Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County address mental health concerns with new Emotional Well-Being Program

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- The Boys and Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County is implementing a new program for students and staff, and it comes at a time when mental health crises are on the rise for youth.

The clubs’ mission is to enable and inspire young people to reach their full potential as productive, caring and responsible citizens.

The organization is always looking for ways to better accommodate their 2,000+ students and 245 staff members, and the newest initiative is an Emotional Well-Being program.

The program will place an emphasis on preventative mental healthcare, and will use screens to identify children and teens with early onset mental health concerns.

It will also address untreated conditions that may be currently affecting functionality or creating challenges.

Some aspects of the program include preventative education and programming, crisis care, individual and group counseling and training for staff and families on intervention strategies.

Erica Kelsey is the Director of the Emotional Well-Being Program. She says this program is “something that’s been needed [because] there are not enough mental health professionals in our society, in our country, probably in the world to really serve everyone who needs it.”

A grant from an anonymous donor will allow the program to sustain for three years.

The Boys and Girls Clubs are also talking with local universities in hopes to collaborate with their social work and clinical psychology practicum placements and expand their team of providers within the program.