Acknowledge Alliance

TO PROMOTE LIFELONG RESILIENCE IN CHILDREN AND YOUTH.

THE COLLABORATIVE COUNSELING PROGRAM (CCP) MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 325 OF THE MOST AT-RISK AND UNDERSERVED MULTI-CULTURAL YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS IN SAN MATEO AND SANTA CLARA COUNTY. THESE ARE STUDENTS WITH COMPLEX TRAUMA, FACING SIGNIFICANT LIFE ADVERSITIES - VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE, POVERTY, RACISM, AND UNDIAGNOSED LEARNING AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. CCP PROVIDES ON-SITE (AND TELEHEALTH) MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING AT FIVE (5) OF SEQUOIA UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S COMPREHENSIVE AND ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOLS AS WELL AS TO OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING PENINSULA BRIDGE AND THE BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE PENINSULA, WHERE FUTURE GRADUATES ARE ALSO SUPPORTED TO AND THROUGH COLLEGE. OUR UNIQUE LONG TERM THERAPY MODEL IS STRENGTHS AND RELATIONSHIP-BASED AND PROMOTES SELF-REFLECTION AND INTERNAL CHANGE THAT LEADS TO POSITIVE OUTCOMES. WE BELIEVE IN THESE YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS, AND THEIR ABILITIES TO GROW AND THRIVE. WE HOLD HIGH EXPECTATIONS OF THEM SO THEY, IN TURN, WILL BELIEVE IN THEIR ABILITY TO SUCCEED. THROUGH CULTURALLY SENSITIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY SERVICES, CCP FOSTERS PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS NECESSARY FOR TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS TO SAFELY PROCESS TRAUMA AND ONGOING ADVERSITIES AND BE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR LIVES. THE TEENS AND YOUNG ADULTS WHO RECEIVE OUR COUNSELING SERVICES GAIN INSIGHT INTO HOW THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCES DRIVE THEIR THOUGHTS, FEELINGS, AND BEHAVIORS; LEARN TO REGULATE THEIR RESPONSES TO EMOTIONAL STIMULI; BECOME MORE EMPOWERED TO SPEAK UP AND ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES APPROPRIATELY; DEVELOP INCREASED TRUST AND THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE HEALTHIER RELATIONSHIPS; IMPROVE THEIR SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT; FIND COMPASSION FOR THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER; AND EXPERIENCE RENEWED HOPE AND A GLIMPSE OF A FUTURE WITH NEW POSSIBILITIES. WITH OUR SUPPORT AND SERVICES, THESE STUDENTS HAVE AN OVER 85% SUCCESS RATE OF STAYING ON TRACK AND GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, WITH MANY OF THEM GOING ON TO COLLEGE, TRADE SCHOOLS, AND/OR OTHER MEANINGFUL JOBS AND CAREERS.

THE RESILIENCE CONSULTATION PROGRAM, SERVING K-8 SCHOOLS, PROVIDES A UNIQUE APPROACH TO HEALTHIER SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTS, IMPROVING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) COMPETENCIES AND REDUCING THE IMPACTS OF MENTAL HEALTH FOR SCHOOL LEADERS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS. THE WORK WE DO WITH THIS POPULATION INCLUDES TEACHER AND PRINCIPAL SUPPORT THROUGH ONE-ON-ONE COACHING, TRAININGS, SUPPORT GROUPS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS; 3RD - 8TH GRADE SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) LESSONS; AND STUDENT COUNSELING. MANY OF THE SCHOOLS WE SERVE ARE UNDERPERFORMING WITH, ON AVERAGE, 72% OF THE STUDENTS ON THE FREE OR REDUCED MEAL PLAN. STUDENTS MAY BE FACING ADVERSITIES SUCH AS EXPERIENCING EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA INCLUDING DEVELOPING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, LIVING IN HOME ENVIRONMENTS WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY, AND EXPERIENCING POVERTY, HUNGER, AND STRESS THAT EACH INHIBITS A POSITIVE LEARNING EXPERIENCE.ACKNOWLEDGE RESILIENCE PROGRAM STAFF, COMPRISED OF A TEAM OF LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, MEET WITH EDUCATORS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS AND PRINCIPALS TO OFFER SUPPORT AND IMPLEMENT WAYS TO MAKE SCHOOL A HEALTHY, POSITIVE PLACE. OUR DIRECT WORK WITH EDUCATORS HELPS THEM DISCOVER THEIR UNIQUE STRENGTHS IN THE PROFESSION AND PROVIDES THEM WITH THE TOOLS TO WORK WITH STUDENTS IN AN EMPATHIC, EFFECTIVE, AND STRENGTH-BASED WAY. 95% OF THE TEACHERS WE SERVE ARE EXPRESSING POSITIVE CHANGE: "ACKNOWLEDGE STAFF HELP US WORK THROUGH OBSTACLES & CHALLENGES THEY MAY BE FACING REGARDING EVERY ASPECT OF STAFF STUDENT RELATIONSHIP."SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) IS THE FOUNDATION OF SUPPORT NEEDED TO ACQUIRE THE SKILLS FOR LIFELONG EFFECTIVENESS. IN EDUCATION, SEL CREATES A SUPPORTIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT WHERE STUDENTS ARE RESPECTED, CARED FOR AND CONNECTED. THE RESILIENCE PROGRAM INCLUDES SEL CURRICULUM FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TO TEACH STUDENTS HOW TO EFFECTIVELY MANAGE EMOTIONS, MAKE RESPONSIBLE DECISIONS, ESTABLISH MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND ACHIEVE GOALS. OUR STAFF FACILITATES THESE LESSONS TO THE ENTIRE CLASSROOM, INCLUDING THE TEACHER, TO MAKE IT A COLLABORATIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND SUPPORT THE EDUCATORS' SEL SKILLS. RESEARCH LINKS SEL TO IMPROVED ATTITUDES ABOUT SCHOOL, ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, AND REDUCTIONS IN AGGRESSION, MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS, AND SUBSTANCE USE.TEACHERS, NEXT TO FAMILY, SPEND THE MOST TIME WITH YOUTH AND CAN HAVE AN INCREDIBLE INFLUENCE ON THEIR LIVES. ACKNOWLEDGE ALLIANCE HELPS MAKE THIS HAPPEN, CHANGING LIVES IN A POSITIVE WAY. THIS PROGRAM SERVES 15 SCHOOLS IN SAN MATEO AND SANTA CLARA COUNTIES IMPACTING 25 PRINCIPALS AND ADMINISTRATORS, 400 EDUCATORS, AND OVER 10,000 STUDENTS.

THE OUTREACH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BUILD OUR REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE COLLABORATION SO THAT EVENTUALLY OUR MESSAGE OF RESILIENCE, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING, AND POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH CAN BE EMBEDDED INTO EVERY LEVEL OF OUR REGION'S EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, FROM PRESCHOOL THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION. COMMUNICATION TO THE LARGER COMMUNITY IS DELIVERED THROUGH OUR OUTREACH PROGRAM. SERVICES INCLUDE TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELDS OF EDUCATION, MENTAL HEALTH AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY-WIDE COLLABORATION FOCUSED ON SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL WELLNESS IN YOUTH, AND THE PARTICIPATION AT NATIONAL AND LOCAL CONFERENCES SUCH AS THE CA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION. ADDITIONALLY, OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM SPENDS TIME REACHING OUT TO LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVICE PROVIDERS IN ORDER TO HELP WITH THE AIM OF LEVERAGING OUR KNOWLEDGE TO ENHANCE PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, EDUCATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND FAMILIES.