Center for Child Counseling offers support before crisis

Center for Child Counseling team members Hannah DeMarco, Dominika Nolan, Jibby Ciric, Jane Robinson and Laurie Lannini attend the 2026 Hats Off Nonprofits Awards. [Photo by Capehart Photography]

Knowing a child needs help for mental health and knowing where to find it are two different things. A shortage of therapists, finances and waiting lists can be barriers.

The Center for Child Counseling is working to close that gap in Palm Beach County. Through caregiver consultations, services brought into neighborhoods and new artificial intelligence tools, the nonprofit is giving parents practical ways to support children before their struggles become a crisis.

The Palm Beach Gardens-based nonprofit will showcase its AI tools and data dashboard at HOPE Amplified on Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Manatee Lagoon, 6000 N. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. The invitation-only gathering will bring together business, government, philanthropic and community leaders.

Amber Payne, the center’s chief quality officer, says services include education, coaching, support groups, mental health consultations and clinical treatment.

“We’re embedded with so many of our community partners where children already are, where they’re playing and socializing,” she says.

Over the past decade, the center has expanded its emphasis on prevention and early intervention. Its work addresses adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, while promoting positive experiences that can build resilience. The HOPE framework — Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences — emphasizes nurturing relationships and everyday opportunities for children to feel safe, connected and supported.

Mental health consultations are free for Palm Beach County families, and no diagnosis is required, Payne says. Caregivers can get guidance while children wait for therapy, along with connections for services such as food and housing.

Payne says caregiver consultations helped reduce the therapy waiting list from more than 600 children to about 300 at one point.

“They’re saying, ‘Wow, that really helped. My child is thriving. They’re going to school. They’re sleeping. They’re interacting with friends,’” she says.

Some families felt they no longer needed therapy; others still needed treatment or additional support.

The center’s data dashboard draws on records from more than 14,000 clients to identify patterns in needs and barriers to care. That information helps guide outreach, including services the Mobile HOPE Unit delivers in underserved neighborhoods.

Online, the free, AI-powered HOPE Assistant offers around-the-clock guidance on children’s mental health, parenting strategies and resources. Staff noticed people searching the website at 2 and 3 in the morning.

“Not everyone can fit into our schedule,” Payne says. The aim is to provide “high-quality information when you need it.”

The assistant draws on the center’s resources and selected sources. It does not replace a clinician or provide crisis care, and its responses might not be accurate.

Another AI tool, E.L.I.O. — Elevating, Learning, Inspiring Outcomes — helps staff navigate difficult conversations and recognize concerns needing further attention. Payne says feedback from professionals testing the AI tools has been encouraging, though evidence about their impact remains anecdotal.

Payne emphasizes that the tools support the adults helping children, while human relationships and professional judgment remain central to their care.

“An AI agent doesn’t replace a hug, a high-five, a smile and a laugh,” she says.

Payne hopes the Tuesday gathering will encourage partnerships and investment in earlier support for families.

“We don’t have to wait for a crisis,” she says.

Families can use the HOPE Assistant and explore other resources at centerforchildcounseling.org