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Dominion High School

Unified Mental Health Team

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A Growing Mental Health Need

Rising Prevalence

  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Suicide
  • Behavioral Problems

Lasting Effects of Pandemic

  • Substance Use
  • Isolation

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UMHT Members

Director of School Counseling

  • Dave Edwards

School Counselors

  • Jenn French (A-B)
  • Amanda Brougham (C-E)
  • Sarah Bustard (F-I)
  • Nicole Winfree (J-Ma)
  • Amanda Patel (Mc-P)
  • Shannon Nieves (Q-Sm)
  • Zach Turner (Sn-Z)

School Social Worker

  • Michelle Martin

School Psychologist

  • Shelby Kunkel

Student Assistance Specialist

  • Keith Robinson

School Nurse

  • Nicole Wong

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School Counselors

The counselor works with all students on Academic, Career, and Personal Development

  • Primary contact for students and families
  • Trained in Academic and Career development
  • Large group and classroom instruction
  • Follow the student through High School

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Ms. French

A - B

Ms. Brougham

C - E

Ms. Bustard

F - I

Ms. Winfree

J - Ma

Ms. Patel

Mc - P

Ms. Nieves

Q - Sm

Mr. Turner

Sn - Z

Counselors

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School Social Worker

The social worker provides mental health support and is the link between the school, student, family and community

  • Secondary contact for students and families after school counselor
  • Leads student development and support groups
  • Provides community based connections and references

Ms. Martin

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School Psychologist

The school psychologist provides behavioral and mental health support

  • Secondary contact for students and families after school counselor
  • Leads student development and support groups
  • Program management for Signs of Suidide presentations
  • Psychological evaluations for special education services

Ms. Kunkel

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Student Assistance Specialist

  • Direct consultation with parents and coordination of care with community providers
  • School-based and county-wide parent presentations
  • Staff professional development and consultation
  • Community presentations/panels upon request
  • Monthly newsletter containing current events information, educational & support resources
  • As UMHT members SAS support student connectedness, enhance student resilience and educate about mental health and substance use issue.

The student assistance specialist works with at-risk students and those with substance use and/or mental health concerns

Mr. Robinson

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Nurse

Provide care for acute medical concerns and manage care for chronic conditions at school

  • Notice and Monitor student trips to the Health Office
  • Medicate as ordered and monitor for side effects and adverse reactions
  • Community based health care referrals
  • Visions, hearing, impairment, and simple medical screenings

Ms. Wong

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Three Tiers of Intervention

Tier 1: Universal

  • PBIS
  • Signs of Suicide
  • Substance Abuse
  • Sources of Strength
  • LINK Crew
  • Culture building

Tier 2: Targeted

  • Small group counseling
  • Restorative Circles
  • Mentoring
  • Check-ins

Tier 3: Intensive

  • FBA/BIP
  • Suicide screening
  • Insight program
  • Restorative Conferences
  • Special Education referral

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Scenario 1

Sarah is a 9th grade student who is currently eligible to receive special education services as a student with an emotional disability. Sarah’s mother died a year ago after a long bout with a rare form of cancer. The school and community were very supportive to Sarah and her family in the weeks after the mother’s passing, excusing assignments, bringing the family frozen dinners, and friends who would just sit with Sarah for emotional support. A year after her mother’s passing, Sarah just can’t seem to move on. Sarah is still having a hard time sleeping at night and concentrating in school. As a result, she often comes to school late and has missed a significant amount of school.

Sarah’s friends are concerned because she continues to self-isolate and mentions few goals or positive outlook for her future. More concerningly, she has withdrawn completely from the school theater program where she has many friends and often had important roles in many school productions. Last week, a teacher caught Sarah crying in the school washroom. Some students report having seen her take pills.

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Scenarios 2

Carlos is a 10th grade student and English-language learner. He moved to the US from El Salvador with his parents and younger sister when he was in 8th grade. Carlos’ parents report that when they were living in El Salvador, he seemed to enjoy going to school and went regularly. However, ever since he came to the US, Carlos has struggled with coming to school consistently: Carlos only makes it to school three or four days a week. On days when he doesn’t come to school, Carlos typically reports that he wakes up with a headache and/or a stomachache; when he tells his mother, she keeps him home, and he usually stays in bed.

When he is here, he is often in the nurse’s clinic, where he complains of headaches and stomachaches. Several times, Carlos has asked his mother to come and pick him up from school. On the weekends, Carlos and his mother report that his symptoms aren’t present, though he often starts to feel ill again on Sunday evenings.

When he is at school, teachers report that Carlos is quiet and shy, though he participates in class activities when invited and seems to get along well with classmates. Carlos also notes that he is worried about doing poorly at school and is afraid of asking his teachers for help, as he doesn’t want to stand out or seem stupid.

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More Resources

Mental Health and Wellness Parent Series -

6:30 to 8:00 PM at Administration Building

1/12 - Teaching your teens the 10 signs of a healthy relationship

2/16 - Using Social and Emotional Skills Learning Skills to support student learning.

2/23 - Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention

3/8 - Substance Use Trends: Parent prevention and intervention

3/16 - Culture, Identity, and Mental Health.

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Questions