SCHOOL-BASED SERVICES

Mentally healthy children are more successful in school and life. Research demonstrates that students who receive social — emotional and mental health support achieve better academically. School climate, classroom behavior, on-task learning, and students’ sense of being connected as well as their overall well-being improve. Our School-Based Mental Health Services program is an example of our efforts to expand services to non-traditional settings that make them more accessible to the people who need them the most. This innovative program allows our clinicians to provide mental health treatment to students in the safety of their own school. This dramatically reduces lost classroom time for the student receiving treatment. In the North Country, traveling to an outpatient setting, like a doctor’s office or clinic, could mean spending a half- or even whole-day trip for the child and parent versus a 30-minute visit for a student using our services. One of the primary goals of the program is to decrease the challenge of getting proper services and increase the consistency of treatment.

What schools are we in?

Our School-Based Mental Health Services are available in multiple school districts & colleges throughout Northern NY. Schools include the following:

Clinton County

• Northeastern Clinton Central School District
• Northern Adirondack Central School District
• Plattsburgh City School District
• Seton Catholic
• Peru Central School District
• Saranac Central School District
• Chazy Central Rural School District
• Ausable Valley Central School District
• Beekmantown Central School District
• SUNY Plattsburgh
• Clinton Community College

Washington/Warren Counties

• Greenwich Central School District
• Warrensburg Central School District
• North Warren Central School District
• Salem Central School District
• Glens Falls City School District

Benefits

• Less time out of the classroom because students do not have to travel to appointments.
• School professionals are able to refer students for services (with parental permission).
• Shorter wait time to begin services compared to applying for services within the community.
• Improved communication between school and mental health provider.
• Better consistency and quality of care as students are seen on a regular schedule.
• Support provided to the school.

Clinic Operations

• Therapists work with the school(s) to build and create interventions that encourage success.
• Counselors ensure confidentiality is maintained and does not share specific treatment information of any student with school staff or outside individuals without authorized consent by family.

The School-Based Services goal is to create consistent treatment, ease of access, decrease missed classroom time in school, crisis intervention, and symptom stabilization. We strive for consistency and quality of care for students, as well as improved communication between school and mental health providers.