Center for Child Counseling

Gratitude Gathering celebrates Dr. Barbara Cox Gerlock, Julie Fisher Cummings, and Justice Barbara Pariente for mitigating ACEs and trauma.

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November 25, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Gratitude Gathering Honors Individuals Profoundly Impacting Children in Palm Beach County

Center for Child Counseling celebrated Dr. Barbara Cox Gerlock, Julie Fisher Cummings, and Justice Barbara Pariente for mitigating ACEs and trauma.

Center for Child Counseling hosted its Gratitude Gathering 2024 on Thursday, November 14 at the Mollie Wilmot Center in West Palm Beach. The event honored distinguished individuals– Dr. Barbara Cox Gerlock, Julie Fisher Cummings, and Justice Barbara Pariente–who are making a profound impact on the lives of children through their passion and tireless dedication to advancing understanding and action to mitigate the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and trauma.

The Center celebrated its shared commitment with the community of fostering resiliency in children. Emceed by Eddie Stephens–board certified marital and family attorney, author, lecturer, and community leader–the event was an inspiring evening with renowned speakers, personal stories of transformation, and the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share the passion for creating positive change.

Center for Child Counseling CEO Renée Layman opened the evening expressing her gratitude for the incredible women being honored and for being “surrounded by the collective power of people making a difference at a time when it could not be more important to the children and families that we serve.” 

Dr. Cox Gerlock received the Jane Robinson Child Advocacy Award, named after the founder of Center for Child Counseling who passionately dedicated her professional career to promoting infant and early childhood mental health. The award recognizes a passionate advocate who works to promote child resilience, safety, and mental health.

“Her passion and impact, rooted in her lived experiences, exemplify true advocacy for youth,” stated Stephens in his introduction of Cox Gerlock as the honoree. 

Cox Gerlock explained her path to working with children was based on her personal experience: having several people in her early childhood and adolescence who helped her navigate to adulthood and who “provided many of the essentials my family was not able to provide.”

In her early career with teaching, Cox Gerlock encountered “trauma of the first order:” eight students in her class who lost a sibling in a fire at a local community center and then two eighth-grade students who were pregnant.

“I needed to learn how to support them and give them support similar to the support I received.

Realizing there was only so much I could do when working with one child at a time, I embarked on a career making the youth-serving systems more responsive to the needs of youth. An integration of education, behavioral health, and justice systems has been my focus,” she shared. 

Cox Gerlock is a dedicated advocate for youth. Over her 60-year career, she started as a teacher and advanced to a school counselor and administrator–developing programs for at-risk and marginalized youth, especially those facing behavioral health and substance use challenges. Cox Gerlock’s leadership extends to numerous community roles, including: chair of Palm Beach County Citizens’ Advisory Committee for Health and Human Services; chair of the Behavioral Health Committee for the Re-Entry Project; consultant for Palm Beach County School District; and chair for Circuit 15 Juvenile Advisory Board for eight years. 

Fisher Cummings received the Child Protector Award for being a significant champion for children’s safety and mental health. Moving forward, this award will be called the Julie Fisher Cummings Child Protector Award. 

According to Fisher Cummings:

I believe we are responsible for ensuring that all children in our country have the resources they need to succeed. Each child, regardless of their background or circumstances, deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. They did not choose the conditions into which they were born, but they do represent our hope for a brighter future. Investing in our children means investing in the fabric of our communities. When we provide access to quality education, healthcare, and supportive services, we are not just helping individuals; we are nurturing a generation that will lead us toward a more equitable and prosperous society. 

Fisher Cummings presently serves as the Chair of the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation. Her work bridges academia, public service, and policy reform. She has dedicated more than 40 years to civic leadership, locally and nationally, through her positions at the Corporation for National and Community Service, Mailman School of Public Health at  Columbia University, The Promise Fund, The Lord’s Place, UPENN, and the Community  Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Fisher Cummings is a visionary philanthropist and advocate for women and children. She has championed organizations and issues through the Lovelight Fund to empower young women and promote social change. Her work to empower youth extends to higher education through the Fisher Cummings Washington Fellows Program at Columbia School of Social Work, supporting nearly 40 emerging leaders in social policy. As Executive Producer of I Am Jane Doe, Fisher Cummings spotlighted child sex trafficking–catalyzing groundbreaking legislation and public action. A mentor with Palm Beach Philanthropy Tank and a supporter of the Center for Child Counseling’s Fighting ACEs Initiative, her impact resonates nationally and locally. 

