 The Guard at Kids Day |   |  Alpha Counseling Program |
The Guard at Kids Day | | Alpha Counseling Program |
EPIC - - which stands for "Education Prevention Intervention & Counseling" -- Community Services is a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening families and individuals in our community. EPIC offers professional, confidential services including counseling, mentoring programs, and community education with a primary focus on issues associated with substance abuse and related problem behaviors.
Latest EPIC News
EPIC Community Services has received a grant from the "Keep Kids Drug Free Foundation."
EPIC is one of 14 community-based non-profit agencies from around the state to receive part of the $70,000 grant. EPIC will receive $5,000. which will go directly into purchasing prevention materials to use during community and school-based education programs and for the community library.
"EPIC is very pleased to be one of the recipients of this grant" said Patti Greenough, executive director of EPIC. "The new materials we will be able to purchase are state-of-the-art and have the most up-to-date information which will help kids make the right decision with regard to drugs and alcohol."
OUR PROGRAMS:
Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Programs
EPIC offers two mentoring programs - both designed to give children enriching experiences and positive role models. The community based program matches screened adult volunteers to children in the 6-12 age group. 27 matches participated in this program last year. The site-based program matches children with mentors and is in place in 4 elementary schools. Last year, 124 children were matched with adults. We also successfully piloted a program which recruits high school students as volunteers to mentor elementary school children from their feeder school. Nine students from Pedro Menendez High School met with children at Hastings Elementary School once a week. Because of the success of this pilot, Big Brothers Big Sisters has secured funding to expand it next school year.
An important component of Big Brothers Big Sisters is the professional case management and support. Our program staff supports matches through tough times and encourages, celebrates and validates matches as they evolve into friendships. Program staff also offer Bigs and Littles opportunities to be with other matches through special events and activities. For instance, last year, Bigs, Littles, and staff walked all night during the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, raising $2,000 and sharing in a good time. During our 8th Annual Tips for Kids Sake, we were able to expand into Ponte Vedra and the night was a resounding success in raising funds for our mentoring programs. Many thanks to the restaurants and Celebrity Waiters who made it all possible.
Project SUCCESS
Project SUCCESS is a school-based student assistance program in its second year at the Evelyn Hamblen Center. Students participating in the program receive an 8-week prevention education class, as well as individual and group counseling. The prevention education class covered topics such as Being an Adolescent, Family Issues, Alcohol and Other Drugs, and Stress and Coping. In addition, crisis intervention and referrals and parenting education are provided through this program. Last year, 128 students were served by Project SUCCESS.
2002-2003 Award Recipients
We like to recognize and thank those EPIC supporters who have gone above and beyond in helping us reach our mission of strengthening families throughout life's journey.
2002-03 recipients were:
Dr. & Mrs. Miguel Mas
Casa Monica Hotel (President's Award Winner)
Gate Petroleum Company
Jerry Kula/Aramark
Donna Wethington - SJC School District
The Hardy Group
Dr. Greg Dent
Match of the Year: Big Sister Jontai Binder & Little Sister Emma B
Monarch
The Monarch Student Assistance Program provides assistance and support in a variety of ways to students at two of our local high schools. It provides students the opportunity to deal with risk factors associated with alcohol and other drug use, as well as personal and family problems in a safe and confidential environment.
With educational seminars, individual assessments, counseling, and support groups, the Monarch Student Assistance Program seeks to help adolescents learn the skills necessary to overcome the obstacles and challenges they may be facing in their journey to reach adulthood healthy and confident. New this year was a Summer Leadership Institute for rising 9th graders. Over 50 students attended and their feedback was extremely positive. Monarch has also continued with the successful and popular Young Women's Leadership Conference, held at St. Johns River Community College, St. Augustine Campus. In 2002, the Monarch Student Assistance Program touched the lives of 728 students at St. Augustine and Pedro Menendez High Schools.
Alpha
The Alpha program is available to provide support to elementary students showing early signs of academic failure and behavior problems. This school-based, youth counseling program offers academic remediation, individual & group counseling, life skills training, recreational and cultural activities, behavior modification, and parent education. During the 2002-2003 school year, Alpha counselors were based at Crookshank and Ketterlinus Elementary Schools where they served 44 students.
Students also participated in the Jacksonville Jaguar Foundation Honor Rows Program. By pledging to be drug free and improving their reading and math skills, Alpha students were able to earn a seat at a Jaguars game. Many of our Alpha parents also participated in the Honor Rows program by completing our Parenting Wisely education course.
Additional activities this year included "Family Nights" and community service projects. In addition, 15 Alpha "graduates" from the previous school year participated in our Follow-up program.
The Counseling Center
Providing quality community-based care, EPIC's Counseling Center offers an extensive array of professional substance abuse and mental health therapeutic services that help individuals and families develop resources and solutions to make positive changes in their lives. Services include assessment and evaluation, crisis intervention, individual, group and family counseling, relapse prevention/aftercare, parenting programs, consultation and client advocacy, and employee assistance programs.
The Counseling Center also provides targeted judicial intervention services such as the Anti-Drug Initiative, Drug Court, DUI Treatment, Anger Management Course, and THINK!, an intensive education and counseling program for adolescents using and abusing alcohol and other drugs. The Center serves all age groups from toddlers to adolescents, adults and the elderly. 625 individuals and families received services from The Counseling Center last year.
Community Prevention Services
EPIC's Community Prevention Services program is a multi-faceted information and education service designed to increase knowledge of the nature and extent of substance abuse and their effects. Activities include a speakers bureau, educational seminars, professional training opportunities, community awareness events, and a multi-media resource library. During the past year, Community Prevention Services provided services to all corners of St. Johns County including Hastings, Ponte Vedra and the Julington Creek area. Topics included Binge Drinking, Club Drugs, Keeping Kids off Drugs, and Parenting. We are also continuing to offer our quarterly newsletter, the EPIC Journey Companion, which provides information on current substance abuse trends as well as updates on EPIC programs.
In 2002-2003, Community Prevention Services made a concentrated effort to reach out to the schools. Presentations were made in many of the elementary schools as well as the middle and high schools. The topics most requested by teachers and guidance counselors were Anger Management and Being Kind/Not Gossiping.
Again this year, EPIC offered the EPIC Summer Camp for children enrolled in EPIC programs. In addition to EPIC's own summer camp, Community Prevention Services provided weekly seminars to the 12 camps run by St. Johns County Parks & Recreation Dept. Topics included Anger Management, Drug Refusal Skills, and Conflict Resolution.
EPIC coordinated two community events this year: Ancient City Kids Day and Project Graduation. Ancient City Kids Day, in conjunction with Make A Difference Day, provided a day of community celebration and allowed providers of children's services to entertain the children while sharing valuable information with parents. The 10th annual Project Graduation offered an all-night party for graduating seniors to celebrate in a drug, alcohol and smoke free environment. In all, Community Prevention Services served 8,735 individuals in our community last year.
Because we have been serving the community for 31 years EPIC Special Bulletins
EPIC Community Services welcomes your interest and support.
You may contact us for information via the following:
Telephone:
(904) 829-2273
Visit or write:
1400 Old Dixie Highway, Suite C
St Augustine, Florida 32084
FAX:
(904) 824-0724
e-mail:
epic@aug.com
Check here for a list of our EPIC Board Members: Boards
"Strengthening Families Throughout Life's Journey".
EPIC Community Services has a new home thanks to a generous donation to the building fund and the hard work of the Board of Directors and staff. Click here to see the new building.
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Contents © 1997-05 EPIC Community Services Inc.
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