By Ashley M. Casey
Staff Writer
With nearly an entire school year under their belts, therapists from Liberty Resources are feeling at home within the Baldwinsville Central School District. Alicia Clifford, Liberty Resources’ supervising therapist for school-based mental health clinics, and the three therapists stationed in B’ville schools discussed the partnership between the school district and the agency at the Baldwinsville Board of Education’s April 16 meeting.
“Seeing the ladies in action and looking at the data, this has been a good first year,” Superintendent Matt McDonald said of the program, which makes therapists available at Baker High School, Durgee Junior High School and Ray Middle School. “I’ve been in meetings with … them dealing with very fragile cases and they are very, very talented individuals. So I am very impressed.”
The therapists serving each school are Amy Lynch for Baker, Nicole Brown for Ray and Melanie Beacham for Durgee. Clifford said each therapist can take on about 28 to 32 students, with 32 being the maximum caseload.
“We can’t say … enough good things about our partnership with the Baldwinsville school district,” Clifford said. “We have really enjoyed the welcome that we received.”
Lynch said her caseload is almost full and there are students on a waitlist. Lynch praised Baker’s staff for prioritizing students’ well-being, both physical and mental.
“The team there is just top-notch. I couldn’t have asked for a better partnership,” Lynch said. “I feel they have really taken me under their wing.”
According to data provided by Liberty Resources, the agency has received 108 referrals for students from across the district. Of those referrals, 66 students went on to receive mental health services from the in-school clinics:
• Baker: 27 students
• Durgee: 27 students
• Ray: 16 students
The remaining 42 referrals were not “opened,” meaning the therapists could not see those students. Various reasons for unopened referrals included parents not responding to Liberty Resources’ scheduling requests, issues with insurance coverage or ability to pay or students already receiving mental health care outside the district.
“When a referral is not able to be opened, we inform the referral source and provide any information needed to assist the family in connecting their child to a different service or resource in the community,” read the report Liberty Resources presented to the BOE.
Brown said she had a slow start at Ray, but her caseload has picked up to about half its capacity. Brown said she previously worked as a therapist in the Syracuse City School District
“Parent involvement has been really fantastic,” she said. “The kids that I see there are really engaged, taking advantage of my being in the building five days a week.”
While many appointments are scheduled around a student’s lunch or study halls, Brown said she has seen students as early as 6:45 a.m. before the school day begins at Ray. Clifford said therapists have met with some students at home, but more parents prefer to have their child see the therapist in school.
Beacham, the Durgee therapist, said some students had already been seeing a Liberty Resources therapist outside of school and then transitioned their care into the school-based mental health clinic. Beacham spoke of one such student.
“Seeing that increase in his functioning and engagement in school has been great,” she said.
Clifford said the program has benefited children who otherwise would not be able to access mental health services in a traditional clinic-based setting.
“We are able to see four children who probably would have been discharged from our clinic-based care because their family could not get them to treatment,” Clifford said. “These children and their families have benefited greatly and have been able to achieve a higher quality of family life, school life and community life. I think that’s a testament to the gift that you have given to your secondary students.”
As for families who cannot afford co-pays or who have insurance providers with which Liberty Resources does not participate, Clifford said the agency can work out fees on a sliding scale and is working to hopefully participate in United Healthcare’s coverage.
While Liberty Resources’ services have been well-received in the district, the stigma of mental illness remains.
“Some families aren’t going to want to participate in mental health resources for whatever reason,” Clifford said of certain unopened referrals.
On the other hand, Brown reported that many students are very open about their mental health issues, and sometimes a little too open.
“It opens a teaching moment about privacy,” she said.
For students who prefer to be more discreet, Lynch said she maintains a nondescript appearance for her office and her passes. Blending in with the guidance office allows those students to maintain their privacy.
