The Jamesville-DeWitt Central School District’s partnership with Onondaga County’s School Based Initiatives Program is expanding to offer a second mental health clinic on district grounds to support J-D students.
In 2021, the county announced it would offer a three-tiered approach to provide schools more mental health services and access to community resources. The county is contracting with agencies that have expertise in providing mental health services and coordinating community services.
For the 2021-22 school year, J-D Middle School partnered with Helio Health through Onondaga County for the services of an on-site clinician and case manager to support students at space within the building, which New York state approved as a school-based mental health clinic.
The district is now expanding the program to J-D High School. There will be one clinician and one case manager working with students at both schools. Both clinics operate independently from the school district. The clinician bills insurance, and the district is not involved in patient care or clinic finances. The high school clinic is expected to be operational in October.
During 2021-22, about 35 students received services through Helio at the middle school site, which is not a walk-in crisis clinic. J-D students are referred to the clinic the same as if the clinic was operating at an off-site location. Referrals may come from district staff via the parent or by staff.
The benefit of having the clinics in school settings is that students who are under the clinician’s care can be seen during the school day, potentially reducing the amount of time they would miss instruction if they otherwise would have to be picked up during the school day and taken to an off-site provider.
Additional Support
The district now has five promise zone specialists so there is one at each school. The specialists support students’ social and emotional needs and academic achievement and help students, families and staff identify what may be hindering a student’s success.
They interact with students at such times as arrival, dismissal, lunch and recess and are watching for students who may need additional support. They also help foster an overall positive school environment by building relationships with students and better connecting them to school.
Also through the county program, J-D has four ACCESS Liaisons employed by Coordinated Care Services working in each of the district’s schools. The liaisons review referrals from school staff or families and connect families with health and human service agencies that provide assistance with critical needs, such as heat, food and shelter.
They also assist families in enrolling in assistance programs, make connections with mental health providers and conduct home visits to engage with students and families. They typically work with the same students and families for a period of 30-90 days to ensure their identified needs are met.
“It’s critical that students’ mental health, social-emotional and basic needs are being met,” said J-D’s Director of Pupil Personnel Services Tracey Menapace. “We know their academic and personal success can only be achieved when students are able to focus in the classroom so they can learn the material being taught and fully engage in the educational experience.”