Counselor-Therapists To Work At Three CV Elementary Schools

Thu., Sept. 21, 2000

By Marny Lombard marnyl@spokesman.com (509) 927-2166

Three counselor-therapists will work at Central Valley schools this year to help students and their families.

The Community Assistance Program is basing Deaconess counselors at Broadway, Progress and South Pines elementary schools.

The counselors will work with both students and their families, during and after school hours.

“Their goal is to reach families, not just students,” said Stacy Hammond, counselor at South Pines.

One key is that students and their families work with the same counselor, where in a more traditional kind of program, families would be referred to a counselor in an agency completely independent of the school.

Families from any Central Valley school can use this program. Two of the counselors have master’s degrees, and one has a doctorate. Issues of concern include substance abuse, school violence, family problems and anger management.

The program is a collaboration between Empire Health Services and Central Valley School District. The school district is contributing $25,000 to the program this year. Empire Health Services - which operates Deaconess Medical Center and Valley Hospital and Medical Center - expects to contribute about $60,000 to the CV program this year, according to Mike Forness, head of the outreach program for Deaconess’ behavioral medicine department.

Empire Health Services has similar outreach programs in the East Valley, Mead and Spokane school districts. Spokane County and various corporate sponsors also support these outreach programs.

Families who are interested in learning more about the program should contact the counselor or principal at their student’s school.

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