History

Response is a not-for-profit resource center serving adolescents (age 12 to 21) and their families. Response is a program of Jewish Child and Family Services (JCFS), a partner serving our community, supported by Jewish United Fund/ Jewish Federation.

Our mission is to support adolescents and their families in the Jewish and general community by providing prevention, outreach, counseling and sexual health services in a teen-friendly environment that empowers youth to make healthy life choices. Established in 1970, Response initially focused on adolescent drug abuse, but has since increased its area of expertise to include a wide range of adolescent and family emotional and social concerns. Staffed by social service professionals, Response welcomes teens of all religions, races and ethnic backgrounds.

Response operates on the North Shore, in Skokie but serves a wide geographic area. The Outreach staff travel to middle schools, high schools, camps, synagogues and community centers, providing interactive, experiential programming on a wide range of topics relevant to youth, including:  leadership development training; social and recreational activities; substance abuse prevention; comprehensive sex education and  pregnancy prevention; violence prevention; healthy relationships and prevention of teen dating violence; self-esteem and body image issues; team building; cyber bullying and bullying prevention; diversity training and GLBTQ issues;  team building and much more. Programs are tailored to meet the needs of the organization requesting service with new programming being created as new trends and topics emerge. 

Response’s Teen Clinic provides sexual health counseling and services sensitive to teen concerns, including: comprehensive sex education; prevention of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STI’s).  Here, youth are able to meet confidentially with a caring medical provider and counseling staff who understand the complexities and the intersection of adolescence, emotional, spiritual and physical health. 

Master’s level therapists with expertise in adolescent development issues provide individual, family and group counseling around a range of adolescent and family concerns including anxiety and depression, parent-teen communication, academic concerns, relationship issues, divorce and a host of other potential challenges that may impact teens and their families.  Our fees are based on a sliding scale: no one is turned away based on an inability to pay.  We do accept some insurance for counseling services.