OLA Family Services http://olafamilyservices.com Intervention services for youth and families Wed, 10 Mar 2021 15:59:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 http://olafamilyservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/cropped-olasymbol-32x32.png OLA Family Services http://olafamilyservices.com 32 32 General Referral http://olafamilyservices.com/referral/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 15:45:30 +0000 http://olafamilyservices.com/?p=1426

To make a referral for one of our group homes or therapeutic services, please use the form below.

Check all that apply.
]]> Psychological Referral http://olafamilyservices.com/psychological-referral/ Wed, 10 Mar 2021 15:26:19 +0000 http://olafamilyservices.com/?p=1409

To make a referral for one of our psychological services, please use the form below.

(Check all that apply)
]]> Dealing with Depression http://olafamilyservices.com/dealing-with-depression/ Fri, 08 Mar 2019 18:40:44 +0000 http://olafamilyservices.com/?p=813

Dealing with Depression

Everyone has or will experience feeling depressed in their lifetime. It is expected that at one time or another, you may feel sad or overwhelmed due to challenges in your life or, seemingly for no apparent reason at all. At times these feelings of sadness can become intense and pro-longed to such an extent that daily functioning can become difficult.

How to help yourself:

  • Seek help
  • Try to be active
  • Set realistic goals for yourself
  • Break up large tasks into small ones
  • Spend time with other people
  • Replace negative thoughts with
    positive thoughts
  • Expect your mood to improve
  • Develop a support system
  • Postpone important decisions

About Depression

  • It is a common and highly treatable condition
  • It is not a sign of weakness or laziness
  • People with depression don’t just snap out of it
  • Knowing the signs and symptoms can improve overall health and quality of life

Depression Symptom Checklist

If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the following symptoms, use this checklist to discuss with a  mental health professional or doctor.

  • Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” feelings
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
  • Irritability or restlessness
  • Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable
  • Fatigue and decreased energy
  • Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, & making decisions
  • Insomnia, early morning-wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
  • Overeating or appetite loss
  • Aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease with treatment
  • Thoughts of suicide, suicide at-tempts

Depression Statistics

As many as 1 in 8 adolescents have depression.

In adults ages 15—44 depression is the leading cause of disability.
About 6 million people are affected by late life depression.
By 2020 depression will be the 2nd most common health problem in the world.

Two women develop depression for every one man.

Statistic Source: Depressionhelpspot.com

]]> Gang Prevention and Intervention http://olafamilyservices.com/gang-prevention-and-intervention/ Fri, 08 Mar 2019 17:30:33 +0000 http://olafamilyservices.com/?p=804

The word gang can refer to many different types of youth groups. Some are in existence very briefly, while others endure for decades. Gang memberships can be complex, with some youths joining early in their lives and remaining well beyond adolescence, and others merely “visiting” for one or more short periods. Gangs are known to have negative implications on most of its members. It is critical to prevent and suppress gang activity whenever possible.

Warning signs that a child may be involved with a gang:

  • Shows an unusual interest in one or two particular colors of clothing or a particular logo.
  • Has an unusual interest in gangster-influenced music, videos, movies, or websites.
  • Uses unusual hand signals to communicate with friends.
  • Has specific drawings or gang symbols on school books, clothes, or walls, or displays tattoos.
  • Comes home with unexplained physical injuries (fighting-related, bruises).
  • Has unexplained cash or goods, such as clothing or jewelry.

To Prevent Gang Involvement Caregivers should:

  • Spend quality time with child.
  • Talk with child about the dangers and consequences of gang involvement.
  • Encourage child to participate in positive after school activities with adult supervision.
  • Help child develop good conflict resolution skills.
  • Teach child how to cope with peer pressure.
  • Be a positive role model and set the right example.
  • Get involved with child’s school activities and know the child’s friends and their families.
 
]]> Early Childhood Education http://olafamilyservices.com/early-childhood-education/ Wed, 06 Mar 2019 20:30:01 +0000 http://olafamilyservices.com/?p=712

New science showcased in Newsweek says children begin learning at birth. Their emotional, social, and cognitive development starts from the moment they enter the world. All children are born learning. Together, we shape their learning. A child’s day-to-day experiences affect the structural and functional development of his or her brain, including intelligence and personality. The quality of young children’s environment and social experience has a decisive, long-lasting impact on their ability to learn.

Research shows that when adults interact with young children—talking, singing, and playing rhyming games—they stimulate language and vocabulary development and build important
foundations for learning to read. Every person who touches a child’s life—directly or indirectly—can enhance that child’s early learning.

Too many children aren’t getting enough quality early learning experiences:

  • Kindergarten teachers estimate that 1 in 3 children enter the classroom unprepared to meet the challenges of kindergarten.  
  • Some 46% of kindergarteners come to school at risk for failure.
  • Almost 1 out of 4 third graders failed the English SOL in Richmond.
What’s needed?
We need quality programs and services; In some cases we need more of them. In other cases, like child care, we have enough programs, but we need to improve their quality to really give children the full benefit. We also need to expand early childhood mental health services, and the identification of developmental/physical delays. Finally, we need people like you to help parents understand the importance of early childhood education.
 
Thanks in advance for enhancing a child’s early learning.
]]> Interesting Facts About Early Childhood Development http://olafamilyservices.com/facts-early-childhood-development/ Mon, 04 Mar 2019 14:27:56 +0000 https://medical.oceanwp.org/?p=77

The following are some interesting facts about early childhood development:

  • At-risk children who do not attend quality early childhood education programs are 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime by age 18.
  • For every $1 invested in early childhood development programs, there is a $7—$8 public return.
  • For every child who participates in a high-quality preschool program, the public benefit is $70,000 in avoided crime costs.
  • Children who hear fewer words before age 3 have dramatically smaller vocabularies and are unlikely to ever catch up.
  • In the Richmond region, 62% of children
    under six are cared for by someone other
    than a parent.

There are multiple factors that place children at risk for poor developmental outcomes. These include:

  • growing up in poverty
  • poor quality early learning
  • parental risk & behaviors
  • chronic health problems
  • diagnosable disabilities 
  • emotional & behavioral problems
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