By William Meiners
Herald Staff Writer
[private] Most any family with school-aged children who negotiated a pandemic over the last couple of years is familiar with rising anxiety levels that come with the times. So it could be welcome news to know that a grant, intended to promote mental health services in schools, is gaining more attention throughout Gratiot County.
“We partnered with the Gratiot Isabella RESD a couple years ago to provide mental health services in Gratiot County schools through the 31n grant program,” said Chris Charkowske, outreach program supervisor for the Gratiot Integrated Health Network. “It allows us to go into the schools and work with kids who have Medicaid, or are Medicaid eligible, and provide mild to moderate mental health programs.”
Koryn Walden, one such school-based therapist, is entering her third year in Breckenridge Schools. What’s new about her role there, however, is that she’s helping to expand those same mental health services into the middle and high school. Previously, she worked only in the elementary school.
So far it’s been nothing but a positive experience for Walden, an Alma College graduate who earned her master’s degree from Michigan State University. “I really like working in the Breckenridge school district,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed getting to know their staff and students.”
Having long aspired to work in education and help people, Walden said she “gets the best of both worlds” as a school-based therapist.
It’s not a new offering through Gratiot Integrated Health Network; Charkowske said they have provided the program since 2012. But the 31n funding allowed them to expand their footprint in the schools.
“It’s important to our agency to meet kids where they’re at,” he said. “There’s no better place in our county than the schools. Especially in a rural community that can leave people quite a way from our agency.”
In addition to Breckenridge, there is a school-based therapist at the two elementary schools in St. Louis — the Carrie Knause Early Childhood Learning Center and Nikkari Elementary. There’s also a therapist at the Luce Road Early Childhood Learning Center in Alma.
In practice, Walden will be on the Breckenridge campus from Monday through Friday. Once she determines a caseload, she can make arrangements to which buildings she’ll be in throughout the day.
She’s available to support students struggling with anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and trauma. The services, which can be done individually or in groups, could also include family members as necessary.
In practice, Walden will be on the Breckenridge campus from Monday through Friday. Once she determines a caseload, she can make arrangements to which buildings she’ll be in throughout the day. She’s available to support students struggling with anxiety, depression, grief and loss, and trauma. The services, which can be done individually or in groups, could also include family members as necessary.
Charkowske, who happens to be married to a teacher, noted how a classroom educator’s role has required them to wear more hats in recent years. “The pandemic has only made mental health issues more challenging with the loss of connection with those other kiddos and the isolation and the fear and anxiety that comes with any health crisis,” he said.
The benefits of technology can also have a downside as increased screen time may take away from social interactions. Another aspect of the grant, Charkowske said, is providing professional development for teachers. Perhaps by better recognizing mental health challenges, those teachers can step in whenever it’s appropriate to do so.
The state-funded project, Charkowske said, is designed to “get mental health services into schools and make it sustainable.”
To spread the word of the program, and ideally get more middle and high schools to come on board, Charkowske and his crew have been meeting with the schools. In turn, the schools promote the program through social media accounts. And therapists have been attending open houses in recent days.
And since good mental health doesn’t begin and end at the school doors, the school-based therapists are also available at other times, including summer.
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