Student and parent wellness given by therapist and SSC

Oct 10, 2019

School officials and counselors attended:

Wynne Satterwhite – Principal

Kristin Castillo – SSC ( Student Services Coordinator)

Jen Royer – district Therapist, 4th year at LAH, initially worked through CHAC

Amrita Bassi – CHAC Lead Therapist

Importance of Empathy: to teach students to respect each other and how to handle relationship, to show empathy.

Empathy v. sympathy

Empathy: feeling with people, connect with people

• Perspective taking;

• Stay out of judgment;

• Recognize other people’s emotion

Empathy drives connection

Empathy is about relationships and building community at LAHS

Lots of time, people just need other to listen to them, especially for kids. They need others to hear them.

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Tier 1 Supports: all students have access to it.

· Challenge day – 9th Graders

· SCL – Challenge Day Themes: build community, let students feel they have place to go when they need support

· Wellness weeks

· Digital Culture Activity: TAD talks, Tutorial options

· Club Day: all the clubs come out and make connections

· Freshman orientation

· Recognition lunches

· Dances/Sorts/Music/Theater

· After school library hours

· Tutorial Center

· College and Career Center

· Writing Center

All these are meant to make connections among our community, let students feel the support they have

Student Supports

· Teachers

· School Counselors

· Student Services Coordinator

· Assistant Principals

· Principal

· Coaches: sports coaches are a great resource also, they spend lots of time with kids

· Mental Health Therapists

· Classified Staff

· Any caring adult on campus

How to Access Counseling Support on Campus

· Staff can refer students for a mental health check-in

· Parents can refer student for a mental health check-in: contact Cariann Lee or Kristin Castillo

· Confidential Black Referral Boxes: 3 boxes on campus

• Student his/herself

• Friend

· Referrals are reviewed throughout the day

· We attempt to meet with referred students within 48 hours

· Students in crisis will be met with the same day

· Student counseling services:

• Check-ins

• Voluntary short term counseling

• Referrals and connections to community agencies or health services

• Crisis response

· Counseling and confidentiality: parents will receive a consent form to sign. However, anything between kid and counselor is confidential, although exception applies when there is safety issue

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Q&A:

1. Do students know how to access counseling support on campus?

It’s pretty well known that there are 3 boxes on campus. In the last couple of weeks, it’s been repeated several times on campus. There is wellness panel during Freshman orientation. On campus, there are adults who can help students. The staff know the protocol.

2. If I want my kid to get counseling, how do I go about it?

Go to office, ask for Ms. Lee and Ms. Castillo and get referral; OR reach out to pediatrician, private practitioners in the area. Students have choices whether to get counseling or not, they must want it. If they decline services, they can do so.

3. What’s strategy when kids just want to be left alone?

Try the doctor route if they have good relationship with pediatrician.

Get another family member who may give them support.

Try referring them to school counselors, tell them it’s all confidential.

Try different ways, check in with them, not pushing, let them know you are worried and concerned.

If concerned with safety issue, then may call 911, take them to hospital, Uplifts.

4. If parent referred kid to a school therapist/counselor, how does parent know they got checked in?

School will tell parents that the kid got checked in.

5. What do we think will be best for kids in terms of school scheduling?

Have to have minimum of 180 days of instructions, 6484 instructional minutes. School will talk to kids, staff and a group of professionals for suggestions in a few weeks.

6. As to college application, it’s very important for kids to find the right school, not just the name brand. There is a college out there for every student, and the school tries to let students know what’s their best fit.

7. How to receive CHAC services?

a. We have CHAC here certain days a week, start with referral. Call and set up intake appointment with intake coordinator, who will assign a counselor.

b. It’s ok for kids to get upset, cry, once for a while. We don’t know what kind of pressure the kids are under. It’s our job to show empathy. We should know it’s a lot they are going through, normalize some of the pressure they are under. We want them to have the skills and strategies to deal with different things.

c. Parents sometimes should try to refrain from fixing things for kids. Listen to them.

8. How can parents help in MV suicide?

Listen to them, let them fix problems.