Friday, May 8, 2009

What We've Been Up To

The 2008-09 School Year was busy for us! We presented a series of workshops and discussions, all free and open to the public, beginning in October with "Teen Mental Health Services in the Community--Behavioral Indicators of Potential Mental Health Issues in Teenagers," presented by Brian Smithley of Staunton Clinic. At that same October event, Stacie Sebastian provided an overview of Teen Screen, a mental health screening tool used by Outreach Teen and Family Services.

In November, Sandy Cooper, a women's health nurse practitioner from Womancare Associates, led a discussion entitled: Having the Talk--What Kids Need to Hear from their Parents about Sex. Due to the overwhelming response, a follow up discussion with Ms. Cooper was held in February.

Dr. Christy Clapper, a Guidance Counselor for Quaker Valley School District, led a January workshop for parents on transitions. Dr. Clapper focused on child and brain development, and the organizational skills students need to develop for success in school.

March and April concentrated on the hot-button topic of underaged drinking. Two separate round-table discussions were chaired by local fathers, bringing a unique voice to the meetings. Mark Gensheimer, who participated in both discussions, has formed a new Dads Group to further explore ways fathers can interact positively with their own children and the youth of the community.

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