Children and their families in Athens County can now receive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and the effects of substance abuse with a new program funded by Athens County Children Services.
Since Aug. 17, women have participated in Seeking Safety, which Children Services created after requests from two local organizations.
Children Services funds the voluntary program, though employees from Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services and Integrated Services of Appalachian Ohio — the two organizations that requested the program — make up the staff of Seeking Safety.
“The program is a present-focused therapy to help people attain safety from trauma and substance abuse,” said Sheila Shafer, deputy director of programs at Athens County Children Services.
That type of therapy focuses on the present and future of the participant rather than the problems that led them to seek help.
Officials from Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services and Integrated Services of Appalachian Ohio could not be reached for comment.
Crystal Ward Allen, executive director of Public Children Services Association of Ohio, said programs like these are important because the organizations are “always thinking about safety of the child.”
In addition to children, others can also benefit from Seeking Safety; Athens County Children Services decided to focus on mothers for the first series of the program.
“It is recommended by the program trainer that genders not be mixed in the groups, so mothers were selected as the target participants,” Shafer said. “(The organizations) can also invite other clients currently on their caseloads.”
Children Services selects people to participate in the program based on their past involvement with the agency.
The participants can attend 25 group counseling sessions held at Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling. Sessions vary in topic based on Seeking Safety’s syllabus.
The participants are also assigned a case manager to follow up with them between meetings and reinforce the material they learned, Shafer said.
Seeking Safety has a distinct structure, and it is difficult to say how helpful it has been for participants because it is a pilot project. However, the staff has made predictions based on the program’s progress thus far, Shafer said.
Mothers who have participated said the counseling sessions have been both helpful and enjoyable, Shafer said, adding that pre- and post-tests results will provide analytical results to evaluate the program.
“The anticipated outcomes are that mothers develop better coping skills, begin to address substance-use issues, become healthier and provide a safe environment for themselves and their children,” Shafer said.
kf398711@ohiou.edu