Justice Pariente was recognized with the Judge Ron Alvarez Resiliency Award for being a trailblazer in the legal profession who advocates for a fuller understanding of the science of adversity in the context of the law–making our legal system more compassionate and equitable for vulnerable children and families. 

In her acceptance speech, Pariente expressed how meaningful this award is since it is named after Alvarez with whom she practiced law for several years before he became a judge. She shared her deep respect for how Alvarez spent his judicial life devoted to helping children in need.

Pariente emphasized the importance of championing the work of children and families and applauded Layman and Center for Child Counseling for the work they do to “raise awareness of these issues in Palm Beach County…more than ever it’s important to focus on our own community and how we can make a difference right here.” 

Justice Pariente, the 77th Justice of the Florida Supreme Court and its second female  appointee has been a relentless advocate for children and families. While on the Court, she  authored hundreds of opinions and championed improvements in how courts address family and children’s cases. As the Court’s representative to Florida’s Children’s Cabinet, she advanced early childhood education and fostered collaboration between schools and the judiciary. Known for her unwavering commitment to change, Pariente’s impact extends beyond her distinguished career. In retirement, she continues to inspire as a devoted advocate for children and a role model across generations in Florida. She has been instrumental in her support of the Center for Child Counseling and its fight against adverse childhood experiences through the organization’s Lead the Fight series of events.

The messages of the evening echoed Layman’s encouraging words: “Please find your place in this work that we’re doing, this fight of fighting ACEs–adverse childhood experiences and trauma–and building HOPE, healthy outcomes from positive childhood experiences…it’s so important. We need to surround our kids with a circle of love, safety, security, and hope.” 

For more information on the Center for Child Counseling and its work with children and families in Palm Beach County, visit: centerforchildcounseling.org.  

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HONA Honors Innovative Approach to Fighting Youth Mental Health Crisis

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November 8, 2024
For immediate releaseMedia contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

HONA Honors Innovative Approach to Fighting Youth Mental Health Crisis
Center for Child Counseling Receives Hats Off Nonprofit Innovation Award

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) announces its selection as the 2024 Hats Off Nonprofit Innovation Award honoree. The Center received this recognition at the 8th Annual Hats Off Nonprofits Awards, hosted by Nonprofits First on October 30. 

The Innovation Award recognizes an individual or an organization that has demonstrated a creative or non-traditional approach to solving a community challenge. This year’s award highlighted CFCC’s innovation in creating a Data Dashboard to confront the youth mental health crisis that our community is facing and to strengthen the agency’s ability to serve children and families in Palm Beach County.

The data is alarming: 1 in 4 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. At the same time, it is estimated that 75-80% of children in need of mental health services do not receive them. 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. 

According to CEO Renée Layman, “No child in crisis belongs on a waitlist. Prior to implementing the Data Dashboard, we had 865 kids on the waitlist. Within two weeks, the waitlist dropped dramatically to 350 kids.” 

Beginning in 2019, CFCC partnered with WebAuthor to map out a Data Dashboard to directly fight the youth mental health crisis. 

The Data Dashboard takes the Center’s public health approach–tiers of prevention, early intervention, and treatment–to inform decisions and increase services and decrease wait times to serve more kids and families. Through a data-driven, centralized intake, each family is screened to pick up on mental health and behavioral concerns, as well as financial, housing, and hunger concerns. The data collected allows CFCC to create services that are responsive to caregiver needs without a formalized diagnosis. Through the Data Dashboard, those with the highest needs can be triaged directly to treatment, rather than waiting on a list for care. 

Populated with data from the 7,000 children CFCC serves each year, the system shows exactly where they are located within the county with the various issues they are facing. This geomapping is driving the agency’s vision to better serve kids and families in our community.

Within the Data Dashboard, the CFCC team is looking at data in real time and using the information to pinpoint emerging trends in the specific areas addressed by mental health consultation. Presently, the dashboard highlights concerns such as behavioral issues, family conflict, and anxiety as the most common.

CFCC has taken the prevention science and brought it to practice, with a model that focuses on building supports to prevent mental health crises. Every child and family in Palm Beach County has access to an array of resources and supports that focus on making sure all adults have the skills and knowledge to effectively address the impact of adverse childhood experiences and promote child resilience, safety, well-being.  As a universal strategy, CFCC creates tip sheets, support groups, and training based on family and community voice and need. 

