Giving & Volunteering · July 15, 2024

There are at least three subjects that stir an appreciable passion in Leah and Gary Smith. The first is mental health. The second is giving back to the community. And the third is Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati (JFS). So it was only fitting when the Smiths chose to make a significant donation to JFS—providing them with naming rights for the agency’s counseling center waiting room. This waiting room serves a full spectrum of JFS’s mental health clients, from youth and teens to older adults.

Jewish Culture & Community · April 25, 2024

Damp weather did nothing to darken spirts of attendees inside the Mayerson JCC’s Amberley Room, as they smiled and mingled prior to Jewish Family Service of Cincinnati’s (JFS) Annual Meeting on April 4. The atmosphere was one of celebration and the room was full as the community convened to learn of agency accomplishments and challenges, honor individual achievements, accomplish board business, and tout JFS’s theme for the upcoming year: Bridging Barriers. Building Connections.

Counseling & Mental Health · September 20, 2023

Over the past three decades, Leah Marcus, Director of Youth Mental Health Services at Jewish Family Service (JFS), has lost ten high school classmates to suicide or overdose. These tragic deaths underscore a disturbing reality that is increasing dramatically in the United States: death by suicide. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2021, 49,500 people took their own lives—the highest number the CDC has recorded.

Counseling & Mental Health · May 12, 2022

May is here, and Cincinnati is green again. It is a time for blossoms, proms, graduations and gowns. But May is also National Mental Health Month—making it a great time to get familiar with the rich mental health resources available to our community. Jewish Family Service (JFS) believes that mental health and physical health are equally important aspects to a person’s well-being.

Counseling & Mental Health · May 10, 2022

In January of this year, Jewish Family Service Youth Mental Health (YMH) program quadrupled in size when Director Leah Marcus brought on three talented social workers to join her efforts: Amanda Cramer, Nina Pridonoff, and Kasey Rosswurm. “Kasey, Nina, and Amanda are such a fantastic team,” Marcus said. “They are very energetic and have worked together so well. I couldn't pick a better group of people to do this critical work.”