The South Colonie Central School District is committed to the mental health and wellness of all students, faculty, and staff members.
Why mental health matters
Educating the whole child
South Colonie School District Mental Health Team
Why mental health matters
Research shows being able to access more comprehensive mental health services within a school setting can prevent students’ issues from affecting emotional, academic or physical development, and can help provide relief from symptoms as soon as possible. Students who have easy access to a therapist often have better long-term outcomes.
Being able to access more comprehensive mental health services can help students improve academic performance and personal relationships with family and friends.
Educating the whole child
Wellness is about educating the whole child. When schools support social and emotional well-being, students focus more on schoolwork, develop better communication skills, and are better prepared for life after school.
South Colonie School District Mental Health Team
The South Colonie Central School District has recently assembled a multidisciplinary team that is focused on assessing and supporting the mental health needs of the educational community. This team is composed of District administrators, psychologists, social workers, teachers, representatives from community agencies, parents and students. During the summer of 2020, the District partnered with the New York State Office of Mental Health to complete a School Health Assessment & Performance Evaluation (SHAPE). The SHAPE assessment allowed for a better understanding of how well existing services and supports are meeting current mental health needs, particularly amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this systematic process, areas of strength were identified, as were areas of system-wide services and supports in need of further development.
The District Mental Health Team meets on a monthly basis in order to: (a) identify and address the most pressing mental health needs; (b) oversee the development of school-based mental health teams; (c) systematically discuss and strategize more comprehensive ways of preventing and addressing mental health issues, (d) develop a full continuum of mental health supports across the District, and to (d) identify priorities and inform actions to improve school-based mental health programming. At this time, the District Mental Health Team is working collaboratively with the NYS Office of Mental Health and the University of Rochester to develop systems of support and to achieve these goals.
View a complete listing of the Mental Health Team here.
Mission Statement
The South Colonie District Mental Health team is committed to fostering the emotional wellness of our educational community through the use of education, consultation, prevention, intervention, and the development of community partnerships.
The team is committed to a sustainable system of care that:
-
- Uses inclusive practices that include, but are not limited to: culturally and linguistically responsive practice.
- Fosters self-advocacy skills and builds independence among students.