Chatham County Schools are now providing students with free teletherapy, virtual mental health consults via a new partnership with Daybreak, a company that specializes in remote mental health care.
“All K-12 students will have access to Daybreak’s evidence-based teletherapy programs,” said an announcement from the company. They aim to help kids understand their emotions, while learning new skills and strategies to manage them.
The program launched last month and within two weeks, nearly 30 students had been referred to Daybreak. Students receive up to 12 weeks of free teletherapy, with programs vary by grade and tailored to be age appropriate.
Elementary aged students will have parents or guardians included in the teletherapy sessions. Children older then 10 have the option to meet privately with their therapist.
“We are dedicated to supporting the holistic well-being of our students,” said Superintendent Anthony Jackson in a statement. The district aims to have mental health services readily available for students.
“Most kids don’t have access to these mental health supports and that schools play a critical role in reaching children in need,” said Daybreak Health CEO Alex Alverado. “I commend Chatham’s school counselors and social workers who worked hard to bring these services into their schools and have been incredible partners and collaborators in quickly getting students into care.”
According to the company, 81% of students who participate see better anxiety and depression scores, with improvements also observed concurrently by teachers and parents.
