It’s been quite a year (that’s an understatement). But as difficult as it’s been for so many people in so many ways, take a minute to look at what you accomplished:
- Emergency financial support for basic necessities for families in crisis
- Funds for critical projects through the Mardi Lowry McDonough Student Opportunity Fund Grant Program
- Essential technology to make remote teaching and learning more effective
- Thanksgiving meal baskets and grocery gift cards to ease the burden of almost 70 families
Now, you can add something else to the list. Your generosity is helping SCASD’s student services team to connect SCASD students, faculty, staff and families with mental health support quicker and more effectively.
SCASD has a successful partnership with Penn State’s Herr Clinic, a Counselor Education program that aims to provide strengths-based counseling services to promote mental health and wellness for the Penn State Community. The Herr Clinic provides telemental health services for Penn State students and community members, SCASD students, SCASD faculty, and SCASD staff and their family members.
With the need for these services increasing dramatically, SCASD’s team began looking for a way to expand this partnership to help more people in the school community more effectively right away.
The Herr Clinic’s model delivers services by both doctoral and master’s level students in the Counselor Education program. Although these students are able to provide clinical services, the program does not currently have the resources for administrative support that could help to connect providers to individuals and families more quickly.
SCASD Education Foundation has approved the district’s proposal to fund a semester-long Graduate Assistantship to fulfill this role. This $24,000 investment in expanding the partnership with the Herr Clinic will have a positive impact on the SCASD school community by expediting services where and when they are needed most.
