What could you do without barriers in the way?

• Run a marathon if you had time to train?
• Finish the book you’ve wanted to read if you rearranged your schedule?
• What about your education? If you had the right resources, could you perform better in school?

That last is the reality for too many children across the nation. That’s why the University of Dayton (UD)’s Empowering Children with Hope and Opportunity (ECHO) program aims to combat the non-academic barriers preventing children from performing their best. Begun in 2002, it was previously called Urban Child Development Resource Center (UCDRC).

After the pandemic, this counseling and social services program saw children’s needs intensify.

“The pandemic and the isolation from COVID-19 has created significant trauma for our children,” said Alison Carr-Chellman, Dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences at UD. “It has clearly impacted achievement, with data showing lower scores among schoolchildren in math and reading. There is a clear and desperate need to help our children address this trauma, and mental health counseling is key to our recovery. ECHO is a vital lifeline for our traumatized children, it has made so much difference for
our schoolchildren and entire school communities.”

ECHO’s Director, Rhonda Mercs, agreed. “There is an increased demand for mental health therapy and the supply of therapists [is] not able to meet this demand. By being present in the schools, we are able to provide services right away to the students instead of them being placed on a waiting list for several weeks or months.”

Last year, ECHO served more than 3,700 students throughout 18 Catholic schools, from Middletown to Sidney. The program is now expanding to include children in Hamilton and Clermont counties “I am very excited about the expansion,” said Mercs. “Our job is to help students be successful in the classroom. This expansion is allowing us to support many more students. In addition, we are able to help teachers and principals understand certain behaviors of their students.”

ECHO provides services at the schools so students do not miss valuable time in the classroom, as they would if they saw someone outside of school. These services are led by licensed mental health therapists and social workers.

“The goal of mental health therapy is to help students feel better about themselves and provide them with tools and skills for life,” shared Mercs. “Not only do we provide mental health counseling, ECHO staff teaches a social and emotional curriculum. The curriculum focuses on understanding empathy, how to manage emotions and problem solving. All of the skills learned help students build positive relationships with others.”

One of the schools receiving ECHO services through the expansion is St. Veronica School.

“We love having our counselor here to support students!” shared Stephanie Woodall, Principal of St. Veronica. “Education is not simply books, but also extends to support our students’ social and emotional well-being. We are grateful to work with ECHO to extend our educational options beyond the classroom and continue to support the whole child.”

UD and ECHO leaders hope to continue expanding their services so every child is free from barriers to their education.

“ECHO is such a fantastic illustration of love in action,” said Carr-Chellman. “The University of Dayton is committed to community-based service and scholarship. We take community service outside the walls of our institution as a sacred opportunity to fulfill our mission. We are partners with our community and ECHO is a big part of helping our community to heal.”

This article appeared in the December 2023 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.