MCUSA Announces Expansion of School-Based Mental Health Care in Florida Following School Shooting in Parkland

MIAMI, Feb. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Motivational Coaches of America (MCUSA), announced today that additional counselors will be stationed at Florida schools throughout the State to provide in-person behavioral health and emotional support to children and their families. Expansion will focus primarily on South Florida schools. All services will be free of charge and offered to all children, regardless of their health coverage status.

"We have a moral imperative to ensure the youth in this community, as well as other impacted districts, receive the mental health attention they require and recover from the tragedy that has hit close to home," said MCUSA Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Julio Avael.

Motivational coaches will work with school principals to identify youth who may have been displaced or have suffered extensive trauma due to the impact of the Stoneman Douglas shooting. They will determine the needs of each child through one-on-one visits, including their families. Many of the counselors will serve schools with which they work on a daily basis. MCUSA is currently available in 78 schools in Broward, Miami Dade and Palm Beach.

"We launched our partnership with Broward County School District last summer and will work with them in the aftermath of this tragedy to ensure all students have the proper resources they need to cope with these events," he added

MCUSA's behavioral health professionals currently serve children at more than 300 schools throughout the state. Currently, services are offered in schools in the following 12 counties: Broward, Clay, Duval, Escambia, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lee, Miami-Dade, St. Johns, Orange, Palm Beach and Pasco, with more to be added in the coming weeks.

Health experts warn that counseling after a tragedy is crucial and unfortunately, many schools don't have enough health professionals or funding to support students before and after the catastrophes. The psychological consequences of directly experiencing or witnessing a mass shooting are serious and that is why Motivational Coaches are here to aid students in need.

According to the Association for Children's Mental Health, addressing mental health needs in schools is critical because "1 in 5 children and youth have diagnosable emotional, behavior or mental health disorder, and 1 in 10 have a mental health challenge that is severe enough to impair how they function in our community."

To arrange for a child to visit with a motivational coach, parents can also contact a school site or call MCUSA's toll-free number, 866-305-7365.

About MCUSA:
Motivational Coaches of America, known in the community as "MCUSA," is Florida's largest network dedicated to excellence in behavioral health, wellness, and life skills education services for our community's youngest citizens. MCUSA is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation and is a community behavioral healthcare agency, licensed by the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration and by the Florida Department of Children and Family Services.

SOURCE Motivational Coaches of America

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http://mcusa.us