The Summit Counseling Center Inc

PROVIDES PROF. COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING SCHOOL-BASED THERAPY SUICIDE PREVENTION & MENTAL HEALTH AWARE- NESS EDUCATION USING AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH TO TREAT THE WHOLE PERSON

OUTPATIENT COUNSELING SERVICES PROGRAM FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: THE SUMMIT'S COUNSELING SERVICE PROGRAM PROVIDES INDIVIDUAL, COUPLES, FAMILY AND GROUP COUNSELING SERVICES TO ADULTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. OUR PROFESSIONAL STATE LICENSED CLINICAL STAFF UTILIZES EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES TO TREAT A WIDE RANGE OF CLINICAL ISSUES INCLUDING (BUT NOT LIMITED TO) ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, COMPLICATED GRIEF, TRAUMA, SUBSTANCE USE/ABUSE, PARENTING AND RELATIONSHIP DIFFICULTIES. THE SUMMIT PROVIDED MORE 26,000 HOURS OF THERAPY AND SERVED 2,818 UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS. SPECIALIZED PROGRAMS INCLUDE: CRISIS ASSESSMENTS, SUMMIT ON-SITE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPY, PLAY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN, DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND SKILLS GROUPS. SUMMIT ON-SITE SCHOOL-BASED THERAPY SERVICES: THE SUMMIT PLACES THERAPISTS IN PARTICIPATING ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE, AND HIGH SCHOOLS WITHIN CONTRACTED PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS. BY REMOVING THE BARRIERS OF STIGMA, ACCESSIBILITY AND AFFORDABILITY, THE SUMMIT SERVES STUDENTS & THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING THERAPY BOTH AT THE SCHOOL AND THROUGH CONVENIENT OFF-SITE SATELLITE LOCATIONS. THIS EARLY INTERVENTION INCREASES EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, OPENNESS TO HELP AND AN INCREASE IN SKILLS AND RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. CRISIS ASSESSMENTS WERE PROVIDED AT BOTH SCHOOL LOCATIONS AND OFF-SITE LOCATIONS. THE SUMMIT PROVIDED 9,358 HOURS OF COUNSELING TO STUDENTS IN 5 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, 13 MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND 10 HIGH SCHOOLS AND SERVED 818 STUDENTS THROUGH ON-SITE SERVICES. CLIENT ASSISTANCE PRO BONO DISCOUNTS AND FEE SUBSIDIES ENSURED THAT THOSE IN NEED RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEED. PLAY THERAPY PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN AGE 3-12: PLAY THERAPY IS A SPECIALIZED FORM OF PSYCHOTHERAPY & COUNSELING DESIGNED TO HARNESS THE POWER OF PLAY TO HELP CHILDREN EXPRESS FEELINGS, LEARN COPING SKILLS, GAIN INTERPERSONAL SKILLS, AND RESOLVE BLOCKAGES TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. THE SUMMIT'S CERTIFIED PLAY THERAPY SUPERVISORS AND TRAINED PLAY THERAPISTS INCORPORATED EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES AND TECHNIQUES AND PROVIDED 3,825 HOURS OF PLAY THERAPY AND SERVED 651 CHILDREN. CLIENT ASSISTANCE PRO BONO DISCOUNTS AND FEE SUBSIDIES ENSURE THAT THOSE IN NEED RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEED. DIALECTICAL BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (DBT) GROUP PROGRAM: DBT IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PSYCHOTHERAPY AND EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT HAS PROVEN USEFUL FOR TREATING SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY, MOOD DISORDERS, AND SUICIDAL IDEATION, AS WELL AS FOR CHANGING INEFFECTIVE BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS ASSOCIATED WITH SELF-HARM, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND DISORDERS OF EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY. THE SUMMIT UTILIZES INTENSIVELY-TRAINED DBT THERAPISTS AND SUPERVISED THERAPISTS TO PROVIDE DBT THERAPY AND DBT EDUCATION GROUPS THAT TRAIN CLIENTS IN MINDFULNESS PRACTICES, DISTRESS TOLERANCE, EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS. EDUCATIONAL GROUPS ARE PROVIDED FOR ADULTS, TEENS (AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF TEENS). THE SUMMIT PROVIDED 129 HOURS OF DBT GROUP PROGRAMMING AND SERVED 71 ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS. CLIENT ASSISTANCE PRO BONO DISCOUNTS AND FEE SUBSIDIES ENSURE THAT THOSE IN NEED RECEIVE THE HELP THEY NEED.

PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING PROGRAM: THE SUMMIT PROVIDES SCREENINGS AND ASSESSMENTS FOR ADULTS, CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. THE SUMMIT DEVELOPED COST-EFFECTIVE, EARLY INTERVENTION SCREENINGS FOR MENTAL HEALTH, LEARNING DISABILITIES AND ATTENTION PROBLEMS. WHEN SCREENINGS INDICATE A NEED FOR MORE EXTENSIVE TESTING, THE SUMMIT PROVIDES THE FULL BATTERY OF PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL OR NEURO-PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING. NATIONALLY, THE HEALTH, WELL-BEING AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS IS SIGNIFICANTLY HAMPERED BY UNDIAGNOSED MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS, LEARNING DISABILITIES (AND DIFFERENCES), AND BEHAVIORAL CONDITIONS. THE SUMMIT WORKED WITH AREA PEDIATRICIANS TO DEVELOP A SCREENING PROTOCOL TO PROVIDE MORE COST-EFFECTIVE MENTAL HEALTH AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING TOOLS TO PROVIDE PHYSICIANS AND PARENTS WITH EFFECTIVE MEANS TO IDENTIFY THESE CONDITIONS. EARLY, COST-EFFECTIVE IDENTIFICATION OF MENTAL HEATH DISORDERS ALLOWS PHYSICIANS TO ETHICALLY PROCEED WITH ANY NEEDED PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT WITHOUT UNNECESSARY ADDITIONAL TESTING. WHEN SCREENING TOOLS DETECT THE LIKELIHOOD OF A MORE SIGNIFICANT UNDERLYING CONDITION, ADDITIONAL TESTING CAN BE ADMINISTERED WHILE OBTAINING FINANCIAL CREDIT FOR THE PREVIOUS SCREENING. COMPLETE PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS ALLOW PARENTS, PHYSICIANS AND EDUCATORS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY ADDRESS STUDENT CHALLENGES AND CREATE A PLAN FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS AND GREATER OVERALL WELL-BEING. IN 2019-20, THE SUMMIT'S NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST AND PSYCHOMETRIST PROVIDED OVER 2126 BILLABLE HOURS OF SCREENINGS AND ASSESSMENTS TO 287 CLIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

THE SUMMIT WAS THE PRIMARY FOUNDING AND SPONSORING ORGANIZATION OF THE NORTH FULTON MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATIVE. THE MISSION OF THE NFMHC IS TO CONNECT AND CATALYZE STAKEHOLDERS TO CULTIVATE AN ACCESSIBLE LIFE SPAN BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SYSTEM TO IMPROVE MENTAL WELLNESS FOR OUR COMMUNITY. IT IS OPEN TO ALL BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING: FAITH COMMUNITIES, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND PERSONNEL, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDERS, AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSUMERS. THIS PROGRAM STARTED IN 2016 WAS A COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM OF THE SUMMIT AND IS CONVENED AND LED BY THE SUMMIT'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH TEAM. AN ADVISORY GROUP WAS FORMED IN 2017, TO PROVIDE SHARED LEADERSHIP OF THE COLLABORATIVE INCLUDING TO HELP SUPPORT THE MISSION WITH FOCUS AND IMPACT. IN 2019, THE NFMHC PROGRAM RECEIVED A GRANT FROM THE UNITED WAY OF GREATER ATLANTA THAT IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE SUMMIT AS THE FISCAL AGENT. THE PROGRAM HAS IMPLEMENTED A MULTI-YEAR PLAN TO GUIDE ITS WORK WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON: 1) CONNECTIONS AND ADVOCACY THROUGH REGULAR MEETINGS, SPEAKERS AND PROMOTING PROGRAMS, EVENTS, AND EDUCATION RESOURCES IN THE COMMUNITY; 2) MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND SUICIDE PREVENTION EDUCATION AND TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS SUCH AS MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING (CIT), ASIST SUICIDE PREVENTION TRAINING, MENTAL HEALTH 101 TRAINING AND MORE; 3) OUTREACH TO STRATEGIC PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE SIGNIFICANT INFLUENCE ON MENTAL HEALTH INCLUDING FULTON COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, FULTON COUNTY SCHOOLS, FULTON DEKALB HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, GEORGIA CRISIS AND ACCESS LINE, MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF GEORGIA, NAMI, LOCAL HOSPITALS, AND PUBLIC LEADERS AND REPRESENTATIVES.

SUMMIT COUNSELING NETWORK: CURE CHILDHOOD CANCER