Clinic Prepares to Expand Child Services

The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone is seeking to better address the needs of children and families under its care and in the community.  The clinic currently provides high-quality therapeutic interventions, now the team is looking to take those services one step further by expanding programming for children, adolescents and families.

“We recently developed a child programming workgroup to review existing programming in the community,” case manager, Bethany Lavigne said. “We conducted a needs assessment within the clinic to make recommendations about increasing our child, adolescent and family programming reach.”

Results indicated that current parents and families are interested in family seasonal events such as holiday celebrations and monthly family craft events. Other interests include game nights, teen gatherings, and monthly themed activities.  Lastly, parents requested a series of parenting classes such as educational groups for parents/families and managing screen time in the home.

“These suggestions and requests have certainly been noted and we’re eager to implement them.” Lavigne said. “So much so, we already have a plan.”

This fall the clinic will offer an online, prevention-based parenting course, which is backed by 35 years of research. Utilizing the Nurturing Parenting Program, the course will feature education and support to families with challenges known to impact parenting by building positive parenting skills, discussing child development, and how to develop a nurturing family life. This will be offered in a group settings where parents will have the advantage of connecting and learning from other families sharing similar experiences.

The expansion of therapeutic processes is also underway at the Cohen Clinic.

“Our clinicians are highly creative and skilled,” lead clinician, Julie Adams said.  “They are prepared to provide therapeutic care to children with anxiety, depression, social/emotional concerns and a variety of other childhood disorders and now we are proud to announce that two of our clinicians have been accepted to the Tennessee First Five Training Institute where they will complete a 12 month intensive systems development program that will add even more to our therapeutic efforts.”

The training Adams is referring to includes evidence based and evidence informed trainings in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Services taught by experts from around the country.  Upon completion, the clinic will be able to offer Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), a highly regarded trauma focused treatment for children from birth to age 5. This specific modality will be a welcomed addition to the clinic’s services which already boast Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, a unique, highly specific therapy model for children showing behavioral and emotional concerns.

The clinics efforts to answer client requests and ensure our military children are well taken care of don’t end with therapy or social and enrichment events either.

“Our clinic is equipped with an inviting and friendly child therapy room that provides a safe space for children to work alongside their clinician in their healing,” Lavigne said. “Our case management team is also dedicated to connecting families with outside resources and services that are tailored to address additional needs and goals. With all of this and what’s to come, we couldn’t be more excited to continue to support our military families.”

For more information on this fall’s Nurturing Parenting Program be sure to follow the clinic’s Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CohenCenterstoneTN