Caring for Kids
CCRB Monthly News & Updates
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August is back to school season for many. I still remember the thrill of organizing my school supplies, carefully labeling each notebook and folder. We didn’t have much money growing up, so I cherished each new item, and carefully refreshed old supplies. I would pour over each class syllabus, determined to earn that coveted “A” in each class (preferably an “A+”, but I would settle for an “A”).
My family moved every few years, so I also remember the feelings of being the new kid at school. As an introvert, I remember the significant anxiety I had walking into a classroom where no one knew my name or history. Lunchtime was worse – I had to quickly figure out where to sit, what the social norms were, how to fit in. There may have been resources available through the school or local nonprofits to help me navigate these fears, but that wasn’t something my family or I would have thought to do. Instead, I just pushed through and figured it out on my own. Most of the time, it worked out—but those memories remain vivid, even decades later.
Today, I’m deeply grateful for the mental health systems we’ve built for kids in St. Charles County. Thanks to funding from the Community & Children’s Resource Board (CCRB), our community has available a wide range of mental health services. From services that help kids understand and manage their emotions (such as successfully navigating lunch time), to crisis intervention, to ongoing counseling (and much more!), our kids have an opportunity to thrive. These services are available throughout the community as well as in our schools, meeting kids where they are and increasing accessibility.
I’m also thankful for our school districts, which actively partner with CCRB-funded programs and invest in additional mental health resources. Their commitment to student well-being sends a powerful message: our kids matter, and their mental health is a priority.
As we head into another school year, let’s continue supporting these resources and the children who rely on them. By meeting their emotional resilience and well-being, we’re not just preparing students for the classroom, we’re equipping our kids for life.
| | | Taylor, Michelle, and Cheri Thurman, attended the 2025 Missouri Suicide Prevention Conference in Columbia. | | Vice Chair, Jon Cunningham administers the Oath of Office to new Board Member, Robert Fruend, Jr. | | Staff celebrated Jeanne's birthday with office decorations, a treasure hunt, gifts, and lunch at a place of Jeanne's choosing. | | | Board Update: Celebrating Service and Embracing New Perspectives | |
The CCRB Board and staff want to acknowledge and thank Dr. Jim Schaberg, who announced his retirement from the CCRB Board in August. He has been a valued member of the CCRB since 2023, joining shortly after concluding a distinguished career in Orthopedic Surgery.
Beyond his professional expertise, Jim brought a thoughtful and compassionate presence to the Board. His steady presence and genuine care for the community have left a lasting impact. We are grateful for the time, energy, and wisdom he shared with us.
We extend our sincere appreciation and best wish for continued success, fulfillment, and well-being in all his future pursuits.
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CCRB is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert Fruend, Jr. to the Board of Directors. Robert has over 25 years of health care leadership and teaching experience, with a focus on implementing community-based initiatives to improve the health of all. Prior to his current roles, Robert was the founding CEO of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, where he served for nearly two decades. The RHC served as the regional planning body for health care issues in St. Louis City/County.
Robert currently leads a physician leadership academy and coordinates policy efforts at NYIT’s College of Medicine at Arkansas State University, focusing on improving rural health in the Delta. He also teaches health policy at New York University. Robert earned an MBA from the John M. Olin School of Business at Washington University, an MHA from the Washington University School of Medicine, and is an alumnus of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellows International leadership program. He has served on over twenty non-profit boards and committees over the past 30 years.
CCRB is confident that Robert’s leadership and expertise will be an asset to our board, and we look forward to the contributions he will make in shaping our future.
| | The public and interested parties are invited to CCRB's monthly Board meeting on August 25, 2025 at 8:30 AM at Compass Health Network, 111 Mexico Court, St. Peters. | | |
The Community and Children’s Resource Board (CCRB) of St. Charles County released its 2024 Annual Report in May.
Key Achievements include:
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$10.8 million invested in mental health and substance use services
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130,591 individuals served through 65 programs across 10 service areas.
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38 nonprofit agencies partnered with CCRB to deliver services.
Access the full report to learn more.
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Funding Impact: Healing in the Classroom
Compass Health Network's school-based mental health therapists are making a lasting difference in the lives of students across our communities. Join us in celebrating a few of their recent successes in serving St. Charles County children!
- A sixth-grade student was referred to Compass for therapy after experiencing mood swings and heightened sensitivity to peers, stemming from parental conflict and alienation. Through EMDR, psychoeducation, and the development of coping skills, the student began to stabilize and is now thriving.
