School-Based Services Going Where the Children Are

Purpose To increase the accessibility of mental health services for children and families in need of these services To provide mental health programs that address early intervention and prevention services for schools To increase partnerships between the school and community which promote emotional health

Our Staff We currently have 15 masters level clinicians serving 16 schools in Greenville County. We currently serve 272 elementary school children, 195 middle school children and 24 high school. Our high school program got off the ground 2 months ago and is building up quickly.

History SBS started for the state in 1991 at Bryson Elementary School. SBS began in 1994 here at GMHC. From 1994 until 2008 we placed clinicians into 11 schools in Greenville County. Since July 2008, we have added 2 middle schools and 2 high schools. We also will be placing a counselor at Fuller Normal Academy which has students K-5 through 8 th grade.

Another exciting addition is SB hispanic services. With this addition, we are better able to serve the hispanic population without the use of an interpreter. In the summer we do intensive programs with our children each week focusing on their specific treatment goals allowing them to be more successful in reaching their goals.

Our program utilizes Best Practice in that we place one counselor in one school Our schools maintain that our presence decreases disciplinary referrals and suspensions for their students.

We seek to incorporate families at each stage of treatment from opening services to family therapy and when services are completed. We also make necessary referrals to provide the caregivers with more support if necessary.

Our program is expanding and our ultimate goal it to have a SB counselor in every school in Greenville County who wants and needs our services.