Our Services Menu:
Help your community. Get involved with Meridian and influence the lives of others in a positive way. Get involved
Are you signed up for our
e-newsletter? Enter your email address below to subscribe!
Call Us Anytime:
- Toll Free:1 (800) 330-5615
- Local (North Central Florida): (352) 374-5600
Accessing Services
Children's Services
Children's Intervention Program
The Children's Intervention Program is designed to provide psycho-educational services to persons at risk and support services to persons already receiving treatment. The goal is to provide services that reduce the likelihood of a family disruption and/or the need for residential placement and to build resiliency in the face of mental health or substance abuse problem.
Psycho-educational interventions are aimed at enhancing competence and confidence. Other services are designed to support or enhance treatment gains or progress.
Psycho-Educational Groups (8-12 sessions) focus on enhancing life management skills often associated with behavioral and emotional problems including anger management and problem-solving and relationship skills.
The ROPES Course provides small groups of 8-12 members with adventure-based experiences and activities designed to enhance growth and learning by doing. Ropes Course experiences are comprised of cooperative games, problem-solving initiatives, and group processing. The Course has low and high elements constructed of wood, cables and ropes in an outdoor setting. The small groups attempt each task with the facilitation of trained specialists. Safety cables and other specialized equipment protect participants. All participation is by choice; no coercion is involved. The specific personal and social adventure based experiences provide learning opportunities, which can be applied to life in general. The course encourages healthy risk-taking. Intellectual challenges encourage excitement and stimulation that promote creative thinking. The satisfaction of successful completion of the activities encourages participants to pursue new adventures at school, in the workplace, or in their personal lives.
The Late Night Basketball program provides a venue for youth in need of prevention and intervention services. Youth identified as being at risk for substance abuse are offered weekly basketball activities focused on providing youth with positive, alternative, late night educational activities and healthy lifestyle choices. In addition to playing basketball, youth are provided with substance abuse education, information regarding teen pregnancy, job interviewing skills, development of self-esteem and other topics to assist in life skills development. This information is provided by qualified Meridian staff and various members of the community, including but not limited to, substance abuse professionals, peers, law enforcement and school officials.