School-Based Counseling

Coolidge Unified School District provides school-based counseling services to address the various social and emotional needs of our students in order to facilitate and enhance learning. The goal of these services is to assist with the development of life-long leaders and learners, prepare students to make positive life choices, and help students develop and achieve the self-discipline, motivation, and academic success that they will need throughout their lives.

• Short-term individual and small group counseling
• Crisis intervention (should a student become a danger to self or others during school hours)
• Classroom-based instruction for social skills and character development*
• Prevention education and partnerships with other educators, parents, and community organizations*

Assessment and referral - After meeting with a student, the psychologist will determine if the issue can be addressed by short-term individual and/or group counseling or if the student would benefit from ongoing long-term services. If appropriate, the psychologist will refer parents to a community agency that provides behavioral health services. We have provided a resource list of community providers and information on how to get started.

Consultation for Staff and Coordination of Services - Psychologists are available to meet with parents, administrators, and teachers, and attend team meetings to help coordinate a comprehensive care plan for students.

*Parental consent is not needed for whole-class prevention or character development activities

Referrals for school-based counseling can be made in several different ways: staff referral, parent/guardian referral, or student self-referral. Any staff member or parent can make a referral for a student based on concerns that can range from, but are not limited to:

• Self-esteem
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Social Skills
• Anger Management
• Bullying
• Drug/Alcohol
• Pregnancy
• Grief
• Various Family Circumstances
• Peer Mediation
• Impulse Control
• Post Secondary/Career Exploration

Once a school-based counselor receives a referral form, he/she will schedule an appointment with the student. Then, a counseling assessment will aid the psychologist in determining if counseling sessions are needed and to what capacity (individual, group). If a need for counseling is identified, consent for services will be issued and must be signed by the student’s legal guardian prior to ongoing counseling sessions. Without consent, the psychologist may only meet with the student for two sessions and/or during a crisis/emergency situation.

Students can also come to the psychologist’s office and seek counseling on their own. If ongoing counseling is recommended, consent will still need to be obtained prior to ongoing sessions