A coalition of five Calumet County school districts will begin to offer school-based mental health screening and counseling services this spring.
Samaritan Counseling Center of the Fox Valley, along with Calumet County, announced the launch of THRIVE Calumet on Tuesday. Organizers say funding for the program comes from a $231,544 grant from the Basic Needs Giving Partnership within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region supported by the U.S. Venture Fund, the J.J. Keller Foundation, and other community partners.
The implementation of the program in the Chilton School District will also be supported by a $2,500 grant from the Ruth Bolz Memorial Fund and a $7,500 grant from the Chilton Area Community Foundation, which is an affiliate of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.
THRIVE Calumet, a collaboration to provide on-site mental health services in Brillion, Chilton, Hilbert, New Holstein, and Stockbridge school districts in partnership with Samaritan Counseling Center of the Fox Valley.
In this pilot phase, THRIVE Calumet will bring Samaritan’s Wellness Screening to one grade in each district. Organizers say 480 students will participate in screening this spring. Students complete a confidential online questionnaire that asks questions about their mental health.
If the screening identifies a mental health concern, the student will have a confidential follow-up conversation with a screening staff member and parents/guardians can receive a referral to an area mental health provider. For younger children, the screening is given to parents/guardians who are asked questions about their children’s behaviors and emotions.
The Calumet County program is the first of its kind for Samaritan Counseling Center because it goes beyond making referrals after the screenings to also providing mental health services in the communities it serves. Students and families can also access clinical services directly, without going through the screening process. All screening information is kept confidential; only overall statistics on program participation are shared with school staff.
