South Madison trustees hear report on K–12 mental health supports and community partnerships

Mr. Taylor, director of guidance at Pendleton Heights High School, told the South Madison Community School Corporation board on the April meeting that the district has expanded counseling capacity and formalized partnerships with local mental-health providers to support students K–12.

Taylor said each school in the district now has licensed counselors: four at the elementary level, two at the middle school and three at the high school. “We see the student as our primary client,” he said, describing counselors’ responsibilities as academic, emotional and social supports for students, with parents involved in the process.

The nut graf: the report described a multi-part approach the district uses to identify and respond to student mental-health needs — school-based counselors who provide triage, classroom curricula such as Second Step, advisory lessons at the middle school, “reset” sensory rooms, group counseling for students with shared needs, and Memoranda of Understanding that allow community therapists to…