Programs and Services

Let us help you improve your life.
Circle of Friends Drop-In Center
Drop In Center

The Center serves 235 adult consumers of mental health services by providing them with educational, recreational, and socialization opportunities.

Goals

  • Create opportunities for consumer empowerment
  • Improve life skills
  • Improve socialization/interpersonal skills

Services

  • You must have a referral from Service Access and Management
  • Drop-in Center open Mondays-Fridays 9AM-3PM
  • Provides opportunities for artistic expressions
  • Educational, social, and recreational activities
  • Provides linkages to other services
  • Se Habla Espanol

Funding
Service Access and Management/Berks County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities MH/DD. To find out more information please click on the following link: SAM

Quotes from participants:
What do you like best about the Drop in Center?

  • “It keeps me from being bored and helps me with my time.”
  • “I come here to get away from everything.”
  • “Everyone is very friendly.”

Some Basic DIC Stats:

  • Total meals/snacks served: 28,614
  • Total hours consumers spent at the Center: 34,380.75 hours
  • Total number of consumers utilizing center services: 235
  • Average monthly attendance: 125 consumers (unduplicated)
  • Average daily attendance: 50.33 consumers
  • Total number of SAM Case manager meeting with consumers: 778 meetings
  • 97% of the consumers report that the staff are very helpful
  • 97% of the consumers report that the staff listen to them
  • 92% of the consumers feel like they are treated fairly
  • 95% of the consumers feel comfortable and welcomed at the center
  • 95% like the food
  • 90% would recommend the center to other consumers
Northeast Community Springboard Coalition and Project Peace

The Drug-Free Communities Support Program (DFC) is a Federal grant program that provides funding to community-based coalitions that organize to prevent youth substance use. The philosophy behind the DFC Program is that local drug problems require local solutions.

The Community Prevention Partnership of Berks County is the fiscal agent for this grant. It supports the Northeast Community Springboard Coalition. This coalition has been together for more than 10 years and has representation from over 12 sectors of the community. There are over 25 volunteers and 40 youth focusing on reducing youth use of alcohol and marijuana through an environmental approach that will impact the entire community.

Goals:

  • Reduce marijuana use by youth
  • Reduce underage drinking

Services:
Education, environmental strategies, capacity building, and evaluation.

Funding:
The program is funded through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Drug Free Communities Support Program.

Northeast Community Springboard Coalition (NCSC)

RHS Project Peace

Who can be a part of NCSC?
Any member of the Reading community who supports our goal. You can be a student, parent, resident or agency.

Project Peace

Education Leading to Employment and Career Training (ELECT) Program
ELECT

By responding to the specific needs of pregnant and parenting youth, the Berks County Intermediate Unit’s Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program, Project ELECT (Education Leading to Employment and Career Training) and ELECT Fatherhood Initiative help young people to raise healthy children and become better parents.

Program Goals

  • These programs teach skills that lead to success in school and economic self-sufficiency.
  • Teens receive assistance in obtaining their high school diplomas or GEDs.
  • They learn effective parenting skills and are encouraged to become responsible adults and informed parents.

Eligibility Requirements

  • A parent or expectant parent
  • Under age of 22
  • Seeking a High School education or GED
  • Living within Berks County
  • Earning less than 23.5% of Federal Poverty Income Guidelines

Services Provided

  • Individual and group supportive services
  • Vocational and career exploration
  • Healthcare and nutrition education
  • Child development and parenting education
  • Child care and transportation referrals
  • Assistance with transition to employment, further education, or training after high school
  • Home visitations
  • Activities, workshops, and field trips
  • GED and academic support
  • Budgeting and family planning education
  • Case management services
  • Support services during the summer
  • An Initiative of the PA Departments of Public Welfare & Education

Funding
This program is funded through the Berks County Intermediate Unit.

Kids Against Pressure (KAP)

The Kids Against Pressure (KAP) program is an after-school program geared for Latino Students in grades 3-5. The program is held weekly throughout the school year in five elementary schools in Reading.

Goals
Students develop skills in the following areas:

  • Resiliency Skills/Self-esteem
  • Drug and alcohol education and prevention
  • Conflict resolution
  • Nutrition/Personal Hygiene
  • Managing peer pressure
  • Diversity
  • Bullying

Services
After-school educational, cultural and social activities

Funding
This program is funded by Berks County Mental Health/Developmental Disabilities through Service Access and Management.

Quotes from participants:

  • In KAP I learned… “About drugs, drinking and most important of all is…making new friends to enjoy.”
  • Favorite things about KAP… “Meeting new people and learning advice for life.”
  • “My best memory is when I won games from KAP and I won and I felt like I could do anything if I put my mind to it.”
  • “In KAP I learned about stress how you can express your feelings by talking to someone you trust.”
Nurse Family Partnership
Nurse Family Partnership

The Nurse-Family Partnership is an evidence-based community health program that helps transform the lives of vulnerable families expecting their first child. First-time, low-income mothers residing in Berks or Schuylkill counties are eligible for free, in-home services. Each mother is partnered with a registered nurse early in her pregnancy and receives ongoing nurse home visits that continue until her child’s second birthday. Berks County has the capacity to serve 291 families, and Schuylkill County has the capacity to serve 75 families.

The Nurse-Family partnership has been carefully tested during nearly 30 years of ongoing research. Consistent program effects across multiple trials include:

  • Improved prenatal health
  • Fewer childhood injuries
  • Fewer subsequent pregnancies
  • Increased intervals between births
  • Increased maternal employment
  • Improved school readiness

Goals:

  • Improve pregnancy outcomes by helping women engage in good preventative health practices
  • Improve child health and development by helping parents provide reasonable and competent care
  • Improve the economic self-sufficiency of the family by helping parents develop a vision for the future

Services:
Home visitation by specially trained registered nurses focusing on:

  • Personal health
  • Environmental health
  • Life course
  • Maternal role development
  • Personal relationships
  • Referrals to appropriate human services

Funding:
Office of Child Development and Early Learning under the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare and Maternal Infant and Early Childhood Home Visitation.

Quotes from participants:

  • “I did not have to worry much throughout my pregnancy and childbirth because of the help I got from nurse partnership. It has been a tremendous journey and I am glad I have them.”
  • “My nurse definitely helps me in becoming a better mother. I don’t know what I would’ve become without her. I’m really going to miss her a lot.”
  • “It helps me learn and understand my baby and also help me with my future.”
  • “Because I heard it was a good program and it helped me to grow to be a better mother.”
  • “It has taught me a great deal and my nurse has become a wonderful support system.”

Visit Their Website

Parents as Teachers Program
Parents as Teachers

Parents As Teachers provides home visits that include parenting skills and child development education for 135 low-income families with a child aged 0-5 years.

Quotes from participants:

  • “The comfort of having someone to go to with questions.”
  • “They make you feel comfortable and respected.”
  • “All the activities that were done to get together and all the gifts and raffles. Fun activity for parents and kids.”
  • “Sitting down and talking and connecting with my child while reading and playing.”

Visit Their Website

Parents as Teachers

Our Mission

The mission of the Partnership is to make a difference by offering a variety of prevention services to the Berks County community that help to address problems and risks associated with: alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs; violence; teen pregnancy; abuse; crime; school dropout; and other related social issues.

Community Prevention Partnership

1010 Centre Avenue
Reading, PA 19601
Phone: (610) 376-6988
Alt. Phone: (610) 376-6077
Fax: (610) 376-6944