Bringing care to where children already spend most of their time can make a big difference to their mental and physical health. and providing access to help is more important than ever.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly half of U.S. teenagers suffer from a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.
Eve Hosford, LCSW-R, is Senior Director of Clinical Excellence and Children’s Mental Health at Rochester Regional Health, opening doors to services available through school-based health centers, community and youth behavioral health.
school-based health center
The city of Rochester has several school-based health centers that provide a safe and comfortable environment for students to receive quality medical and mental health care at school.
Each center includes medical and mental health professionals from Rochester Community Health who provide a range of health services, including case management, immunizations, mental health assessment and follow-up treatment, nutrition education, physical examinations, and primary health care. are placed.
In fact, using these centers can prevent parents from missing work when they need urgent medical appointments, such as when their child needs to be out of school. For students who need access to therapists and counselors, these centers reduce stigma around mental health treatment. If a student goes to the school nurse’s office, they are not giving themselves attention by going to the therapist’s office.
Walk-ins and scheduled appointments are available at each school-based health center. Approximately 3,500 students receive care at his five locations within the Rochester City School District.
edison high school
655 Colfax Street
Rochester, New York 14606
Northeast College Prep High School at Charlotte Campus
4115 Lake Ave.
Rochester, New York 14612
John James Audubon School #33
500 Webster Ave.
Rochester, NY 14609
Freddie Thomas Learning Center
625 Saio Street
Rochester, NY 14605
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School #9
485 North Clinton Avenue.
Rochester, NY 14605
“Our school-based health centers always have the capacity to see more students,” says Hosford. “We open doors to these centers in hopes of educating students, their families, and our community about the benefits available to them.”
Students and their families do not directly pay for treatment received at school-based health centers. Family health insurance, along with federal grants and support from the Rochester Area Health Department and the New York State Department of Health, covers the cost of treatment.
Families can enroll their children in the school’s health center using an online form.
Community Youth Behavioral Health
Young people need emotional and mental health support. Recent research shows that rates of anxiety and depression among young people continue to rise after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Launched in 2018, the Community Youth Behavioral Health program brings together experienced therapists, child psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurses to help students in schools and community centers.
“Our guiding principle is to be there when people need us and available when they need us,” said Hosford.
Students can approach any provider within the school or receive a referral from a trusted adult within the school, such as a teacher, counselor, or administrator. The school district will then inform the student’s family about the referral and obtain their permission before the student begins meeting with the provider.
With the student’s parent or guardian’s approval, the student may receive several types of care, including individual therapy, family therapy, and/or medication assessment and administration.
Through its Community Youth Behavioral Health Program, the school works with providers in Brockport, East Rochester, Gates Chile, Geneseo, Greece, Hilton, Spencerport, Victor, Webster, and West Irondecoy. Further expansion plans are underway within these districts.
Care provided through the Community Youth Behavioral Health program is billed directly to the family’s health plan.
Every school district has students who face barriers to quality mental health care, such as financial constraints, lack of transportation or health insurance, and lack of therapists. Attending our children’s schools provides them with the extra mental health care they need.
“If we can create an open environment of continuous engagement with students, their parents and schools with the goal of proactively addressing mental health issues, our providers will encourage them to do so through this program.” It will do exactly what we said we would do,” said Hosford. He said.