Delaware, OH: District focuses on "students' emotional well-being"

May 24, 2019, This Week, Columbus, OH: Delaware [OH] schools keep close eye on students’ mental health https://www.thisweeknews.com/news/20190524/delaware-schools-keep-close-eye-on-students-mental-health While May is Mental Health Month, students’ emotional well-being is a priority at the Delaware City Schools throughout the school year, district officials say. Children can face anxiety and frustration for a number of reasons, said Erica Wood, a director of youth and prevention services for Syntero, a central Ohio-based company that places licensed therapists in the district’s schools. Those factors can include family issues, aggression or stress caused by transition or relationships, she said…. “In order for our students to be successful academically, we need to be paying attention to those other needs that they have,” she said. When such need arises, a Syntero clinician is partnered with a student with the goal of developing trust to “work through what’s troubling the student or what’s causing those barriers for the child,” Kegley said…. Wood said the services to the school district are funded by Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services. Syntero has 14 licensed therapists in schools in Delaware County and five in Morrow County, each assigned to a specific district. Two full-time and two part-time therapists are assigned to Delaware City Schools, she said…. The district also partners with other agencies as part of its overall effort to maintain student wellness, she said. One example is a screening conducted by Helpline of Delaware County, designed to identify students at risk for depression or suicide, said Helpline educator Sarah Jefferson….