Removed from her home due to neglect, Hallie was a fragile and overwhelmed young girl. She was facing change, and she did not understand how to express her emotions.

At school, Hallie expressed her feelings with sudden outbursts that prevented her from participating and learning with the other children. Her teacher and caregivers did their best to help Hallie, and they knew she needed an experienced mental health counselor. They referred Hallie to the Christian Family Solutions counselor who was working on site at the school.

Hallie began seeing her counselor twice a week. During her sessions, she processed the situation that led to her being removed from her home. This helped her understand her behaviors and feel less overwhelmed. She also learned to incorporate coping skills when she was anxious or upset.

Today, Hallie is successfully regulating her behavior and is actively using coping skills at school and at her new home. She is adjusting well in both environments.

Students like Hallie are the heart and soul of the work we do in the CFS School-Based Counseling Partnership Program. To date, 30 CFS counselors work on-site serving 38 schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Arizona and Michigan. The partnerships have been vital for the students being served, their classmates who learn alongside them, and their teachers.

“The students we see are generally in a better place emotionally and mentally when they return to class, and they are ready to have a great rest of their day,” says Renee Thompson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker for CFS.

The CFS Youth Counseling Initiative focuses on discovering and developing programming that meets the needs of students, in partnership with donors, schools, and parents. We leverage all available public and private dollars to ensure that students receive the mental health care and services they need to thrive in school and in their communities.

We are grateful to our partner schools and our donors who help make care accessible to more youth.

(This client’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.)