CARING FOR KIDS - SEPTEMBER 2020 |
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Greetings!
St. Charles County has a dedicated fund for children's mental health services. Through a local sales tax over 70,000 children and youth receive prevention education and mental health supports annually. The CCRB is proud to administer these funds, ensuring our youth and their families have the resources they need to realize a brighter tomorrow.
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- Youth Suicide Prevention
- Steps for Helping those in Emotional Pain
- Self-Care for Educators
- Teen on a Path To Success
- Spotlight
- Seeds of Hope Program
- News from the Field
Learn more about our monthly Board meetings here. |
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St. Charles County Non-Profits
Preventing Youth Suicide
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Suicide is the 2nd most common cause for death in youth ages 12-24; a trend that alarms parents, mental health professionals, and adults who work with youth.
St. Charles County is fortunate to have three mental health providers who specialize in identifying youth and supporting who are contemplating suicide: CHADS Coalition for Mental Health, Kids Under Twenty One (KUTO), and the Megan Meier Foundation. Each of these organizations' founders turned personal tragedies into a mission to prevent other families from having to experience one of the worst losses a parent can feel. Each organization offers a variety of counseling, resources, and supports for those considering suicide or suicide loss survivors.
Marian and Larry McCord, founded CHADS Coalition for Mental Health after their teen son, Chad lost his battle with depression and took his own life. Located in St. Louis, CHADS provides suicide prevention presentations and counseling to youth throughout St. Charles County. We asked Marian more about CHADS and their mission to save young lives.
How has your personal loss impacted CHADS' programs and focus?
The loss of our son Chad, was the driving force of our passion to create an organization dedicated to saving young lives. CHADS has two programs funded through the CCRB: Signs of Suicide presentations and Family Support. CHADS uses an evidence-based program that has shown a reduction in suicide attempts. The Family Support program is specifically designed for youth struggling with depression and suicidal ideation, and students are usually referred to the program by school counselors or staff.
How have youth responded to the programs? Very well! They seem to really appreciate the support and guidance to have these conversations that center around mental health. Many are fighting the battle with depression in silence or in the trenches with other friends that are struggling with depression, and are very grateful for making it a safe topic to talk about!
Is there a need for additional services related to suicide prevention, education, or support? The request for CHADS suicide prevention programs and family support counseling is growing faster than the funding available.
With increased funding, I would love to do more parent presentations to raise awareness about youth depression and suicide and most importantly, give parents skills to best support their children that may be struggling. Most parents have NO idea how prevalent depression is among our youth. Nor are they equipped to have those difficult conversations. Conversations that could one day save their child’s life!
Get help:
CHADS Family Support: 314.952.8274
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Self-Care & Relationship Building for Teachers |
Saint Louis Counseling School Partnership Program (SPP) created "Return to School During COVID-19," a video about teacher self-care and building relationships. Therapists therapists Katelyn Schaefer, Nicole B., and Whitney Griggs discuss techniques and strategies tailored to teaching. More resources for educators are available here.
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Teen on a Path to Success |
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Meet Naomi. She is a brilliant, resourceful, and hilarious teen, and is also the mother of a one-year-old daughter, Nora. Naomi's parent educator learned about The Sparrow's Nest and reached out to them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Naomi and her daughter moved into The Sparrow's Nest just after Nora's 1st birthday. Funding for Naomi and Nora's care is partially provided by the CCRB.
The Sparrow's Nest staff is so proud of Naomi's accomplishments in the short time that she's been with them. Naomi recently was hired for her first job and is registered to return to school in August. The TSN team, Naomi's parent educator, and her social worker are all cooperating to build a network of supports for Naomi, her daughter, and her daughter's father. The primary goal is to help Naomi develop healthy relationships with trusted adults. While her journey hasn't been easy, Naomi is an active partner in building the life she wants for herself and her daughter.
The Sparrow's Nest Maternity Home provides long-term housing, counseling, and parenting and educational supports for pregnant or parenting teens who are homeless.
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Spotlight: Cory Elliott, CCRB Treasurer |
Cory joined the CCRB in 2018 and became Treasurer in 2019. She is the owner and CEO of CMT, LLC, a full service commercial construction company. Prior to CMT, she held eighteen years of business experience in healthcare management and construction.
Cory is active in the community and supports organizations that work with under-served and marginalized populations, such as formerly incarcerated women, victims of domestic violence, and children. The CCRB fits into her focus, by funding programs for organizations that make a difference for youth. Cory explained, "the Board asks the hard questions to ensure our community is getting the best quality and coordination of care. We are thoughtful and respond to the needs of our partner agencies."
A graduate of Washington University, Cory was named woman of the year in 2014, and was inducted into St. Louis’ “Wall of Fame” by the Grace Hill Women’s Business Center.
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LINC's Seeds of Hope Impacts Early Learners |
LINC St. Charles County's Seeds of Hope summer tutoring/mentor program has been a great success for Pre-K up to 5th grade youth. Volunteers have seen kids grow in their academic Levels with reading, math facts, science, writing time, and technology time, all while practicing social gathering distances and sanitation guidelines. It has been amazing to see that young children can still learn and keep on a mask or a clear face shield while they work. The volunteers have fun helping the young students prepare for school in the fall. |
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NAMI St. Louis programs have moved to online. Visit their website to register for their virtual support groups, educational presentations on mental health, speaker series, and much more! NAMI's HelpLine is available 7 days a week, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Please call (314) 962-4670 or email at info@namistl.org for any questions or resources.
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Gateway Human Trafficking (GHT) will host A StoryTelling Night to Combat Human Trafficking from the Arts Against Human Trafficking program. Join them in learning about the healing power of art. The event will be held virtually on September 24, 2020 at 7 pm to 8 p.m. (CST). For a preview of the event, watch https://youtu.be/VAMUK3LIHso.
On July 30, GHT hosted a virtual training to discuss investigating and prosecuting human trafficking violations in the federal court system. Guest speakers included the Honorable Stephen Bough, U. S. District Court Judge, and Teresa Moore, First Assistant U. S. Attorney. Participants learned how to increase awareness and education about human trafficking in their community.
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F.A.C.T. - Family Advocacy & Community Training offers Parent Support Group meetings for parents of children with disabilities. The meetings are held via Zoom every other Tuesday evening at 6 p. m., beginning on September 8. To connect, https://zoom.us/j/8831088892.
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Our Lady's Inn (OLI) started off the new school year with four young students enrolled in virtual school. Staff created a school room for the students, partnered with Harvester Christian Church for school supplies, and designed individual learning centers for each student, allowing for successful virtual learning. The moms and children are taking the changes in stride and are excited for a new year of learning.
Our Lady's Inn is a residential program for women who are homeless, pregnant, and parenting. The program provides a number of supports for each family, reducing the risk of child neglect or abuse and enabling women to lead healthy, productive lives.
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Community and Children's Resource Board of St. Charles County |
2440 Executive Dr, Ste 214
St. Charles, MO 63303
(636) 939-6200
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