“Our need to act has never been greater. Being able to design services based on the need rather than guessing what the need may be is so powerful. We are incredibly grateful to Nonprofits First for recognizing Center for Child Counseling’s innovation in taking action through data to help solve the youth mental health problem,” stated Layman.

In addition to receiving the 2024 Innovation Award, CFCC has been the past honoree of four other HONA awards, including: 2017 Nonprofit Executive of the Year/Renée Layman, 2018 Nonprofit of the Year (Medium), 2019 Nonprofit Professional of the Year/Lauren Scirrotto, and 2020 People’s Choice Award. 

For the full list of 2024 HONA nominees and honorees, visit: nonprofitsfirst.org/hats-off-awards. 

For more information on CFCC, to access resources, or to make a referral, visit: centerforchildcounseling.org. 

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Caitlen Hentze Appointed as Director of Stewardship and Strategy

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NEWS RELEASE
November 6, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com
561-632-6747  

Caitlen Hentze Appointed as Director of Stewardship and Strategy for Center for Child Counseling

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) announces Caitlen Macias Hentze’s appointment as director of stewardship and strategy to continue to grow the nonprofit agency’s community support in order to advance its mission to prevent and heal the effects of adverse childhood experiences and trauma.

“I was drawn to CFCC because of their data and trauma-informed approach. They are at the forefront of creating programs that really impact children and families that will ultimately change our community…I truly believe in systems change and creating a strategic approach to solving the mental health crisis we have in our country, programs, policy, and prevention,” stated Hentze.

In this new role, Hentze will connect donors’ and community leaders’ interests with the programs and services CFCC offers for babies, children, teens, and families. 

Hentze has more than 10 years of fundraising and capacity building with nonprofit organizations, locally and nationally. She is an innovative professional focused on fostering relationships between donors, organizations, and staff. Some of her clients include the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, World Without Exploitation, Philanthropist and Leader Julie Fisher Cummings, and Montessori Model United Nations. Most recently she is the Founder and CEO of BotQueen, a company securely empowering nonprofits to achieve their mission through AI solutions. Hentze is passionate about giving back. She serves on the Suits for Seniors board of directors and volunteers with the Junior League of the Palm Beaches. Hentze received her Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Sociology from William and Mary in Virginia. She completed a clinical internship with Center for Child Counseling as part of her master’s program and will finish her Masters in Social Work from Columbia University in the Fall of 2024.  

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Celebrate Babies Event Stresses ‘Start Where You Are, Do What you Can’ to Support Florida’s Youngest Generation

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NEWS RELEASE
October 30, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Celebrate Babies Event Stresses ‘Start Where You Are, Do What you Can’ to Support Florida’s Youngest Generation
Former Attorney General of California Nadine Burke Harris, M.D. calls for a national public health strategy to address the public health crisis of Florida’s youngest generation at Celebrate Babies event. 


“You don’t have to boil the ocean, you just have to play your position” was Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.’s resounding message at the “Celebrate Babies” hybrid event that took place on Tuesday, October 22 at The Breakers and online. Center for Child Counseling in partnership with Florida Association of Infant Mental Health hosted the luncheon to help better shape the future of Florida’s youngest generation. 

With Kathy Leone as the honorary chair and WPTV Channel 5’s Ashley Glass as the emcee, they led statewide business and system leaders in an interactive conversation with Dr. Burke Harris that explored the profound impact of early adversity and trauma on childhood development and how each person can play their part.

Burke Harris is the former attorney general of California and an internationally renowned pediatrician, public health advocate, and author. She is best known for her pioneering work in the field of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress.

175 by-special-invitation-only attendees filled the Venetian Ballroom at The Breakers while more than 200 from around the globe joined virtually. The event took place during Celebrate Babies Week–a week dedicated to celebrating infants, toddlers, young children, their families, and early childhood professionals across the globe.

Prior to the main address from Burke Harris, David Lawrence, Jr., founder and board chair of The Children’s Movement of Florida, underscored the essential role that each attendee plays in “ensuring the workforce–the people–are equipped with the skills and support we need to help children and their families in this world with so many with adverse childhood experiences.”   

Lawrence shared his understanding of mental health is based on “our first relationships–how our parents care for us, love us, talk to us, smile at us or don’t smile at us–shape how our brains and bodies develop.”

He emphasized that every child deserves nurturing and caring adults and that all children deserve to be safe and loved: “You can’t build a movement based on those people, those children. It’s about our children and everybody’s child.” 

