Through a partnership with Santa Clara County Office of Education (SCCOE) and the County’s Behavioral Health Services Department, Campbell Union School District will open one of only four school-based wellness centers at middle schools within the county. Thanks to several grants aimed at supporting students’ mental health, the new wellness center will open at Monroe Middle School in October. 

“This is one of many examples of our district’s continuing commitment to support students through community partnerships,” said Student Services Director Rosanna Palomo. 

Studies show symptoms of anxiety or depression have increased compared to a year ago, yet access to services remains a challenge. According to the SCCOE, “only a fraction of youth who need mental health services have access to them. Young people with emerging mental health issues have difficulty finding timely, appropriate treatment and a service system that can respond to their needs.”

“As part of our Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), the center will provide both school-wide, early intervention, and intensive individualized intervention services to students and families who need it,” Palomo said. The wellness center is staffed with a full-time liaison and  Licensed Marriage Family Therapist. Students and staff will be able to access the services before, during and after school, every day school is in session. 

“We’ll start with a focus on school-wide services and then add services that are more targeted,” said Monroe Principal Ruth Stephens Radle. “It is one more way to remove barriers to learning, optimize outcomes for our students, and allow teachers to focus on teaching and learning.” 

When fully operational, student support will include drop-in services, youth leadership opportunities focused on mental health, short-term group and individual counseling on skill building and problem solving for social skills, coping skills, anger management, self-esteem, impulse control, anxiety, grief counseling for families and newly-arriving students. Also crisis assessment and triage will be available if needed. Parent support will include family classes and links to community based services.

“The mission is to provide students with access to mental health services through a prevention and early intervention model and prevent issues that students face from exacerbating in intensity or impact,” Palomo said. “In learning that they are not alone in the battle over stress, anxieties, or doubts, students may feel more accepted and more willing to ask for help.”