Children and Adolescents School-Based Therapy

KRCC provides School-Based Therapy to meet the needs of children, families, and schools throughout the Kentucky River Region.

Our Services

School-Based Therapy is a service provided by a KRCC School-Based Therapist and delivered at a particular school. This program offers the majority of therapeutic services for youth regarding mental health and/or substance abuse issues within the school they attend.

These therapists provide counseling and support for a wide range of issues affecting today's youth, including ADHD, autism, behavioral and conduct disorders, discipline problems, as well as bullying, suicide prevention, substance abuse, and trauma.

Our therapists:

  • Provide therapeutic services to the youth for mental health and/or substance abuse issues.
  • Attend to mental health emergencies.
  • Work with families and other agencies to meet the needs of the youth.
  • Refer clients to other services as necessary.

In addition, access to in-school therapy makes things easier for parents, who might not have adequate transportation or time off from work to take their child to an outpatient appointment.

Who qualifies for school-based therapy?

A youth who exhibits one or more of these behaviors may be appropriate for school-based therapy:

  • Acting out or oppositional behavior
  • Poor social skills
  • Lack of social interaction
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Anxiety or panic attacks
  • Difficulty listening, paying attention, or following directions
  • Significant changes in behavior
  • Substance abuse issues or at risk for abusing substances

A youth who has excessive truancy issues, whose parents are cooperative with treatment and outpatient appointments, may also be seen by the School-Based Therapist. When the primary issues are family-related, outpatient therapy may be more beneficial due to the necessity of having the family included in the session.

When is a Youth in an Emergency?

When a youth makes a verbal or non-verbal suicidal or homicidal threat, the school or parent should call KRCC's toll-free Crisis Line at 1-800-262-7491 or  Video Relay Services at 1-606-910-5061

What Does the School Do?

  • Provides a confidential working environment for the therapist.
  • Attends and participates in meetings and implements the plans designed to aid their students' school functioning.
  • Respects the confidential relationship between client and therapist.
  • Follows referral procedures for students with needs.
  • Informs the therapist about information pertinent to the treatment of the youth.
  • Provides academic plans for youth in Residential Treatment.

What Does the Parent Do?

  • Attends and participates in meetings regarding the youth.
  • Contacts the therapist on a regular basis to follow up on the youth's treatment.
  • Transports the youth to an outpatient office for occasional family appointments.
  • Participates as a partner in the treatment, education, and evaluations that are agreed upon in the treatment plan.

Referral Procedures

Make Contact

If the school is making the referral, the parent should be contacted to obtain consent; however, the school may consult with the KRCC if there is an immediate concern about a youth.

Call the Therapist

The parent or school personnel should call the School-Based Therapist in that county (or in that particular school) to schedule an appointment for an evaluation.

Schedule Appointment

If the youth meets the criteria for school-based therapy, the youth will be placed on the schedule to see the appropriate therapist.

Develop Treatment Plan

The therapist will see the youth at the school (during school hours). The parent/guardian and youth will meet the therapist in the office for treatment planning. The youth and family might need to be seen in the office for sessions from time to time.

To Set Up An Appointment

Simply call your child's school and ask to speak to the School-Based Therapist, or call KRCC's Program Director of School-Based Services Tracey Smith at 606.436.5761, ext. 8007.
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Providing Trauma Informed Care for Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Owsley, Perry, and Wolfe Counties

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