Jun 28, 2013 3 min read

Catholic Charities’ Greene County Office announced that it will offer more opportunities for Greene County children to participate in its successful “Rollercoasters” program this summer and when school reconvenes this fall.

For a second year, the program has received a grant from the Greene County Memorial Hospital Foundation in support of the classroom-based initiative which helps children deal with the “rollercoaster of feelings” they may experience from parental separation and divorce or death of a family member. Through creative play and interaction with other students, master’s level therapists from Catholic Charities help children develop the coping skills needed to manage their emotions.

Catholic Charities Greene County Director Elizabeth Smith said that ever since Rollercoasters was first introduced in all five school districts in 2008, educators have come to value the program because it gets results.

“More than 830 children have participated and 90 percent of teachers have reported positive behavior changes in their students,” she said.

While the program will be offered again at no cost to K-5 students at participating schools in the fall, due to the demand for the program, Catholic Charities will also provide free Rollercoasters group sessions this summer at the WWJD Center (313 Jennings Avenue) in West Waynesburg. The program will be offered on Tuesdays beginning June 18 and ending on July 23. Parents can call the Center directly to enroll their children at 724-852-4206.

For parents and legal guardians who would like private, one-to-one counseling for their children, or who may be interested in attending parenting group sessions, both options are available for a sliding scale fee at Catholic Charities’ Waynesburg Office (72 East High Street) at 724-627-6410.

Catholic Charities Executive Director Susan Rauscher expressed her gratitude for support of the program and said that family members of children who have participated have also noticed improvements.

“I recall hearing about the second grader whose parents had divorced,” Rauscher said. “This little girl came home after attending just two sessions and told her grandmother, ‘I know now that it wasn’t my fault!’ Any time we can help children, the most vulnerable among us, learn to cope with situations in life that can be devastating and to realize that they’re not alone, is a real blessing to us in our work at Catholic Charities.”

While Catholic Charities administers the Rollercoasters program, there is no religious component, just lots of creative play and interaction with other children.

For more information about the program and for persons interested in attending the group sessions at Catholic Charities this summer, call the office at 724-627-6410.