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Please share a bit about your role.
This is my 7th year returning to Logan-Hocking Schools (LHSD). As a Hopewell Health Centers (Hopewell) employee, Hopewell has been implemented into the LHSD for 16 years. I am thrilled to be embarking on my 2nd year as the District Mental Health Counselor. As this position, often referred to as the crisis counselor, has been partnered with LHSD for four years, it is quite a privilege to be a part of this program. As the mental health liaison, my primary duty is to assess the safety of our students. My services to our students are not ongoing or a duplicate of mental health services; it is a brief crisis intervention. I work closely and in collaboration with administrators, school counselors and school staff members. In this position, I identify and triage crisis needs when situations arise with students and provide the students and families with local community resources.
Which age groups or grades do you work with? What steps lead to a student working with you?
My position allows me to work with any student attending LHSD. To be assessed for safety by me, a student will need to be referred by an administrator or school counselor. I encourage students to advocate for themselves to their school counselor, principal or staff member to ensure that they create a rapport with a trusted adult in their building. Once a safety concern is identified and a referral is made to me, I will be able to meet with the student, where I will conduct my safety assessment. If I met with your child during a crisis situation, a call home to you will be made to either provide your family with outside community resources and/or assist in creating an agreed-upon plan to keep your child safe.
Do you have any favorite resources that you recommend to students or families for mental health?
To best build rapport with this internet-driven generation, I have found that there are multiple apps and websites that can assist with your student’s mental health concerns. Headspace is an app that specializes in meditation by using relaxing music and sleep sounds to assist you in de-escalation. Calm is an app is also a great tool for stress-relieving meditation and relaxation. Happify is another helpful app that allows you to track things such as your stress and anxiety levels as well as providing mindfulness activities. There are many more apps that can provide you and your students tools and resources to assist them in coping with daily stressors.
Is there any additional information you would like to share?
We are so fortunate in our community that we are able to have a mental health care liaison to bridge the gap between school and you as the parent/guardian at home. We are happy to be able to support parents with resources that will help them be the best source of support to their child.
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