It has been just over a year since Jewish Family Service’s Counseling program moved off the Reba and Sam Sandler Family Campus of the Tidewater Jewish Community to its old digs on the second floor of 260 Grayson Road and rebranded itself as Embrace Counseling.
As part of the agency’s strategic plan, JFS continues to focus on how to meet the growing needs for mental health services. In the Community Needs Assessment that was completed by the Melior Group on behalf of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and Tidewater Jewish Foundation, it was noted that mental health services are “clearly the number one” health-related concern in the Jewish community. This survey was completed in 2019 prior to the pandemic. Issues of social isolation, depression, anxiety, suicidality, and other concerns grew during the pandemic, and have continued on that path.
To help address these growing concerns, the William A. and Jane M. Charters Fund of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation awarded JFS’ Embrace Counseling Program a $60,000 grant to be used over three years to help expand services. These funds will allow the agency to focus on staff recruitment, including building relationships with interns with local colleges.
In addition to in-office and telehealth counseling services, Jewish Family Service:
• Provides a Licensed Clinical Social Worker to meet weekly with patients at Maimonides (formerly Beth Sholom Home).
• Provides a social worker to facilitate monthly meetings at Atlantic Shores Adult Community.
• Provides hundreds of hours of school counseling services to the children at Strelitz International Academy.
• Partners with Edmarc to offer support groups to children and teens through the Peace by Piece program, now celebrating its 25th year in Hampton Roads.
• Participates in the behavioral health coalition to address concerns and share resources about mental health and suicide.
• Certifies Clinical Social Workers in Trauma Informed Care.
Kelly Burroughs, Jewish Family Service CEO, may be reached at kburroughs@jfshamptonroads.org.