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Information Regarding Community Based Mental Health Services

Tips on Finding a Counselor/What to expect when looking for a counselor:

The timeline for starting counseling can depend on insurance, time of year, and scheduling needs (there are only so many after school appointments). If a provider does not return your call in a timely manner, call the next person on your list.

The provider will ask some basic questions when you call to determine:

  • Primary issues/concerns
  • Brief family/life history
  • Risky behaviors
  • Family/custodial arrangements

Questions parents might ask the provider:

  • Which insurance do you take?
  • How do you build therapeutic relationships?
  • How do you reach out to a resistant client?
  • What is your area of expertise/approach?
  • Are you or is your practice connected with a medication prescriber?
  • What expectations do you have for the parents?
  • What information from sessions will be shared with parents?

Please know it takes time to build a therapeutic relationship. Allow 3-6 sessions for the relationship to form before considering discontinuing counseling or changing therapists.

Sources for finding counselors are your insurance provider, the student’s physician, and school counselors. Remember, ultimately, your goal is to find a counselor that is a good fit for you and the members of your family.

Release of Information:

The school or the counselor may ask you to sign a release of information. The purpose is to establish a working partnership and build consistency when the concerns leading to counseling also affect the student’s school experience.

Brief Descriptions of Types of Counseling

Play Therapy

Play therapy includes playing games and/or talking with the child. Children often work through thoughts, feelings, worries, and fears through play. Observing a child’s play as well as how the child behaves and interacts with other adults and playmates can help the therapist better understand underlying issues and challenges. Playing with the child can also give the therapist an opportunity to help the child experience new ways of looking at his/her feelings and the situation. Play therapy can help the child develop and practice coping skills and reinforces the child’s innate strengths and capabilities. It is a gradual process of understanding the child and helping the child to adapt and cope. At times, the therapist may be observing the child and other times will be actively playing with the child. Both are part of the process.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):

Cognitive-Behavioral therapy seeks to help the client overcome difficulties by identifying and changing self-defeating thinking, behavior, and emotional responses. This involves helping clients develop skills for modifying beliefs, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors. Treatment is based on collaboration between client and therapist and on testing beliefs. Therapy may consist of testing the assumptions which one makes and identifying how certain of one’s usually unquestioned thoughts are distorted, unrealistic, and obstructive. Once those patterns of thinking have been challenged, one’s feelings are more easily subject to change.

Family Therapy:

Family therapy is a type of counseling that helps family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. This type of therapy tends to view change in terms of the systems of interaction between family members. Family therapy sessions can teach skills to deepen family connections and develop capacity to work through stressful times. Family therapists believe that, regardless of the origin of the problem, involving families in solutions is beneficial. This involvement of families is commonly accomplished by their direct participation in the therapy session. The skills of the family therapist include the ability to influence conversations in a way that promotes strengths, wisdom, and support within the family.

Educational Therapy:

Educational therapy is specifically useful to children/adolescents with learning challenges such as learning disabilities, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder, and school-based anxiety. The therapist addresses both psychological and educational aspects of functioning. An educational therapist will work with your child to identify strengths and educate him/her about his/her learning difficulties. Using a strengths-based approach can help your child become more confident, self-sufficient, and successful in school. Educational therapists often collaborate with other individuals who are essential to the success of their clients. They may call the school, talk to other therapists working with the child, and meet with individual family members in order to better understand and treat their client.

Group Therapy:

In group therapy, a group of people come together to discuss personal challenges. Under the direction of the group therapist, the group gives support, offers alternatives, and comforts members in such a way that these difficulties become resolved and alternative behaviors are learned. The group also allows a person to develop new ways of relating to people. During group therapy, people begin to see that they are not alone and that there is hope and help. It is comforting to hear that other people have a similar difficulty or have already worked through a problem that is distressing to another group member. In school-based groups, the focus is often on teaching/building social skills, improving relationships with others, and learning new strategies for dealing with feelings such as anxiety, sadness and anger.

Finding a Community-Based Mental Health Provider: What Families Should Know

Finding the right mental health provider for your child or family can take time. The information below is intended to help families understand the process, know what to expect, and learn about different types of community-based mental health services. Please reach out to your child’s counselor if you want support in finding a community-based mental health provider.

Getting Started: What to Expect

The timeline for beginning counseling can vary based on:

  • Insurance coverage
  • Time of year (waitlists are often longer during the school year)
  • Provider availability, especially for after-school appointments

It is common to contact several providers before finding one that is available and a good fit. If a provider does not return your call within a reasonable timeframe, it is appropriate to contact another provider on your list.

