The Counseling Center programs/services begin in early childhood to help provide a healthy start, and continue on throughout their school years. Families must be included in the nurturing and problem solving process, thus our programs also provide support for parents, siblings and care-givers.

We Believe:

Youth and families do better when they express their thoughts and feelings to others in a friendly and cooperative atmosphere.

When families discover and utilize their strengths, they are more likely to succeed.

Families succeed when they have local support to whom they can turn when facing challenges.

Positive Beginnings:

Positive Beginnings is a comprehensive early childhood program which focuses on helping parents and caregivers provide healthy environments for their young children.  In-home programming provides assistance to parents to help them get off to a positive start and obtain assistance from community resources when needed.

Early Childhood Community Support and Consultation provides community support services for children 3 to 5 years of age who are exhibiting behavioral problems.  Home visits give our Early Childhood Specialists the opportunity to work with parents/caregivers and children on special behavioral issues or other concerns.  Additionally, consultation services are available to day care centers, preschools and other systems serving young children.

Education & Support:

Educational and support programs are available for youth and families.  Two of our major programs are:

Project: S.A.F.E. (Support, Assistance & Family Education) is a parent program that is designed to help families by providing information, guidance and support.  This program includes two parts: a 12-week Group Education Program and a home based Mentoring/Support Program. 

The topics involved in this educational training are:

Childhood Development
Building Positive Relationships
Parenting Styles
Understanding Behavior
Effective Discipline
Child Rearing

Information is also available on other issues that effect families such as: divorce, domestic violence, substance abuse, stress, mental health, and developing positive networks.

Incredible Years – An evidence-based program designed to teach preschool children (ages 3-6) social skills and appropriate behaviors through use of puppet and play activities, while helping their parents develop effective parenting skills.

Diagnostic, Assessment, Counseling, Groups, Psychiatric Care:

This group of services includes more traditional mental health services, providing assessment/evaluation and appropriate individual/family therapy to youth and their families. In addition, group therapy (e.g., Anger Management groups) sessions are held as appropriate.

Psychiatric care and medication monitoring for youth are available by psychiatrists and a psychiatric nurse who specialize in work with children and adolescents.

Project F.O.C.U.S.:

Project F.O.C.U.S. (Families Of Children Under Stress) is a comprehensive community support program designed to more effectively meet the needs of youth with severe emotional/behavioral disturbances and their families.  Youth Community Support staff work with youth and their families to assess family needs; provide direct interventions; coordinate services; advocate on behalf of the youth/family; monitor the youth in the home, school and community; provide education, support or crisis intervention services; and link/refer youth and their families to community resources.  Such problems may be indicated by:   

• Developmental or learning problems

• School difficulties

• Not obeying school and/or home rules

• Lack of social supports

• The child’s parents being overwhelmed by ongoing stressors and/or emotional problems

• Risk of out-of-home placement

Youth Community Support staff work with youth and their families to assess family needs; provide direct interventions; coordinate services; advocate on behalf of the youth/family/ monitor the youth in the home, school and community; provide education, support or crisis intervention services; and link/refer youth and their families to community resources.

Families Together:

Intensive home-based treatment services are intended to serve youth and families in need of intensive services due to risk of out-of-home placement, return from placement, and/or severe emotional disturbances.  Families Together MST (Multi-Systemic Therapy) staff are licensed and trained to provide this evidence-based model, which targets antisocial and delinquent behavior in youth.  All Families Together intensive services are time-limited, provide 24/7 crisis availability, and are certified by the Ohio Department of Mental Health.

For More information on any of these services, please contact:

Marcy Patton, PCC-S, LICDC
Director of Youth Community Support
Ext. 204
mpatton@colmhc.org 

or 

Todd Frampton, PCC-S
Director of Client Services
Ext. 480
tframpton@colmhc.org