Both Lawrence and Burke Harris echoed that science clearly confirms what happens early in life impacts everything–early events are carried with us for the rest of our lives and into our future families and communities. 

Dr. Burke Harris is the one who thrust the subject of adverse childhood experiences into our national consciousness and dialogue. The understanding of ACEs today is due to her insights and work in revealing how early adverse events affect lifelong health and well-being—for individuals, families, and communities. Burke Harris gave the overview of how society is grappling with big, complex issues: a youth mental health crisis, crime and overflowing jails, uncontrollable addiction, and generational cycles of abuse and trauma left on repeat. These dilemmas are often the result of unbuffered, untreated trauma experienced early in life.

Despite this bleak outlook, she gave hope and reason to celebrate “that ACEs are not destiny…with early detection and evidenced-based intervention, we can transform health outcomes.”

Emphasizing that our babies can be better from birth–for the rest of their lives–Dr. Burke Harris energetically described a systems-based solution and stated, “We can do this, and we don’t have to do it alone.” 

“In addition to doing the evidenced-based work that we know makes a difference on the individual level, it’s also really important for us to align our systems so that they can actually generate better outcomes.” 

As Attorney General In California, Burke Harris led the way in deploying a coordinated public health approach, inclduding: research on toxic stress; screening for ACEs in primary care; trauma-informed clinical care; county and local network of care coordination; cross-sector training and competency (for educators, the justice system, and across the board); and public awareness and education. Through California’s statewide ACEs Aware initiative, they helped teach primary care providers how to screen for ACEs. Using the results of the ACE screenings, they changed patient’s access to care by changing eligibility through medicaid. 

“In most of the country, in order to get access to services–mental health services–a person has to have a mental health diagnosis. In fact, if you don’t have a mental health diagnosis, the mental health provider can’t even get paid. They can’t bill…but we know that exposure to ACEs dramatically increases the risk that someone will have an adverse outcome. So, if you’re telling me that you can’t even get services until you’ve proven that you had an adverse outcome, guess what we’re going to keep on seeing? Adverse outcomes! So, this is the reason why we have a system that systematically generates poor outcomes, because you can’t get access to services until you’ve had a poor outcome.” 

According to the CDC, the cost in Florida for untreated ACEs is $796 billion: nationally that cost is $14.1 trillion per year. 

Burke Harris touted our nation’s ability to treat public health crises, citing: the reduction in cigarette smoking amongst high school seniors from 25% in 1976 to 3.6% in 2018; death rates from HIV AIDS dramatically declined over the course of 30 years from a six month mean mortality to now the life expectancy being greater than 50 years from diagnosis. 

She exclaimed, “We have done it before, we can do it again, and for $14.1 trillion a year we can’t afford not to. The time is now!”

In her final statements, Burke Harris acknowledged that “so many of us are living with our own ACEs and that to do this work, self-care is not selfish. Do not forget to put your own oxygen mask on because we need you in this fight.”  

She advised the audience members that as much as they likely want to fix the whole system at once to: “Start where you are, do what you can…You don’t have to boil the ocean, you just have to play your position.” 

Burke Harris gave the examples of philanthropists targeting their dollars; policy makers elevating policies that recognize and support healthcare providers to do their work in ways that prevent adverse outcomes; educators learning about ACEs and toxic stress and recognizing some of the best practices for providing safe, stable, and nurturing environments in the classroom. 

In the closing remarks of the luncheon, CEO of Center for Child Counseling Renée Layman thanked Dr. Burke Harris “for significantly moving the science and humanity of this work forward on behalf of all of us who envision a world without ACEs for our babies and children.”

As a Palm Beach County based nonprofit, Center for Child Counseling 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.

Center for Child Counseling partners with other agencies in the community and throughout the state, such as FAIMH, to host events like “Celebrating Babies” 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. 

According to Layman, “Children have tremendous potential–which our society needs–and which we have a shared obligation to foster and protect”.

CFCC announced they will welcome back Dr. Burke Harris in person to their Lead the Fight 2025 event on Friday, February 28 at the Kravis Center. For more information on the upcoming event and joining the fight against ACEs, visit: centerforchildcounseling.org/leadthefight. 

About Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.:
Nadine Burke Harris, M.D., MH, FAAP is an internationally renowned pediatrician, public health advocate, and author–best known for her pioneering work in the field of ACEs and toxic stress.

