Telehealth services have reduced some of the barriers to receiving mental health counseling using digital technology. Teletherapy (also known as telehealth counseling) is especially helpful to clients that do not have the ability to visit with their mental health counselor in person.

For over a year, Jennie Marble, Director of JCFS Integrated Pediatric Therapies (IPT), has been cultivating a relationship with program staff from Ruth & Norman Rales Jewish Family Services (JFS) in Boca Raton, Florida.

We applaud UIC Associate Professor Kristin Berg and the Behavioral Health Stratified Treatment (BEST project) for seeking to better understand the needs of young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We at JCFS Chicago share the project’s goals of early identification and treatment of mental health challenges to improve health and vocational trajectories across the life.

It’s wintertime and we often feel sluggish. Knowing that the winter months have an impact on our mood and behavior, it's vital that we keep moving. 

One way we learn is by watching others. A way to enhance skills is by positive reinforcement that leads to repeating an action. Some individuals think in pictures. These reasons make video modeling an enticing way to learn.

I’ve been so proud of our clinicians, families and clients during the pandemic. I wanted to give a big thank you to our families who have adapted with us. We appreciate the choices you have made and for allowing us to join you for the ride, whatever that has looked like.

Having books in the home is proven to positively benefit children in a myriad of ways. A two-decade long study found that the mere presence of a home library increases children’s academic success, vocabulary development, attention and job attainment.

Though the holidays represent a time of fun, family time and tradition, they can also bring heightened stress. On top of everyday responsibilities, there are plenty of changes to your regular schedule including travel, hosting family dinners and possible financial burden. Integrated Pediatric Therapies director Jennie Marble recommends these tools to help your family thrive this holiday season.

Through play, children develop motor coordination, social skills, emotional regulation, as well as learn how to process the sensory input in their environment.  The occupational therapists at JCFS Chicago’s Integrated Pediatric Therapies and Therapeutic Day School make sure each child has fun at work!

Did you know that too many toys in a child’s play environment can have a negative effect on their development? Having access to fewer toys enhances children’s cognitive and neurological development according to the findings of a study conducted by the University of Toledo and recently published in The Journal of Infant Behavior and Development.