PCSS To Add Behavioral Health Liaison At Avery Trace

Putnam County Schools set to add a new behavioral health liaison to help counselors continue supporting student needs.

A behavioral liaison is similar to a counselor with more of a focus on individual attention.

Social Emotional Wellness Coordinator Sheila Barker said they currently have a liaison at Upperman Middle School. She said they are trying to increase the resources students have available to aid in their behavioral and mental health needs.

“We’re trying to have services available at all levels,” Barker said. “And we are seeing an increase in students having depression and anxiety. Stressors from outside of school and also just the stress of school.”

Barker said behavioral health liaisons are contracted through Volunteer Behavioral Health but have the same if not similar qualifications as the average school counselor. Barker said the individual in that position will partner with the school counselors with small group sessions, teacher training, and more individualized program with students’ mental health.

Barker said they would like to have the liaison at Avery Trace begin in the fall.

“School counselors have a lot of other responsibilities sometimes with school functions and so that person will be a little bit different in that they won’t be as involved in those school functions,” Barker said. “And they can be a little more involved with a  particular student”