Florida Blue Foundation has awarded Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) $360,762 to bring hope and healing to children and their families, and educate the community, by supporting the development and distribution of our unique curriculum called "A Way of Being with Children".
Mental health services are in demand more than ever before, particularly strategies to promote well-being and resilience. This is especially true in the case of children who have struggled under the COVID-19 pandemic, many of them experiencing fear, isolation, and the toxic stress that results from sustained periods of intense, unmitigated anxiety. Some children have tragically experienced profound abuse and neglect. Since its founding more than 20 years ago, Center for Child Counseling's mission has always focused on employing a trauma-informed method to help infants, children, and their families heal after trauma and go on to thrive. Over the past fifteen years, we have developed a unique, scientifically-based approach that is new way of working and simply 'being' with children.
Now, Florida Blue Foundation has awarded Center for Child Counseling a $360,762 grant over four years to support the development and implementation of the virtual component of our “A Way of Being with Children” curriculum. This will include community-wide training, awareness, program services, oversight, and evaluation.
The curriculum includes a 78-page printed guide and online training modules based in the latest brain science and knowledge of early childhood development. The training will include background information as well as practical hints and tips for building better, stronger relationships with children.
"We could not be more grateful to Florida Blue Foundation for their committed support," said CFCC's CEO Renée Layman. "It comes at a time when we are inundated with requests for services, particularly online assistance which allows parents, teachers, and caregivers the flexibility to learn at a time that is convenient for them. This vital information provides not only teachers with an opportunity to enhance their own understanding of childhood mental health but also informs the community at large in a way that is engaging, practical, and can make a real difference in the lives of our children."
The “A Way of Being with Children” curriculum is a transformative approach to childhood development and mental health that focuses on brain development, reflective listening, choices, limit setting, and building resilience -- all of which helps children self-regulate and feel empowered while still enjoying play and the natural joys of childhood.
About Florida Blue Foundation
Florida Blue Foundation enables healthy communities by making grants, building coalitions and rewarding best practices. More than three million people in Florida have received direct health services as a result of grants made to nonprofit organizations since our founding in 2001. Florida Blue Foundation is a trade name of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Inc., an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
For more information about the Foundation, please visit www.FloridaBlueFoundation.com. Florida Blue and the Florida Blue Foundation are on Facebook and Twitter.
About Center for Child Counseling
Founded in 1999, Center for Child Counseling supports children, families, and caregivers through prevention, early intervention, and services focused on mitigating the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress, building positive relationships that buffer the impact of trauma. Research shows that toxic stress in childhood is directly linked to negative physical and mental health outcomes. Thousands of children in Palm Beach County experience stressful life events that will impact them for a lifetime without intervention. In 2019, Center for Child Counseling served over 3,800 children through six clinical programs and provided training for over 3,500 professionals, students, and caregivers to build adult capacity to meet the social-emotional needs of children.
Social Media:
Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC
Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling
YouTube: Center for Child Counseling
Instagram: childcounselpbc