What Providers May Ask When You Call

When you first contact a counselor or therapy practice, you may be asked some basic questions to help determine whether the provider is a good match for your child or family. These questions often include:

  • The primary concerns or reasons you are seeking counseling
  • Brief information about your child and family
  • Any current safety or risk concerns
  • Family or custodial arrangements
  • Insurance information and scheduling needs

Questions Families May Want to Ask Providers

Families are encouraged to ask questions to help determine whether a provider is a good fit. Examples include:

  • Which insurance plans do you accept?
  • What is your experience or area of expertise?
  • What therapeutic approaches do you use?
  • How do you build relationships with children or adolescents?
  • How do you work with students who may be hesitant or resistant to therapy?
  • What is expected of parents or caregivers?
  • What information from sessions is typically shared with parents?
  • Are you or your practice connected with a medication prescriber, if needed?

Allowing Time for the Relationship to Develop

A strong therapeutic relationship takes time to build. Families are encouraged to allow 3 to 6 sessions for this relationship to form before deciding whether counseling is or is not a good fit.

How to Find a Community-Based Mental Health Provider

Common sources for finding providers include:

  • Your health insurance company’s provider directory
  • Your child’s pediatrician or primary care provider
  • School counselors, psychologists, or social workers

Ultimately, the goal is to find a provider who is a good fit for your child and family.

The resources below may be helpful as you are looking for a community-based mental health provider.

https://sites.google.com/psbma.org/psb-nursing/get-support

https://sites.google.com/psbma.org/psb-school-counseling/home?authuser=0

Release of Information (ROI)

Schools or community providers may ask families to sign a Release of Information (ROI) form. This allows limited communication between the school and the counselor, when appropriate.

The purpose of an ROI is to:

  • Support coordination of care

  • Promote consistency between school and therapeutic supports

  • Better support the student when concerns impact their school experience

Signing a release is always voluntary, and families can specify what information may be shared. Families are also allowed to revoke consent at any time.

Types of Community-Based Mental Health Services

Below are brief descriptions of common types of counseling and mental health services families may encounter.

Play Therapy

Play therapy is often used with younger children. Through play and conversation, children express thoughts, feelings, worries, and fears in developmentally appropriate ways. Therapists may observe play or actively engage with the child to better understand challenges, support emotional expression, and build coping skills. Play therapy is a gradual, strengths-based process that helps children learn new ways to manage emotions and experiences.

Individual Counseling

Individual counseling involves one-on-one sessions between a student and a licensed mental health professional. These sessions provide a safe, confidential space for children and adolescents to talk about thoughts, feelings, and experiences that may be affecting their well-being. Therapists tailor their approach to the student’s developmental level, needs, and goals, and may use a variety of strategies to support emotional regulation, coping skills, problem-solving, and self-awareness. Individual counseling can support concerns such as anxiety, mood difficulties, stress, behavioral challenges, and life transitions.

Family Therapy

Family therapy involves working with families together to improve communication, strengthen relationships, and address challenges that affect the family system. Family therapists focus on how family members interact and support one another, and help families develop tools to navigate stress and conflict. Family involvement is viewed as an important part of supporting positive change.

Group Therapy

Group therapy brings together individuals with similar challenges in a supportive, therapist-led setting. Groups help participants develop social skills, build connections, and learn new strategies for managing emotions such as anxiety, sadness, or anger. Group therapy can help students feel less alone and learn from the experiences of others.

When to Contact Emergency Services

Contact emergency services immediately if your child or someone else is in immediate danger, including situations such as:

  • Threats of suicide or self-harm
  • Threats of harm to another person
  • Severe emotional distress where the child cannot stay safe
  • A mental health crisis involving risky or unsafe behavior

In these situations, call 911 right away.

Massachusetts Crisis Resources (Available 24/7)

Families in Massachusetts can also access crisis supports that are available around the clock:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

  • Call or text 988 any time for confidential support or help connecting to local crisis services. Boston.gov

 Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL)

  • Call or text 833-773-2445 or chat online for real-time support, assessment, and referrals to the right services in the community. Massachusetts Government

Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST)

For families in the Boston area (including Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop), the Boston Emergency Services Team (BEST) provides crisis support and mobile intervention for children, adolescents, and adults.

BEST Team Services Include:

  • 24/7 crisis hotline: Call 1-800-981-HELP (4357) for immediate support and connection to crisis services. Boston.gov
  • Mobile crisis clinicians: BEST can send trained professionals to meet with families in community settings, such as home, school, or another safe location, to assess crisis needs and provide support.
  • Crisis evaluation and follow-up: BEST offers same-day crisis assessments and links families to ongoing community resources. Boston Medical Center

BEST is part of the Community Behavioral Health Center (CBHC) network in the Boston area, designed to offer urgent behavioral health support outside of an emergency room when possible. Boston Medical Center

When to Reach Out to the School

You are encouraged to contact the school when concerns are affecting your child’s ability to learn, behave, or feel emotionally safe at school. School staff can partner with families to provide support, help connect to community services, and coordinate care with outside providers (with your permission).

You may reach out to:

  • School counselor
  • School psychologist or social worker
  • Administrator
  • Your child’s teacher

Schools can help by:

  • Providing school-based interventions and supports
  • Offering guidance on next steps
  • Connecting families with community providers