement efforts to ensure excellence across the organization.

Nolan helps lead strategy and execution for key initiatives—including signature events like Lead the Fight—and drives sustainability through strategic partnerships, donor engagement, education, and community awareness.

DeMarco will continue to elevate CFCC’s voice locally and nationally as they expand awareness, advocacy, and access through storytelling and strategic outreach.

Martell serves as the leader of critical early intervention programming which is at the foundation of the Center’s public health approach.

“Our vision is bold: to grow beyond Florida and become a national voice and leader for children’s mental health. With a strengthened senior leadership team and other promoted leaders, we are recommitting to our mission and the children and families we serve. We are each part of something bigger than any one of us: a movement to stop the intergenerational cycle of trauma and build a future of healing and HOPE. Our work matters!” added Layman.

For more information on Center for Child Counseling and career opportunities, visit: centerforchildcounseling.org.

About Center for Child Counseling:
Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships. www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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$100K Impact 100 Grant to Transform How Mental Health Services Are Delivered to Children

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases May 2, 2025May 23, 2025Center for Child Counseling, data dashboard, Impact 100 Palm Beach County, Impact 100 PBC, Jeannine Morris, mobile unit, Renee Layman

NEWS RELEASE
May 2, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Center for Child Counseling Receives $100,000 Impact 100 Grant to Transform How it Delivers Children’s Mental Health Services
Impact 100 award will help expand access to mental health in southern Palm Beach County with mobile unit.

Impact 100 Palm Beach County recently awarded a $100,000 grant to Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) for expanding access to mental health in southern Palm Beach County. These funds will support the launch of a newly purchased mobile unit that will deliver services directly to vulnerable children and families: ensuring that no child’s future is determined by their zip code.

“The women of Impact 100 Palm Beach County are committed to strengthening the fabric of our community by supporting programs that address its most pressing needs. Awarding this $100,000 grant to the Center for Child Counseling reflects our deep belief in their mission and the critical importance of accessible, early-intervention mental health services for vulnerable children and families. We are proud to help advance this impactful work at a time when the need has never been greater,” stated Jeannine Morris, co-president of Impact 100 Palm Beach County.

The data is alarming: One in four children in Florida is experiencing a mental health or behavioral concern. In 2021, 41.5% of Palm Beach County high school students reported that they felt hopeless, and 20.7% of total high school students seriously contemplated suicide (PBC Youth Behavioral Health Survey).

“We don’t have to wait for a child to fall apart emotionally before we do something,” is a steadfast motto of the Center for Child Counseling. The agency leverages innovation, technology, and data-driven solutions in response to the escalating youth mental health crisis.

The geomapping of data is driving the agency’s vision to better serve kids and families in Palm Beach County with the acquisition of a new mobile unit.

“This isn’t just a bus–it’s a moving, healing space that delivers trauma-informed care, prevention tools, and HOPE to hurting children,” stated Renée Layman, CEO of Center for Child Counseling.

The mobile unit will eliminate barriers to accessing care and transform how services are delivered in southern Palm Beach County. The initiative aims to provide an integrated approach that spans prevention, early intervention, and intensive mental health services.

Layman added, “Imagine a Palm Beach County where no child’s future is determined by their zip code. Where no family has to choose between working and getting their child the help they need…Where no child has to wait for hope and healing.”

With the assistance of the $100,000 Impact 100 grant supporting the mobile unit, CFCC will: reach families directly, removing obstacles like language and transportation; prevent crises before they begin by using data to find and help the most vulnerable; build a scalable model for Palm Beach County and beyond.

“We are most grateful to the women of Impact 100 Palm Beach County for selecting Center for Child Counseling as a grant recipient. Your gift is a catalyst for change. You are turning a mobile unit into a lifeline for promoting positive mental health for children, families, and our community,” commented Layman.

For more information on Center for Child Counseling’s programs and services, visit www.centerforchildcounseling.org.

