Partnership announced to pilot behavioral health services at six Providence schools

PROVIDENCE – A School Counseling and Support Services Partnership program was launched Thursday at an event at the George J. West Elementary School.
The program, described as an innovative private-public partnership between Providence schools, The Providence Center and Behavioral Health Solutions Inc., will offer behavioral health services to students and families at six district schools, during and after school.

“We have heard from our teachers and principals that for many of our students, their readiness to learn is being held back by social and emotional health issues,” Mayor Jorge O. Elorza said in a statement. “This initiative allows us to embed these necessary behavioral health services directly in our schools and at hours that are convenient for students and their parents.”

The Providence Center clinicians will be embedded at George J. West Elementary, Carl G. Lauro Elementary, Nathan Bishop Middle School, Roger Williams Middle School, Gilbert Stuart Middle School and Nathaniel Greene Middle School, and Behavioral Health Solutions will provide clinical and technical management support.
According to a news release about the program, teachers and principals will be able to refer students directly to these in-school specialists for diagnosis and treatment.
Families’ insurance providers will be billed for services; the pilot program comes at no cost to Providence schools.

“We know that when our students are dealing with serious issues like traumatic stress, learning and behavior are going to be negatively impacted,” Superintendent Christopher Maher said. “With this new partnership, we can more quickly and conveniently offer our students the mental health and social service supports they need to overcome obstacles that are holding back their ability to be fully engaged and ready to learn.”

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Dale K. Klatzker, president of The Providence Center, said the program will allow professionals to intervene immediately, preventing students from experiencing long-term untreated behavioral health issues.

A group of the district’s social workers and psychologists also will assist with implementation of the program, to ensure that it complements existing behavioral health programs.

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