Lucy Daniels Center expands to offer services for grade schoolers

The Lucy Daniels Center, a wonderful resource for parents of young kids with mental health issues, is expanding to offer programs for first and second graders starting in the next school year. And by the 2015-16 school year, the center will enroll kids through fifth grade.

The expanded program, which will be called the Lucy Daniels School, eventually will serve kids ages 3 to 11 in a classroom setting that provides specialized child mental health services, according to the center's announcement.

"For 22 years we have provided a therapeutic school setting for preschool- and kindergarten-aged children," says Dr. Donald Rosenblitt, the center's executive and clinical director, said in the announcement. "Beginning in the 2013-14 school year, we will be able to meet the needs of these children in their elementary school years, providing a challenging and vibrant educational experience as well as a level of sophisticated and flexible emotional and special educational support."

The new combination first and second grade class will enroll no more than 10 students, who will be led by a masters-level teacher. Child mental health experts in the center's Family Guidance Service will provide students with an individualized therapeutic program, if needed, the announcement says. Parents also will get support.