Children's of Alabama Behavioral Health Introduces Resources, Education for Parents and Caregivers

BIRMINGHAM – A series of free educational sessions offered by Children’s of Alabama Behavioral Health begins in February to assist parents, caregivers and community members as they care for children with various emotional, behavioral or mental health needs.

Under the direction of the CARES Program (Caregiver, Advocacy, Resources, Education and Support), the quarterly CARES Talks will be held at Children’s of Alabama in the Lowder Building (1600 7th Avenue South).

Each session is 5- 7 p.m. Topics and dates for the CARES Talks are:

• Thursday, Feb. 7 – Managing Challenging Behaviors in the Home
• Thursday, May 2 – Your Child’s Mental Health: Knowing the Signs and Asking for Help
• Thursday, Aug. 1 – Overcoming Trauma, Grief and Other Childhood Challenges
• Thursday, Nov. 7 – Nutrition and Mental Health

“Our team of pediatric behavioral health experts understands the challenges that parents and caregivers of children with a mental or behavioral health condition face. Through the CARES Program, we want to help caregivers by providing them with the information, resources and support they need to understand and cope with their child’s challenges,” said Beth Rocker, MSW, LMSW, Family Care Coordinator at Children’s of Alabama.

The CARES Program was developed to educate caregivers, providing critical and helpful information about treatment; to equip caregivers, teaching skills and tools to help them care for the child; and to empower caregivers, connecting them with appropriate resources and services.

Registration is available at give.childrensal.org/carestalks. For more information, email CARES@childrensal.org or visit www.childrensal.org/behavioral-health.

Since 1911, Children’s of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children, offering inpatient and outpatient services throughout central Alabama. Ranked among the best pediatric medical centers in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s provided care for youngsters from every county in Alabama, 42 other states and seven foreign countries last year, representing more than 677,000 outpatient visits and more than 15,000 inpatient admissions. With more than 2 million square feet, Children’s is one of the largest pediatric medical facilities in the United States. More information is available at childrensal.org.