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Programs & Services - Prevention Plus School-Based
CHAC provides direct counseling services for children and youth on 24 local school campuses to address emotional and social health needs. Teachers, school administrators, and parents refer children to services.
The primary goal of the Prevention Plus school–based counseling program is to protect students from high–risk behaviors, while promoting positive attitudes and behaviors.
The program is designed to:
- Help youth to live healthy, productive and positive lives
- Improve interpersonal, problem solving, and communication skills
- Help youth to develop self–awareness, build self–esteem, and learn to express their feelings and needs
- Help and guide them in the development of organizational and study skills
- Help them develop coping skills needed for difficult life situations.
Program components include:
Culture Counts
Culture Counts is a school based program provided by Community Health Awareness Council (CHAC) that uses a psycho educational individual and/or group approach to work with immigrant students that are dealing with cultural problems arising from their immigration.
Migration is a stressful life event that can influence mental health causing acculturation problems. It is the process of adapting and adjusting to a different culture that causes acculturation problems requiring clinical attention. In adolescents, acculturation problems include: depression, isolation low social and academic involvement, and rebellion. The
psychological stress associated with immigration tends to be concentrated in the first three years after arrival in the United States.
Culture Counts provides social and psychological support to students that are at risk for a variety of issues associated with acculturation which impacts academic and social functioning. This school based service, currently offered at Mountain View High School, provides 6 sessions (or more depending on need) of individual counseling to address the students’ individual issues regarding culture and/or 6 sessions of group meeting that meets once a week during lunch. Participants may be referred by school administration, school counselors and teachers. The group meets in an informal setting and each session consists of topics that are relevant to the needs of the participants that include the strength based perspective with emphasis on peer to peer
support. The goals of the group are to establish friendships, create cultural understanding, encourage educational involvement and grant support resulting in individual growth.
The mission of Culture Counts is to provide education, support and a healthy appreciation and acceptance of our rich and diverse community.
Just for Kids – Living Skills Program
Just for Kids is a "living skills" program for 2nd and 3rd grade children that teach healthy ways of coping with family and environmental pressures including age–appropriate substance abuse education. The curriculum teaches facts about substance abuse, encourages healthy self–esteem and lifestyle choices and takes place during the lunch hour with parental request and permission.
For more information on how to enroll your child, please contact program director, Elizabeth S. "Betty" Mackey, MA, MTF.
Second Step – Anger management
Second Step is designed to instill empathy through teaching conflict resolution and anger management skills. CHAC provides this program upon request.
New Outlooks – Adolescent drug & alcohol program
New Outlooks is an after–school program for adolescents, ages 13 – 19 years., who are working towards a clean and sober lifestyle, free from alcohol and drug use. New Outlooks responds to a need in the community by working with substance abusing teens that do not need residential care and can benefit from supportive treatment and recovery. Through counseling, support, and other interventions, individuals have the opportunity to learn how to lead sober and productive lives. They work towards improving relationships, and learn about themselves.
New Outlooks accepts referrals from all sources including schools, family therapists, probation and the community. New Outlooks meets at the CHAC agency twice a week for 2–hour sessions. The group size is limited to 10 teens at a time. The program also runs at the Alta Vista campus.
New Outlooks includes the following:
- Individual therapy
- Group counseling
- Family therapy
- Multi–family meetings
- Field trips which offer training in sober living skills and provides drug–free activities
- Structured and supportive environment
- Random drug–testing
For more information on the New Outlooks program, please contact program director, Ursula Vogelsang or by phone at 650-965-2020 x40.
Conflict resolution peer training
This program is designed to teach selected children meditation skills to help their peers resolve conflicts.
Parent support and classes
CHAC holds a parenting classes and support groups geared towards parents of infants, preschoolers, toddlers, children, and adolescents. One of the methods that are used is the Seven–week Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP). This course, as well as others, is offered on elementary and high school campuses, as well on–site at CHAC. Current course schedules in English and Spanish.
The Village Program
An intensive on–campus program offered at Castro and Landels Elementary Schools, and Crittenden Middle School. The program includes individual and group counseling, a drop–in parent resource center, parenting courses and counseling, a therapeutic time–out room, classroom intervention services, crisis/conflict resolution mediation, and a homework club.
Healthy Adolescent Project (HAP)
The Healthy Adolescent Project (HAP) is a case management, educational, and counseling program dealing with issues of adolescent health and sexuality. HAP is offered on the Graham and Crittenden Middle school campus. The program provides social and psychological support to middle–school students (and their families) that are at risk for a variety of physical and mental health problems.
The program includes fun and interactive student groups, called "All About US!" The groups include the topics of stress and coping, alcohol and drugs, pre–adolescent sexual behavior, relationships, and violence. The program also includes individual and group counseling on school campus with a CHAC counselor.
Also, included in the program is case management, managed by a social worker. The case manager provides appropriate services such as medical and dental, legal, and mentoring/tutoring for the HAP families as needed. In addition, parenting groups are offered throughout the school year.
Other Assessments & Services:
Crisis Counseling
Crisis counseling is available during and after school hours to provide immediate help on campus with crisis situations (e.g., severe trauma to a member of the school community, death of a child, teacher or parent, suicidal student or child abuse). When a crisis occurs, CHAC responds immediately by adding counselors to the school campus in need, or responding to a call for help by the police.
Bilingual/Bicultural Counseling, Outreach, and Support
Bicultural/bilingual services are provided for students from various ethnic/cultural communities.
Drug and Alcohol Assessment
CHAC provides on–site drug and alcohol assessments as requested by the school.
Suicidal Ideation Assessment
CHAC provides assessment of the level of severity and danger for suicidal risk for any client referred or requested by the school.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth (LGBTQ) Counseling and Outreach Services
This program’s aim is to be sensitive to the needs of LGBTQ youth seeking support, as well as a network for referral and integration into the wider social framework of our community. The following services are provided to this diverse community of local youth: individual, group, and family counseling, parent support and education, community liaison, consultation and referral.
Help with Special Requests
CHAC staff and interns are available per request for "special needs" such as: speaking about drugs and alcohol to a group, speaking at PTA meetings, serving on committees, providing staff trainings, and speaking at special school projects. To make a request for any of the above, please contact Araceli Brun, Public Relations Manager at 650–965–2020 x19.
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