About Center for Child Counseling:

Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County since 1999. Its services focus on preventing and healing the effects of adverse experiences and toxic stress on children, promoting resiliency and healthy family, school, and community relationships. www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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Mental Health Integration into Primary Pediatric Care Grows with Jupiter Pediatric Associates

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases April 7, 2025May 23, 2025Center for Child Counseling, Jupiter Pediatrics Associates, pediatric integration, Phillip Colaizzo, Renee Layman

NEWS RELEASE
April 7, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Mental Health Integration into Primary Pediatric Care Grows with Jupiter Pediatric Associates
Partnership between Center for Child Counseling and Jupiter Pediatric Associates helps address the whole child

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) announces its continued integration of mental health services into primary pediatric care with a partnership with Jupiter Pediatric Associates.

An estimated one in five children will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Of those children diagnosed with mental health disorders, 75 percent of children are currently seen in primary care settings, demonstrating the growing role primary care providers have in addressing mental health issues. At the same time, it is estimated that 75-80 percent of children in need of mental health services do not receive them.

Traumatic experiences, if not addressed, can cause long-term health consequences. Research has shown that unaddressed mental health problems among children can lead to lower educational achievement, greater involvement with the criminal justice system, and poor health and social outcomes overall.

There are critical shortages in health professionals to meet the current and increasing demand for services. In 2022, the entire state of Florida had a total of 493 children and adolescent psychiatrists with 43 practicing in Palm Beach County–one psychiatrist per 6,553 children under the age of 18 in the county (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry).

“Directly supporting trauma-informed and responsive approaches across systems that serve children and families, particularly pediatric primary care, can and will mitigate the negative impacts of overwhelming stress and help them thrive now and later in life,” stated Renée Layman, chief executive officer of Center for Child Counseling.

According to the AAP: “Pediatric clinicians are on the front lines of caring for children and adolescents and, thus, have the greatest potential for early identification of and response to childhood trauma. Data indicate that, although pediatric providers intuitively understand the negative effects of trauma, they report a lack of knowledge, time, and resources as major barriers to providing trauma-informed care. Yet, experts believe that the complete assessment of child and adolescent behavioral, developmental, emotional, and physical health requires consideration of trauma as part of the differential diagnosis to improve diagnostic accuracy and appropriateness of care.”

Over the past twenty-five years, Center for Child Counseling has used an integration model for services, locating CFCC staff within childcare centers, schools, and organizations serving children. This approach to integrate into the primary pediatric care setting was first launched in 2021 with Palm Beach Pediatrics.

Through this partnership with Jupiter Pediatrics Associates, the Center, a local nonprofit, is embedding its services within the primary care setting to deliver an array of prevention, early intervention, and mental health services. A CFCC therapist devotes five hours per week on-site to support their patients’ mental health needs. Together, CFCC and Jupiter Pediatrics have streamlined their practice’s referrals for care coordination and mental health therapy services.

“As we continue to grow the pediatric integration program and hire additional staff, we are excited to expand the time and resources we can devote to on-site services at Jupiter Pediatric Associates. Research shows that this holistic approach supports overall wellness, including short and long-term health outcomes. We hope to continue to extend this model of care to other pediatric practices throughout Palm Beach County,” added Layman.

According to Dr. Phillip Colaizzo of Jupiter Pediatric Associates, “I became aware of this wonderful resource called Center for Child Counseling several years ago and have been referring and working with them through my role as pediatrician and as a medical director of the child protection team. I am very impressed with how they facilitate integration of mental, emotional, and physical health by having counselors in the pediatric offices. This holistic approach is beneficial to those served and is critical in helping busy families get the treatment they need.”

CFCC’s pediatric integration program is made possible thanks to the support of Quantum Foundation, The Frederick DeLuca Foundation, and Palm Beach County Community Services Department.

For more information on Center for Child Counseling and its pediatric integration services, visit centerforchildcounseling.org/pediatricintegration.

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Time to ‘Spring’ Into Action to Keep Kids Safe This Summer

Cara Hansen beKidSafe, Latest News, News Releases March 26, 2025American Camp Association, bekidsafe, Camp Crisis Hotline, CampSafe, Center for Child Counseling, Cherie Benjoseph, KidSafe, Renee Layman

NEWS RELEASE
March 26, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Time to ‘Spring’ Into Action to Keep Kids Safe This Summer
Center for Child Counseling’s CampSafe® Training is designed to protect campers and staff from child sexual abuse.

