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Community Child Care Resources, Inc. Psychological Services Children 's Services Advisory Committee <br /> a) What is the unacceptable condition requiring change? b) Who has the need ? c) Where do they <br /> live? d) Provide local, state, or national trend data, with reference source, that corroborates that <br /> this is an area of need. a. A percentage of all families face problems and stresses and need professional <br /> psychological intervention. Recent research indicates that more children three and under suffer from <br /> emotional stress, like adults, "but they lack the coping mechanisms years of living bring" (Florida <br /> Association for Infant Mental Health, 2003 ) . CCCR' s targeted population is more economically needy, <br /> and families historically face life challenges to a greater degree than the general population. <br /> Consequently, they exhibit a greater need for psychological support. Indian River County lacks sufficient <br /> psychological services to serve low-income families with mental health needs . In addition, there are <br /> challenges in identifying families with such needs and encouraging them to take advantage of available <br /> resources . CCCR centers lack clinical staff and the financial resources to independently contract with <br /> mental health professionals . <br /> Problems in the classroom that cannot be handled within the capabilities of the staff often result in the <br /> expulsion of the child in crisis . Teacher requests for therapeutic intervention center on the number of <br /> children (total class , not just CCCR) exhibiting inappropriate anger towards both fellow students and <br /> teachers . CCCR staff has seen an increase in inappropriate anger in classrooms in recent years . On-site <br /> visits by therapists increase impact by helping the teacher develop a plan for work with the child who is <br /> angry and disruptive, restoring a productive environment and showing the other children in the class <br /> positive strategies for dealing with anger. <br /> b . The targeted population is CCCR families who demonstrate a need for psychological services in one <br /> 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) CCCR centers need the opportunity to receive on- site professional psychological/behavioral <br /> 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 ahs a diagnosable <br /> mental health problem, nearly two-thirds of them get little or no help . Untreated mental health problems <br /> can disrupt children ' s functioning at home, school and in the community. Without treatment, children <br /> with mental health issues are at increased risk of school failure, contact with the criminal justice system, <br /> dependence on social services, and even suicide . <br /> In the 2003 -2004 funding year, CCCR provided childcare for 97 children (85 slots) . 29 classroom <br /> visits from a professional therapist were required. This is up from eight in the previous year. We believe <br /> this is evidence of an increasing acceptance on the part of the centers and parents for professional <br /> intervention and increasing evidence of the need for such services . It should be remembered that <br /> professional services are only recommended after efforts by the CCCR staff and center staff have been <br /> exhausted . <br /> 1 . a) Identify similar programs that are currently serving the needs of your targeted population ; b) <br /> Explain how these existing programs are under-serving the targeted population of your <br /> program . a. CCCR and the School Readiness Coalition are the only programs in the County that tie <br /> psychological services , including direct intervention to the funding of childcare . <br /> b . The School Readiness Coalition has $2 , 500 in enhancement money to be used exclusively for direct <br /> services to individual children in their program . This would provide 30 hours of therapy, for Coalition <br /> children, and is unable to include family support. <br /> Application for 2005 -2006 service period 5 <br />