Community Services Group describes school-based counseling; telepsychiatry paused

Representatives from Community Services Group spoke to the Jersey Shore Area School District board at the March 10 meeting about counseling and psychiatry services the group provides under an existing agreement.

"I'm Jess Lawson, I'm the clinical coordinator for the school based [program]," said Jess Lawson, describing services based in Williamsport and offered in district schools. She said the agency provides psychiatry, individual counseling and school-based outpatient therapy at district schools. Carrie Fry, who provides on-site counseling, told the board she currently sees about 16 students across four schools and sometimes offers family sessions at the end of the school day.

Lawson said the district has previously used telepsychiatry services but that telepsychiatry is not available now because the psychiatrist who provided that service left. "We don't currently have the telepsych just because the psychiatrist we had, left us," Lawson said. The staff said they refer students to the Williamsport office for psychiatric services until telepsychiatry can be reestablished.

Superintendent Dr. Ulmer told the board the district regularly renews its agreement with Community Services Group and that services are provided with parent approval and billed through parents' insurance when eligible. The presentation was informational; the transcript does not show a separate vote on the agreement that night.

What was specified: Community Services Group provides school-based outpatient therapy and, when available, telepsychiatry; currently about 16 students are seen by on-site counseling across four schools; telepsychiatry is paused pending replacement of the psychiatrist.

What was not specified: The cost breakdown for services, specific insurance billing rates, or the terms of the renewal agreement were not included in the transcript.