It’s that time of year again when caregivers need to ‘spring’ into action and plan how they will fill nearly three months of no school this summer. Every year, about 26 million children attend roughly 15,000 day and overnight summer camps across the country. The search for the best camps is in full swing, but how do parents ensure camps are properly vetted for safety?

The facts are: every nine minutes a child is a victim of sexual abuse and assault (rainn.org) and 90% are abused by someone they know and trust. American Camp Association reported that 28% of calls to its Camp Crisis Hotline in summer 2023 were allegations of abuse, including: camper-to-camper abuse, concerned suspicions of abuse at home, and staff-to-camper allegations.

Florida-based nonprofit Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) recognizes the many benefits of kids attending summer camps. To help uphold the integrity of the life skills gained at camp, the Center wants to ensure every camper in the United States and across the globe is protected and safe from abuse with CampSafe®–an online training designed to provide camp leadership and staff with the awareness and knowledge needed to prevent child sexual abuse.

The goal is for all staff–including counselors, administrators, supervisors, dining and health personnel, volunteers, and board members–to arrive at camp with the same strong foundational knowledge of child sexual abuse prevention and awareness.

For summer 2024, more than 12,000 camp staff across 135 camps in 40 states and 19 countries participated in the CampSafe® training program. More than 20,000 campers were kept safe.

“Empowering every caregiver in every camp setting with knowledge of this topic provides a confidence level that best protects all staff and campers. Focused training for staff and volunteers both breaks the cycle of child sexual abuse and highlights a topic too often avoided out of fear and/or discomfort,” said Cherie Benjoseph, CFCC director of national outreach and education and creator of the CampSafe® curriculum.

The program was created for both young adults, ages 18-26, as well as seasoned staff, to take the topic seriously but not instill fear. The training promotes compassion toward campers as staff become fluent in the language of safety while providing comfort, aide, and access to supervisory staff for guidance.

According to Yasmine Youssefi, assistant supervisor of day camps at Camp Zoo – Phoenix Zoo in Arizona, “We started using CampSafe® last summer, and my only regret is not starting it sooner! We used to do our abuse prevention in house, and I found using CampSafe® to be much more effective. It aligned really well with our behavior/group management training and provided specific examples and scenarios to make expectations for conduct clear. I like how they emphasize the importance of modeling behavior and boundaries. I used to be a teacher, and have done many abuse prevention trainings.Personally, I found CampSafe® to be the most inclusive of diverse backgrounds, and it was competitively priced–under one rate we were able to train all our staff, representatives from other departments, and volunteers. We do year-round programming, so we were even able to train our new hires for the fall/winter/spring as well. We plan to renew it for next summer as well.”

From setting healthy boundaries to ensuring the entire camp team has a consistent safety protocol, CampSafe® training provides animated scenarios, interactive learning, and clear safety language for staff. Director training modules include: interviewing and background check protocol; child protection policy and procedures; supervising around the issues of child sexual abuse prevention; in-person follow-up training to provide during pre-camp week; links to state resources; establishing healthy boundaries; ice breakers for counselors and campers; sexual harassment; letters to parents and staff; and post-testing for certification. New this year, the director certification training also includes a module regarding sexual abuse prevention with campers with various special needs.

“Training focused squarely on sexual abuse prevention sends a message that your camp has ‘zero tolerance’ for sexual abuse. This powerful message helps deter staff applicants who may have undesirable motives,” added Benjoseph.

The CampSafe® program was developed by professionals with expertise in sexual abuse prevention and training. The Center for Child Counseling team partnered with experts in learning and development, using the most up-to-date online method. The training is designed to build confidence and knowledge for all camp personnel, gently but thoroughly, before camp begins.

According to data collected from the Center, staff’s ability to identify a camper who is at risk for child sexual abuse went from 49% confidence to 97% after the training. More than 75% of participants reported feeling safer that their camp is taking action to protect the staff and campers.

“As I completed the CampSafe training on child sexual abuse, I gained a deeper understanding surrounding this issue and the critical role that prevention, awareness, and intervention play in protecting children. The course empowered me with the knowledge and tools needed to create a safer space for children, and it reinforced the importance of ongoing vigilance and education in preventing abuse,” stated Antonio C., staff member at Lake of the Woods camp in Michigan.

