School Based Services

Pillars of Wellness is proud to partner with school systems to provide in-school mental health and wellness services to ensure students can get access to these critical services.

There is a growing need for school-based mental health services as an additional resource to protect each student’s emotional wellbeing. Research has shown the value in comprehensive school mental health programs to aid in concerns such as, but not limited to, academic success, social skills, self-awareness, emotion regulation, problematic behaviors, and truancy.

Teachers, parents, and peers can observe changes in a student’s mental health or behaviors. Possible warning signs in students can include:

• Decline in academic performance
• Severe worrying or anxiety related to test performance, attending school, or interacting with peers.
• Report of physical concerns (e.g., headaches, stomach aches, nausea, chest pains)
• Changes in a student’s eating and sleeping habits
• Difficulty focusing and maintaining attention while in class or at home
• Depressed mood characterized as low mood, negative attitude, poor appetite, difficulty sleeping, worthlessness, or thoughts of death.
• Difficulty regulating emotions during school (e.g. quick to temper, crying, aggression)
• Risk-taking behaviors (e.g., sexual, experimenting with substances, etc.)

These warning signs can be an indicator that a student may be experiencing difficulties related to anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, or adjusting to life changes. Research shows a growing and unmet need for mental and behavioral services for children and youth. Among the 3.8 million adolescents ages 12–17 who reported a major depressive episode in the past year, nearly 60% did not receive any treatment, according to a 2019 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. As an organization, we hope to aid in providing effective mental health services within our community and school settings.

Our goals for providing mental health services within local schools:

• Develop programs within each school to provide a safe environment for students to heal.
• Develop treatment plans and implement mental health services to address the various mental health needs of students. 
• Improve each student’s mental health concerns through evidenced-based interventions.
• Provide intervention services for at-risk populations within the school related to suicidality, problematic behaviors, and truancy.
• Collaborate with teachers, administration, and school counselors to gain understanding of mental health needs within each school.

Benefits of School Based Mental Health Services

• School based services promote convenient scheduling and easy access to mental health services. Services are provided during the school day, so there is less worry about making an after-school appointment and juggling schedules with work, other children’s schedules, and extracurricular activities.
• School mental health programs can help students academically, and allow for the development of social skills, self-reflection, and connections to adults in the community and at school.
• Schools who partner with the community also have seen an improvement in truancy and disciplinary rates.
• There is also research that suggests school based mental health services increase the rates of high school graduation. 
• Schools are a natural setting for students, which can provide more comfort and willingness to participate in services, rather than going to an office in the community. 
• School based mental health services can provide more knowledge to staff. They can be more aware of signs and symptoms of mental health concerns and encourage the student to talk with a mental health professional inside the school. Teachers can learn tools and techniques to promote emotional support and well being for their students.  

Why School Based Therapy Services?

Schools are one of the most likely places to detect mental health concerns in youth, as youth spend a significant amount of time in school. Children are surrounded by teachers, administrative staff, and other peers, who can all provide support and encourage treatment. 

There are a variety of concerns that a student may be facing and partnering with Pillars would allow students to have access to a mental health professional right in the school. Concerns may include, but are not limited to:

• Adjustment to a new school, grade, or peer group
• Bullying
• Poor performance (e.g., grades, sports, clubs)
• Divorce or conflict in the home
• Trauma and abuse
• Acting out/Behavioral problems
• Worry and anxiety
• Depression and sadness
• Anger  
• Social withdrawal
• Self-esteem

It takes a community to recognize a change in behavior or presentation in our youth. When that change is noticed and it seems unhealthy, our goal is to find the underlying issues and address them in a safe environment. We hope to provide students with the tools and techniques necessary for development. 

If you are a parent, a teacher, or a school administrator and feel like your school would benefit from partnering with Pillars of Wellness, please contact us at 219-323-3311 or info@pillarsinspires.com. 

Insurances accepted 

We accept most major insurances and allow families the ability to bill insurance for these services. 

• Aetna
• Ambetter
• Anthem BCBS
• Anthem Medicaid of IN
• CareSource
• Cigna
• MDWise
• Medicaid (Traditional)
• MHS
• Optum
• UMR
• United Healthcare

If you have insurance, but it is not listed above, we can likely bill your insurance but we would be an out-of-network provider.  Please contact your insurance for your eligibility and benefits.