Shawna Shartzer was hired in 2017 as our first Barren County School District Mental Health Coordinator with a mission to help students reduce barriers to increase academic achievements.  She assists our School Safety Coordinator and School Resource Officers to maintain physical and psychological school safety. She implements and reinforces social emotional learning, social inclusion, substance use prevention, trauma sensitivity, and suicide prevention in our schools. She supports our parents and guardians by networking with community partners to ensure our students are receiving resources as needed. She works closely with our school counselors, school psychologists and Family Youth Service Centers to implement support as students transition into Barren County School setting from out-of-district placements.  Students and staff connect with her on topics such as study skills, motivation, social skills, mindful movements, organizational skills, mediation, coping with transitions, conflict resolution, grief/loss, coping skills, or stress management.