Services & Programs

Clinical Services

Access, Information and Referral

Representing the initial entry point into CHC, expert staff in Access, Information and Referral answer more than 4,500 calls a year from parents and caregivers, offering them encouragement, a referral to other community resources, or information about how CHC can help their child. The department assists with scheduling appointments, financial counseling, insurance matters and CHC financial assistance.

Initial Clinical Assessments (ICA): Meet with a senior clinician to discuss any concerns you may have about your child or adolescent.

Evaluation: Following an assessment, you may decide to continue with a thorough evaluation of your child. The evaluation involves one or more CHC specialists from our clinical departments

Treatment: CHC also offers treatment services including individual and family psychotherapy, medication management, social skills groups, educational therapy and tutoring, speech & language and occupational therapy, art therapy and home/school behavior management.

Groups Program

The Groups Program at the Children's Health Council provides therapy groups for children dealing with various developmental or behavioral challenges. Many of our groups serve children with developmental disabilities, behavior and/or attention difficulties, learning challenges, anxiety, depression, or communication/speech and language issues. Groups are formed based on age, gender, and problem area.

School Age Groups (Ages 6-17)
Social skills are critical and necessary throughout life. Many children struggle with these skills, but they can be taught. The Social Skills Groups at CHC can show children how to join groups, compromise, communicate effectively, deal with rejection and teasing, and control anger. Through role-playing, modeling, games, videotaping and expressive art projects, therapists can help a child learn valuable social techniques.

Preschool/Young Child Groups (Ages 3-8)

CHC offers the following five groups for young children:

• Speech and Occupational Therapy (SPOT)
• Kindergarten Readiness
• Speech and Language/Slingerland Group
• Social Communication Group
• Social Skills Group

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Art Therapy

Art Therapy is a type of psychotherapy that combines traditional verbal (“talk”) psychotherapy with nonverbal communication through the creation of artwork.
Art therapy is important because it is a portal to understanding how a child experiences their world and the world around them. Art directives help release complex feelings that can often be difficult to express. A key aspect is that no
artistic talent is required or necessary and mistakes are encouraged.  Art therapy can serve as an adjunct to existing, ongoing treatment(s) or on its own as the primary psychotherapeutic modality. The CHC Art Therapy Program offers groups and individual sessions structured to meet the needs of each child. The program
is unique in that it serves both clinic clients and EBC school students.

The following criteria describe the types of children who might benefit from a referral for art therapy services:

• Young children whose verbal skills are not fully developed and are experiencing emotional difficulties
• Children who are experiencing physical or emotional pain and have
  difficulty talking about what they are going through
• Children who are developmentally delayed and have difficulty
  verbalizing their feelings
•  Children with poor social skills and in a need of a non-threatening, nonverbal means of communicating with peers

Kids FirstSM

Kids FirstSM is a new program at CHC that helps families going through separation and divorce remain focused on the long term well-being of their children.

Kids FirstSM is a four-hour workshop (for parents only) designed to help address problems and promote reduction of the negative effects of separation and divorce. The workshop provides parents with:
• Education regarding the effects of divorce on children at different stages
of development.
• Ways to help make the best possible arrangements for their child(ren).
• Education about the effects of parent conflict on children.
• Help in learning how to resolve conflict and develop a means to a productive
post-divorce relationship with each other and the child(ren).

Participants are encouraged to attend the program as early in the separation and divorce process as possible. Clients are required to pre-register either by mail or phone in order to attend.
• Role playing and interactive discussions are included.
• Videotapes on ways to effectively communicate with
children are included.
• A bibliography, lexicon and 50 page guide for
parents are available at the workshop.

Times, Fees and Dates

Generally one Saturday a month, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm
Meetings will be held at the Children’s Health Council.

The fee is $200 per person.
Dates are to be determined.

Limited scholarships are available.

For more information about the Kids FirstSM program please contact Teresa Borden at: (650) 617-3806.

The Kids FirstSM Center

The Kids FirstSM Center was co-founded by Resources for Divorced Families and the Junior League of Portland, Maine, Inc. Kids FirstSM Center programs provide practical information and suggestions to help separating and divorcing parents
focus on the needs of their child(ren).

