By: Jordan Indyk, Clinician for School Based Clinical Services
In 2021 the World Health Organization estimated that about 4% of adolescents aged 10-14 struggle with an anxiety disorder and about 1.5% with depression. Over the past couple of years and with the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, struggles with mental health have been on the rise and showing up in children beginning at much younger ages. Studies show that beginning mental health treatment at a younger age can not only be more effective but can also prevent more severe and lasting problems as children grow up.
This school year Wellspring Center for Prevention was able to expand services in the South Plainfield School District into South Plainfield Middle School to begin offering mental health services to children at younger ages. A clinician from the agency was assigned to begin this program offering individual counseling, group sessions, class lessons and social skills lessons. This clinician worked hand in hand with administration and guidance counselors at the school to identify students who could benefit from services to initially get students engaged and, throughout the year, was able to engage students through referrals from teachers and even student self-referrals.
Throughout the school year, over 40 unduplicated students were seen to aid through crisis situations or for on-going therapy services. An on-going social skills group was held to help students struggling with making friends and engaging in social interactions with staff and peers. Wellspring clinician was also approached by teaching staff to develop a curriculum for social skills, and a social skills lesson was taught weekly in LLD classrooms. Throughout the year, students have become more engaged in services offered and relationships have been developed not only with students engaged in services but additional students who sought out meaningful relationships with the Wellspring staff member.
At the end of the school year, students were also brought to the high school to ease the transition and lessen their anxiety about starting high school in the fall. These students also met the Wellspring counselor at the high school as well as other staff to ensure they are connected to support and feel comfortable accessing services.
With a successful first year now coming to a close, Wellspring Center for Prevention will be returning to South Plainfield Middle School for the 2023-2024 school year and is excited to engage more students and continue to make change in the South Plainfield School District.
Photo by Mikhail Nilov