Services
Children & Adolescents
Life is about choices. Teaching children to make decisions based on problem solving and effective communication can be the difference between success and failure. JFCS encourages youth to take responsibility for their own actions and that can begin by making a call for services.
Complex Problems Facing Youth and Adolescents
JFCS programs solve problems. If your child has difficulty with any of the following, help is just a phone call away.
- Coping with divorce or remarriage
- Exposure to substance abusers
- Low confidence/self-esteem
- Loss of a loved one
- Discipline or frustration in school
- Peer pressure
- Academic success in school
- Managing emotions
- Truancy or other delinquent behavior
- Gang involvement
At JFCS, our youth programs are preventive in nature and the goal is to give young people the skills to achieve success at school and at home. We connect with youth through families and schools to keep them linked to the community structure, making them less likely to engage in risky behavior such as drug use, crime, or gang-related activities.
Group Prevention Programs
Substance abuse education
Bullying and gang involvement
Anger management
Improving self esteem
Developing positive social values
Individual and Family Counseling
Play Therapy
School Based Programs
For more information on any of these programs, contact the Director of Counseling at 941-366-2224.
CAMP MARIPOSA
Did you know? At least 11% or 8.3 million children in the U.S. live in a home with a parent in need of treatment for alcohol and/or drug dependency
JFCS is the proud recipient of a grant to operate Camp Mariposa. Created and funded by The Moyer Foundation (www.moyerfoundation.org), Camp Mariposa is a first-of-its-kind program designed to help meet the needs of children (9-12) facing the difficult challenges associated with an addicted or co-dependent family member.
These children are at greater risk than their peers to suffer from problems such as depression and anxiety, physical health challenges and learning problems; three times more likely to be abused, four times more likely to be neglected, and face four times the risk of developing substance abuse issues.* Knowing that 95% of adult addicts start to use drugs before the age of 20, Camp Mariposa strives to intervene before a problem develops.
Camp Mariposa is a traditional, fun, over-night camp providing counseling and emotional support, while teaching participants a variety of problem-solving and self-care strategies. The camp gives children a chance to laugh, play, explore and learn, as well as to create friendships with other children who relate to them and understand what they are going through.
Camp Mariposa seeks to increase campers' understanding of drug and alcohol abuse and their impact on the family; raise campers' awareness of resources available to help them; reduce their sense of isolation and fear; and help them avoid repeating generational patterns.
6 FREE weekends at a beautiful facility 25 miles from Sarasota:
December 2 - 4, 2011
February 10 - 12, 2012
March 30 - April 1, 2012
June 8 - 10, 2012
August 10 - 12, 2012
October 19 - 21, 2012
SATOSS - Safe Alternative to Out-of-School Suspension
JFCS offers this innovative intervention and counseling program at McIntosh, Booker, and Heron Creek Middle Schools in Sarasota County and Lincoln Middle School in Manatee County. Social workers from JFCS are assigned to each school to provide individual and group counseling to at-risk youth who are referred by school administrators. Students are matched with trained adult mentors who serve as positive role models and provide academic and emotional support.
Emma E. Booker Elementary Prevention Program
JFCS also offers behavior specialists to catch destructive habits early. Early learning helps children be successful in the classroom and prevents behavior such as verbal and physical aggression, insubordination and substance abuse. School officials and classroom teachers work with the JFCS social worker to help students with behavior changes to ensure success in the classroom. Similar to the SATOSS middle school program, elementary school students are matched with trained adult mentors who serve as positive role models and provide academic and emotional support.
Horizon Plus
JFCS, through funding provided by the United Way of Manatee County, has recently established a collaborative effort to provide psycho-educational and mental health counseling services for students attending Horizon Academy. The Academy is an alternative school that assists at-risk students throughout Manatee County.
Resource for Parents in Sarasota
All About Sarasota Kids is a connection to all of Sarasota’s resources for expectant parents and families with young children. Highlighting programs, services, and resources available only in Sarasota, parents who have questions – no matter how simple or complicated – can get answers quickly and easily. The Website provides visitors with helpful links to exactly the services they’re looking for such as educational services and fun events. Please visit www.allaboutsarasotakids.org to view your local resources!
