ACS E-News: Celebrate Recovery Month and Emotional Wellness

ACS E-News September 2011

In This Issue

September is National Recovery Month

Upcoming Events: Spring Sounds 2011

IRAs for Counseling

Support ACS!

During the 2010-2011 school year, ACS saw an increased need for affordable counseling in all of our programs. A gift of any size will help Adolescent Counseling Services meet this growing demand by providing critical interventions to teens struggling with depression or substance abuse, restoring hope - one life at a time.

Adolescent Counseling Services is a charitable organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the

Internal Revenue Code. ACS' Tax Identification Number is 51-0192551

Spring Sounds 2011

Saturday, March 24, 2012

It won't be your usual Spring Sounds!

More info to follow

Greetings!,

September is National Recovery Month, which promotes the benefits of treatment for substance use and mental disorders, celebrates people in recovery, applauds the contributions

of treatment providers, and promotes the message that recovery is possible. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) says that "Recovery Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover." At Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS), we couldn't agree more with that statement.

In recent years, there has been a big wellness movement and often the first thing people think of is physical health and nutrition. Those are definitely important components to leading a healthy lifestyle, but so is taking care of your social and emotional health. Just as adults train kids to brush their teeth and teach them to eat well, we hope that more adults also start encouraging children and teens to care for their emotional well-being.

As we go about our busy schedules, I hope you'll take a few moments to instill the importance of creating emotionally healthy habits for yourself and for the youth in your life. If you are ever in doubt that seeking help for social-emotional issues will help, remember the message of National Recovery Month - that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover. Dr. Philippe Rey

Sincerely,

Dr. Philippe Rey

Executive Director

Upcoming Events

Breakfast with ACS!

Join us for breakfast and learn more about ACS programs, trends in child and teen mental and emotional health, and hear from our licensed clinical staff about how you can better commun

icate and interact with any teen in your life. These events are FREE, but space is limited. Please RSVP to

gulrukh@acs-teens.org

with your name, address, phone number and the date you would like to attend.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 | 8:00-9:30am | ACS Corporate Office

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 | 8:00-9:30am | ACS Corporate Office

Wednesday, May 2, 2012 | 8:00-9:30am | ACS Corporate Office

Drugs, Alcohol, and Our Children

Join Carlmont High School PTSA for a community parent education event on "Drugs, Alcohol, and Our Children." This education event will cover the latest research on marijuana use and the developing brain, teen prescription drug abuse, what to do if you suspect drug or alcohol use, and how to prevent drug and alcohol abuse. The panel presentation will include experts from the field including ACS' Director of Outpatient Counseling Services, Connie Mayer, LMFT.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

7:00pm - 8:30pm

Carlmont Performing Arts Building

1400 Alameda de las Pulgas

Belmont, California

One Size Does Not Fit All: Each child is different

Join our friends at Challenge Success for a conversation about how to honor and develop the unique capacities, skills, and interests of every child. Spend the evening with nationally-renowned experts discussing academic stress, engagement, and well-being. Keynote speaker, Ken Ginsburg, M.D. and Challenge Success co-founders Denise Pope, Ph.D., Madeline Levine, Ph.D., and Jim Lobdell, M.A., will lead an interactive discussion about the meaning of success and how families and educators can help youth thrive in the fast-paced world in which we live. This

event is hosted by Challenge Success, a project of the Stanford University School of Education.

September 30, 2011

7:00-9:00pm

Memorial Auditorium, Stanford University

Free and Open to the Public (Suggested Donation $10/Individual, $15/Family)

Please visit their website, www.challengesuccess.org

to register and for more information.

IRAs for Counseling

By David M. Sacarelos, CPA

Legacy Giving Committee Chair

Can I use the required minimum distributions from my IRA to make a gift to ACS?
Yes, as long as you are 70 1/2 or older. You may make tax-free distributions to a charity from your IRA of up to $100,000 between now and the end of 2011.. These charitable transfers count toward the minimum required distribution requirements. This is an opportunity for you to avoid receiving the required distribution and paying income taxes on it. You can ask your IRA custodian to transfer the distribution - as a tax-free rollover - directly to ACS!

The Winners -

Those who are taking required minimum distributions from their IRAs, and making charitable gifts to ACS, may consider making these charitable gifts from their IRAs. These gifts can be made as part of or in addition to any other charitable giving plans.

The charitable distribution generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction for the donor, so even those who do not itemize on their tax returns receive a benefit.

This is a wonderful opportunity for friends of ACS to make a charitable gift from their retirement assets, but have been discouraged from doing so in the past because of the income tax penalty.

Timing is Important!

This special incentive is only effective for charitable transfers made before the end of 2011. Check with your advisors about the best way to take advantage of these new tax-saving opportunities. But be sure to act before it's too late!

For more information, please contact Aarika Riddle, Development & Marketing Director at 650.424.0852, x103 or giving@acs-teens.org.

Adolescent Counseling Services

1717 Embarcadero Rd. Ste. 4000

Palo Alto, CA 94303