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Additional Services
SCHOOL BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
The Atlantic County Special Services School District in collaboration
with the Center for Family Guidance (CFG) provides a unique opportunity
for students with emotional and behavioral problems. These students would
have difficulty accessing mental health services in the community, to
receive services here as part of their school program. CFG services provide
an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) who performs psychiatric evaluations
and prescribes medications when appropriate. The APN also monitors the
medications on a regular basis and provides support to both students and
their parents.
At this time there are two licensed psychotherapists who are available
to assess, diagnose and provide a variety of mental health interventions
to meet the specific needs of the students. Therapists offer psycho-therapy
and psycho-educational skill development, and anger management when age
appropriate, as well as play therapy and behavioral strategies for younger
students. Interventions with students are focused on school based attitudes
and behaviors which present an obstacle to the educational process. In
an effort to facilitate communication between the home and school, therapists
may also involve parents in counseling to increase their understanding
of their child’s special needs. Members of the CFG staff are available
as consultants for crisis intervention at all levels, and provide intervention
strategies and alternatives to the teaching staff. Throughout the year
CFG staff is also available to provide in-service training to support
staff by targeting specific disorders or problem situations they encounter
in the classroom when interacting with challenging students.
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