CHART has joined forces with
the FSU art therapy program, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the
Gulf Coast and local Mississippi art therapists to serve the
needs of children along the Mississippi Gulf Coast affected
by Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing problems associated
with displacement and housing.
The program is a year-long project (through 2007) whereby
the FSU art therapy program will travel one week-end a month
to the local BGC branch in Pass Christian, Mississippi.
Pass Christian, a town of approximately 6,500 residents, is
located 13 miles west of Gulfport, Miss; 80 percent of
the town was destroyed in the storm, including the local
facilities for the BGC.
FSU will offer both
individual and small group art therapy for BGC children and
their families. A faculty member will accompany 4 – 6 art
therapy students to Mississippi, providing immediate
supervision of the students while they work with children.
To be considered for the program, theFSU art therapy
students will commit to at least six months of work. This
commitment would insure that the children would have the
same art therapist over a several month period of time.
FSU will assess the effectiveness of the program after
six months. This assessment would be in conjunction with
CHART and the local art therapists as well as other
personnel serving the children. At that time, we can
ascertain the feasibility and need for the continuation of
the program.
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