By Howard Olshansky, JFS Executive Director

While most students were back in school at the end of last school year, the entire year was tumultuous. As we approach another school year, it is uncertain whether things will really be back to normal. There is some anxiety around who is and who isn’t vaccinated. Questions about masks and virus variants remain. At a time when anxiety and mental health issues for teens have escalated, there is concern about how students may handle these uncertainties.

According to an April article in “Psychiatry Advisor,” mental health issues were already on the rise with youth prior to the pandemic. Survey results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show increasing rates of U.S. high school students experiencing persistent sadness or hopelessness (from approximately 26% in 2009 to 37% in 2019), serious contemplation of suicide (from 14% to 19%), suicide planning (from 11% to 16%), and suicide attempts (from 6% to 9%).

Early findings indicate that these issues are being further exacerbated by the current crisis, with individuals with preexisting psychological problems at higher risk. The results show increased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder among youth of various age groups.

The concerns are not limited to middle and high school students. Children in elementary school have also been negatively affected by the pandemic and virtual learning. Learning development may have been delayed, and previously learned social behaviors may have been forgotten.

Compounding the issue is the fact that our school systems are significantly understaffed to provide student support services. In Mecklenburg County, the staffing for psychologists, social workers, and counselors is less than 50% of what is considered best practice, which means that if students contact a professional at school for emotional support, there is a good chance they may not get the attention they need.

Dr. Neha Chaudhary, child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, developed some tips on how to alleviate some of the anxiety of returning to school:

It’s good to plan ahead. As much as possible, learn protocols and routines for your child’s school. The more they know, the less anxious they will be.

Let’s talk about our worries. The more your children share what they are worried about, the more you can help them plan for how to deal with the situation.

Talking it out may also reveal other issues you can plan for.

Anticipate some anxiety and nerves. Acknowledging that it is OK and normal to be anxious will help assure your children that there is nothing wrong with them. It also opens up the opportunity to discuss ways to alleviate their anxiety. Talk about strategies such as breathing exercises, especially for students who may already have some history of anxiety.

Proactively check in about mental health. This is especially important so that your children know you understand that they may be feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed and that you are there to support their emotional needs. If you don’t feel as if they will open up to you, try to identify someone in their life who can fill this role.

Don’t expect everything to change overnight. Recognize it takes time to adjust. You may see some decline in grades or behaviors. Don’t ignore these signs, but also don’t overreact.

Talk with your child about what is going on and strategize on how to manage the situation.

Be present and consistent. Your children need stability at a time when they may be feeling vulnerable and unsettled. Knowing you are there and things are stable, consistent and, for younger children, routine will help them feel calm and give them a sense of security.

Seek professional help if necessary. If you are seeing symptoms that are more than you can handle or your child doesn’t seem to be able to adjust, seek professional counseling. Jewish Family Services can help.

The idea of self-care awareness is to recognize the importance of taking care of ourselves if we are going to maximize our own functioning or help others. Self-care is often described as performing a series of actions to improve physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

As we all know, the High Holidays are a time of reflection. An article in the Washington Jewish Week newspaper references the time between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Ten Days of Repentance, as a period of self-betterment, healing and, of course, repentance. So it is a time when we ask for forgiveness but also when we reflect on our future. We set goals and think about how we can improve our lives and ourselves. The concept of self-betterment is what selfcare is all about. We commit to improving our physical, financial, and spiritual health.

Unfortunately, the one area that often gets missed in caring for ourselves is emotional health. Activities that reduce stress, such as carving out personal time or meditation/relaxation exercises, are often seen as indulgent or self-centered. It is a pervasive belief that time spent doing something such as relaxing and reading a book is time that could be better spent being productive. However, it is important to understand that emotional health has a direct relationship to all other aspects of life. For years, the data have shown that mental health can affect physical health, manifesting in ways such as high blood pressure, diabetes, headaches, and heart illness, but we often don’t think about this in our day-to-day lives. Emotional health also affects other aspects of daily living, such as our sleeping habits and our motivation, which then sabotage our success in endeavors such as weight management, exercise, and work productivity.

In an article in Psychology Today, Tchiki Davis Ph.D. identified the following 12 tips for self-care:

Make sleep part of your selfcare routine. Not enough sleep can negatively affect both physical and mental health. Stick to a regular schedule that ensures adequate sleep.

Take care of your gut. This can have a significant impact on your health, well-being, and feelings of vitality. The types of foods you eat crucially affect the bacteria that live in your stomach, resulting in a cascade of either positive or negative outcomes.

Exercise daily. It helps you physically and mentally, boosting your mood and reducing stress and anxiety. Any exercise will do as long as you make it a routine.

Eat right. The food we eat has the potential to keep us healthy. Some of the most amazing selfcare foods include fatty fish, blueberries, nuts, green leafy veggies, and brassicas, like broccoli.

Say no to others, and say yes to self-care. Learning to say no is really hard. However, if you’re already stressed or overworked, saying yes to loved ones or coworkers can lead to burnout, anxiety, and irritability, which will not help them or you.

Take a self-care trip. Getting away for a weekend now and then can help you disconnect, relax, and be rejuvenated.