- A first-grade student with a history of trauma struggled with frequent meltdowns and difficulty accepting limits. A therapist employed a variety of therapeutic techniques to address the child's behavior. By the end of treatment, the student was successfully self-regulating and able to accept the word “no”—a breakthrough.
- Lastly, an elementary student faced severe anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation following their parents’ divorce. CCRB-funding gave the student access to ongoing therapy focused on challenging negative beliefs, building resilience, and strengthening support systems. After putting in dedicated work, the student is now celebrating their graduation from therapy, equipped with the skills and confidence needed for the future.
These stories are a testament to the profound impact of school-based therapy and the dedication of professionals who help students overcome adversity and build brighter futures.
| | Helping Students Thrive Through Advocacy | | |
As students and caregivers prepare for the start of a new school year, CCRB recognizes the vital collaboration between our Partner Agencies and local public and private school districts in addressing the mental health challenges that can impact academic and social success. CCRB’s school-based services continue to serve as a critical safety net for youth navigating an increasingly complex world.
This month, we highlight the Educational Advocacy services provided by our partners at Family Advocacy and Community Training - F.A.C.T. and Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition. Their dedicated and passionate Educational Advocates work closely with caregivers, parents, students, and school personnel to ensure every student has the support they need to thrive academically.
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F.A.C.T.'s Educational Advocacy program provides direct support to parents navigating the special education process for children living with an emotional disorder. They begin by identifying a single priority issue, planning a strategy, and attending school meetings alongside parents. Advocates are often called in when parent-school relationships have deteriorated.
By modeling professionalism and encouraging respectful communication, they help rebuild trust and foster collaboration. Services are available to families with school-aged children.
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The Coalition’s Educational Advocacy program serves students impacted by foster care who have mental, emotional, or behavioral health concerns with special education plans, enrollment, and/or suspensions.
Their Advocates are experts in special education state and federal laws. They meet with the family, observe the youth in the classroom and home, and attend IEP meetings and hearings to ensure the child can be a successful learner.
| | Achieving Success: Your Guide to an Amazing School Year! | | |
by: Foster & Adoptive Care Coalition
The age-old expression, “time flies when you’re having fun,” couldn’t be truer as summer gradually comes to a close and the countdown to the school year begins. Summer walks in the park, amidst blooming flowers and freshly clipped grass, sun-soaked evenings spent on family vacations, and the sheer bliss of sleeping in past your alarm—where has all the time gone? Yet, as the seasons transition, a new thrill awaits. It’s the exhilarating sound of the class bell echoing through the hallways as students eagerly scurry to meet their new teachers. It’s the excitement beaming from a child’s face as they unpack their lunch. These cherished memories are what bring us solace in the embrace of fall.
Whether you’re a student, or a foster/adoptive/guardianship parent, there are ways you can prepare for the upcoming academic year to ensure it will be the best year yet!
| | | Empowering Families in Education | | |
When children are struggling in school, it’s important to find out why. It may be that an emotional, behavioral, or physical disability is affecting a child’s educational performance. If so, the child may be eligible for special education and related services that can help.
Special education is “specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability.” It is range of supports services that can be provided in different ways and in different settings. It is not a cookie cutter approach to educating a child with a disability. The support and services that a child receives is to be individualized to meet their needs.
| Source: MPACT, https://www.missouriparentsact.org/ | | MPACT is Missouri’s federally-funded Parent Training and Information Center since 1988. They empower families to advocate for themselves so that children with special education needs can reach their full potential in education and life – through support, training, and education. | | |
Join TREE House of Greater St. Louis in celebrating 50 Years of meaningful impact and equine-assisted therapeutic services. They are hosting an Open House and Community Celebration.
Date: Sunday, August 24th
Time: 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Location: TREE House of Greater St. Louis, 332 Stable Lane, Wentzville, MO 63385
From 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM, TREE House will host a special anniversary celebration complete with presentations, a cake, and cookies to mark this momentous occasion.
The afternoon will also include family-friendly activities, open house tours, and opportunities to connect. Don't miss the unique art display and sale!
Do you have a favorite memory of TH? Please share your story with us at 50th@thstl.org.
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Pass the Mic is a one-day, youth-led mental health summit taking place in St. Louis on October 7, 2025. powered by Missouri Foundation for Health and coordinated by Gladiator Consulting and Utopia Experience.