Dr. Burke Harris is the founder and former CEO of the Center for Youth Wellness in San Francisco, an organization dedicated to improving the health of children exposed to ACEs. Dr. Burke Harris served as California’s first Surgeon General, where she focused on addressing the root causes of health disparities and promoting early interventions for childhood trauma. Her influential book, “The Deepest Well: Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity,” has brought widespread attention to the impact of early adversity on long-term health and well-being.

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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New Grant Gives HOPE to Parents and Children in Palm Beach County

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NEWS RELEASE
October 18, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

New Grant Gives HOPE to Parents and Children in Palm Beach County
Center for Child Counseling promotes healthy outcomes and positive experiences within families with a $130,000/year grant from the Youth Services Department. 

Local nonprofit Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) recently secured funding from Palm Beach County Youth Services Department to promote HOPE–healthy outcomes from positive experiences–within families. The $130,000 award per year over the next three years for Project Promoting Family HOPE will be used to offer parent/caregiver education and support to address the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), trauma, and toxic stress. By integrating prevention and early intervention at the family level, parents and caregivers can create safe, supportive environments that promote resilience, healthy relationships, and well-being. 

According to CFCC CEO Renée Layman, “HOPE is a strategy. Without it, we give in, give up, and believe this world is good enough for our kids.”

Positive connection is at the core of CFCC’s work and mission to build the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children, families, and communities. Through prevention and early intervention, the agency strives to address the root causes of mental health struggles early on, to mitigate crises before they escalate. The Center is fighting ACEs and the youth mental health crisis with the best weapon possible: positive childhood experiences (PCEs) grounded in trauma-informed positive relationships and support. 

Project Promoting Family HOPE provides two-generation interventions aimed at promoting positive parenting, nurturing relationships, safe environments, and opportunities for social and emotional development. Adults who report higher numbers of PCEs are less likely to experience depression or poor mental health, and adolescents who have positive experiences during childhood are less likely to develop mental health problems later in life. 

This project focuses on enhancing the capacities of people who live and work with children to mitigate the impact of ACEs and promote HOPE. Evidenced-based strategies and education will focus on youth and families exposed to a variety of stressors, including: harsh parenting strategies, including abuse; domestic and/or community violence; caregiver arrest, incarceration, or absence from the home; caregiver or family history of addiction, substance misuse, mental illness; homelessness or lack of housing stability; family member’s chronic illness or sudden death; separation from parents or placement in the foster care system. 

“No family should shoulder the burden of parenthood alone, especially in a world that feels increasingly disconnected, with mounting economic and political stress. Our data reflects high levels of parent/caregiver dysregulation. But there is hope. All parents can benefit from a listening ear, a guiding hand, or simply a respite from the daily grind of parenthood. Our goal is to give parents this hope so that they can be the positive force in their children’s growth. So their kids can grow and develop into healthy, resilient adults,” stated Layman. 

Through the PBC Youth Services Department grant, the Center is able to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate parent/caregiver and professional education through various curricular materials and workshops. For instance, A Way of Being with Children: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Building Safety and Resilience, is a new research-based curriculum developed for adults who work or live with elementary-aged children and includes a 140-page manual with access to tip sheets, videos, and workshops. This curriculum is being delivered live, in-person or via Zoom, and has content available on CFCC’s learning management system at bekidsafe.org. Educational materials and workshops are offered in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Haitian Creole. 

For more information, visit centerforchildcounseling.org. 

About Center for Child Counseling
Since 1999, Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County. 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. For more information visit, centerforchildcounseling.org/. 

Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Celebrates Renée Layman as an Angels in Adoption® Honoree

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NEWS RELEASE
October 4, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) Celebrates Renée Layman as an Angels in Adoption® Honoree

U.S. Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) celebrated Renée Layman, CEO of Center for Child Counseling (CFCC), as a 2024 Angels in Adoption® Honoree for her outstanding advocacy for adoption and foster care issues. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which coordinates the Angels in Adoption® Program, honored Layman on September 11, 2024, at their annual Angels in Adoption® Celebration in Washington, D.C.

Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick honored Layman for her passionate advocacy for child and family health, equity, and the provision of high-quality prevention, early intervention, and trauma-informed services. Layman is a leader in implementing and promoting comprehensive mental health solutions and eliminating barriers to services. Her commitment to equity ensures that all children and families have access to the resources they need to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. 

“Renée’s advocacy and leadership in the mental health community have significantly contributed to the well-being of countless children and families. She has set an unparalleled standard for mental health services, ensuring that our youngest residents and their parents receive the long-term support and care they need to find stability and a sense of belonging”, said Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick.

