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Adolescent Counseling
Services (ACS) expands its reach with the launch of the Adolescent Counseling Program (ACP)
Counseling for teens and families will now be available to the community at large
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS), a community-based nonprofit agency dedicated to the healthy social and emotional development of teens, will expand its professional and affordable counseling services through the Adolescent Counseling Program (ACP), beginning on September 8, 2008.
The mission of the ACP will be to provide affordable out-patient assessment, treatment and education for teens and their families in and around the greater Silicon Valley community, including individuals who were not previously eligible to receive treatment from ACS. Until now, a child who was not part of the Palo Alto Unified School District, Sequoia Union High School District or dealing with substance abuse would have been referred to local private therapists or other agencies.
Initially starting as a pilot program, the ACP will operate out of the ACS main office and will be coordinated and overseen by On-Campus Counseling Program (OCCP) Director, Margaret Murchan, and ACS Executive Director, Dr. Philippe Rey. The program will operate during evening hours, encouraging family and parent involvement in counseling. “We are really pleased to be starting the ACP this fall,” said Rey. “It is something that we believe is needed in the community and something that we have been planning and working on for quite some time.”
The ACP will reach out to local teens by proactively addressing issues of immediate importance and intervening to restore healthy functioning whenever possible. Recent successes in other ACS programs indicate great potential for the ACP. For example, during the 2007-2008 school year, 47 percent of OCCP clients were clinically depressed. Of those OCCP clients that were depressed, 79 percent demonstrated decreased signs of depression in post-screening evaluations. “Depression is one of the most daunting problems facing teens today, and the ACP will strengthen our efforts to address the issue,” said Murchan.
Using various treatment modalities, including psychological testing, family systems, and psychodynamic approaches, the ACP will provide a range of therapeutic interventions, including psychological assessments, crisis intervention, individual and family therapy, peer and parent groups, and consultation and training. The program will be a fee-for-service program; however, scholarships will be available on a demonstrated need basis.
For more information about ACS, call (650) 424-0852, email info@acs-teens.org or visit ACS online at http://www.acs-teens.org.
About ACS
ACS’s mission is to empower teens and their families in our community to realize their emotional and social potential through counseling and preventive education. Established in 1975, ACS relies on the generosity of the community to offer critical interventions and mental health services to over 2,000 individuals annually, building a better future for tomorrow. ACS offers year-round services to San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, including an On-Campus Counseling Program, the Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program, and the Adolescent Counseling Program.
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