CampSafe® has the educational endorsement from the American Camp Association and is an Approved Youth Protection Training for the state of Texas. The training can be provided to all camp staff for a nominal fee, ranging from $300-$900 depending on the number of staff members being trained.

CampSafe® is part of Center for Child Counseling’s beKidSafe initiative of providing prevention education for all adults who work with children.

Renée Layman, CEO of the Center, believes “all children deserve the same protection from abuse at summer camps as that which we advocate for and provide training for within schools and child care centers during the school year. Our goal is make it easy for all adults to become trauma-aware and recognize and stop childhood trauma and abuse in its tracks.”

Before a parent or caregiver officially enrolls their child in summer camp, do the proper vetting and ask the question, “Does this camp take the personal safety of my child seriously?” For a parent’s guide on vetting a summer camp for safety, visit bekidsafe.org/vettingcampforsafety.

For camp associations, camp directors, parks and recreation departments, and school districts interested in learning more about how to be proactive in preventing and responding to child sexual abuse at your day or overnight camp, visit bekidsafe.org/camps or email bekidsafe@centerforchildcounseling.org.

Leading into summer 2025, so far 80 camps across the country have signed up for the training–including 13 in Florida with four in Palm Beach County. Limited CampSafe® scholarships are available to camps for underserved youth in Palm Beach County.

Interview availability:
Cherie Benjoseph, LCSW, CFCC director of national outreach and education and creator of the CampSafe® curriculum.

About Cherie Benjoseph, CFCC director of national outreach and education and creator of the CampSafe® curriculum:

Cherie is an expert in the field of Child Sexual Abuse Prevention. She has practiced social work since 1989. After receiving her MSW at Boston University, she worked as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in multiple school and non-profit settings in the Northeast and the state of Florida. In 2009 she founded KidSafe Foundation, a non-profit focused on child sexual abuse primary prevention. Cherie grounds her work in Child Sexual Abuse Prevention using a public health model. She is convinced that educating children and those who live or work with children about child sexual abuse and trauma prevention will strengthen families and protect kids, breaking the cycle of abuse. Presently, as Director of National Outreach and Education for the Center for Child Counseling, Cherie works with national and local leaders to define and improve the ever-changing issues around protecting children from harm. For more than a decade, she has presented nationally at conferences and symposiums. She loves to have conversations about how to talk with kids about personal safety, and she believes a safe society—free from child sexual abuse and exploitation—is attainable. Through Cherie’s leadership, several state-of-the-art programs have been created including Stay KidSafe!™, a personal safety curriculum for children, and CampSafe®, an online training program for camp staff, now programs of Center for Child Counseling. Cherie serves on the National Coalition to Prevent Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. She is a mom of two (grown and flown). She enjoys qigong, working with clay, travel, and time with her family when she’s not out advocating for the safety of all children.

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Renée Layman Appointed as FAIMH President

Cara Hansen Fighting ACEs PBC, Latest News, News Releases March 18, 2025adverse childhood experiences, Center for Child Counseling, Florida Association for Infant Mental Health, Renee Layman

NEWS RELEASE
March 18, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Renée Layman Appointed as FAIMH President
Layman continues to advance infant and early childhood mental health with service to Florida Association for Infant Mental Health.

Renée E. Layman, MS, LMHC, was recently appointed as President of Florida Association for Infant Mental Health (FAIMH) Board of Directors. Layman previously served as the vice president, alongside Past-President Dr. Harleen Hutchinson, in leading the nonprofit with further advancing infant and early childhood mental health.

“As a children’s mental health leader in her community, Renée has a legacy of promoting and protecting the mental health of children. We look forward to her stewardship and vision guiding the FAIMH Board of Directors into 2025,” stated FAIMH Executive Director Dr. Christine Hughes.

Layman has long served FAIMH, joining the board in 2018 and leading the FAIMH Palm Beach Chapter for many years prior.

FAIMH strives to build a community where all children in Florida will be nurtured, emotionally healthy, and ready to learn, to develop, and to reach their full potential. FAIMH achieves this by supporting and strengthening the infant and early childhood mental health workforce to better serve the young children and families of Florida together with its local FAIMH Chapters.

