News

Hibiscus Helping Children Heal through Mental Health Services

Abused, abandoned and neglected children are provided a safe haven at the Hibiscus Shelter in Jensen Beach and Village in Vero Beach.  Our children also receive therapeutic services on a regular basis through individual, group and play therapy, to help them recover from the trauma of abuse and begin the healing process. In addition, Hibiscus offers individual counseling to children (and their families) living in the community. Last year, the agency provided individual counseling services to 720 children and families in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee Counties. The children also receive psychiatric services in conjunction with our counseling services to ensure the best outcomes.  Trauma Informed Care is a critical component of our services and Hibiscus is a leader in the provision of specialized treatment services for children who are victims of sexual abuse in our residential programs and in the community. We help families recover, working to prevent further sexual victimization while enabling them to develop healthy, non-abusive relationships.  Hibiscus Children’s Center provides the only Department of Health sanctioned Sexual Abuse Treatment Program on the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee County.

*Chloe (name changed) is an example of a child that has been helped through Hibiscus Mental Health Services.  Chloe was removed from her own home and placed at the Hibiscus Shelter in Jensen Beach.  She arrived feeling depressed, anxious, fearful and abandoned. Her mother had a serious illness that prevented Chloe from seeing her. During this frightening time for Chloe, a Hibiscus Mental Health Counselor worked closely with her to help her process and cope with the difficult circumstances in her life. Over 18 months, the Counselor was able to successfully reestablish the connection between Chloe and her mom. Chloe was excited to talk and visit with her mom again. As progress was made, unsupervised and weekend visitations occurred that eventually contributed to a successful reunification between Chloe and her mom.

The Hibiscus Counselor continued to work with Chloe through reunification twice a week, including family sessions. The family has put the pieces of their lives back together again through communicating effectively, working together and solving problems. They have learned to build trust and respect for one another and the bond between them has increased immensely. They are keeping each other safe and feeling loved. We thank our counselors who help put pieces back together for families each and every day and we thank our supporters for helping us accomplish this critical mission.

For more information about Hibiscus' services or how you can get involved, please visit us at:  HibiscusChildrensCenter.org or contact Michelle King at (cell) 561-452-5791 or (email) mking@hcc4kids.org.