Photo courtesy of Center Child Counseling

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Center of Child Counseling (CFCC) has launched a new mobile unit to provide mental health services to youth in Palm Beach County.

The 25-foot mobile unit is equipped to provide trauma-informed care, prevention tools and critical mental health services.

The unit will bring those services to children living in underserved communities.

In Palm Beach County, recent surveys have shown alarming rates of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts among high school students.

According to one survey:

* One in four children in Florida is experiencing a mental health or behavioral concern.
* 41.5% of high school students in Palm Beach County reported feeling hopeless in 2021.
* 20.7% of high school students in Palm Beach County seriously contemplated suicide in 2021.
* 493 total child and adolescent psychiatrists are available statewide in Florida as of 2022.
* 43 of those psychiatrists are practicing in Palm Beach County.
* One psychiatrist for every 6,553 children under the age of 18 in Palm Beach County.
* An estimated 75-80% of children in need of mental health services do not receive care.

Studies have also suggested that introducing kids to physical activity early can help prevent mental health challenges down the road. Whether it’s shooting hoops or scoring goals, movement supports both emotional and physical well-being.

For more information on the mobile unit call 561-244-9499