A Fast Growing Program!

Our agency is usually associated with Treatment Foster Care and understandably so, as this is this agency's first and largest program. The Mental Retardation program has grown significantly in the past few years and now serves almost as many individuals as TFC. Due to this, it may be easy to forget that DePaul Family Services has other programs as well.

Tucked away at 3033 Peters Creek Road in Roanoke is the main office for DePaul Family Services' Clinical Services program. This program was started by the late Fred Smith in the Christiansburg office and has grown extensively during the last 18 months as it has added new services. The Clinical Services program in Roanoke was first operated in DePaul's main office. It outgrew the space and moved to the current location in September of 2004.

While the main office for Clinical Services is located in Roanoke, other service locations can be found in Abingdon, Danville and Lynchburg.

The goal of this program is to provide children, families and adults in the community with therapeutic resources. In-home services support families in crisis as a master's level clinician provides the core services with the aim of keeping the family intact or in some cases, successfully reuniting a family. The length and intensity of service delivery is based upon the nature and complexity of the problems causing the crisis.

Traditional therapies and play therapy are provided through our outpatient counseling services. We offer individual, family, and group therapy. Services are available to DePaul foster/adoptive families and to any child, adult, or family in the communities we serve. In some offices, outpatient counseling services for adults with mental retardation or dual diagnosis is also available. "We are very grateful for the trust that our client families place in us and the opportunity to see each individual and family live a more rewarding and fulfilling life" said Susan Henderson, a clinician working out of the Lynchburg office.

Adults and teenagers with mental, behavioral or emotional illnesses, that result in significant functional impairment in everyday life activities benefit from DePaul's Mental Health Support service. This program assists individuals with significant functional limitations due to emotional issues to achieve and maintain community stability and independence in the most appropriate, least restrictive environment.

"Dealing with ongoing mental health issues can be an overwhelming task for clients and their families" says Vena Duncan, the Director of Clinical Services. "Knowing that you have helped someone become more independent, more self confident and more productive is an amazing transformation. It is a privilege to be a part of that process. We have only been offering mental health support services since April here in Roanoke, but we are already seeing the rewards of having skilled staff that are invested in improving the quality of life of our clients." She adds that she hopes to have this service available at all DePaul locations. "Danville is our next stop in this journey" she says.

The DePaul Child Development Center, a therapeutic day-care, moved to their new facility on Peters Creek Road this spring. The children at the Center may have emotional, behavioral, physical or developmental disabilities, which keep them from succeeding in traditional day care. The program provides a minimum one staff person for every three children. Children with more intensive needs can be offered increased supervision. Duncan says "Locating quality day care for children with emotional and behavioral problems is an ongoing challenge for parents. The DePaul Child Development Center gives us a unique opport- unity to provide support to these families. We are the only licensed therapeutic day care in this area. While having that distinction is exciting, it also puts us in a position of 'thinking outside the box' in locating funding, developing programs and maintaining appropriate staff ratios."

Duncan is quick to add that she really appreciates and admires the staff. "Luckily, Andy Crawford and Kelly Pardue (the Center's Director and Assistant Director) have an abundance of both patience and vision! It also takes a dedicated staff that enjoys working with at-risk children. I am in constant awe of the energy and support that the staff provides everyday" says Duncan.

DePaul's motto is "Overcoming Challenges and Building Brighter Futures." The growing Clinical Services Program reflects this motto as it works with diverse individuals to increase each person's quality of life.