Fairfield, OH: Mental health counselors to be added on school-based health clinic

Sept 1, 2018, Dayton (OH) Journal—News: Fairfield Schools hopes to add mental health counselors with levy https://www.journal-news.com/news/fairfield-schools-hopes-add-mental-health-counselors-with-levy/a6yWLgW6M2MgO025pdxemK/ There is already plenty of talk about the new school security tax voters in five Butler County districts will decide on in November, but in Fairfield the hope is to add mental health counselors to its on-campus health clinic. Fairfield City Schools was the first school district in Butler County to open a school-based clinic in 2016 — followed by Hamilton City Schools in 2017. Middletown City Schools will open its health center later this month. The 10,000-student district already has one behaviorist counselor at the clinic, but Fairfield Schools officials are planning to add five mental health counselors should voters approve the proposed 1.5-mill property tax increase on the Nov. 6 ballot…. “Our primary support for ongoing mental health counseling is provided by St. Joseph Orphanage a local non-profit mental health agency. They see students for a variety of reasons, but the most amount of referrals focus on ADHD, anxiety, and depression,” said Madden. … Billy Smith, superintendent of Fairfield Schools, said while approval of the proposed tax hike would allow the district to staff each school with an armed security guard, the mental health component of the new tax funding is also vital for the district. …