By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Hays USD 489 has a new program to help students who are struggling with mental health issues.
Last fall, thanks to a grant from the Kansas Department of Education and Association of Community Health Centers, Jamie Malone was hired to work at HMS as a behavioral health liaison.
The goal of the program has been to provide greater access to mental health services for school-age children. It is a collaborative effort between USD 489 and High Plains Mental Health, which is the community mental health center for the Hays area.
The program designers knew there were barriers for many school-age children to receive care because of transportation issues, Malone said. Some students did not live in proximity to the mental health centers. Some parents also had difficulty taking off work to take children to mental health appointments.
Officials also knew students were not always coming back to school after their appointments.
In November 2019, the Hays program was able to begin offering recovering services at HMS for students through a case manager from High Plains Mental Health. The services were offered in the school during the school day or after school.
In January, the program began offering school-based individual therapy.
Students were scheduled for therapy sessions during elective courses.
"Services provided at the school reduced the barriers of transportation, parents having to take off from work and kids not going back to class after their therapy sessions," Malone said.
In February, the recovery specialist started an onsite therapy group after school.
However, those in-person meetings had to stop when the schools were closed due to COVID-19.
The services continued through Zoom and phone calls during the shut down. Students were allowed to use their school-issued iPads to meet with High Plains staff over Zoom during the shut down.
Forty-seven students were served through the program in its first year.
Of the students being served, 61 percent saw improvement in school attendance, 71 percent improved their academic engagement, 61 percent showed improvement in internal behaviors and 72 percent showed improvement in external behaviors.
Internal behaviors might be anxiety, depression or physical symptoms that might indicate mental health struggles, such as headache or stomach problems, Malone said.
External behaviors are actions you can see and count such as referrals to the office, acting out in the classroom or trips to the nurse's office.
This fall, the program was expanded and a second behavior health liaison, Lyndsey Crisenbery, was hired for Hays High School.
The grant pays for 75 percent of Malone's and Crisenbery's salaries and benefits and provides a stipend to High Plains for its services.
"I am blown away by how well this program is put together," Board President Mike Walker said.
Board member Craig Pallister said, "This has been a problem for years. I am glad to see the intervention is involved in the schools now."
Board member Tammy Wellbrock asked Malone how she thought the pandemic is impacting students and the demand for services offered by the program.
Malone said she has seen an increase in student anxiety. She said students are saying they feel they are behind and they are uncertain about what is going to happen this school year.
However, Malone said parents are reaching out seeking services early.
The program has the flexibility to make referrals for elementary school-age children as needed. Malone said she could see the program expanding in the future, but that is dependent on funding.
This is only one program of 56 statewide in the 2020-21 school year. Since this is a grant-supported program, funding has to be approved each year by the Kansas Legislature.
Malone suggested the school board urge legislators to continue funding for the program.