$12,000 to be used in support of outpatient services for children from birth to age 5
“For families seeking mental health care for a young child, cost and insurance coverage can become barriers to getting the help they need,” a news release from The Florida Center for Early Childhood points out. “A $12,000 grant from the Wilson-Wood Foundation” will help the nonprofit “provide outpatient mental health services to children from birth through fifth grade, regardless of their families’ ability to pay,” the release says.
“The grant supports The Florida Center’s Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Outpatient Program, which serves children experiencing emotional, behavioral, developmental and trauma-related challenges,” the release explains. “Clinicians work with children and their caregivers to strengthen emotional regulation and healthy coping skills, improve behavior at home and school, help caregivers better understand their children’s mental health needs and responses to trauma, and build stronger caregiver-child relationships,” the release points out.
Over 85% of the families served by the program meet the ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) criteria, “or live at or below the poverty level,” the release notes. “Many are uninsured, underinsured or Medicaid-eligible and cannot afford to pay for services out of pocket. Insurance reimbursement also may not cover the full range of care a child needs, including caregiver consultation and collaboration with schools,” the release says.
Research on adverse childhood experiences has shown that events “during a child’s formative years can have lasting effects on physical and mental health,” the release continues. “Addressing emotional, behavioral and trauma-related challenges early can help prevent secondary problems such as poor school performance and low self-esteem and reduce the risk of more serious mental health concerns later in life,” the release adds.
“Wilson-Wood Foundation’s longstanding support allows us to reach children at a time when intervention can make an extraordinary difference,” says Melissa Robinson, vice president of behavioral health services at The Florida Center, says in the release. “When children learn to understand and manage their emotions — and caregivers learn how to support them — those skills can make a difference at home, at school and as children grow,” Robinson added in the release.
The Foundation is located in Nokomis.
“The grant continues a trusted partnership between the Wilson-Wood Foundation and The Florida Center spanning more than two decades,” the release notes. Over the years, the Foundation “has supported programs serving children and families through developmental therapies, multigenerational mental health counseling, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) evaluation and prevention, and training for childcare providers,” it adds.