This event unites Black youth ages 14-24 and their adult allies from across Missouri for a powerful day of honest conversation and collective action to reduce suicide rates. They will generate solutions for how our communities can change current trends toward better mental health and wellbeing.
Pass the Mic has been planned by a statewide Steering Committee of Black youth and will generate ideas to address and explore urgent mental health and suicide prevention topics, including:
- Unaddressed trauma and mental health stigma
- Parent-child disconnect and generational gaps
- Social isolation and the need for safe spaces
Participants will experience breakout sessions, a wellness space, creative expression opportunities, and have access to on-site mental health support (as needed), all in a joyful, affirming environment. Meals will be provided, and transportation support will be available to help people get to the event.
In addition to spreading the word, here are two additional ways to help:
- If you or someone you know would like to volunteer at the event, that would be fantastic! Please fill out this form.
- If your organization has giveaways (mental health-related information, fidgets, etc.) to donate, please contact Nava Kantor.
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CCRB Partner Agency Named Best Place to Work
PreventEd, a CCRB-funded partner agency, was recently honored by the St. Louis Business Journal as the Best Place to Work in the medium-sized company category. PreventEd's organization's mission is to reduce or prevent the harms of alcohol and other drug use through education, intervention, and advocacy.
With core values of dedicated, collaborative, and resourceful, PreventEd scored high in areas of employee benefits, discretionary effort, and staff engagement. In the 2024-2025 school year, eighteen PreventEd staff served 4,628 St. Charles County middle school students in three districts: Fort Zumwalt, Francis Howell, and City of St. Charles. These school-based prevention lessons focused on how drugs and alcohol impact a young developing brain.
Director of Education, Kelly Wieser shared, “As the saying goes, knowledge is power. We know the seeds we plant with our prevention education lessons will equip youth with the information they need to make healthy choices around substances.” PreventEd also provides independent assessment and referral services, offers free early-intervention program for youth showing signs of substance misuse (GuidEd), and houses a team of Certified Peer Specialists (CPS) who support people as they continue along the path of recovery.
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NAMI St. Louis invites you to Pathways to Hope, a powerful and inspiring conference dedicated to fostering mental wellness and resilience within Black communities. This transformative gathering unites college students, parents, families, and community members in an impactful day of education, honest conversation, cultural connection, collective healing and mental health advocacy. This event is presented in collaboration with NAMI St. Louis and Harris-Stowe State University, bringing together expertise and community passion to create a welcoming space for attendees to learn, share, and connect.
Thursday, August 22nd, 8:30 AM to 3:00 PM
Harris-Stowe State University, St. Louis
Dynamic breakout sessions address vital topics such as Mental Health and Suicide Prevention on College Campuses, the role of Faith & Spirituality in supporting mental health, and the unique experiences of Black Immigrant Communities.
Attendees will also experience the screening of “Hush” — a compelling documentary highlighting the origins of generational trauma and access to mental health resources in Black communities — and hear heartful, personal accounts through our Ending the Silence: Young Adult Stories.
Learn more about the conference and register!
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Safer Homes Collaborative is excited to offer a Firearm Suicide Prevention Learning Series during Suicide Prevention Month in September.
MIMH CEs will be offered at no cost for participants who attend all four sessions. CEs are paid for by the Safer Homes Collaborative with funding from the Missouri Foundation for Health, Firearm Violence Prevention, and Firearm Suicide Prevention grant funds.
Registration is required to attend. Visit the series page for more information and registration.
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Registration is now open for Teen Institute
November 13-16, 2025
Camp Wyman • Eureka, MO
Since 1980, PreventEd has led Teen Institute (TI), a powerful seminar that equips high school students to prevent substance misuse among their peers.
Whether your teens are passionate about advocacy, looking to build leadership skills, or wants to stand out in their college applications, Teen Institute is a great place to start.
What TI has to offer:
- A deeper understanding of prevention
- Leadership & programming strategies
- Motivation to lead change in their schools & communities
- Real talk about the impact of alcohol and other drug use
Teen Institute costs $50 per student to attend and scholarships are available.
Registration by November 1st.
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United for Neurodiversity is a bold new conference bringing families, professionals, and advocates together to build inclusive communities where neurodivergent children thrive. Presented by United Services for Children, the organization's signature 50th anniversary initiative, which reflects their continued leadership in early childhood inclusion.
October 25, 2025
8:30 AM to 1:00 PM
St. Peters, MO
Registration is open and sponsorship opportunities are available for businesses and community members.
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