Fayette County, KY: "Troubling spike" in teen suicides; 28 new counselors hired

Jan 23, 2019, LEX18, Lexington, KY: Fayette Co. Public School District Hires More Mental Health Professionals https://lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/2019/01/23/fayette-co-public-school-district-hires-more-mental-health-professionals/ The Fayette County coroner said that in the past year, there has been a troubling spike in suicides among teens and pre-teens. Recently, Fayette County Public Schools is taking steps to become safer, including adding metal detectors, but one big change they think is the key to help keep teens safe is more counselors. “Adding more mental health services to the schools just ensures that our families and our students’ needs are being met,” said Shericka Smith, the Fayette County Public Schools Mental Health Coordinator. This month alone, 28 new counselors have been hired and that change ensures that there is one counselor for every 350 students, which is a huge improvement from before. …