The CHILDREN FIRST program addresses the
specialized needs of children and their families with
on-site counseling services at 20 local elementary and
middle schools. This MDS Counseling Center program
serves over 700 children and provides over 6,000 hours
of counseling annually.
CHILDREN FIRST helps children who are
experiencing emotional, social or behavioral problems so
that they can become happier, healthier and more able to
focus on their academic and personal growth. CHILDREN
FIRST offers an innovative and creative solution for
schools that want to provide on-site counseling services
to their children and families, but lack the necessary
budgets or staff resources to do so.
Through CHILDREN FIRST, we offer:
- Individual counseling and play therapy
- Counseling groups for children with similar needs
- Communication and problem solving skills for
children and parents
- Classroom interventions
- Resources for identifying children with more
serious needs or who may be at risk for chemical abuse
and/or violent behavior.
In all the schools, self-esteem, communication and
problem solving skills are emphasized.
The CHILDREN FIRST Program places highly
motivated and committed graduate interns in the schools
to work with existing school staff. This team approach
has proven over the years to be extremely effective in
addressing the needs of children, their families, and
the school.
There is a significant demand for this program in Denver
area public and private schools that are not otherwise
able to provide these needed services. For more
information about our CHILDREN FIRST Program,
contact Karen Lenzi, Director of
CHILDREN FIRST, at
303-756-9052 extension 157.
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