Mental Wellness
The Seneca Valley School District is committed to supporting and growing the whole child. In addition to academics, we understand that students have a wide variety of mental wellness and support needs. In many cases, support provided through district programs are able to meet the needs of our students.
Our school psychologists, school counselors, behavioral specialists, school administrators, and Youth Education Support Services (YESS) teams in each building support students' well-being. Sometimes additional support beyond those provided by school staff are beneficial. Our school staff can provide referrals to appropriate resources. Likewise, community resources are also linked to this web page.
To learn more, see additional information below. For a list of mental health services available for Seneca Valley students, click the pages listed in the column on the left (or in the drop-down menu above if using a mobile device).
Schools play an important role in connecting students and families to the knowledge and resources needed to navigate challenges. Seneca Valley’s connection efforts provide information to students and families in the following ways:
- Digital Resources
- Online Connections - SVIHS Instagram and SVSHS Instagram
- SV Web Resources Page
- Microsoft TEAMS messages to students by principals and teachers
- Care Solace: Substance Abuse & Mental Health Help Tool
- Signage in School
- Classroom Lessons
- School counselors teach social-emotional skills during classroom visits
- School counselors emphasize to students how to access school support resources
- Classroom teachers reinforce social-emotional skills in their content areas
Students can develop their social-emotional skills and strengthen their own wellness through our Learn, Explore, Act, Develop (LEAD) Program and through various required course offerings. In addition to these offerings, teachers take time to check-in with students throughout their day during morning meetings, lunch periods and/or flex periods.
Learn, Explore, Act, Develop (LEAD)
LEAD focuses on Seneca Valley’s whole-child development efforts. Each district building has a designated LEAD team. At the elementary level, classroom teachers and other professionals facilitate activities to help students learn social-emotional skills. At the secondary level, students can guide discussions and develop their skills for communication, collaboration, creativity and critical thinking. The District’s efforts are aimed at preparing career-ready and future-oriented students who are appreciative, resilient, productive, kind, respectful, accountable and self-confident. LEAD activities are less formal than classroom-based learning and are intended to promote meaningful connections so students can feel supported during challenges.
Curricular Learning
In Grades 5 and 6, students participate in a series of lessons focused on recognizing symptoms of anxiety and depression. The lessons are team taught by the science/health teacher and the school counselor. Students are encouraged to speak with the school counselor further if needed.
In Grades 7,8, and 10, students participate in a suicide-prevention program called Signs of Suicide. The lessons are co-taught by a school counselor and health teacher.The program educates students about suicide prevention, encourages students to seek help using the ACT (Acknowledge, Care, Act) message, and teaches students how to seek help for themselves or a friend.
In Grades 7 - 12, mental and physical health is a key component of the required physical education classes.
Preventing Suicide
We encourage parents and community members to review the information regarding preventing youth suicide published by the National Association of School Psychologists. Students experiencing suicidal ideation frequently do not directly seek help. Parents, school staff community members and students can recognize warning signs and changes in behavior. Connect the person directly with a trained adult to help. A listing of trained staff follows at the bottom of the page.
Seneca Valley School District is proud to offer ongoing staff training opportunities to raise awareness about mental health needs among youth. Specifically, program offerings are aimed at developing the staff’s skills for recognizing students in need and connecting students or families with appropriate resources. Trainings are offered by our in-house instructors or by outside agencies, such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS). Professional development is not limited to teacher in-service days. Staff may seek to participate in training outside of the school day.
Examples of recent trainings include:
Our Youth Education Support Services (YESS) program implements the components of the Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program (SAP). SAP utilizes a systematic team approach to identify barriers to learning and mobilize resources to overcome those barriers to promote student success. Parents, school staff, and students may all refer students to the YESS program. School counselors (accessible in the staff list below) can assist with the YESS process.
Therapy is recognized as a supportive service to address mental health concerns or behavioral problems. Services offered in the District and in the community emphasize mental wellness to ensure that our youth can successfully access their education. The various service offerings are described below.
Care Solace
Care Solace helps individuals find mental health care providers and substance use treatment centers. Their Care Companion™ team is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year to quickly connect you to carefully verified providers in the community.
Students, staff, and families may access Care Solace services in two ways:
- Call (888) 515-0595 at any time. Support is available in 200+ languages. A dedicated Care Companion™ will help you every step of the way to research options, secure appointments, and follow up to make sure it is a good fit.
- For an anonymous search, answer a few questions to get matched with an extensive list of care providers at www.caresolace.com/Seneca.
Group
Group involves one or more therapists working with several school-age youth at one time. Group is intended for specific populations who require support with remediating or preventing shared problems, such as anxiety or to teach behavioral skills. Some group options that take place in our buildings include groups focused on friendships, grief and study skills. The school counselors (listed below) can assist with connecting you to an appropriate group.
School – Based Mental Health
School – based mental health counseling is individual therapy provided by qualified providers in the school setting during the school day. Social, emotional and/or behavioral challenges are addressed during individual therapy sessions that occur one-on-one with the school-age youth and the therapist. Contact your child’s school counselor or contact Glade Run Lutheran Services directly.
Outpatient Mental Health Treatment
Outpatient mental health treatment is delivered by qualified providers in an office or clinical setting. Social, emotional or behavioral challenges are addressed during individual or group therapy sessions and can range from short-term counseling to long-term treatment. Treatment might also include medication management. Seneca Valley provides a list of resources.
Hospitalization (Partial or Inpatient)
Hospitalization programs are designed to address significant psychiatric difficulties. School-age youth receive short-term intensive care from a specialized team of doctors, therapists, psychologists and other mental health experts. Services might also include family, individual or group therapy and medication management. The resource list includes hospitalization providers.
Seneca Valley School District offers specialized programming for students with significant mental health concerns. The elementary and secondary levels each have specialized classrooms to support students who are transitioning to and from alternative placements. A specialized classroom is also available at the high school level to support credit-deficient students who are working toward fulfilling graduation requirements. If a student is deemed eligible for specialized services through an evaluation, support can also be provided through an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 Service Agreement.
The Crisis Response Team is comprised of staff members and community agencies, such as the Center for Community Resources (CCR) and Glade Run Lutheran Services (GRLS). The Team is responsible for facilitating the school's response to any crisis by following established protocols that are rooted in best practices.
*Note: Confidentiality is held with the utmost integrity when dealing with personal matters.
** If you or someone you know is in need of crisis intervention, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.