Jul 8, 2009 7:42 pm US/Pacific
Counseling Keeps SF Kids on Track at School
Jefferson Award Winner: Dr. Brian Gerrard
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) ―
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Dr. Brian Gerrard at The USF Center for Child and Family Development
CBS
When Dr. Brian Gerrard walks in the door of the USF Center for Child and Family Development, he's entering the new home of a unique family counseling program, one he pioneered 25 years ago.
"It merges school counseling with family counseling," he explains. "We call it 'school-based family counseling.'"
The idea brings family counseling right onto the school campus -- because experts have found when students have problems at school, it's often because there are problems at home.
"Divorce, separation, substance abuse, child, abuse... how can a kid go to school and learn when he's thinking about these problems at home?" Dr. Gerrard asks.
Family counseling interns and trainees volunteer to visit the schools once or twice a week. Dr. Gerrard and his licensed team supervise their work. Intern Justin Dowdall says he's getting valuable training. But more importantly, he feels the program makes in impact.
He says, "It can be really life-changing for people if they even have one person they can come to and that they can talk with them that's unbiased and confidential."
Francisco Middle School in San Francisco is part of the program. The principal says they are having success getting families involved in therapy and ultimately helping these kids, in part because meeting at school takes the stigma out of going to a mental health clinic.
"We really do believe that if we engage the parents and involve the parents, the opportunity for change in the child is greatly enhanced," says principal Judy Giampaoli.
"We work collaboratively," adds Dr. Gerrard. "Our message is, 'We need your help to make your child succeed at school, will you come in and advise us and work with us collaboratively?'"
With the center's new home, families who need more help, can find it there year-round.
"We feel we are addressing an important social need," Dr. Gerrard adds. "There are not enough counselors in the school. When there are cutbacks, the counselors are the first to go. But this is a low-fee program. It's very affordable. There is not a school that can't afford this program."
"Brian is a visionary," Judy Giampaoli says. "He is a person who has been a stalwart in his mission to really see that children are served in the San Francisco Bay Area."
So for bringing affordable family counseling to the community and helping thousands of students in the process, this week's Jefferson Award in the Bay Area goes to Dr. Brian Gerrard.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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