HOFH Elite Care Center Spotlight:Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

By: HOFH

Founded in 1976 in Canton, Ohio, the mission of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is to work together to be the premier resource for emotional and behavioral health services and products that help children, youth, and families successfully meet life’s challenges. The organization is a non-profit, full-service, trauma-informed mental health organization specializing in the emotional and behavioral needs of children, adolescents, young adults, and their families. In addition to offering a wide array of impactful services, C&A strives to increase awareness of mental health matters, including in the student-athlete community.

“We want everyone to know that it is okay to be who they are and authentically themselves,” says Joseph French, Chief Executive Officer of C&A. “So many times people feel like they have to fit a cookie-cutter model. We want people to embrace who they are. However you are feeling, it is okay and we will help you through it. So many times people do not value who they are and I want everyone to know that they are perfect the way they are.”

“We want to help people to think about their mental health and value their mental health,” adds Georgene Voros, Chief Clinical Officer of C&A. “Too many times people ignore their mental health or tuck it away and go about their day. We want to bring mental health to the forefront. Not everyone necessarily needs a therapist. There are different kinds of help available as long you do not ignore it.”

Programs for Children and Adolescents

The organization provides numerous services for children, adolescents, and their families including prevention services and parenting support. Among them is the Trauma Informed Day Treatment Program (TIDTx), which is a day treatment model that began in 1980. The TIDTx Program is an educational program provided by C&A to assist severally emotionally and behaviorally dysregulated youth who cannot maintain safe and appropriate behaviors and interactions in a typical school setting. It services a select number of children and adolescents ages 5 to 18 who are enrolled in kindergarten through high school and have been referred by school district administration. During the program, the students are transported daily by bus to the facility. In addition to intensive educational classrooms, the program uses trauma-informed treatment modalities to assist students in developing skills to regulate emotions and behaviors.

“We have about 90% success rate,” says Voros. “The process is never rushed but our goal is to always get them back into the normal school environment. The program also involves very intensive work with the families, intensive group therapy, individual therapy, and lessons during the day.”

“At C&A, one of our main goals with all of our programs is to help children and adolescents try to prevent the need for ongoing services. We aim to stop concerns before they become bigger issues later in life,” adds French. “We are proud that we have some incredible stories of individuals who have gone through our programs and are now highly successful adults. It is not uncommon for someone who received our services to come up to me years later and say, ‘I can not tell you what the therapist did for me and what the treatment did for me in my life.’ We attribute this to all of our staff who are community heroes. Without them, many kids would not see a brighter tomorrow.”

In addition to its treatment services, C&A is committed to creating community awareness about mental health. One such initiative is Mental Health Week in which they work with all of the schools in Stark County (19 total). During the campaign, the schools hang up posters featuring mental health champions, all of whom are students in the district. In addition, there are messages shared on morning announcements as well as classroom resources and school activities.

Athletes for Strong Mental Health

One of the many ways in which C&A services students is through programs that aim to intersect their interests and hobbies with mental health education and support. The idea for the Athletes for Strong Mental Health program began several years ago when a local district school girls’ soccer team approached C&A about doing a fundraiser for the organization around mental health. About a year later, COVID shutdowns began, and the mental wellness effects on athletes were dismal. Among numerous stressors, student athletes were also unsure if and when they would be able to play again or if they would ever have a normal season. The loss of the outlet of their sport and the uncertainty of changing schedules and canceled games affected the mindset of many student athletes.

With the help of Dr. Steve Graef, a Columbus-based psychologist, the Athletes for Strong Mental Health initiative provides resources to coaches and athletic directors to better guide and understand their athletes. The goal is to help them identify if athletes are struggling. To accomplish this, Dr. Graef provides tips such as how to recognize emotional and behavioral cues.

“At Hall of Fame Health we acknowledge that all people, of all ages, are vulnerable to life's hardships and the best way to set someone up for success is to start early,” says Ryan Cain, President of the behavioral health division for Hall of Fame Health. “It is an honor welcome Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health as an Elite Care Center. We are thrilled to work together to help even more families.”

“We look forward to working together and to getting rid of the stigma. There are people who can help you and things you can do to help yourself so tell somebody,” says Voros.

“Life happens to all of us and sometimes it is difficult to handle,” continues French. “We all go through challenges, and support and help are available in whatever way you need it.”

The HOFH Elite Care Centers is a network of elite facilities across the country that specialize in mental health and substance use disorders. Each treatment center is vetted and accredited to provide high-quality, customized care to former players and their families, veterans, and beyond. Financial aid options are available through Fund Recovery, which serves athletes, veterans, their families, and others seeking assistance for mental health or addiction issues.

For more information on C&A, please visit https://www.hofhealth.com/elite-care-centers or call the HOFH concierge line at 866-404-HOFH.