Putnam board approves expanded mental‑health services, staff detail app 'Alongside'

Putnam County School Board approved two contract items (G4 and G5) to expand access to mental‑health services and described use of an app‑based intervention called Alongside during its Sept. 9 meeting.

Miss Simmons, who outlined the district’s referral process, told the board that referrals to outside care coordination (now provided through Brave/UF Health) have “tripled over the past few years.” She said annual referrals rose from 382 students in the 2018–19 year to 607 students at the end of the 2024–25 year, and that the district already had 116 mental‑health referrals for the current school year as of the meeting. “We have 3 licensed therapists. We have 3 certified school counselors on staff,” she said, noting in‑house caseload capacity and the pressures on personnel.

Miss Drew described the Alongside app as an intervention available on students’ Chromebooks and, with parental consent, on phones. She said the app provides journaling, mood trackers and an AI chat feature written by licensed clinicians; the app triggers district‑ and school‑level notifications if a student indicates self‑harm concerns so staff can respond immediately. “There are safeguards in place with it,” Drew said, adding that the app is mainly used by seventh and eighth graders but is also available to older students with need.

The board discussed the service contracts and the increasing caseload and then approved G4 and G5 by voice vote. The chair announced, “Motion carries unanimously.”