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Psychiatric
Clinic
Mission:
Providing Support to Troubled Children and Youth
"We
are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but
a habit."
ARISTOTLE
Established
in 1957, Green Tree School is a state-approved private school which
serves up to 150 students with serious emotional disturbance who
are between the ages of six and twenty-one. We also provide an early
intervention program for Philadelphia children ages three to five
who are developmentally delayed. Green Tree operates a state-licensed
psychiatric clinic on the premises which serves the students at
the school. The psychiatric clinic at Green Tree is designed to
provide an array of counseling and mental health services to children
and youth with emotional support needs. The clinic also provides
training and consultation to teachers and parents to help adults
learn how to foster positive emotional and social development in
children.
Philosophy
Green Tree's counselors regard professional ethics as the framework
of their practice. Our clinic maintains a climate of warmth centered
on respect for children and adolescents who are going through emotional
difficulties. Counselors recognize the need for confidentiality
and are nonjudgmental in their approach. Through the therapeutic
relationship, counselors help their clients to explore and assess
values as they make decisions about their behavior.
The
Special People on our Clinic Staff
Our clinic is directed by DeWitt H. Montgomery, Jr., M.D., a Philadelphia-based
child psychiatrist. Dr. Montgomery also maintains a private practice
and serves on the faculty at Jefferson Medical School and Mainline
Health-Hospital Systems.
The
clinic supervisor is Cheryl Helman, PsyD. Dr. Helman is a
Pennsylvania Certified School Psychologist with 7 years of training
in psychotherapy and assessment.
For
All They Do.
Clinic services include:
- case
management
- individual
psychotherapy sessions
- crisis
intervention
- group
psychotherapy sessions
- movement
therapy
- monitoring
of medication
- family
support services
- consultation
with inter-disciplinary team
- staff
development
The
clinic staff provides case management, counseling, and crisis intervention
services to each student. A movement therapist helps students learn
about social and emotional issues through movement activities. The
clinic also coordinates special workshops on issues that become
significant to our students or teachers, such as drug and alcohol
abuse, sexual assault prevention, conflict resolution, and anger
management.
In
Every Classroom, Caring Professionals
In addition to direct mental health services, Green Tree School
maintains an atmosphere of structure and support throughout the
school. All of the subject areas in Green Tree's educational program
are taught within a therapeutic milieu. Certified teachers and their
assistants provide emotional support and guidance as needed by their
students.
Helping
Students Grow
Transitions can be difficult for everyone, but they are especially
challenging for children and adolescents who have serious emotional
needs. Counselors assist students and their families in planning
for transitions to home school districts, to living independently,
or for graduation, employment, or further education. They also help
to find summer placements for students. Counselors facilitate a
hospital admission, when necessary, and help the family prepare
for the child's return to home and school.
If
You'd Like to Talk about it
Green Tree School accepts referrals from the School District of
Philadelphia and other local school districts in the Delaware Valley,
including Southern New Jersey. Transportation is provided at no
cost to parents. For more information about the Psychiatric Clinic
at Green Tree School contact
Cheryl Helman, PsyD, clinic supervisor.
For information about placing a child or young adult in the educational
program at Green Tree School, contact Herman Axelrod,
Ph.D.,
Director at (215) 843-4528.
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