We are delighted to receive a grant from the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities (FDD) to support “Elevate” an initiative to provide advanced, evidence based clinical training to therapists and supervisors across all of our youth serving programs. The grant from FDD will support a 3 part training series over the course of nine months:
- Workshop 1 is an introduction to autism spectrum disorders (AS) and mental health risks for youth with ASD.
- Workshop 2 is an advanced training on effective treatments for youth with ASD experiencing mental health challenges.
- Workshop 3 is focused on effective practices for providing support to siblings and parents and guidance to classroom teachers.
At Palomar Family Counseling Service (PFCS), 45 licensed or registered therapists provide mental health services to middle school aged youth and their families at over 15 schools, our 3 clinics, clients’ homes and via telehealth. We serve over 2500 youth in 5 distinct programs; 80% are from low-income families, 78% are minorities.
Our therapists are dedicated to transforming the lives of struggling youth by giving them the help they need to thrive. Increasingly therapists are called to address issues that are complex and stress their expertise, including the provision of mental health counseling and treatment services to children and youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Recent research has made clear that suicidal behavior is particularly common among youth with ASD without an intellectual disability. These young people also have high rates of psychiatric disorders including anxiety, ADHD and mood disorders. There are limited providers in the San Diego mental health community to effectively address this growing trend.
We are grateful to the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities for their generous support.
The Foundation for Developmental Disabilities’ mission is to generate and distribute funds to innovative programs that enhance the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) in San Diego and Imperial Counties.