East Stroudsburg Area SD trainer reviews mental-health resources, school supports for caregivers

At a virtual parent training hosted by the East Stroudsburg Area School District, Shahida “Shay” Jones, coordinator of social services, reviewed local and state mental-health resources for children and guidance for caregivers on how to access them.

Jones said parents often know when a child needs help and urged caregivers to start by speaking with a primary care physician and by checking insurance networks. “If your child is on medical assistance, also known as Medicaid, contact Community Care Behavioral Health, CCBH, which provides the managed care for Monroe, Carbon and Pike Counties in Pennsylvania,” Jones said. She also pointed attendees to the Compass application portal at compass.state.pa.us for applying for medical assistance.

Why this matters: parents in the district and the surrounding counties face long wait lists for outpatient therapy and other services. Jones explained school-based and community options caregivers can pursue while awaiting long-term treatment and described a mix of interventions intended to support students across home, school and community settings.

Key resources and routes to care - Insurance and payor steps: Jones recommended caregivers call the phone number on the back of private insurance cards or visit insurer websites to identify in-network providers and to notify insurers when wait lists are long so insurers can update panels or seek additional providers. If a child has both private insurance and Medicaid, Jones said families should contact private insurance first; Medicaid (Medical Assistance) can sometimes cover co-payments or services private insurance does not. - County-managed services and case management: Jones described Mental Health and Developmental Services (MHDS) supports and named the MHDS SAP liaisons for the area (Aaron Strayer for Pike County and Carrie Dinora for Monroe County) as connectors to local providers, behavioral screenings and case management. - Intensive Behavioral Health Services (IBHS): formerly known as BHRS, IBHS provides in-home and in-community supports, including school-based interventions. Jones outlined IBHS staff roles — behavior consultants who develop behavior plans, mobile therapists for individual or family therapy, and behavioral health technicians who deliver 1:1 interventions — and said the goal is skill transfer across settings. - Outpatient care and psychiatry: Jones noted psychiatrists are medical doctors who prescribe medication, while licensed social workers, professional counselors and psychologists provide psychotherapy and diagnostic services.

School-based supports and programs - Student Assistance Program (SAP): Jones described SAP as a tier-2, referral-based intervention in every district building that links students to services inside and outside school and requires parental permission. She said SAP teams meet weekly to review referrals, identify the least-restrictive interventions and coordinate referrals and case management. - MTSS interventions: Jones summarized several MTSS-tiered interventions used in the district: check-in/check-out (daily mentor check-ins and point sheets, often with home review at elementary levels), walk-and-talk mentoring to reconnect students to staff, short-term individual counseling by school counselors (about three to four sessions), and school-led therapy groups (parent permission required). She emphasized that school counselors are not long-term therapists and that school-based counseling is generally shorter-term than outpatient care. - Programs for older students: Jones described Renew (Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Natural supports, Education, Work) and Check & Connect as more intensive, evidence-based supports focused on transition-age youth and secondary students to improve engagement and reduce dropout risk.

Practical advice for caregivers Jones urged caregivers to keep records, continue contacting providers while wait-listed, and ask schools for interim supports. “If you are put on a wait list, check in with those places. Continue to show your interest and that there is a need,” she said. She recommended limiting screen time before bed, building routines and selecting achievable consequences at home to support regulation.

Access, privacy and follow-up Jones said SAP confidentiality is limited to the SAP team and that parent permission is required for SAP participation. She provided an email for follow-up questions (shahida-jones@esasd.net) and told attendees the session was being recorded and would be available on YouTube.

What the session did not decide The training was informational; the session included no formal votes or binding district policy changes. Discussions centered on resources, best practices and how families and schools can coordinate care.

Ending Jones encouraged caregivers to reach out to their insurance company, school counselor or to her directly for help locating providers or training opportunities. “If I don't have the answer, I will certainly look for that answer, and help link you to the people that may have the answer,” she said.