News & Impact

During the storms of adolescence it’s a tricky balance for parents to know when to offer support and when to let go. We all want our young adults to be prepared for life, and not be stifled by a “failure to launch” into adulthood. So what’s the best way to foster independence and responsibility? And how is JFCS’ Parents Place Child and Family Clinical program and Parent Coaching program helping families get set up for success? We recently sat down with Havi Wolfson Hall, LCSW, child and adolescent therapist at JFCS’ Parents Place in Palo Alto, to find out. What… Read More

For the past decade JFCS’ Child Training Institute (CTI) has served as an international resource and training center for mental health professionals who treat children who are dealing with emotional, psychological, and developmental challenges, as well as those who have experienced trauma. The institute has trained over a thousand mental health professionals, helping countless children and families heal and thrive. Trauma can result from a variety of experiences: chronic exposure to violence, the loss of a parent, a natural disaster, or a terrorist act. JFCS’ long history of expertise in trauma treatment includes helping Holocaust survivors, refugees, children living in… Read More

The Christian Science Monitor by Michael B. Farrell and Jessica Mendoza Can kids be encouraged to let go of the virtual world – occasionally – and engage in the real one? Can they stop posting selfies long enough to think of someone else? The answer is yes. But there are bound to be some anxious moments for parents along the way. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIF.—Jake Lee, a tanned California teenager in baggy shorts and a T-shirt, is lounging on the floor of his parents’ midcentury home. They live in a suburban Silicon Valley enclave of tech workers, cyber-savvy kids, and the… Read More

At their best modern devices are helpful tools and can make our lives easier. At their worst they are remarkably addictive, and research now clearly shows that their use can lead to a host of behavioral, interpersonal, and mood issues for people of all ages. If you are reading this you likely have a young child or adolescent in your life. I have some bad news for you—for young children in particular screen-time has been shown to have negative effects on sleep (which can also negatively impact mood and lead to behavioral issues), social interaction and learning, executive functioning… Read More

While Judaism offers beautiful lifecycle traditions and rituals for those who are grieving, Jewish customs for pregnancy and infant loss are only now catching up with modern times. Up to one in four women in the U.S. will experience at least one miscarriage, and many others will experience a stillbirth or infertility at some point. The rates are even higher in the Bay Area where many delay starting a family until later in life. When this kind of devastating loss occurs, women—as well as their partners, families, and friends—have historically been left without a clear Jewish path for rituals, support,… Read More

It has never been easy to be a teenager, but JFCS is finding that today’s climate is particularly tough on our young people. Academic success, extracurricular activities, pressure to “package” oneself on social media—and the list goes on. These pressures can be coupled with frequent moves due to housing insecurities, financial stressors to find funds for school supplies and food, plus parents who work multiple jobs to just hold on. It adds up to almost constant anxiety and stress. Teens Report High Stress Is The New Norm The teens we serve consistently tell us about the pressure they feel from… Read More