Spend time outside. Studies have shown that getting outside can help reduce fatigue, making it a great way to overcome symptoms of depression or burnout. Getting outside can also help you sleep better at night.

Let a pet help with self-care. From providing unconditional love to companionship, pets can be hugely beneficial for self-care.

Get organized. This is often the first step to becoming healthier because it allows you to figure out exactly what you need to do to take better care of yourself.

Cook at home. Even if it’s only once a week, consider making a healthy meal instead of ordering takeout or eating fast foods.

Read a book on self-care. It will take you away from your electronic devices and provide additional tips.

Schedule your self-care time. If it’s planned and scheduled, you’re more likely to follow through.

A line from a blog by Chris Harrison, former writer/editor for the Union of Reform Judaism, sums this up perfectly, “T’shuvah is a vital aspect of the High Holidays, so it’s important to embrace these holidays from a strong foundation rooted in selfcare.”

Job Title: Therapist (Licensed)
Program: Counseling Center
Population Served: Children & Adolescents, Adults, and Families
FSLA Status: Exempt 

POSITION SUMMARY:
The Therapist, under the direction and supervision of the Director of Programs and Services, is responsible for the delivery and coordination of therapeutic services to clients enrolled in Jewish Family Services of Greater Charlotte, Inc.  The Therapist is responsible for all functions related to managing, supporting, and facilitating appropriate services to meet the needs of clients and families.

Employment Classification:
The Therapist is a full-time, exempt position.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Direct Clinical and Case Management 

• Provide individual, group, family therapy, or care coordination for clients.
• Conduct therapy assessments to determine the appropriate treatment needs of the clients and families and evaluate and assess ongoing treatment needs.
• Develop, coordinate, and facilitate therapy treatment planning to include formulation, reviews, and re-formulations as directed. 
• Provide on-going therapy in the most appropriate setting to meet the clients needs, i.e. office, home or community setting.
• Develop and implement crisis stabilization plans.
• Conduct case management assessments to determine the financial, housing, medical, emotional, and physical needs of clients and families. 
• Develop and implement short-term and long-term goals with case management clients, with the goal of long-term resolutions and self-sufficiency. 
• Provide ongoing case management services to evaluate and reassess client and family progress with short and long-term goals and make modifications to these as necessary.
• Refer clients to appropriate community resources and advocate for or assist the client in obtaining such services. 
• Where appropriate, conduct parenting classes and provide parenting support
• Attend appropriate community committee meetings as they relate to the needs of clientele as a part of treatment.
• Participate in on-call rotation as clinical therapist for JFS.
• Confer with Jewish clergy, and other community professionals regarding cases, as appropriate.
• Serve as a consultant regarding mental health and case management issues for members of the Jewish Community.
• Submit timely documentation and maintain accurate, complete clinical and case management documentation of all assessments, services, interventions, treatment plans, and client related activities, and prepare statistical data and reports as requested.
• Establish and maintain close working relationship with clients, families, and other community professionals. 
• Maintain strict adherence to the standards and guidelines of all state and private Insurance Panels.
• Participate in and/or lead meetings with other professionals at JFS or in the community, as needed.
• Lead community outreach efforts, such as visits to schools, physicians, and community agencies, in an effort to market and grow programs and services. 
• Coordinate and/or develop workshops and lecture series.
• Participate in all assigned staff and supervisory meetings as well as in service trainings and staff development activities.
• Provide Quality Assurance of clinical documentation and chart auditing for compliance purposes.
• Ensures that community resource information is kept updated and that staff is kept informed.
• Maintain compliance with professional licensing requirements, i.e. training and license renewal.
• Other duties as they relate to furthering the mission of Jewish Family Services.

Knowledge of:

• NASW Code of Ethics and Best Practices
• Public and Private resources available in the Greater Charlotte community.
• Bio-psychosocial approach to evaluating individuals and families.
• Expanded principles of psychology, social work, juvenile justice, and other social sciences.
• Mental Health assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.
• Crisis Intervention and management.
• Needs Assessment techniques and strategies.
• Problem-solving and conflict-resolution.
• Child welfare and adult abuse laws, regulations, and guidelines.
• Insurance documentation standards and guidelines.
• Individual, Group, Couples, and Family Therapy.

Demonstrated Skills:

• Adheres to NASW Code of Ethics in all practices.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships and boundaries with client/families, staff and community agencies.
• Ability to plan, organize, and direct clinical and program activities.
• Use effective time management skills to complete required job duties.
• Ability to work independently, with minimal supervision.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate program and client goals and objectives.
• Conduct individual, family and community needs assessment; develop, implement, and evaluate related services.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. Effective use of individual, family, and group therapeutic techniques.
• Good computer knowledge and skills. Must be able to use Microsoft Office programs and electronic health record.

Minimum Qualifications:

Graduate of an accredited college or university with a Master’s Degree in a Clinical Field. Two years of verified, full-time, post-graduate accumulated MH/DD/SA experience providing direct service to the population served. NC State licensure as LCSW preferred. Other Master’s level licensed professionals may be considered based on acceptance from insurance payers.

To apply for this position, please email resume to:  info@jfscharlotte.org