West Haven and Milford Public Schools will soon be able to offer trauma counseling to students, thanks to a federal grant.
When children deal with trauma, Dr. Marty Schwartzman said their response can show up in many different ways.
“Through anxiety depression, conduct problems, sleep problems,” Schwartzman said.
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WATCH HEREIt’s a topic he’s come to know well through his decades with Bridges Healthcare, where he’s the chief of program operations. And now, Bridges will have trauma treatment in West Haven and Milford public schools.
“It is about seeing children, in the schools, during the school day, using research-based practices to treat them for symptoms of trauma that they’ve experienced,” he said.
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SIGN UP The trauma can come from anywhere in a young person’s life. And many may have lingering issues post-pandemic.
“With remote learning, with isolation with financial problems, with families. They all have impacts,” Schwartzman said.
The group was awarded an annual federal grant of $600,000 for the next five years. It will fund the “Supporting Our Students” project, which will bring in six behavioral health specialists to four schools across West Haven and Milford.
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“We’re trying to give access to care,” Rebecca Halbert, the Supporting Our Students project manager at Bridges Healthcare, said.
“There’s a lot of barriers to care, with outpatient care, with people being able to make appointments, coming in to the community, getting rides, so this gives us a chance to kind of meet the students and families where they are,” Halbert said.
The program is expected to begin in February at West Shore Middle School and Jonathan Law High School in Milford, and Carrigan-Intermediate School and West Haven High School in West Haven. School officials will be trained to identify and screen students with a history of trauma who may need treatment.
Those who are approved will be able to work with a Bridges Healthcare staff member for treatment. The visits will be covered by insurance.
The hiring process is underway and the team hopes to have the six new staff members in place for a launch in February.
