School Based Services

Check ins are typically 4-5 brief 10-15 minute sessions. Short check ins allow for the counselor to check in on how a student is doing for social emotional support for challenges that do not require immediate attention.

Individual school-based counseling are one on one sessions to help your student target specific issues that are affecting their ability to thrive and live joyful lives while in school. Services are typically 6-8 weeks in length and begin with a comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment that highlights areas of need that are addressed through development of an individualized treatment plan. Sessions are held while school is in session during elective periods and can vary in frequency from weekly, biweekly, or triweekly dependent on need. Students will learn tools in order to best succeed emotionally and socially in school. School based counseling is not a replacement for intensive outpatient therapy. Mental health challenges that require more sustained, intensive treatment will be referred to an outside provider.

We offer group counseling for our students that typically last 6-8 weeks long to promote successful school and community functioning as well as mood and behavioral stabilization. Students will be placed in a group of peers that have similar goals. Services begin with a comprehensive bio-psycho-social assessment that highlights areas of need that are addressed through development of an individualized treatment plan. Sessions are held while school is in session during elective periods and can vary in frequency from weekly, biweekly, or triweekly dependent on need. Students will learn tools in order to best succeed emotionally and socially in school.

We offer Tier II counseling focused on social-emotional learning that helps students acquire essential skills—including coping strategies, executive functioning, and anger management—to navigate challenges at school. Socioemotional lessons will target: 

• Self-Awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one's own emotions, thoughts, values, and how they influence behavior. 

• Self-Management: The ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations and to work toward goals. 

• Social Awareness: The ability to understand and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures. 

• Relationship Skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships.

• Responsible Decision-Making: The ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions. 

A crisis is often defined as a situation in which the individual is unable to effectively implement problem solving or other coping skills which can then produce emotional, mental, physical or behavioral distress. The goal of providing interventions is to help stabilize the situation, ensure the student is safe, and return the student back to a place of utilizing successful coping skills. Sometimes, crisis intervention may include individual therapy, psychiatric hospitalization, law enforcement or Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) involvement, or identifying and locating other community resources that can provide further assistance.

In addition to mental health services, students may also receive “case management” services which are characterized as building linkages to community resources. Linkages to resources can be provided as direct referrals to outside agencies or community based programs that offer the student and their family connection to much needed information or direct support. Examples of case management linkages include: assisting with outside mental health referrals, connecting the student and their family to a food bank, locating programs to help with housing, and apply for benefits that provide emergency financial assistance.