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Childcare Resources of Indian River, Inc. Psychological services Programa. Funder. Children services Advisory Committee <br /> B. PROGRAM NEED STATEMENT (Entire Section B not to exceed one page. <br /> 1 . a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has the need? <br /> c) Where do they live? d) Provide local, state, or national trend data, with reference <br /> source, that corroborates that this is an area of need. <br /> a) A percentage of all families face problems and stresses and need professional psychological <br /> intervention. Recent research indicates that more children three and under suffer from emotional <br /> stress, like adults, "but they lack the coping mechanisms years of living bring" (Florida <br /> Association for Infant Mental Health, 2003). Childcare Resources ' targeted population is more <br /> economically needy, and families historically face life challenges to a greater degree than the <br /> general population. Indian River County lacks sufficient psychological services to low-income <br /> families with mental health needs. In addition, there are challenges in identifying fandlies with <br /> such needs and encouraging them to take advantage of available resources. Childcare Resources <br /> centers lack clinical staff and the financial resources to independently contract with mental <br /> health professionals. <br /> Problems in the classroom that cannot be handled within the capabilities of the staff often <br /> result in the expulsion of the child in crisis. A child labeled a problem early on will likely arrive <br /> at kindergarten ready to live up to the label. Intervention before expulsion is far more helpful for <br /> ail concemed. <br /> b) The targeted population is families in our program who demonstrate a need for psychological <br /> services in one or more of the following areas: <br /> 1 . Children who exhibit behavioral, developmental, and/or emotional difficulties that seriously <br /> impact their chances for school and life success. <br /> 2 . Parents who deal with issues like: abuse, divorce, depression, anxiety, custody, substance <br /> abuse or significant health problems. <br /> 3 . Parents with "special needs" children in the family who need support. <br /> 4. Childcare Resources centers need the opportunity to receive on-site professional <br /> psychological/behavioral support. <br /> c) Those in need appear to be spread evenly throughout Indian River County. <br /> d) The National Mental Health Association tells us that although one in five children has a <br /> diagnosable mental health problem, nearly two-thirds of them get little or no help. Untreated <br /> mental health problems can disrupt children's functioning at home, school and in the community. <br /> Without treatment, children with mental health issues are at increased risk of school failure, <br /> contact with the criminal justice system, and dependence on social services. <br /> Professional services are only recommended after efforts by the Childcare Resources staff and <br /> center staff have been exhausted. <br /> FIdentifyfy similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targeted <br /> on; b) Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted <br /> n of your program. <br /> Resources is the only program in the county that ties psychological services, <br /> ect intervention, to the funding of childcare. In previous years the Early Learning <br /> a small amount of funding for a large population of children but even that is no <br /> longer available. <br /> 4 <br />