Tuscaloosa, Alabama – Students of Tuscaloosa City Schools can now avail mental health services while they are in school, a first time in Tuscaloosa City history that the Board of Education (BOE) approved such health services.
The Tuscaloosa City BOE approved the on-campus health services, a very first time in the city of Tuscaloosa. The Special Education director Bruce Prescott said the availability of the mental health services in the campus is a significant step for the entire health system, considering the number of students who need such services. Mentally-ill students will certainly need a sort of an urgent care near me facility, and the health services in their campuses are just the exact necessary measures. Many other districts are more likely to take on the issue.
The BOE of Tuscaloosa City approved the memorandum on Tuesday, understanding the relevance of school systems and the provision of Indian Rivers Mental Health Care for on-site mental therapies and crisis interventions. As an urgent care clinic, the health care provider will be able to reach out to city students, providing them with the necessary services for their mental health issues through interventions and therapies.
The primary goal of the program is to provide students with urgent care, treatment, and services without leaving the school premises during the day. The general administration assistant superintendent Mike Daria told the check out and the students’ travel time, going back and forth to the mental health site will be eliminated through the program. Now, mental health sessions are available on their campuses, without missing school or classes, whatsoever.
Daria hopes that with the availability of mental health services within schools, it would decrease attendance issues. Most students either resort to skipping mental health sessions to attend their classes, or cutting classes just to attend their health sessions. Both ways, this barrier will be eliminated due to the availability of urgent care clinics and health services in Tuscaloosa campuses.
Director Prescott also emphasized the initiative was instigated by the state Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health. Both agencies understand the importance of maintaining good mental health among students. Thus, the initiative is expected to continue helping students in obtaining immediate services for their mental health needs.
Both the mental health and education departments are continually encouraging school systems statewide to collaborate with their local mental health offices, in coming up with effective plans and programs to provide on-site mental health services.
