High school can be a challenging time for students, with many competing priorities and pressures in school and at home. To help those who are facing mental health challenges during this formative time, Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital in Marysville will partner with three local high schools across two school districts to provide free in-school mental health services.
A community outreach project grant enables a counselor from the behavioral health hospital to be on hand at each of the schools at least one day week, providing brief intervention therapy and crisis intervention. The Arlington School District — which contains two of the schools — provides a space and schedule for the counselor. If the counselor deems a student as needing additional services, the counselor will provide the student with a list of additional providers and options.
Smokey Point leaders are also looking for partnership opportunities at two additional schools as well, which would create a schedule in which a counselor could spend each day of the week at a different high school in the region.
“The increase in mental health issues and suicidality among teens continues to rise, and Smokey Point Behavioral Hospital is committed to being a part of the solution in our community,” says Smokey Point Hospital Community Relations Director Erika Preston.
Smokey Point also provides free assessments for adolescent, adults and senior adults needing help for mental health or chemical dependency problems.
Read more in an article from the Marysville Globe. (Tim Pfarr)
