Photo by Eric Keith / St. Joseph News-Press

Jeanine Rock and Nicki Samson perform a role playing exercise at the Strengthening Families workshop Tuesday afternoon.

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Eleeseea Crail hasn’t run away from home in a while. The 16-year-old also has quit hitting her sister and stealing from her mother.

Eleeseea and her mother, Tracey Pizano, credit events such as Circle of H.O.P.E.’s Monday and Tuesday “Strengthening Families” program for the turnaround.

Through the Circle of H.O.P.E. system, Eleeseea has realized in recent months that adults care about her future, she said. The program stands for Home, Opportunities, Parents & Professionals Empowerment.

“I realize that I need to do different things so that I’m not in trouble the rest of my life,” said Eleeseea, who has social and emotional behavioral issues.

Ms. Pizano followed suggestions from other parents of children with mental issues whom she met through the system. And the tips, such as using driving privileges instead of money as rewards and punishments, worked. Eleeseea rarely gets in trouble these days.

Success stories like this mixed with tales of struggles this week during the program, held at St. Joseph’s East Hills Library.

Nationally, about 20 percent of children will experience a mental health issue during their lives, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Circle of H.O.P.E., a partnership between the Missouri Department of Mental Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, helps St. Joseph children with mental issues and their families.

This week’s event was unique in that it brought children and families together, instead of just parents or just children, to work on relationship building. Nationally known Dr. Henry O. Whiteside led the event.

Issues including communication and problem solving were addressed.

“When both parents and children are learning the same skills at the same time and can then practice those skills together, there is a higher success rate,” said Andrea Aderton, Circle of H.O.P.E. project director. “Family involvement is really important in these kids’ success.”

To learn more about Circle of H.O.P.E.’s family support, call 236-5340.

Nancy Hull can be reached

at nancyhull@npgco.com.