FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER

As a component of the Rutgers/LEAP Health Center, the Family Support Center (FSC) increases the Center’s impact on students by improving their health education, nutrition, and social skills through programs, counseling, and behavioral and mental health services.  The Center is funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

With offices at both the Elementary and High schools, the Center offers on-site treatment and professional counseling, age-appropriate programs that emphasize teen education and dialogue amongst peers, and parent education initiatives to promote proper nutrition and improved health routines at home. 

A dedicated case management team is comprised of medical staff, a licensed therapist, school counselors, family workers, special education personnel, and LEAP administrators.  The team meets regularly and discusses treatment plans and identifies students who may benefit from FSC counseling and programs. 

Behavioral/Mental Health Counseling
There is a direct correlation between health (physical, mental, and behavioral) and academics; the FSC addresses this link by targeting emotional and social issues at home and at school that interfere with classroom learning, thus increasing the “academic readiness” of students. 

Counseling provided by the FSC’s Director and licensed therapist, Gladys Robreno, targets issues of stress, anxiety, bullying, and other issues that hold back students from their full academic and social potentials. Contact Gladys Robreno for more information, (856) 614-5089.

Teen Health Clinic
The Teen Clinic works with adolescents at the High School and is geared towards their specific health concerns.  The Clinic’s weekly service hours offer one-on-one counseling and medical care such as health screenings, treatment for STIs, and basic OB/GYN services. 

Most importantly, the Clinic provides teens with the security and trust they need when asking for help, which opens the door to increased knowledge, healthier behavior, and improved academic outcomes for the entire student body.  ContactMargarita David for more information, (856) 614-5091.

Teen P.E.P.
The FSC’s continuing work with Teen PEP, a New Jersey teen prevention education program, has received praise for teaching students about proper sexual health.  The program trains LEAP high school students to become peer educators who in turn educate fellow students. 

Students participate in several health activities like a three-day Camping Retreat and the annual Teen PEP Day of Learning, a statewide conference that brings together Teen PEP students from across New Jersey; these activities empower students to act responsibly and to feel comfortable discussing sexual health in a public forum.  Contact Linette Rivera for more information, (856) 614-0400

Less TV + More Rest = A Better Me
The “Less TV + More Rest = A Better Me” campaign is raising awareness for parents about the negative effects that excessive exposure to television has on children.  An excess of TV, the Internet, and other media not only affects reading and study habits and interferes with proper rest times, but there is a direct correlation to childhood obesity. 

As part of the Less TV program, the Family Support Center passes word through pamphlets and education seminars designed to educate children and to assist parents in reducing TV exposure.  Contact Gladys Robreno for more information, (856) 614-5089.

10-Pounds-in-10-Weeks
In order to create healthy eating habits for children, you must start with parents.  The Center’s “10-Pounds-in-10-Weeks Nutrition Program” educates LEAP parents about proper nutrition in their homes and challenges them to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle. 

The 10-week course begins with nutrition education and cooking sessions that inform parents about how to eat healthy and what foods to target at the grocery store.  In later weeks the program incorporates an exercise routine to complement the nutrition component and enhance results. Contact Margarita David for more information, (856) 614-5091.

Dare To Be Rare
The FSC is providing character education to 7th and 8th grade girls through the “Dare To Be Rare” program.  Weekly one-hour sessions bring together small groups of students so they may discuss relevant issues in their lives and understand how to relate to fellow students, teachers, and family members in a positive way.

Dare To Be Rare was developed as a pilot program by a graduate intern from Rutgers–Camden and has successfully built self-esteem and self-awareness in adolescent girls.  Contact Gladys Robreno for more information, (856) 614-5089.