Layman is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with almost thirty years of experience in mental health. As President and Chief Executive Officer for 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 current vice president and incoming president of the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health. She is past co-chair of the Leadership Palm Beach County Engage program (2014-2016), volunteering with the organization for more than six years, including playing a leadership role with their Health and Human Services Committee. She is a 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 Committee. 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. This work is in line with her vision to support children and families across Florida. 

The Angels in Adoption® Program is CCAI’s signature public awareness event and provides an annual opportunity for all members of the U.S. Congress to learn of and recognize the great work of their constituents who have enriched the lives of vulnerable children and families in the United States and abroad. This year, 57 Angels from 34 states were honored through the 26th Annual Angels in Adoption® Program. Read the full list of honorees here.

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. As of October 2022, KidSafe Foundation now operates under Center for Child Counseling as the two entities are now stronger together in their education and prevention of child sexual abuse and childhood trauma.

www.centerforchildcounseling.org Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

About Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute

CCAI is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization dedicated to raising awareness about children and youth in the United States and around the world in need of permanent, safe, and nurturing families. Founded in 2001 by the Co-Chairs of the Adoption Caucus – the Congressional Coalition on Adoption, which is the largest bipartisan, bicameral caucus in the U.S. Congress – CCAI works with the caucus to eliminate policy barriers that hinder children from realizing their basic right of a family and more effectively raise congressional and public awareness on permanency as it related to adoption, foster care, and child welfare. For more information, visit www.ccainstitute.org.

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Hannah DeMarco Promoted as Director of Marketing

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September 9, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com 

Hannah DeMarco Promoted as Director of Marketing and Communications of Center for Child Counseling

Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) announces Hannah DeMarco’s promotion to director of marketing and communications to continue to grow and lead the nonprofit agency’s outreach and communications efforts in advancing their mission to provide HOPE and trauma-informed care and support to children and families.

DeMarco received her undergraduate degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University and is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health in Social and Behavioral Sciences from University of Florida. Prior to this promotion, DeMarco served as CFCC’s marketing and communications coordinator since 2021 where she has already significantly impacted the agency through her deep passion for the agency’s mission and work. Previously, she was the program manager of community engagement for Best Buddies International. 

“Hannah’s commitment to promoting mental health and well-being for children and families is evident in her approach, which I believe will only deepen as she completes her master’s program. Her strategic vision and creative leadership will further amplify CFCC’s voice and impact on our community and beyond,” stated Renée Layman, chief executive officer of Center for Child Counseling. 

DeMarco commented, “ With prevention at the forefront of our public health approach and communications efforts, I’m looking forward to continuing to expand our reach within the community and beyond, providing accessible education on ACEs to prevent trauma before it happens and spreading hope for the future of children and families.” 

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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Connecting Pediatric Professionals to School-Based Mental Health Services

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September 4, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Lead the Fight Event Connects Pediatric Professionals to School-Based Mental Health Services
Center for Child Counseling with Palm Beach Pediatric Society lead the fight in children’s mental health by connecting pediatricians to the supports offered in Palm Beach County schools.

The Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) continued its Lead the Fight series to move forward its efforts addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and childhood trauma with the healthcare providers who are on the frontlines of seeing children and families. In partnership with the Palm Beach Pediatric Society, CFCC hosted part two of a three-part series, The Trauma-Informed Pediatric Practice: The Superheroes Have Arrived, on August 28, 2024, at the National Croquet Center in West Palm Beach. 

Led by Dr. Shannon Fox-Levine, president of the Palm Beach Pediatric Society and medical director of Center for Child Counseling, this part of the series focused on how Palm Beach County Schools are helping students with mental health and behavioral concerns–and how pediatricians can tap into available supports to help their patients. The goal of the event was to help pediatricians connect their patients to school-based mental health services–from prevention to crisis support. 

Featured guest speakers included Dr. Seth Bernstein, executive vice president at United Way of Palm Beach County, and Dr. Mary Claire Mucenic, director of behavior and mental health for the School District of Palm Beach County. 

Overarching themes of the evening included the super power in being an advocate for children’s mental health and the necessity of not waiting for a child to fall apart before helping.

Dr. Bernstein provided the history of mental health supports in schools over the last few decades and the research that supports early intervention and reaching children before diagnosis. 

“All children should get the supports that they need and not have to rely on a diagnosis to bill medicaid or insurance,” Bernstein stated.  

