Mental Health

Mental Health Specialists (MHS) are part of the Wellness Program with services available at every school and to every student. MHS are licensed professionals who specialize in child and adolescent mental health. Our team consists of Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs), Associate Social Workers (ASWs), Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) and Associate Marriage and Family Therapists (AMFTs). Our services include individual and short-term therapy, group therapy and general wellness support. We also support our TTUSD families by helping with resources and providing guidance and advocacy to help families access services in the Tahoe/Truckee communities.

We know so many of our students and their families have experienced significant life changes and events, many of which are traumatic. Children and adolescents internally hold these challenges, but often don’t feel like they have someone to support them. Our goal is to provide a therapeutic relationship with TTUSD students where they can process and move through these challenges with the guidance of a mental health professional. 

We aim for short-term therapy, lasting approximately 8-10 weeks, to better serve more students at the schools. We assess students on an ongoing basis for acute mental health needs including, but not limited to, self-harm, suicidality and substance use. If a student presents with more acute mental health or substance use needs, we help the student and their families navigate the appropriate next steps and interventions. This may be a recommendation to the emergency room in crisis situations, or referrals to county services and agencies for long-term and wraparound services.