school
Blazing a Trail in
Student Mental Health USD 231 partners with Johnson County Mental Health to reach students and families in need. Story by Jackie Hostetler Photography by Nick Krug
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ike many schools around the nation, the schools in Gardner and Edgerton offer their students a variety of courses, modern learning facilities and a wide array of extracurricular activities. Where it differs from other districts is its strong and purposeful focus on student mental health. USD 231 added a mental health co-responder position last year, reports Melissa McIntire, coordinator of student support services. “It is a very unique position; I believe the first of its kind in the nation. We’ve partnered with Johnson County Mental Health, and it’s actually their employee, under contract with the district.” The co-responder’s main purpose is to serve as a bridge between the district’s families in crisis and mental health services, says McIntire. Prior to creating this new position, the district already had several protocols in place regarding mental health, including mental health first-aid training for every certified staff member, but Superintendent Pam Stranathan wanted to do more. To that end, she met with the director of Johnson County Mental Health, Tim DeWeese, and from that collaboration the position was born. “This was a brainchild where we were looking to help families during the day and also after hours,” says McIntire. “School is becoming more and more a place where people come to get many of their needs met. We are trying to bridge that gap between school and mental health agencies.” The district found that bridge in licensed professional counselor Tanise Smith.
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