Jewish Family Service (JFS) provides confidential, professional mental health counseling services for families, couples, individuals and groups experiencing a variety of problem areas. Treatment areas include addictions, domestic abuse, depressing, panic and anxiety disorders and adjustment difficulties. Relationship enhancement skills are also provided to improve communication, parenting, self- esteem and general quality of life. Information and referral to community resources are also offered.
JFS is a participating provider with most insurance companies and accepts Medicare and Medicaid. Sliding fee scale is also offered based on family size and income.
Our social workers are licensed clinical social workers in the State of Pennsylvania. Jewish Family Service is accredited in its counseling service by the Council on Accreditation.
Melissa, now 28, was referred to JFS when she was 15 years old. She was in foster care. Her mother was unable to care for her and her two younger sisters and she was allegedly sexually abused by one of her mother’s boyfriends. Initially counseling was scheduled to be for her and her mother so she could decide whether she wanted to return to her mother’s home. She received both family and individual counseling.
Early counseling was difficult for Melissa, she became depressed and became a behavior challenge at her foster home. Eventually her mother stopped attending the sessions. As her individual counseling continued she rebounded, doing better at the foster home and school where she got involved in school sports. After some time counseling was no longer needed as she was doing better.
About a year later, Melissa began running away, skipping school and was later found out to be smoking marijuana. As the behavior problems escalated, the relationship she had with her foster parents began to break down. She returned to counseling, however, would end up being moved from foster home to fosterhome and would stop going to school.
Through the years Melissa would contact me and re-start counseling for multiple reasons including substance issues, family issues, and educational challenges. Each time she would stop attending sessions when the internal demands of change would overwhelm her.
A year and a half ago, this time with the goal of staying on course to complete a nursing certification program, Melissa would return for help. In addition to feeling the old draws, she was struggling with a relationship and was living in an unstable living situation.
Although her road was long she found the strength to complete the nursing certification program, find a job and rent an apartment. Through counseling and a lot of hard work she was able to overcome her challenges and reach her goals.
Don Minkoff, JFS Social Worker
