St. David's Center for Child & Family Development

We raise over $2 million annually so that young children with emerging mental health needs and their families get access to the services and support they need.

So why are we raising $50,000 to invest in children’s mental health for Give to the Max this year?  Two reasons: 

1. Needs are growing at a faster rate than ever:

- One in four children has witnessed or experienced trauma before they turn four years of age.

- One in six people has experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), such as witnessing domestic violence, abuse and neglect, parental substance abuse, or mental illness. 

- One in five children ages 3-17 has a diagnosable mental health issue, and yet only 20% have access to the services they need. 

2. We know individualized early intervention makes all the difference in a child’s trajectory. 

At St. David’s Center, we know there is no one-size-fits-all approach to caregiving or to intervening early when a child is struggling. Our highly skilled therapists meet each child exactly where they are on their developmental path.

Doctoral candidate Natalie Martin works in our Family Place program with children who have emerging mental health needs, often resulting from trauma and early adversity. “For children who have trauma and attachment issues, I need to help create a safe environment. Part of that is telling each child, ‘You’re safe. We’ll be here with you no matter what. You matter to me. I like you.’ Those kinds of messages are so profound for these kids, and they're every day. It's not just one day. It's not just one practitioner who says it. It's all of us saying the same thing.”

For years, we’ve heard from pediatricians and school districts that our collaborative approach to early intervention sets St. David’s Center apart. Individual professionals combine their wealth of knowledge and skills to tailor treatment that leads to trajectory-changing results.

Your commitment to St. David’s Center directly supports over 130 gifted mental health therapists in their everyday work. As our country experiences a shortage of mental health providers, a well-trained, well-supported workforce is more important now than ever before. Please help us continue this life-changing work by making a gift.