Back to School: Mental health resources available for students in need at Bend-La Pine schools
Kelsey Merison
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Following the pandemic, there’s been a rise in the need for mental health resources–not just in schools, but everywhere.
KTVZ News recently spoke with the Bend-La Pine School District about the need, and what the increase signifies.
The district believes the need has always been there–but as the topic becomes de-stigmatized, more are coming forward asking for help.
“I think the whole world has seen a rise in mental health concerns since the pandemic, and we’re just, we’re doing the best we can,” said Director of Student Well-being Jennifer Hauth.
Jennifer Hauth
In Bend-La Pine schools, mental health is a top priority.
“We’re meeting kids where they’re at and providing the support that they need so that they can access their education,” Hauth said.
Hauth said Bend-La Pine schools have made many changes in recent years to meet the varying needs of students.
“Obviously, our teachers are with our students every day. And then we have our school counselors, which for the next year, we will have a school counselor in every school in Bend-La Pine schools, which is all 33 schools,” said Hauth. “And then we also have a mental health intervention called ‘Student Success’, really reserved for about 5% of our students experiencing more acute mental health needs. And we have clinicians in a lot of our schools supporting our students experiencing mental health concerns.”
And a special partnership with Care Solace, which is a mental health care coordination service.
“Anytime a student, a staff member, a family, or really any of their loved ones have any need around mental health, substance, phase of life issues, we do what’s called a warm handoff with Care Solace. And so Care Solace will link you to care,” Hauth said. “They’ll take your insurance and they’ll call around to different providers to help find a match for you. They’ll even make the first appointment for you and follow up after you’ve gone to see if it was a good fit.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral health condition at some point in their life–meaning these services are crucial for supporting the wellbeing of students.
CDC Data
“There used to be a lot of shame around asking for help that was outside of physical health. And I think now, even more since the pandemic…We have concerns nationally around mental health. I think as we get that language and we teach those skills to students about that help-seeking behavior and when things are outside the typical range, it’s actually great that more people are coming forward,” Hauth said. “Because then we know people are getting the help that they need, and they’re not suffering alone.”
If you would like to learn more about Care Solace, click here.