Behavioral Health

Behavioral health encompasses both mental health and substance use. An individual may be experiencing issues in either or both areas. Behavioral health includes the prevention, treatment of, and recovery from disorders of mental health and/or substance use. It is our goal to provide you and those close to you with the tools and support to build a successful outcome based on your own needs and preferences.

What do mental health therapists do?

The mental health professional in your school addresses issues such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, trauma related symptoms, adjustment disorders and other concerns. They also:

• Perform an intake to gather information and history to have a clearer picture of what is happening in the present
• Diagnose and provide information about the diagnosis.
• Help identify goals for therapy, and a timeline for achieving those goals.
• Provide appropriate assistance in either face-to-face, family and/or group therapy on a regular basis to work toward those goals. Therapy can be very brief, or it may take longer dependent on the goals and individual progress.
• Provide case management as needed for connecting clients with resources such as medication evaluations, collaborating with medical, legal, psychiatric, and school systems. 

What is substance use counseling?

In substance use counseling, you will have a chance to explore your usage, to be assessed for whether you might need treatment, and if so, the level of treatment. If you have any concerns about your use of drugs or alcohol, or if you have concerns about your child’s drug or alcohol use, it is probably time to seek out a substance use counselor.

Should I see the school counselor or the mental health therapist?

• See your school counselor if you are experiencing a temporary crisis or issue, or you need help with academics or your school schedule.
• See a mental health therapist if you are feeling helpless, hopeless, have ongoing anxiety, difficulty focusing, sleep disturbances, have had a crisis or experienced a significant issue.

How to get an appointment with your school’s mental health therapist

Contact your principal or school counselor to request a referral to the mental health therapist.