The initiative, called Putting Kids First, was passed by voters in Franklin County in November 2008. The one-fourth-cent sales tax increase provides funding for mental health, substance-abuse and child-abuse prevention services for children and teens ages 19 and younger. Funding is administered by the Franklin County Children and Families Community Resource Board.
Since the inception of the sales-tax increase, Catholic Family Services' Family Wellness Program has received nearly $390,000 for services for youths in Franklin County. The tax is expected to raise a total of about $2.5 million annually. A similar initiative also was passed in St. Louis County, which is expected to generate more than $35 million for youth services there.
"The Family Wellness program is particularly encouraged by these grants, which will expand services to a group of at-risk children who were before not able to access psychiatric and counseling care," said Michael Cundiff, Family Wellness Program liaison to Franklin County board.
With the grant, the Family Wellness Program has been able to expand its psychiatric and counseling services. Dr. Claudia Viamontes, a board certified psychiatrist, has been hired to serve at the program's Union, Mo., office two days a month. In addition, on-site services will be offered for the first time at all eight Catholic grade schools in the Washington Deanery and St. Francis Borgia High School. Services will focus on bullying, conflict resolution, anger management and other topics to support school staff in their care for children.
"The Catholic Family Services-based programs have proven effective in other counties in Missouri, and we are happy that those services are now being offered to the youth at parochial schools in Franklin County," said Annie Schulte, executive director of the Franklin County Children and Families Community Resource Board.
Funding also will go toward a new collaborative with the Franklin County Juvenile Court to help engage and intervene with youths new to the juvenile court system. Program staff will work with juvenile officers to provide counseling services and arrange for residential placement to help with family stabilization, if needed. Other efforts will include a training program to help parents assist children in making responsible life choices, as well as additional counseling to help young people transition back into the community.
"The Family Wellness Program enhances the opportunity of the juvenile office to rehabilitate youth, deter them from further contact with the court and keep youth at home and in the community," said Franklin County juvenile officer Jodi Keathley. We're "grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the Family Wellness Program."
The Family Wellness Program also has formed a collaborative with Foundations of Franklin County to provide counseling services for children whose parents are in Drug Court or may be going to prison for their drug activities. The effort will give children a place to talk about the issues that come with being separated from their parents.
"Our goal for the Supportive Education for Children of Addicted Parents Program is to provide prevention services for these children who are at extremely high risk of abusing substances themselves," said Monica Chwascinski , rehabilitation specialist with the Franklin County Narcotics Enforcement Unit. "We hope to break the cycle of abuse in families and give these children a more positive outlook for their future."
