Chad Bongiovanni, director of student assistance services at Jamestown Public Schools, is pictured right at a school board meeting on Tuesday. Pajamas photo by Eric Tichy

Each year in the United States, 1 in 6 children between the ages of 6 and 17 experience a mental illness.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, about half of students with mental illness received treatment in the past year.

“What we do know is that in a high-needs community like Jamestown, the data is likely to be much worse. Chad Bongiovanni, director of student support services at Jamestown Public Schools, said in a presentation to the school board on Tuesday.

“Therefore, there is a very high demand for students with mental health crises.” he continued, “And we need additional support to serve those students.”

Bongiovanni said all Jamestown students have access to social-emotional learning, counselors, psychologists and other support services.

However, he said some students will need additional support. “We want that support to be highly targeted and unique to individual needs.” Bongiovanni said. In-house services for those students can include individual counseling and small group counseling, he said.

There is also a third layer that requires intervention.

“Students who need very intensive services” Bongiovanni said. “Conscientious counseling. Intensive mental health services. Interventions such as behavioral intervention plans can help schools serve these students, but we also know they need additional support from community agencies.” I have.”

Officials representing longtime partners in the community spoke briefly with school board members. They included Thomas Fadale of Chautauqua County Department of Mental Health, Julie Chipman of Chautauqua Area Family Services, and Kate Curtis of Resource Center.

The county department of mental health operates at Bush Elementary School and Washington Middle School and serves about 90 students a year, Fadell said.

“What they do is behavioral health counseling and is fully aligned with the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Health Satellite Clinic at City Hall.” He said.

He said the school’s clinician could provide “A full range of social work services for those students. If you need more, it’s already linked to the Chautauqua County Mental Health Clinic.”

Chipman said Family Services in the Chautauqua area has partnered with Jamestown Public Schools for many years. Counseling services, along with coordination of care, crisis support and interventions, and family interventions and support, are provided to students through referrals from teachers, guidance counseling, and principals or parents, she said.

Services are available at Purcell, Fletcher, Ring and Love Schools as well as high schools. Family Services serves approximately 240-270 students each year.

According to Curtis, the Resource Center provides support services at high schools. She said the organization received a grant to open a satellite office at the district’s Tech Academy so it could offer outpatient and social her work.

Bongiovanni said future goals include raising awareness of the support services available to students. Organize the student referral process. Strengthen communication with the student support team. Enhance access to wraparound and emergency services. Establish regular multi-agency team meetings.