The COVID-19 crisis is causing additional stress in a lot of households. In Jacksonville, one group that helps support families says they’re seeing an uptick in the number of kids entering their child welfare program.
Counselors are noticing a rapid increase in the number of kids coming into Jewish Family and Community Services’ care and custody.
Their statistics have not yet been updated in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic but Colleen Rodriguez who serves as the executive director of JFCS says they’ve noticed the increase over the last few weeks. They now have 511 kids in their care and custody which she says is the highest they’ve seen in a long time.
Rodriguez says the uptick in cases is likely due to stress associated with the coronavirus pandemic- leading to more abuse and neglect. She strongly advises parents to take care of themselves.
“They need to set aside time every day whether it’s just sitting out on the back porch taking a breath, taking a break and reaching out to their friends and family and getting a little support,” Rodriguez said.
Jewish Family and Community Services has a lot of programs to support and strengthen families including counseling and financial assistance. If you’re in need of help you can call JFCS’ mainline at 904-448-1933 or for counseling services call 904-394-5706.
They also have child abuse prevention programs that you can learn about by clicking here. The Dupont Counseling Group is available for adults or kids that need traditional therapy. They’re currently doing teletherapy. Here are details on how to take advantage of that program.
For more information on all of Jewish Family and Community Services programs visit JFCSjax.org.