Provides outpatient counseling services for youth and families. Offers both in home and more traditional outpatient approach. Services include: - SPARCS (Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress) - psycho-educational group for teens (12-18) who have scary or upsetting things happen and find it difficult to feel or act the same as before. Program runs an hour per session for 16 weeks. - It helps teens understand how scary or upsetting things can affect feelings, thinking, and behavior. - Teaches ways to reduce negative behaviors, improve focus, decrease high-risk behaviors and improve relationships with others. - It helps teens cope better during times of stress, improve self-esteem, build more supportive relationships, improve awareness, and create meaning in their lives. - It allows teens to meet other peers who have had similar experiences. - DCFS (Department of Children & Family Service) Counseling Services - provide a strengths-based approach to improve the symptoms for which the client was referred. No cost to DCFS-referred families - Individual counseling/therapeutic services for parents, children and adolescents. - Counseling/therapeutic services for foster parents to provide support and guidance. - Family counseling/therapeutic services. - Group counseling/therapeutic services. - Trauma Focused Services. - IPS (Intensive Placement Stabilization) - provides intensive support to high-risk children in foster care to stabilize placements and prevent entry into higher levels of care - Brief individual and family counseling for foster and natural families - Placement stabilization services - Crisis intervention - Community linkage - Foster parent support - School intervention and tutoring - Court advocacy - Mentoring services - Enrichment activities - DCFS Intact Counseling Services - family-based, in-home treatment program working with intact families - Individual and family counseling - Parent effectiveness training - Behavior modification - Community service linkage - Trauma Focused Services - Outpatient Counseling - focuses on issues of acute stress reactions and reactions to trauma, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, school problems, behavioral problems, parenting, and family conflict. Services are offered both in home and through the more traditional outpatient approach

Short term therapeutic approach to reducing suspension time in schools. Can be used for alcohol/drug, aggression, and/or sexting violations. Typically 6 sessions with a licensed therapist and includes the following topics: - Comprehensive assessment - Psychology education - Counseling on decision making - Coping skills Sessions are conducted on an individual basis but also offers groups from time to time on specific issues, such as: - Alcohol/Drug Use - Coping Skills - Decision Making - Anger Management Tools - Respect for Self & Others Sessions are conducted at participating schools that the student attends.

Identifies, helps, and retains low-income students who demonstrate the ability to succeed, yet are at risk of dropping out of high school. Upon completion of the "Stay 4" criteria, high school graduation, and enrollment in the U.S. military, a trade school, community college, or four-year university, students will be awarded a monetary grant to support their continuing educational efforts.

Provides guidance and assistance to prevent school absence and dropout for those at risk of expulsion, and economic, behavioral, and educational support to help students maintain their normal school curriculum and schedule. Programs include: - Attendance Improvement Matters (AIM): Provide direct services to students that will assist them in overcoming economic barriers that interfere with school attendance. - Bridges program: A full time educational option for truant students who wish to catch up to grade level or retrieve credits missed because of poor school attendance.

Intervention/prevention services to students at-risk of dropping out of school. Services include assessment, referrals to outside agencies, mentoring, and case management.

Elevate is designed to provide support services to youth that may have some type of barrier preventing them from obtaining their education or employment. Services include: - Cash incentives. - High School Equivalency classes at multiple locations. - Childcare while attending classes. - After-school tutoring for those enrolled in high school. - Career Readiness. - Career Assessment testing. - Job search and college enrollment. - Vocational school or College Tuition assistance. - Paid Work Experience. - On-the-Job training wage subsidy program for Employers willing to hire youth for full time employment.

Assists students who need additional credits. Assists school administrators in finding an appropriate program to meet the needs of at-risk youth who are not functioning in the traditional education environment. All Alternative School Programs contain the following components: - Safety: School uniforms, dress requirements, daily check-ins through metal detectors, and closed campus environment. - Behavior Management Program: Student success plans, individual education plans, behavior level systems, attendance requirements, effort grades, collaboration with social agencies, and court services. - Standardized Curriculum: Instruction in math, science, language arts, and social studies at all grade levels. Course objectives are based on Illinois Learning Standards. Use of Internet and computer daily in all programs. - Work Coop and Community Service: Students are involved in work coop instruction and receive credit for community service activities.

Safe environment and mentors for students with alternative learning needs. Safe Schools and Alternative Programs are designed to meet the needs of individual learners. Safe School programs serve students who have been expelled or who have served multiple suspensions due to serious and/or repeated misconduct. Alternative programs are designed to serve students for a variety of purposes such as credit recovery and chronic truancy.

Alternative education for students expelled, suspended, or struggling at their regular school. Program options: - Regional Safe School Program (RSSP): for regular education students who have been disruptive in the education program. - Options: Safe and secure classroom for students who suffer from anxiety and other non-disciplinary attendence issues. - FLEX: Late-day program (3:30 pm - 8:00 pm) for at-risk students and those with attendance struggles.

Alternative schooling for students, including the following programs: - Regional Safe Schools Program (RSSP): For students with behavioral issues. - Alternative Learning Opportunities Program (ALOP): Alternative learning setting for students who need more intensive academic/social/emotional intervention.

BUILD provides young people struggling in school with the tools and support they need to succeed, graduate, and advance to college and careers. Tutoring, test prep, college campus tours, career exposure and consistent mentoring offer low-income, often-overlooked students the opportunity to be the first in their families to go to college, graduate and develop careers.

E-Learning Program: An on-line based program for high school dropouts. A career development module and job search assistance module is built into the program.

Their Continuum of Care program allows youth, young adults, and adult men and women to earn a High School Diploma and certification in Culinary Arts and Welding faster so they can enter the workforce sooner.

BUILD provides young people struggling in school with the tools and support they need to succeed, graduate, and advance to college and careers. Tutoring, test prep, college campus tours, career exposure and consistent mentoring offer low-income, often-overlooked students the opportunity to be the first in their families to go to college, graduate and develop careers.

Latino Youth High School (LYHS) offers young persons a second chance to obtain a high school diploma. This alternative charter school incorporates a student-centered approach emphasizing individualized instruction coupled with added supports such as parenting groups for young mothers, counseling, and leadership development.

E-Learning Program: An on-line based program for high school dropouts. A career development module and job search assistance module is built into the program.