The Transforming Lives Center (TLC) is celebrating its second anniversary of helping families by providing educational evaluations to kindergarten through 12th-grade students from public schools, private schools, charter schools, and home schools. The grand opening and blessing was held in June 2022.
Dr. Elsa Lee, our clinical psychologist, has been at the helm since its inception. More than 130 families have had a complete evaluation, and more than 30 have had consultations.
“It has been incredibly rewarding to see families come into TLC and find the support they need through our evaluations,” Dr. Lee said. “Each family brings a unique story, and being able to provide them with clarity, understanding, and a path forward with academic accommodations and diagnostic clarification is fulfilling. Helping these families means making a tangible difference in their lives, whether it’s through identifying learning differences, offering recommendations for academic success, or simply providing psychoeducation and emotional support. Knowing that our work can help a child reach their potential or the family understand their child’s strengths and weaknesses is meaningful.”
TLC is instrumental in preparing the next generation of psychologists.
“We have a doctoral practicum training program that allows both beginning and advanced doctoral students to receive direct clinical experience,” Dr. Lee explains. “Our current trainees come from Chaminade University and Hawaii Pacific University, and they have assisted with assessments, intakes, feedback sessions, and engaged in professional development opportunities. This mentorship and training ensure that they are well-prepared to serve the local community in Hawaii once they are ready to move forward in their career trajectory."
The Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund grant of $378,000 made the Center possible. It was one of 31 projects funded out of 208 grant requests. The governor awarded $8.1 million in funding, with grants ranging from $100K to $450K. The governor thanked Assets and the other awardees for their visionary leadership and for creating a new culture of innovation for education in Hawaii.
Appointments are available in September.