Education Matters | Helping Children Reach their Potential: The Florida Center for Early Childhood

By Ryan G. Van Cleave | October 2022

For more than four decades, The Florida Center for Early Childhood has been helping local children and their families to overcome challenges and reach their full potential. As one of the largest nonprofits in our area, its reach is substantial and growing. Today, The Florida Center is nationally recognized for excellence in early childhood development, child abuse prevention, infant and early childhood mental health, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder care.

One of the most important ways that The Florida Center reaches kids is through its school-based therapy program, which began as a partnership with the School District of Sarasota County and the Community Foundation of Sarasota County that provides mental health counseling to students in every Sarasota County elementary school and has now expanded to Manatee County. While it might seem like this kind of help isn’t needed, SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) reports that by age 16, more than two thirds of children have experienced one or more traumatic events such as psychological, physical or sexual abuse, community or school violence, national disasters or terrorism, sudden or violent loss of a loved one, physical or sexual assault, or neglect. 

Melissa Bradley, the Clinical Director of Mental Health Services, points out that this program breaks down the barriers many families face in accessing the treatment children need. “The therapist is based right at the school, so the child can get the services they need during the regular school day,” she says. Because of this, parents don’t have to figure out the after-school logistics of getting a child to a medical provider, which is a barrier for many. And there’s no out of pocket costs, either. Having the services happen at school also reinforces the connection between mental health and wellness, which are necessary for success in any school environment. 

While the therapists are primarily there to provide counseling services for children and their families, they also provide informal and formal services and coaching for teachers. “We have 29 therapists—at least one for every school in Sarasota County,” Bradley notes. “And between those therapists, we spent 3,700 hours coaching and mentoring the teachers last year. We’re also partnering with other organizations to help provide things for the teachers such as Zen dens, which are peaceful sanctuaries where they can come and relax for a few minutes on a break.” They’ve even done group sessions after events such as the Uvalde shooting. 

The Florida Center’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Merab-Michal Favorite, adds that in the annual reports, 100% of school administrators say that the program is helping and creating a better dynamic at school. “It’s also making people look at these kids through a trauma-informed lens instead of deciding, ‘Oh, that kid’s just a problem because they’re acting out or being aggressive.’ The school-based therapists are there to fill in the gap.”

Student progress is accessed every three months and includes feedback from the school and parents. The typical time spent in therapy for most is anywhere from six months to a year. “Some kids meet their goals sooner,” Bradley says. “We provide individualized support to students and their families so that they are equipped with the necessary tools to be successful at school.”

A unique part of what The Florida Center offers is addressing infant mental health. As one of the first endorsed infant mental health experts in Florida, CEO Dr. Kristie Skoglund has become a trainer throughout the state. “It’s challenging to work with young children who are nonverbal, because they haven’t acquired those skills yet, or because there’s a speech delay or trauma took them off their developmental trajectory,” Bradley explains about this specialty area. “Our approach often incorporates play-based interventions where toys become words.” Treatment of children this young also necessarily includes parents or primary caregivers because without their support, success isn’t a likely outcome. 

The Florida Center has a range of other services beyond the school program, ranging from occupational therapy, speech therapy, language therapy, and outpatient efforts like Healthy Families, a home-visiting program that guides parents who need assistance. The Florida Center also runs Starfish Academy, which is a nationally accredited early childhood program that has locations in North Port and Sarasota. It serves children from six weeks to five years old and operates as an inclusion model preschool, where typically developing children learn alongside those who have delays or disabilities. This rare opportunity coupled with on-site therapists promotes leadership, empathy, and diversity in the students. 

Despite The Florida Center’s success, Bradley wishes to do more, pointing out that the school-based mental health program could be expanded. “Our therapists can really only have 20 clients on their caseload, so when you have a school of 1,000 students, it’s just barely scratching the surface. We’d love to hire more therapists so that more students can receive the support they need.” While direct funding is always appreciated, she adds that volunteers are welcome. The organization has an annual fundraiser in December, a philanthropy committee, and other opportunities that all help The Florida Center remain a leading provider of therapeutic services, early education, and healthy development for children in southwest Florida. A volunteer coordinator helps ensure that those who offer their time and expertise find the most effective way to do so. 

Bradley notes that one in 10 children have a diagnosable mental health disorder. “It’s really prevalent with young children, and early intervention is always the best option. So, at The Florida Center, we focus on birth through fifth grade. We’re working to help children have a better chance of becoming healthy, functioning adults in the future. That’s our goal.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION on The Florida Center, please visit www.thefloridacenter.org or 941.371.8820.