Last of two parts

Student mental health is a concern, and no more so than in Northampton Area School District.

According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Data Summary and Trends Report, 2011-2021 of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2021, in the United States:

• More than four in 10, or 42%, of students felt persistently sad or hopeless.

• Nearly one-third, or 29%, of students experienced poor mental health.

• More than one in five, or 22%, of students considered attempting suicide.

• One in 10, or 10%, attempted suicide.

Comparable statistics were not immediately available for NASD students. However, teachers, administrators and staff in the district are ever alert for mental health stressors among students. An important role in NASD is that of the counselor, psychologist and social worker.

The statistics about student mental health are contained in “Building Strong Foundations: The Social Worker’s Role in Schools,” presented by Nicolette Teles, Northampton Area School District supervisor of grants and special programs, at the Sept. 11 NASD Board of Education meeting.

In addition to Teles, participating in the 24-page 30-minute PowerPoint presentation were Jenn Borzillo, NASD grades K-12 counseling coordinator; Steffanie Breininger, NASD grades K-5 elementary school-based social worker; and Jennifer Getz, NASD grades 6-12 secondary school-based social worker.

The presentation included statistics about the NASD kindergarten through 12th grade counseling department counselor-to-student ratio.

According to the presentation, the American School Counselor Association recommends one counselor for every 250 students.

The Sept. 11 presentation included information about the counselor to student ratio in NASD.

• Borough Elementary Schools (Siegfried and Franklin): 1.5 counselors; enrollment, 817; ratio, one counselor to 545 students

• George Wolf Elementary School: one counselor; enrollment, 451; ratio, one to 451

• Lehigh Elementary School: one counselor; enrollment, 492; ratio: one to 492

• Moore Elementary School: one counselor; enrollment, 365; ratio: one to 365

• Northampton Area Middle School: three counselors; enrollment, 1,264; ratio: one to 421

• Northampton Area High School: seven counselors; enrollment, 1,886; ratio: one to 269

According to the presentation, the National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of one school psychologist per 500 students.

The presentation at the school board meeting included information about the NASD school psychology department school psychologist to student ratio.

• Borough Elementary: one psychologist; enrollment, 817; ratio: one to 817

• George Wolf Elementary: 0.5 psychologist; enrollment, 451; ratio: 0.5 to 451

• Lehigh Elementary: 0.5 psychologist; enrollment, 492; ratio: 0.5 to 492

• Moore Elementary: 0.5 psychologist; enrollment, 365; ratio: 0.5 to 365

• NAMS: one psychologist; enrollment 1,264; ratio: one to 1,264

• NAHS: one psychologist; enrollment, 1,886; ratio: one to 1,886

Some NASD counseling services are provided in partnership with health care and community nonprofits.

St. Luke’s Your Emotional Strength Supported program provides year-round mental health treatment.

Valley Youth House Bounceback and Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools programs incorporate activities in individual or group sessions.

The presentation noted, “Community and school stressors have multiplied and grown more complex over the years, underscoring the necessity of a social worker. As experts in knowing how to navigate social service and linking families to community resources, school social workers serve as the bridge that helps students on their pathway to learning and personal development.”

The presentation included a Venn diagram (threes circle and overlap areas) for school counselor, school psychologist and school social worker showing the intersection of their roles.

The bricks, or building blocks, of a social worker’s role in NASD schools include foundation of student well-being, communication of bridging gaps, empowerment of building confidence, community of extending reach, crisis intervention of handling cracks and resilience of strengthening against challenges.

“They’ve really become part of our community,” Teles said.

The school board presentation included a review of student mental health during the school year, from November 2022 to June.

There were 209 referrals, including elementary, 96; middle school, 62; and high school, 51.

The referral categories were mental health needs, 108; financial needs, 42; housing/homelessness, 37; and grades/attendance, 28.

“Not all districts have many of the supports we have,” Borzillo said.

The presentation included NASD goals, such as continuously revise NASD referral and documentation process; expand food-insecurity programs at the building level; create a clothing and hygiene closet at Siegfried; assist with district goals that focus on mental health resources, community partnerships and early childhood intervention programming; collaborate and network with social workers from local school districts (establish a Lehigh Valley Networking Group); strengthen relationships and develop partnerships with local community organizations; engage in professional learning communities; and complete Pennsylvania Department of Education Social Worker Educational Specialist Certification PK-12.

The board of education next meets 6:30 p.m. Oct. 9 in the auditorium at NAHS, 1619 Laubach Ave.