The Essex-Westford School District is working to expand mental health services to students. They do that through partnerships with community groups. The district currently offers several in-school therapy sessions, but “we serve the district through the Howard Center for Students and through school-based clinicians,” said co-director of student support services for the Erin Maguire district. “But we don’t have enough access to treatment. Families have really struggled to find slots for therapists that kids can see.” Maguire says they are still looking for providers and hopes they can find a wide range of therapists. “We hope to find dramatic therapists, art therapists and music therapists, especially for younger children to access,” Maguire told NBC5. “I’m open to all kinds of partnerships like this.” One community group the district has contacted is Spectrum Youth and Family Services. The district sent flyers to families at Catamount Community Clinic, a partnership with Spectrum and UVM counseling programs. “As a mental health clinician, one of my specialties is working with family and the youth and families of the spectrum. That’s a name,” says Anna Elliott, program coordinator for the UVM Graduate Program. “One area of interest is training students to work specifically with their families.” According to Spectrum, the clinic can address multiple issues in the community, including access to mental health care and workforce development. “We saw this as an opportunity to truly serve several different priorities in our community,” said Chris Smith, Chief Clinical Officer at Spectrum. “We need to build a workforce. We need to increase opportunities. We need to provide these students with a place to do that.” Maguire says most services can be billed from family insurance, but they are looking for providers who are interested in Catamount Community Clinic.
The Essex-Westford School District is working to expand mental health services to students. They do that through partnerships with community groups. The district currently offers in-school therapy sessions, but there is not enough space to meet the needs.
“We serve the district through our school-based clinicians and through the Howard Center for Students,” said Erin Maguire, co-director of the district’s student support services. “But we don’t have enough access to treatment. The family has really struggled to find slots for therapists that kids can see.”
Maguire says they are still looking for a provider and hopes they can find a wide range of therapists.
“We hope to find dramatic therapists, art therapists and music therapists, especially for younger children to access,” Maguire told NBC5. “I’m open to all kinds of partnerships like this.”
One community group the district has contacted is Spectrum Youth and Family Services. The district sent flyers to families at Catamount Community Clinic, a partnership with Spectrum and UVM counseling programs.
“As a mental health clinician, one of my specialties is working with family and the youth and families of the spectrum. That’s a name,” says Anna Elliott, program coordinator for the UVM Graduate Program. “One area of interest is training students to work specifically with their families.”
According to Spectrum, the clinic can address multiple issues in the community, including access to mental health care and workforce development.
“We saw this as an opportunity to truly serve several different priorities in our community,” said Chris Smith, Chief Clinical Officer at Spectrum. “We need to build a workforce. We need to increase opportunities. We need to provide these students a place to do that.”
Maguire says that most services can be billed from family insurance, but they are looking for a provider that offers free services.
Anyone interested in Catamount Community Clinic can call 802-864-7423 x 331 or email aelliott@spectrumvt.org
