YCS Institute receives grant from The Provident Bank Foundation

The YCS Institute for Infant and Preschool Mental Health is committed to building healthy and nurturing mother/child relationships through various therapeutic programs. With the generous support of a $20,000 grant from The Provident Bank Foundation, the Institute will be able to extend their services to more young mothers in the Essex County area.

The Institute has the distinction of being the first mental health clinic for babies and new mothers in New Jersey and has been at the forefront of training doctoral candidates in the field of early childhood mental health. This grant will underwrite a graduate internship.

The YCS Institute provides vital early-intervention designed to strengthen the earliest relationships between mother and child, and develop a healthy foundation for emotional, behavioral, and cognitive development. During counseling sessions, clinicians address the mother/baby (dyadic) relationship while often helping mothers to address their own issues stemming from past traumas.

“Our core objectives are to teach mothers how to recognize developmental and emotional cues from their babies, to use these cues to strengthen the relationship with their babies, says Dayna Zatina Egan, YCS Institute clinical director, adding “A strong mother/baby relationship builds a child’s autonomy, influences good emotional control, behavior flexibility and self-esteem.”

“Helping organizations and ensuring their staff members have the ability to continue operating during this difficult time is our main priority right now,” said Samantha Plotino, Executive Director of The Provident Bank Foundation. “It has never been more important to offer support to local organizations that are providing critical services to our community.”

About Youth Consultation Service (YCS)

Established more than 100 years ago, YCS is a social services and behavioral health non-profit agency that provides educational, community-based and in-home services care to children - birth through adulthood – with special needs across New Jersey. The Institute was established in 2009 and has APA Accreditation, the highest accolade for a doctoral internship program.

About The Provident Bank Foundation

The Provident Bank Foundation was established in 2003 by Provident Bank to enhance the quality of life in the region through support of not-for-profit groups, institutions, schools and other 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services in communities served by the Bank. Since inception, the Foundation has granted more than $26 million to not-for-profit organizations and institutions working toward stronger communities. For more information, visit www.theprovidentbankfoundation... or call (862) 260-3990.