BURLINGTON, N.C. — Triad school districts are laying out plans to address student mental health.
Tuesday, the Alamance-Burlington School System hosted a mental health summit to announce new partnerships with mental health agencies.
ABSS public information officer, Les Atkins said many students are anxious and depressed. The district said with parents' permission, families can get outpatient therapy and at-home services at no cost during the summer.
"Our counselors, our nurses, and our mental health specialists within the school system can only do so much. So, now we're able to partner with these outside agencies who can offer some additional support outside of the traditional school day," Atkins said.
Students need counseling for different reasons, including learning disabilities, or the death of a loved one.
Atkins said teachers are usually the first to notice.
"They see that student that went from a happy child to all of a sudden something's wrong, they become more withdrawn. So, they're able to reach out to our in-school counselors, to our in-school mental health service providers," Atkins said.
Adkins said nine partnering agencies attended Tuesday's summit. There are four new partnerships for the upcoming school year.
ABSS parent Corey Freeman says his special needs Jackson has benefited from the services.
"Within the last year, he's been able to count to 100, and again this is a non-verbal kid. He still wears diapers and only eats baby food at ten years old," he said.
One organization partnering with the district is Kids Path.
One of their goals is to help grief-stricken kids and teens cope with different tragedies.
Grief counselor Kathy Barrow said this resource gives students an outlet to express their feelings through artwork
"If you’re writing or drawing, you’re getting it out of you and you’re getting it on the paper. You really can tell a difference when a child comes in that they haven’t talked through it they haven’t worked through it." Barrow explained.
The school district said they have mental health resources available to teachers and staff.