HEALTHCARE IN SCHOOLS
Our goal is to meet children where they are for their health and wellness needs—that’s why we work with Manchester School District to deliver health care directly in the schools.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
We provide weekly mental health counseling and mentorship to
K-12 students in Manchester School District’s participating elementary, middle, and high schools. Each partnering school has a dedicated Community Health Worker (CHW) who can work with your family to assess your needs and help you connect with these services and any necessary supports outside of the school district.
The School-based Counseling Program provides full mental health assessments and treatment planning with a goal to enhance the overall physical, emotional, and educational well-being of children. We continually foster opportunities to build strong and meaningful connections with their families, schools, and communities.
We're fully integrated into the Manchester School District and its "Multi-Tiered System of Support for Behavioral Health and Wellness" (MTSS-B), which provides a comprehensive system of social, emotional, and behavioral supports to promote student wellness and improve engagement in learning. Through this integration and collaboration, the School-Based Counseling Program develops individualized treatment plans and provides interventions to support success. By working with the school district and incorporating elements of MTSS-B, school-based BHCs work within the school to promote improved behaviors and functioning for students in need of additional school support.
School-Based Counseling Program
HOW DOES THE PROGRAM WORK?
Our Amoskeag Health school-based clinicians meet one-on-one with students weekly (for about 20-50 minutes, depending on the level of services required) to provide brief counseling, individualized support, and/or mentoring. They also help coordinate community resources to help students reach their goals, improve their mental health, and their overall health and well-being.
Our clinicians stay in touch with Manchester School District! They work directly with the students’ teachers to schedule sessions around their classes. If it’s more convenient, our school-based clinicians can also meet with your child, at Amoskeag Health, summer programs, or via telehealth.
The goal of this program is to follow your child through graduation, as research tells us that long-term, supportive relationships increase a child’s chance for success; however, the length of counseling treatment is ultimately based on the individual needs of each participant.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD FIT – NOW WHAT?
Great! Students who want to be a part of the program do not need to be patients at Amoskeag Health, but they must obtain parental/guardian consent. If you would like your child to participate, please call 603-626-9500 and mention that you're interested in school-based counseling at your child's school. The representative will coordinate next steps with you.
School-Based Vision Program
Amoskeag Health’s Family Eye Care Center partners with Beech Street and Gossler Street Elementary Schools in the Manchester School District to provide eye care for students. Nurses complete a vision screening and refer students to our Eye Care Center for further care. We can offer services to students even if they don’t have a primary care provider at Amoskeag Health. A sliding fee scale is available to make our services affordable, transportation can be arranged if needed, and some students may qualify for free glasses. Our goal is to help every student see clearly, so they can do their best in school.
Community Health Workers
Amoskeag Health has Community Health Workers at Bakersville, Beech Street, and Weston Elementary Schools. Community Health Workers support students and families who are experiencing:
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Homelessness or risk of homelessness
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Food insecurity
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Legal challenges
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Habitual absenteeism due to illness
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No medical home
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Financial instability
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Challenges filling out paperwork for services like WIC, SNAP, TANF, fuel assistance, Medicaid, etc.
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Other cultural or linguistic barriers
Important Note About Insurance: If your child is currently enrolled in an insurance plan, the health plan will be billed for these services, and you might owe a co-pay or deductible depending on the plan’s benefits. If your child is not insured, Amoskeag Health can help you identify insurance options or determine a discounted fee using our income-based sliding fee scale.