Susan Fendlason, MSW, LCSW-BACS has been with Catholic Charities for 17 years. As director, administrator and a counselor for our School Based Counseling Program she along with 3 other counselors serve 17 St. Charles Parish Schools. Susan’s experience throughout her career has primarily been working with children, which feels right to her. Growing up in Bogalusa, Susan’s mother was a school social worker. Although she moved to Texas for college and then worked in New Mexico, Susan came back to New Orleans where she graduated with her Masters degree from Tulane University.

When asked how does a counselor handle a student that expresses feelings of depression and possibly not wanting to live, Susan shared “I would say that it is in learning the reasons why a child wants to die are the reasons a child wants to live and then helping them connect to those things again.”  Susan will often work with students throughout their grammar school years and feels a deep connection to the health and well-being of her students.

In this new school year, our students are facing many of the same challenges that we as adults face.  Counseling programs are an important and integral part of improving the mental health of our children. Catholic Charities is grateful for our school based counselors for all they do to improve our community by being a part of the success of these children.

The post School Based Counseling in St. Charles Parish: Susan Fendlason, MSW,LCSW-BACS appeared first on .

Generously funded by United Way of St. Charles, Catholic Charities’ Money Matters Financial Stability program provides financial education classes to help individuals in St. Charles Parish become more aware of their financial situation. The program helps participants develop budgeting skills, open checking and savings account and learn about credit scores.

Along with financial education, the program provides minimal financial assistance for training to those who may want to enhance their skills in order to gain better employment, leading to self-sufficiency.

Through partnerships with other local agencies, the Money Matters program, can help with needs like employment, housing, SNAP applications, Medicaid enrollment, clothing, budget counseling, referrals for mental health services, services for battered women and more.

Four single women came to Sherry Rhodes, a Catholic Charities case manager in St. Charles Parish, and told her they wanted to improve their financial situations not only for themselves, but also for their families and their futures. They wanted to train for better jobs in order to make more money.

The Money Matters Financial Stability program was able to offer them financial assistance that allowed them to enroll in Life Care’s CNA (certified nursing assistant) program. Thanks to the aid they received from the Money Matters program, all four women are now registered CNAs in the state of Louisiana!

The post Money Matters Offers Brighter Futures appeared first on .