School-based therapy available to meet the needs of children, families and schools

It's not easy getting into the back-to-school mindset, but August is here and summer vacation has drawn to a close.

This can be a time of anxiety, stress and added pressures for children, according to Tami Brucato, school-based therapist for LifeSkills.

"Whether they have mental health issues or not," Brucato said, "the transition may be a bit overwhelming."

Brucato shared the following tips to help ensure that kids are mentally, emotionally and physically ready for school:

Develop a bedtime routine and sleep schedule before school begins. Designate a space to keep all school items, backpacks and even clothes for the next morning.Be sure your child gets enough sleep and has a healthy breakfast (either at home or school) so they can learn and concentrate throughout the school day.Communicate with your child's teacher to develop rapport and share any important concerns.Most of all, talk to your child. Ask questions, explore feelings and educate them. Reassure them that you are there for them. Talk to them about bullying and what to do if they experience it. Open communication is the key. Listen to any concerns they may have.

Brucato, who has been a school-based therapist in the Russellville school system for the past two years, said she enjoys working in the schools.

"It can make a real difference academically and therapeutically," she said. "Not only can we address issues that may otherwise go overlooked, but we also try to bridge the gap between families and the school system. By being on-site, we often gain a better understanding as to what might be impacting the child. Teachers seem to appreciate that we frequently provide a new level of insight to some of the situations that occur. ...

"During team meetings," Brucato said, "we discuss and share the treatment plan to ensure that everyone in the child's life is aware of the issues being dealt with to promote consistency in school and at home. We work closely with teachers, guidance counselors, principals, vice principals, parents and social service representatives to make sure we are all on the same page."

In-school therapy can save time and make things easier for all involved. Therapists conduct individual therapy sessions with children and take them out of class for 30 or 40 minutes. If parents have to bring their children in to the office for therapy, they might miss a half-day of school. Parents also have to miss work and provide transportation. Although in-school therapy can provide convenience for both the child and parent, mental health professionals highly encourage parents and families to be involved in their child's treatment. Clinicians often schedule family therapy sessions in addition to the services their child may receive at school.

How do these services get put into place? There are different avenues to establishing mental health services, and each school may handle things a little differently, but typically:

The school can recommend that parents contact LifeSkills for an appointment.The school can pass along the parents' contact information to a therapist and/or fax it to the office for someone to follow up and schedule an appointment.The parent can come to the school during the day to meet with a therapist and complete the initial paperwork.

In crisis situations that occur outside regular business hours, parents can utilize the Children's Crisis Stabilization Unit or mobile crisis team to complete an assessment and make a referral to a local therapist. Many of the clinics have "open access," a time set aside for walk-in screenings, which is another option for a parent who wants to initiate services. Ultimately, the goal is to provide adequate supports to each individual and family, and the blueprint for that can look very different for each child.

LifeSkills has more than 70 full-time behavioral health clinicians in 10 counties dedicated to meeting the needs of children and families experiencing mental health issues through a number of treatment options.

? Maureen Mahaney coordinates public information for LifeSkills Inc., a nonprofit behavioral health care corporation that plans for and serves the people of southcentral Kentucky in three main areas: mental health, addiction and intellectual disabilities. Her column appears monthly.