KIDS FIRSTSM Advisory Group

William R. Russell, Esq
William R. Russell, Esq, is a family lawyer specializing in the litigation of child custody, visitation, characteri- zation and division of community and separate property.
He received his JD from UC Hastings in 1973 and has been a California Certified Family Law Specialist since 1985.
He has taught several courses in family law matters.

Anne Bergman, MSW, DRPH
Anne Bergman is a senior clinician at the Children’s Health Council. Dr. Bergman specializes in treating individuals and couples going through divorce or making
child custody arrangements.

Jessica Arner, Esq
Jessica Arner is an attorney specializing in family law.
She practices at Lakin-Spears in Palo Alto, CA.

Anne Lloyd Brown, LCSW
Anne L. Brown is a Social Worker in private practice in Menlo Park, CA.

Cliff Chernick, Esq
Cliff Chernick is an attorney in Menlo Park, CA.

Leslie Packer, PhD
Leslie Packer is a psychologist who provides child custody evaluations and other clinical services in Menlo Park, CA.

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Children with Complex Medical Problems (CCMP)

The Program for Children with Complex Medical Problems (CCMP) serves children who have experienced life-threatening injuries or medical conditions and who, because of the injury or condition, its treatment or its long-term effects, are at risk
for psychosocial and educational problems.

Program Goals

• To work with primary care pediatricians, pediatric groups and pediatric departments in the Bay Area to address the psychosocial and educational needs of children with complex medical conditions.
• To facilitate children's return to school or community activities after
  extended or frequent absences.
• To address the concerns of children and families with complex medical conditions and chronic illnesses, including contact and networking, information and counseling needs.
• To provide ongoing support to children as they continue in school, with support made available via assessment, treatment and advocacy services.
• To provide education to children and families about health promotion, including self-management skills, adherence to medical regimens and
  health-protective behaviors.
• To work closely with the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital staff, including the H.E.A.L. program, in order to assist in children's transitions from
  hospital-based care to home and community.

Assessment, treatment and advocacy services are available through CCMP.
Financial assistance is available.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact Access, Information and Referral at (650) 688-3625. If appropriate, the access counselor
will schedule an initial clinical assessment with a CCMP clinician, who will review
the child and family's concerns and recommend the most suitable services to address the child's needs.

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Behavior Management

CHC offers two services to help children control their emotions and behaviors in more positive ways.

Behavioral Specialist Outreach Program (BSOP)
This program provides behavioral specialists to K-12 public and private schools.
The behavioral specialists partner with teachers and therapists to encourage children to make positive behavior choices and to establish a classroom environment that is conducive to learning.

The Behavioral Specialists:

• Assist schools in meeting state special education mandates.
• Allow teachers to maximize classroom time for academic learning by minimizing behavioral disruptions.
• Teach children and families lifelong positive behavior support strategies.
• Develop behavior support plans and train staff on the execution of interventions in the classroom.
• Provide training for students in social skills, conflict resolution and anger management.
• Provide crisis support for students and school staff.
• Provide transitional support for special education students who are transitioning to less restrictive environments.

Behavioral Consulting Program

This program provides parents and schools with professionals trained in Applied Behavioral Analysis. These professionals will conduct an assessment and develop
a behavior plan and interventions based on a child's individual needs.

Behavioral Consultants offer:
School Consultations - where they assess classroom instructional methods
and activities; conduct functional analysis assessments; develop individual and classroom behavior intervention plans and assist in plan implementation and
staff training.

General Consultations - where they provide general support to school districts/ SELPAs regarding assessments, compliancy issues, and federal and state laws.

Home-Based Assessment Services - where they conduct a "single discipline" assessment upon referral from a clinician or participate as a member of a CHC interdisciplinary assessment team. These services are designed to assist parents
of children with behavior issues in the home and to develop home behavior plans.

Implementation and Follow Up - where they train staff and/or parents on how
to implement school-based or in-home behavior plans while also offering ongoing professional support, data collection, and hands-on training.

In-Services/Trainings/Seminars - where they train professionals and/or parents in specific areas of applied behavioral analysis, behavior management, current laws, and crisis management.

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