Mental Health and Wellness
Our Mental Health Team
Charlotte Harbor Center has a team dedicated to addressing the mental health needs of our students. The school social worker, Rebecca Henshaw, and school psychologist, Joline Tsoronis, collaborate with school administration and staff to address the unique needs of each individual student. Our School-based mental health team members also collaborate with the FLDOE to acquire the most up-to-date information and resources to share with students, staff, and families.
Resiliency Education
Charlotte County Public Schools provides Resiliency Education in accordance with state standards. Resiliency education instruction is provided by classroom teachers and supported by school-based mental health staff members, as well as other school-based personnel.
Mental Health Services & Resources
School-based mental health professionals are here to support the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of students and families in Charlotte County Public Schools, consistent with state Health & Character Education Standards as well as Education Mandates.
In addition to supporting health and character education for all students, school-based mental health staff members are available to provide services to students who require a higher level of support.
- Individual Counseling
- Group Counseling
- Ongoing Mentoring
Crisis Response
Crisis response teams are comprised of school social workers, school psychologists, and school counselors. The purpose of Crisis Response to a traumatic event is to provide immediate support and assistance to those in need, while re-establishing normalcy in the school as quickly as possible. (SB Policy #8410 & #8410.01)
Examples of School Crisis
- The death of a student, a staff member, or a community member whose death affects a significant portion of the school population
- Major environmental crisis, such as a flood or fire
- A situation that involves a threat to the physical safety of students, such as a school bus accident, even in the absence of injuries
Suicide Prevention
The school board recognizes that depression and self-destruction are problems of increasing severity among children and adolescents (SB Policy #5350)."Suicide is a serious public health problem. While it's causes are complex and determined by multiple factors, the goal of suicide prevention is simple: reduce factors that increase risk (i.e., risk factors) and increase factors that promote resilience (i.e., protective factors). Ideally, prevention addresses all levels of influence (individuals, families, school communities, and society at large)".
If you are concerned about yourself or someone else, text The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or call 911 immediately.
Substance Use
Substance use among youth can lead to problems at school and cause or aggravate physical and mental health related issues. It promotes poor peer relations and places stress on the family. It can develop into a lifelong issue of substance dependence, chronic health problems, and have social and financial consequences.
Substance Use Risk Factors Warning Signs
Prevention and Intervention Resources
Mental Health Training for Staff & Students
Charlotte County Public Schools provides various trainings on student safety and support in order to enhance the capabilities of its staff. Available trainings include but are not limited to:
- Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect
- Nonviolent Crisis Intervention Training- Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)
- Risk Assessment training
- Threat Assessment Team training
- Youth Mental Health First Aid
Mental Health Training for Staff
In Florida, quality mental and emotional health education has been identified as a high priority. Effective since the 2019/20 school year, statutes have been in place that require all districts to provide education to students in the following areas. In November of 2022, the 5-hour mental health education requirement was changed to encompass resiliency standards.
Resiliency Education (5 hours of instruction for students in grades 6-12).
Substance Use and Abuse Health Education (grades K-12)
Child Trafficking Prevention Education (grades K-12)
Mental Health Training for Students
Mental and Emotional Health Education
Multi-Tiered System of Support
Charlotte County Public Schools uses a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) as a framework for problem solving using data based decisions to determine and deliver appropriate evidence-based mental health care assessment, diagnosis, intervention, treatment, and recovery services to students with mental health and/or co-occurring substance abuse diagnoses and to students at high risk of such diagnosis. The multi-tiered system is a continuum of supports and interventions that increase in intensity based on student need.
School-based mental health providers (i.e., school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers) are specially trained to integrate mental health prevention and intervention into the learning process. Strategies to improve the early identification of social, emotional, or behavioral problems or substance use disorders include the use of early warning systems by problem-solving teams. Early warning signs are a series of identifiers that predict that a student is less likely to graduate from high school (e.g., attendance, behavior, grades, etc). Increased involvement of school-based mental health staff on problem-solving teams will assist with expediting the referral process and receipt of mental health assistance/services.
Disclaimer: The content above is mirrored from Charlotte County Public Schools website to ensure our families have easy access to support. To ensure you are viewing the latest version of these resources, we recommend visiting Charlotte County Public School’s Mental Health page directly.