Layman is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with almost thirty years of experience in mental health. As President and Chief Executive Officer for Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) since 2013, she has spearheaded significant initiatives in child and family mental health–specifically related to trauma-informed care and the prevention, awareness, and healing of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Layman’s leadership extends well beyond her work at CFCC. She is the past co-chair of the FAIMH Palm Beach and Martin County Chapter, continuing to serve in a mentoring role for the current chairs. She is past co-chair of the Leadership Palm Beach County Engage program (2014-2016), volunteering with the organization for more than six years. She is the past president of the Nonprofit Chamber of Palm Beach County and continues to serve on their board to support local nonprofits. She chairs PBC’s Birth to 22 Trauma Sensitive Community Leaders Education subcommittee. She is also on the Board of Directors of the Florida Network for Youth and Family Services, a not-for-profit statewide organization representing more than 30 agencies that serve homeless, runaway, and troubled youth ages six and older and their families.

Layman commented, ”I hope to continue to advance infant and early childhood mental health in Palm Beach County and across Florida. The work of FAIMH directly connects with Center for Child Counseling’s; so, aligning efforts to focus on prevention and building capacity, especially in light of the youth mental health crisis, is essential.”

In recognition of her work, Renée received the Women in Leadership Award (WILA) from Executive Women of the Palm Beaches and Leadership Palm Beach County’s President’s Award in 2021, was recognized as Palm Beach County’s Nonprofit Executive of the Year in 2017, and received Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s Women of Excellence: Health & Wellness Award in 2011.

Layman has been a passionate advocate for child and family mental health, bringing innovative programs and services for some of the most pressing issues facing vulnerable children and families in Palm Beach County. Under her leadership, Center for Child Counseling has grown to fill critical gaps in children’s mental health in Palm Beach County, using a public health approach that focuses on prevention and early intervention. As a FAIMH board member, she works with leaders statewide to improve the system of care for babies and young children across Florida.

“Infant and early childhood is at the foundation of lifelong health and wellness. FAIMH is working directly with system professionals and organizations so they have effective ways to support babies and young children facing adversity and trauma. I serve to build Florida’s capacity to build healthy families and communities–for a healthier future,” said Layman.

Layman will lead the board with Adam Baptiste, MD, who is stepping into the role of vice president.

The FAIMH Board of Directors includes: Dr. Christine Hughes (Executive Director), Renée Layman (President), Dr. Harleen Hutchinson (Immediate Past-President), Adam Baptiste, MD (Vice President), Stacey Blume, Charmian Miller (Treasurer), Amy Blechman, Douglas Brown, Maria José Horen, Dr. Maite Schenker, Julie Smythe, and Dr. Kristie Skoglund.

About Center for Child Counseling:

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GL Homes Helps Center for Child Counseling Honor Donors and Community Partners at Palm Beach Yacht Club

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases March 14, 2025May 23, 2025Center for Child Counseling, GL Homes, Palm Beach Yacht Club, Renee Layman, Sarah Alsofrom

March 14, 2025
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

GL Homes Helps Center for Child Counseling Honor Donors and Community Partners at Palm Beach Yacht Club

GL Homes, a community partner of Center for Child Counseling, hosted an evening celebrating the generosity of other community partners and supporters of the Palm Beach Gardens-based nonprofit on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at the Palm Beach Yacht Club.

Since 1999, Center for Child Counseling has been providing care for children in Palm Beach County. Chief Executive Officer Renée Layman celebrated the work the agency is doing with friends, partners, and strong advocates for children and families in the county.

50 guests enjoyed cocktails and food as Layman expressed her gratitude to everyone in the room for helping the Center bring science and data to action in Palm Beach County.

“For zip code 33401, 42% of the 300 kids that we’re serving around the Roosevelt Elementary School area have four or more ACEs…that has a lot of implications for lifelong health, not only mental health but physical health. So, the data that we’re able to collect and analyze and take action to mitigate the impact of those experiences is everything…we are breaking generational cycles of abuse and trauma. And we’re able to pull it and design our services based on that data,” said Layman.

“GL Homes applauds the care and compassion our most vulnerable youth receive from the dedicated professionals at Center for Child Counseling. They provide an invaluable mental health service, one that isn’t duplicated, allowing children to feel safe, loved, and protected,” stated GL Homes Vice President of Community Relations Sarah Alsofrom.

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