'Cornerstone Counseling Center to offer School-Based Behavioral Health Services'
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Cornerstone Counseling Center and Plainville Community Schools have partnered to offer School-Based Behavioral Health Services for both students and families in the Plainville community. Services are funded by family medical insurance, but will be offered directly at Linden Street School and the Middle School of Plainville. Cornerstone Counseling Center will offer individual and peer supports to teach coping strategies to manage challenges that interfere with academic and social functioning. In collaboration with students, parents/guardians, and school personnel, school-based behavioral health services will include peer groups facilitated by a Cornerstone clinician as well as individualized services to help support students with anxiety, depression, academic challenges, healthy peer relationships, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, trauma related issues, and more.
Referrals for students will be accepted beginning in January, 2020. Appointments can be made by contacting the School Social Worker, School Psychologists, or School Counselors at Linden Street School and the Middle School of Plainville. Families can also contact Cornerstone Counseling Center directly at 860-863-1001. Cornerstone Counseling Center will have a mental health clinician based in the school that will conduct a confidential and comprehensive assessment and help develop a collaborative plan for care. Medicaid, Medicare, and many commercial health insurances are welcome. A sliding fee scale is also available based on family size and income.
Schools can be an ideal setting to promote and provide behavioral health services to support wellness. Research has consistently shown that students that receive social, emotional, and mental health support have better academic results. Having these services based within the schools will increase access and engagement to these interventions.
“Cornerstone is excited to work with Plainville schools to provide quality, collaborative care to the students and families in the community. It is an honor to become part of this community and to continue to provide opportunities to both students and families to ensure we are assisting students in reaching their full potential mentally, emotionally and academically. We believe taking a proactive individualized approach is essential to helping students reach their goals,” said Chris Albini, Cornerstone Counseling Center Director.
“Plainville Community Schools is committed to supporting families to access behavioral health services within the community and is grateful for the partnership with Cornerstone Counseling Center. Given the Center for Disease Control's reports that 1 in 5 children is impacted in school by mental health issues, it is essential that schools and families work together to identify these issues as early as possible and work together to ensure children and their families get the treatment and support they need to be successful in school and in life,” added Plainville Community Schools Director of Special Services, Vicki Trzcinski.
“I’m excited for this opportunity to broaden collaborative services and supports available to Plainville families to improve social and emotional wellness and mental health. We welcome Cornerstone Counseling as a collaborative partner to address these growing needs within our community, and within the complex world we live in,” noted Superintendent of Schools, Steven LePage.