Program spotlight: JFS Mental Health Programs
This month, we’re excited to spotlight our Mental Health department. We sat down with Elena Pernitz, LCSW, Operations Manager Mental Health Department to learn about this remarkable team and their work throughout JFS and our communities.
Q: Tell us about your program.
EP: JFS Mental Health programs provide exceptional and accessible therapy to children, adolescents, adults, and older adults. We provide individual, family, couples, and group therapies in a non-judgmental environment. We offer in-person therapy at our Tamarac location, see children in their JFS-contracted schools or desired locations, and provide telehealth/virtual therapy. Our staff takes pride in providing culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care. We have bilingual staff in Arabic, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Russian and use interpreters when clinically indicated or requested. Most of our licensed staff are certified in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing).
The Refugee Mental Health program provides specialized, culturally sensitive, and compassionate mental health care and support services for refugees and immigrants. Our licensed clinicians are trained in counseling and social work, with an emphasis on trauma therapy and cross-cultural approaches to mental health and are experienced in working with clients from all over the world and are sensitive to the special needs of the refugee and immigrant populations.
The Mental Health Specialists program provides quality trauma-informed therapy for individuals, couples, and families dealing with a variety of issues, such as depression, mood disorders, grief, and everyday stressors. All services are offered on a sliding scale, and most insurances are accepted.
The KidSuccess program is celebrating its 30th year as a school-based program and team. Trained therapists are situated in 17 Denver public schools, two private schools, and two Adams County Public Schools and work with students, faculty, staff, and families to offer culturally sensitive school-based counseling services at no cost to the families, in addition to psychiatry services. They also provide Refugee Navigations Services and wellness groups. These programs foster achievement, self-esteem, resiliency, and personal responsibility.
The Russian Mental Health program provides accessible, affordable mental health services for underserved Russian-speaking immigrants and refugees who have resettled in Colorado.
Abby’s Impact: Realizing Resilience is a learner-centered resilience and life skills education program. The program provides a variety of classes and other programming centered on a set of evidence-based, practical, and accessible techniques and tools with a goal of empowering participants to build resiliency skills and thrive.
Q: What impact does your program make?
EP: We empower and educate our clients to make the best decisions for themselves, develop healthy coping mechanisms, build confidence, and change lives and levels of functioning. We support our clients exactly where they are and help them to achieve their goals.
Q: What is the team working on now?
EP: We constantly work on establishing rapport with our clients, providing a safe and comfortable environment to share and discuss, providing the most current and relevant treatment modalities, enhancing our clinical skills, and getting new clients. We are perpetually working on improving our services to meet the needs of our communities.
Q: Please share a fun fact about your team.
EP: We have great longevity in our staff. Yelena Avramenko, our Russian Mental Health therapist, has been with JFS for more 23 years, which is astounding in the field of mental health and a true testament to her passion and devotion to JFS. Yelena recently returned from volunteering in her homeland of the Ukraine.
Our staff are devoted and committed to providing therapy and helping others. Our five Mental Health Specialist therapists and medical provider have a combined 139 years of therapy experience.