COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS SECURES FIRST YEAR DATA ON
ONE OF A KIND CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

(Innovative program addresses the needs of
homeless children living at the Coalition)

ORLANDO, Fla. — (February 8, 2006) — Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is entering the second year of a one of a kind Child Development Program with significant data from the first year of mental health services for homeless children and their families. Created to address the growing number of homeless children, the Coalition’s Child Development program is the only one of its kind in the nation.

Founded in 2004 through a grant by the Dr. Phillips, Inc., the Child Development Program was designed to provide comprehensive mental health counseling, group therapy, play therapy, and parental support for families living at the Coalition. As part of the grant, a licensed child psychologist was brought on staff full-time.

Every child who walks through the doors of the Coalition meets with the Child Development team. First year data shows the program assessed 599 children. Of those children, 250 or 42 percent were deemed “at-risk” or “in-crisis” and required additional support and mental health services. Of the 250 children deemed at-risk or in-crisis, 169, or 68 percent, were brought out of the at-risk or in-crisis category through counseling, play therapy, and support groups.

“Prior to starting the Child Development Program, we had no way to identify children in serious need of support and counseling,” notes Robert H. Brown, president/CEO of the Coalition. “It used to be that the model for helping families was focusing on the parents, providing adult education, job placement, and mental health counseling. But the growing number of children who walk through our doors are facing very real challenges that come with being homeless. We are re-inventing the model.”

Debbie Nunez, Ph.D, a child development analyst, heads up the Child Development Program, along with two part time specialists, who have master’s degrees in social work, and a student intern.

The program team meets with every child when they first arrive at the Coalition. The assessment is based on criteria, such as family relations, social and emotional health and development. Following a family matrix model, the team places each child into an appropriate category, from thriving to in-crisis. When possible, children are matched with mental health services in the community so support continues after they leave the Coalition.

“Consistency is key in the world of a child,” adds Dr. Nunez. “We provide crisis counseling, play and art therapy to help stabilize each child, along with family counseling and parent education classes. Working with the family as a whole creates an environment for success long after a family leaves the Coalition.”

About Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida

Coalition for the Homeless is the largest provider of homeless services in Central Florida. This non-profit organization works to address the needs of the homeless in the community and serves as a catalyst for community collaboration to end homelessness by offering comprehensive case management programs to help the homeless become self-sufficient. In the most recent fiscal year, the Coalition served more than 360,000 meals and provided over 240,000 nights of shelter to homeless individuals.

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