Washington University in St. Louis Families First Program
Washington University in St. Louis Families First Program
Families First is a preventive intervention program designed for the emotional enhancement of parents and children in the Jennings School District. It is a coaching program for 4-6 year olds and their parents, conducted by Joan Luby, M.D. in partnership with the Jennings School District and Superintendent Dr. Art McCoy.
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Services Offered
First, you will complete a family interview at the EEDP. When you arrive at the EEDP for your appointment, you and your child will play some games together. Then you will be taken to a quiet room for the parent portion of the interview. The parent interview will mainly focus on your child’s moods, behaviors, and development. It will also include questions about your own background, feelings, and parenting stressors.
Your child will do an EEG, which is a way for us to look at activity in the brain. Your child will wear a hat with small dots of water-based gel while they play computer games and earn prizes. After this, they will play some more fun games on an iPad. It is designed to be age-appropriate, fun, and engaging.
Families will be compensated for their time and effort at each assessment.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens Children
Payment: Sliding Scale
Online Counseling: Yes
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Qualifying for assistance from Missouri's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to Missouri's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.