School-based Services

School-based services prevent emotional and family trauma by delivering counseling services to children and families at their public school sites, neighborhood centers - in English, Spanish and American Sign Language to keep families intact and improve children's school performance.

Tutoring and Public School Support is made available to children living in the residential treatment center who attend school on campus or at Pasadena public schools. Forty-percent of children admitted to residential treatment were enrolled directly in public school.

Five Acres works with the Pasadena Unified School District and Monrovia Unified School District to provide school-based mental health counseling services. Five Acres provides on-campus assessment and treatment for students referred by teachers, nurses and parents due to academic and behavior problems indicating a need for intensive individual group and family therapy.

Recognizing Need

Jessica is ten years old and had problems with extreme outbursts several times a day including arguing, yelling, slamming doors, throwing objects and fits of rage. Her teacher referred Jessica and her mother to Five Acres. Her treatment at Five Acres included art therapy, cognitive therapy, and family therapy interventions to help Jessica reduce her angry outbursts.

Five Acres learned that Jessica’s mother and father had a history of drug abuse and had separated three years earlier. Her parents have since changed their behaviors and are trying to be good parents. The counselor recognized that because Jessica had started to feel safe in her environment, she felt free to unleash her anger and fears.

Jessica responded very well to treatment and within six months was able to completely resolve her angry outbursts. Jessica has learned to draw connections between her feelings and thoughts with her behavior and learned to soothe herself to prevent an anger outburst. She improved her academic performance and developed meaningful friendships with peers. Her counselor spent the last two months of Jessica’s treatment assisting Jessica and her mother with learning to maintain Jessica's progress.