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Rehabilitation > Education

Early Intervention Program

The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a collaborative effort of the Mental Health Association of Westchester, Fordham University and the Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School in White Plains, NY. EIP provides individual, family and/or group services to students attending the Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School.

The program is available to the 600 students from Kindergarten to 5th grade attending the school. EIP provides assistance to students who have a variety of emotional, behavioral, academic and social (or a combination of these) difficulties.

The program has four primary goals:

Help reduce the negative impact of the students’ problem areas and improve the student’s behavioral and social skills
Improve the student’s academic performance
Provide education and training for school personnel on the issue of family violence and how it impacts on children who are the direct targets of abuse as well as children who witness the violence
Further educate the community and provide information about the problems that children face

Is It For Me?

The service is available to all students (grades K-5) in the Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School. Teachers, the social worker and the school psychologist refer students to the program and may be contacted for information about it. Parents may also refer students.

Persons not affiliated with the Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School who are interested in learning more about the program may call Keith Cunniffe, 914-345-5900, extension 247, contact our Information and Referral Service at 914-345-5900, extension 240 or e-mail us at help@mhawestchester.org.

What We Deliver

Upon referral, clinicians conduct an evaluation on-site at the school, which includes meeting with the child, parent/guardian, teacher and school personnel. The evaluation includes developmental history, school history, current living arrangements, peer and family relationships, medical history and the child’s overall level of functioning.

Children in the service are usually seen weekly, one-on-one for 30 minutes. The clinicians utilize play therapy techniques, cognitive-behavioral approaches and solution-focused strategies in their work with the students.

Family services are provided on an as-needed basis, which can range from weekly, bi-monthly to monthly. Using a family systems orientation, clinicians meet with the child and his/her parent/guardian focusing on relevant family dynamics as well as the overall level of adaptive functioning of the family. Group services take place on a weekly basis for 60 minutes and focus on socialization, interpersonal skills development and adaptive behavioral changes.

In addition to the above services, EIP clinicians are available to classroom teachers for crisis intervention. If a teacher reports that there is a significant behavioral problem in the classroom, an EIP clinician is available to intervene and offer immediate behavioral self-control instruction to the children in the classroom.

Where

Staff clinicians provide services on-site at the Mamaroneck Avenue Elementary School in White Plains, NY.

When

Services take place in the school during school hours.

Languages Spoken

Services are available in English only.

Cost

There is no cost to participants in the program. EIP has been funded by The Westchester Community Foundation, The United Way and the White Plains Rotary Club.

Staff/Service Providers

Social Work interns currently pursuing master’s degrees at New York State-approved schools of social work provide services. They are directly supervised by the EIP program coordinator, a New York State Certified Social Worker. The coordinator and the interns collaborate with the school social worker, psychologist and teachers to obtain input regarding the children’s academic performance and level of functioning.

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