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Family Support Center reports rising demand; district to host first Family Fun Night next week
Summary
Family Support Services Director Julia Squiro told the board referrals to the district’s Family Support Center have risen from 36 to 51 since February, with mental health and basic needs the top concerns; the center will host a Family Fun Night to connect families with nine community agencies.
Julia Squiro, the district’s family support services director, updated the board on the Family Support Center’s activity and plans and said referrals have increased from 36 in February to 51 in May.
Squiro told the board the center’s highest needs are mental‑health services and basic needs—chiefly housing, food and clothing. She said the Family Support Center has matched families to outside clinicians by checking insurance coverage, treatment modality and travel constraints; three private clinicians and one organization have reached out since February to partner for internal referrals, and some partnerships are expected to begin in summer 2026.
School‑based services include Horizons, which is providing counseling to students; Squiro said Horizons is at capacity but the district expects to reduce the waiting list by July when staffing expands. She said the program currently counsels 13 students with eight on a wait list and that the district is working to expand on‑site hours for providers at primary buildings in the fall.
Squiro outlined collaborative efforts: a teen mental‑health program being planned with ITEC and the high school through the Horizons grant, and a kinship support group in partnership with Alden and Akron that she hopes to start in September 2025. She also said the Family Support Center continues to refer families to Danny’s Helping Hands for appliances, food and clothing.
The Family Support Center will host its first Family Fun Night next Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. in the intermediate building cafeteria. Squiro said nine community agencies will table the event to share services and materials, while the district will provide children’s activities and light refreshments so parents can vote in the gym during the scheduled budget vote window.
Squiro described short‑ and midterm goals: build community trust and visibility for the Family Support Center, create a transparent online directory of partner providers, tailor referrals by family needs and insurance, and sustain partnerships so families can more easily access local supports. Board members praised the center’s outreach and noted several organizations and families had already reached out to participate.
