Funding to support Hobe Sound school-based and outpatient services, Project Graduation and Project TEACH
September 1, 2021 – Hobe Sound Community Chest has awarded $45,000 to Tykes & Teens, a leading provider of the highest quality, evidence-based mental health services and programs for children and adolescents for 25 years. The funding will support children’s mental health services in Hobe Sound, including Tykes & Teens’ school-based services and outpatient services, as well as Project Graduation and Project TEACH (Training and Educating All Child Healers) program.
“Thank you Scott Berry and Hobe Sound Community Chest!” says Tykes & Teens CEO Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW. “Your generosity matters, because mental health matters every day for every child and family. Because of you, we are able to provide the critical mental health services for children and families that are needed now more than ever, including Hobe Sound and all of the Treasure Coast.”
“For over 20 years, the Chest has supported the work of Tykes & Teens,” said Hobe Sound Community Chest Executive Director Scott Berry. “Tykes & Teens has helped countless children, youth and families in our community. They are a critical resource in our continuum of care.”
Tykes & Teens CEO Eric Garza, MHA, LCSW
School-Based Services
Tykes & Teens’ School-Based Services allow teachers and guidance counselors to be a part of the team in helping children and adolescents with mental health issues that impact their school performance and behavior. Providing these services at schools enables the agency to meet students where they are during the day, eliminating transportation barriers. Last school year, Tykes & Teens provided services at four Hobe Sound-area schools, including Sea-wind Elementary, Hobe Sound Elementary, Murray Middle School and South Fork High School.
Outpatient Services
Tykes & Teens provides a variety of outpatient services from its Hobe Sound office and virtually, including: General Mental Health, Family Abuse Treatment, Youth Enrichment Services (YES), S.T.A.R.S. – Strengthening Teens in Acquiring Resiliency for Success, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and an LGBTQ Support Group.
Project TEACH
The objective of Tykes & Teens’ Project TEACH – Training and Educating All Child Healers – is to provide training for Dunbar Early Learning Center direct service staff to qualify for the Florida Association of Infant Mental Health – Infant Family Associate (IFA) Endorsement®. Tykes & Teens is uniquely qualified to provide this training and support that includes Trauma Informed Care, to help participants recognize and respond to the effects of trauma in children, and Reflective Supervision, a key step in strengthening a relationship-based resilience-promoting culture.
Project Graduation
Project Graduation is a highly successful and vital annual program that prevents
tragedy due to alcohol and drug-related incidents on graduation night. It is a supervised all-night event for the graduating class on graduation night, complete with food, entertainment and prizes, allowing students the opportunity to celebrate graduation in a safe, alcohol and drug-free environment. Statistically, there is an increase in teen deaths from alcohol-related accidents during prom and graduation weekend parties around the country. Project Graduation has helped buffer our community from alcohol and drug-related deaths, car accidents and significant police stops involving graduates.
For more information on Tykes & Teens’ programs and services focused on prioritizing children’s mental health, visit www.tykesandteens.org or call 772-220-3439.
To learn more about how you can support children’s mental health in our community, visit www.tykesandteens.org/give-help/ or donate now.
About Tykes & Teens
Tykes & Teens has been a leading mental health provider for children and adolescent evidence-based programs and services for 25 years. Our mission is prioritizing children’s mental health in our families, schools and communities through a wide range of prevention, education, and treatment programs and services. Our passion and commitment are to empowering children and strengthening families by ensuring that all children have access to high quality counseling and mental health services, regardless of financial status. We also advocate for increased awareness of mental health to remove the stigma and shame often associated with seeking mental health treatment. We provide affordable quality mental health services for children in need across the Treasure Coast from more than 50 service locations, including outpatient offices in Palm City, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, Port St. Lucie, and Vero Beach, on-site services in all Martin County schools, and in schools in Okeechobee and Indian River counties, as well as collaboration with numerous community partners, in addition to virtual telehealth services. We have continued to offer our services and programs throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including virtual telehealth care. We accept most insurance, private payments, and we are a Medicaid-approved provider. We have successfully administered a sliding fee scale for those in need when necessary for more than 20 years. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency, we also provide $750,000 in unreimbursed services to the communities we serve each year. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