Bernstein also shared his personal story of undergoing his parents’ divorce and his introduction to school mental health as a recipient of services. When in high school, the school social worker, Mr. C, invited him to join a “divorce group.” This group helped Bernstein gain the support of his peers, learn coping skills, and build resiliency. He then took a peer support class and by senior year was leading a class for the younger classmen and giving back. 

“He [Mr. C] really set me on this path of who I am today…it really made me into an advocate to really eliminate barriers to access school mental health services for youth and their families…I’m totally committed to supporting the mental health of our children and the support of our families and hope that you will be superheroes also in this fight,“ advocated Bernstein. 

Dr. Mucenic re-stressed the importance of students and families being able to access mental health supports in schools and gave a detailed overview of the services that are provided in the 179 schools that make up the Palm Beach County School District 

Aa part of the school district’s strategic plan, they are measuring and following objectives to support mental health and well being, including: enhance a sense of belonging, safety, and acceptance for all students; and trauma-informed care and practices.

The schools recognize the importance of destigmatizing mental health services and share the message throughout their campuses that, “It’s OK to be OK. It’s OK to not be OK. It’s OK to ask for help.” 


Mucenic emphasized “We have people on every school campus to support mental health. It’s really important.”

Each school’s mental health team includes: school counselor(s), ESOL school coordinator, school psychologist(s), school behavioral health professional, co-located mental health professional (at 115 of the schools), and SBT/CST leader. There are also supports provided at the district level, such as the CAPE Team, Mobile Response Team, and community-based agencies with whom the district partners. 

Center for Child Counseling CEO Renée Layman gave a brief overview of the agency’s public health framework and their data-to-action approach of prevention, early intervention, and treatment. The Center realizes that children don’t necessarily need treatment only, the caregivers need ways to help their own kids. 

“We have focused largely on building the capacity of people who work and live with kids to promote their well-being and resilience,” said Layman.

Dominika Nolan, director of education and prevention services for CFCC gave an overview of all of the services offered to children, families, schools, and communities in order to build the capacity and promote positive mental health for all. 

In the closing remarks for the evening, Dr. Fox-Levine encouraged all attendees to think about, “How can you take action now and step out of this room tonight and into your day tomorrow and be a superhero even more than what you have been in the past with the information and energy from tonight about the exciting things that are happening with our schools and being able to partner with schools?” 

In 2015, Center for Child Counseling launched Fighting ACEs to build awareness and action to mitigate the impact of ACEs and build well-being through Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs). In conjunction with Leadership Palm Beach County Class of 2017, the Center developed ‘Lead the Fight’ in 2016 to bring awareness to system leaders around fighting childhood adversity with advocacy and action. Since that time, the agency has educated tens of thousands of parents, professionals, and systems leaders. 

Partnership sponsors who are leading the fight in making these important and necessary conversations possible include: BeWellPBC, Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, Florida Association for Infant Mental Health, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Hanley Foundation, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Palm Beach County, Mead Johnson Nutrition, Palm Beach Pediatrics, Palm Beach Pediatric Society, and Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley. 

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.

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. 

Part 3 of the Lead the Fight 2024 series, Positivity Will Give HOPE for Our Future, will take place on December 4. The event focus will be on understanding the effect of Positive Childhood Experiences on countering the long-term possible effect of Adverse Childhood Experiences.

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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FAU Dean Justin Perry, Ph.D., Joins Center for Child Counseling’s Board of Directors

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases , , , , ,

August 28, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com 

Dr. Justin Perry Joins Center for Child Counseling’s Board of Directors

The Center for Child Counseling (CFCC) Board of Directors recently voted in Justin Perry, Ph.D., as its newest member to use his experience and expertise as a researcher and clinician to advance and support the mission of the non-profit agency.

Dr. Perry is dean of the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College at Florida Atlantic University. Prior to joining FAU, his work experience includes: dean of the School of Education, Ewing Marion Kauffman/Missouri Endowed Chair, and professor of Counseling and Educational Psychology at the University of Missouri – Kansas City; chair, associate professor, and assistant professor in the Department of Counseling, Administration, Supervision, and Adult Learning at Cleveland State University; director of the Center for Urban Education at CSU.

Dr. Perry has a Ph.D. in counseling psychology and a master’s degree in mental health counseling, both from Boston College. He spent nearly 10 years serving on the board of directors at Esperanza, Inc., a non-profit organization in Cleveland dedicated to the educational needs of Hispanic youth. He has more than 15 years of clinical experience serving children and families in the mental health delivery system, including: hospital, residential, community agency, preK-12, and private practice settings. 

