All of JCS’s Youth Wellness programs are evidenced-based and provided in Miami-Dade public schools and other community organizations that target youth at high-risk for behaviors leading to alcohol and drug abuse, early pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, teen violence and more.
The goal is to provide youth with the skills to make choices that will positively impact their lives. Individual, family, and group counseling sessions are designed to keep families together by promoting healthy relationships and reducing the potential negative impact of childhood trauma on youth and families.
Project PROTECT
Project Protect is dedicated to empowering college students attending Florida Memorial University (FMU) and its neighboring Miami Gardens community, ages 18 to 24, to assess their lives and make educated decisions when dealing with drugs and alcohol, as well as providing information to help prevent and reduce the transmission of HIV/AIDs/VH among students. The program’s goal is to provide prevention strategies, rapid HIV testing and positive norms campaign or social media techniques to increase awareness and minimize risk factors.
Project AWARE
Project Aware targets the population in City of Miami 33132 zip code, with focus on transition aged youth going to Miami Dade College – Wolfson Campus. Through the program’s lifespan, Aware will build or expand the capacity to detect and respond to behavioral health issues impacting our community. Its’ primary goal in training and raising awareness is to connect those with behavioral health issues to needed services.
AWARE provides Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) an 8-hour training that teaches how to help those experiencing a mental health concern, an emotional crisis or a substance abuse disorder. MHFA empowers participants with a 5-step action plan to assess a situation, provide support and help connect to local resources.
PACTT Initiative
The PACTT Initiative is designed to address the needs of trauma victims with great sensitivity and respect for the experiences of those affected. Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescence with Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), children and parents are given the ability to learn new skills in helping process thoughts and feelings related to traumatic events; allowing them to manage and resolve distressing thoughts, feelings and behaviors in efforts to enhance safety, growth, parental skills and family communication.
With the support from NCTSN and SAMHSA, the PACTT Initiative will offer services for five consecutive years to existing trauma-focused intervention programs located within schools of Liberty City and Homestead, as well as a domestic violence shelter, the juvenile justice system and veteran service offices. In building the capacity of child-serving professionals to effectively respond to youth who are unable to cope with traumatic stress, PACTT Initiative staff will train community professionals and stakeholders who interface with our population of focus.
For more information about the PACTT Initiative or submit a referral, you may contact:
Christina Lalama
PACTT Project Director
CLalama@JCSFL.org or 305-670-1911 ext. 605
