TAMPA - Affordable testing and counseling services are now easier to access for thousands of families in South Tampa and eastern Hillsborough County who are struggling to help children, adolescents, adults and seniors.
Tampa Jewish Family Services recently moved its Psychological and Social Wellness program headquarters to the Bryan Glazer Family Jewish Community Center at 522 N Howard Ave.
Meanwhile, program services will continue to be offered at the organization's north campus at 13009 Community Campus Drive. Other services offered at the north and south Tampa campus locations include a community food bank and financial assistance for the needy.
"We are really excited by this move," said Michael Barnett, chief executive officer with Tampa Jewish Family Services. "We want our wellness services to reach more families of all faiths."
Currently Tampa Jewish Family Services serves about 14,000 adults and children annually. Barnett says the new location could eventually double that number.
A key part of the Wellness Center's services is affordability.
One example: Extensive testing for learning or psychological issues, which the center started just a few years ago, can cost thousands of dollars. At the center, the cost can be as little as $250, Barnett said.
"We offer our wellness services at a low-cost, sliding scale to ensure that all families can afford it," he said.
Services also include individualized assessments, educational consultation and planning, and short- and long-term counseling.
About 80 percent of the testing done at the Wellness Center has been with children ages 6 to 12.
Adult services include testing and counseling for issues relating to aging, anger management, anxiety, depression, economic and other stresses, grief and loss, parenting, marital and family relationships, special needs and disabilities, and life transitions.
Services also are offered to seniors and families dealing with relatives with dementia, including in-home assessments, crisis intervention, referrals for services and residential placement, and continuing care counseling.
"Our home assessments can be as simple as recommending putting up a rail in a bathroom or helping a family find a companion to come in to do light housekeeping and make meals," Barnett said. "We also help families transition their loved one into an assisted living facility.
"We are the eyes and ears for families of senior loved ones."
In cases where a senior's family lives out-of-state, Wellness Center staff will inspect and report on residential care programs.
"We have some families living in Atlanta, Maryland and even California," Barnett said. "We are only a phone call away for them when they have questions about their loved ones' care."
For local families, the center is planning to offer a series of monthly group discussions led by Dr. Allison Haig, the center's clinical director and licensed staff psychologist.
""Parents have questions about whether their child needs to be tested," Haig said. "We encounter children who may be gifted or are on the autism spectrum."
Testing protocols also include attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders, behavioral and emotional difficulties, and developmental issues.
The center is also expanding its testing and counseling services for adult and multi-lingual populations.
Typically, once a family calls or is referred to the Wellness Center, the first step is to meet with the parents and talk to a child's teachers. Then the child will come to the center for a day or two of testing.
"Families are often frustrated waiting for school-level testing or they can't afford to go to a private psychological testing service," Barnett said. "We can give them answers about what their child's problem could be and come up with an action plan."
To ensure privacy, the South Tampa center has a private entrance where families can be buzzed in for testing or counseling sessions.
"We are the best-kept secret in Tampa," Barnett said. "People are just beginning to learn about what we offer."
Contact Sheila Mullane Estrada at hillsnews@tampabay.com.