Elizabethtown FEBRUARY 10, 2021
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL LXII • NO 3
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Submissions Sought For Mental Health Blog BY CATHY MOLITORIS
Rachel Barnhart, a crisis response counselor with ECHOS, has worked with more than 40 Elizabethtown Area School District students so far this school year.
Helping Teens In Crisis BY CATHY MOLITORIS
here is no doubt this past year has been challenging for everyone. It has been particularly hard on teens, said Rachel Barnhart. She knows firsthand what students have been facing because she’s been working with middle-schoolers and high-schoolers at Elizabethtown Area School District as a crisis response counselor since the school year began. She is employed by Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS) but contracted through the district. “My job came into place because of the rise in crises in schools,” she noted. “School counselors couldn’t keep up with the numbers, and also their position really focuses on other things.” While school counselors may meet with students to go over class schedules and sometimes touch on emotional issues, that’s not their main job responsibility, she said. “When they see a student with suicidal ideation or homicidal ideation or conflict at home, I get
“This has not in any way been an easy year, but they are doing it, and I’m proud of them. I’m honored to work with them and be a part of their journey.”
school year, she worked with 43 students, conducted 112 sessions and provided more than 70 hours of crisis counseling. “This year has been really tough for teens,” she said. “The pandemic has brought an increase in isolation, depression and anxiety.” Barnhart noted that her position is important not only because it serves students in need, but also because she can help keep students out of hospitals. “I get to reduce over-hospitalization, especially when it comes to conversations about suicidal ideation,” she explained. “I’m able to prevent this in the middle of a pandemic when hospitals are already being flooded for other reasons.” She said this position has taught her not only that there’s a need for her services, but also that students are stronger than she expected. “I’ve never been so impressed with teenagers and their resiliency and ability to adapt,” she remarked. “This has not in any way been an easy year, but they are doing it, and I’m proud of them. I’m honored to work with them and be a part of their journey.”
Bring On The Bling! BY DAYNA M. REIDENOUER
The creator of the over-the-top gowns on TLC’s “My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding” will be the guest speaker at the next monthly meeting of the Lancaster Area Sewing Network (LASN). Couture designer Sondra Celli will join the group via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 22. Members of the public are invited to attend and may email lancastersews@gmail.com for details.
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Caryn Thompson
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she said. “I’ll refer them to outpatient therapy or, if they need inpatient, I’ll refer them there. Then, I’m here to help them when they come back.” Hired in July, Barnhart has seen a steady increase in the number of students she’s working with. In the first four months of the 2020-21
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brought in,” she explained. “I could get a referral from a school counselor or another student or a teacher or a family member.” Barnhart’s job is to serve as a resource between what the school offers and outpatient or inpatient therapy. “My job is not to replace outpatient therapy but to create stability for students at the time,”
W hen it comes to mental health, sharing stories can help reduce stigma, provide support and offer answers. That’s the hope behind a new blog launched on Mental Health America of Lancaster County’s website. The organization created its new website, https://mhalancaster.org, in November 2020, and it launched the blog in January. “A lot of our website is educationbased,” said Caryn Thompson, marketing coordinator for Mental Health America of Lancaster County. “What we’re trying to do with the blog is complement that with personal stories. As far as mental health goes, it’s a topic that’s not just about facts and figures. We can tell you all the stats in the world, but that is not always going to get our point across. Sometimes, the experience of other people educates just as much.” The blog is being written by inhouse writers, including Thompson, but will also be open to community submissions. Categories include
educational pieces from people including physicians and counselors, personal stories and a creative category. For this last category, Thompson emphasized that the blog could include a variety of submissions. “Not everybody connects with words,” she explained. “If somebody wants to send in art, like photography or paintings ... we’re OK with that, too.”
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