Renée Layman, chief executive officer of CFCC, stated, “I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Perry’s involvement with the Center over the last several years as an academic institutional partner. I am now thrilled to have him on our board to further strengthen our partnership with FAU and continue to move our agency forward to better serve the mental health needs of all children and families in Palm Beach County.”  

Dr. Perry has been instrumental in working with CFCC’s clinical staff on building a robust internship and workforce entry pipeline for Wilkes Honors College undergraduate students. 

“Based on my own professional experience in providing mental health services to children and families, I was naturally drawn to the mission of CFCC. I quickly became inspired by the remarkable organization it has built over the past several decades, and the forward-thinking approach it has developed and put into practice,” stated Dr. Perry with respect to why he has chosen to serve on the board.

The other members of CFCC’s Board of Directors include: Eugenia Millender, Ph.D., chair; Eddie Stephens, vice chair; Jeffrey Petrone, treasurer and secretary; Bill Lynch, past chair; Jennifer Hume Rodriguez, director; Patsy Mintmire, director; Melissa Haley, director; Jessica Cecere, director; and Renée Layman, president and chief executive officer.

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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Seven Local Families Receive $7,000 Each Through the Mary Alice Fortin Foundation ‘Christmas in July’ Initiative

Cara Hansen Latest News, News Releases , , ,

NEWS RELEASE

August 13, 2024
For immediate release
Media contact: Cara Scarola Hansen
Center for Child Counseling Public Relations Counsel
cara@yourmissionmarketing.com

Seven Local Families Receive $7,000 Each Through the Mary Alice Fortin Foundation ‘Christmas in July’ Initiative

Summer gift provides monetary relief to Center for Child Counseling families experiencing unique and significant challenges.

Through a special summer Christmas in July initiative, The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation chose seven families through the Center for Child Counseling to receive $7,000 each in an effort to provide financial assistance to families who have faced significant challenges and would greatly benefit from support. The seven families gathered at the U.B. Kinsey Educational and Community Center in West Palm Beach on August 6 to receive the much-needed and much-appreciated checks. 

The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation, based in Palm Beach, started the Christmas in July program in 2011 to alleviate the lack of funding for non-profits during the summer. Each year the organization accepts applications from selected, local non-profits to learn of their most deserving families in need of monetary relief.

This year’s recipients are resilient families receiving therapeutic services through the Center for Child Counseling and working to build better lives for their children. The families include: a 33-year old single mother of two who is on dialysis three times a week and legally blind; a 25-year-old single mother of five children who is currently escaping an abusive relationship with the children’s father and residing in a shelter; grandparents caring for their grandson because of the abuse he experienced while under the care of his mother; a 17-year-old single mother who will be faced with eviction from her home when she turns 18 in the coming months; a single mother of two who has endured profound hardships and emotional turmoil and living in a small, old studio apartment that is not safe; a 20-year-old single mother of two who has a long history of homelessness due to no fault of her own; a 14-year-old daughter who is living with her mother who had a traumatic life-altering injury that has caused extremely limited mobility and now their basic needs are not always met.

When Center for Child Counseling CEO Renée Layman announced that assistance would be provided to each of the seven families, there was a resounding sense of disbelief, gratitude, and tears of joy.  

The families expressed this “life changing” support would be used for things such as: first, last, and security deposits to obtain stable housing; food; medical care; childcare; diapers; back-to-school supplies. 

“We are most grateful to the Mary Alice Fortin Foundation for their year-round leadership in our community of serving and helping those most in need. Thank you for continuing to be a partner of ours and bringing essential financial assistance to families who are struggling and especially need a hand up in the summer months while parents may have increased difficulty with childcare and are preparing to send their children back to school,” stated Layman. 

PHOTO ID:
(Credit – Tracey Benson Photography)
Center for Child Counseling staff and board members with the families who received financial assistance from The Mary Alice Fortin Foundation Christmas in July initiative at the UB Kinsey Educational and Community Center on August 6, 2024. 

About Center for Child Counseling
Since 1999, Center for Child Counseling has been building the foundation for playful, healthful, and hopeful living for children and families in Palm Beach County. 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. For more information visit, centerforchildcounseling.org. 

Twitter: @ChildCounselPBC Facebook: @CenterforChildCounseling Instagram: @childcounselpbc

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