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School-Based Counseling

Therapy for children in their school environment


young blonde boy with half smile in elementary school math classroom standing in front of completed worksheets

Some children experience significant emotional or behavioral difficulties in the school. School-based services enable our clinicians, your child’s teachers, and other support staff to communicate directly and effectively coordinate care. We work closely with your child’s school to maximize the benefits from counseling. Many families have difficulties attending a traditional outpatient clinic. This service enables children to receive counseling directly in the school they attend each day. Family counseling is also provided and encouraged. Parents are required to be a part of treatment planning.

We Can Help With:

  • School problems
  • Conflicts with peers
  • Problems following directions
  • Poor attention span
  • Anxiety/school anxiety
  • Irritability
  • Poor frustration tolerance
  • Anger management
  • Depression/mood disregulation
  • Disruptive behaviors
  • Childhood trauma
  • Grief and loss

Locations

We have partnered with 22 schools across 7 school districts to provide counseling and therapy to children and families directly in their community school. Each of the following school-based satellite sites is Pennsylvania State licensed to provide outpatient services:

Bristol Township School District

  • Armstrong Middle School
  • Brookwood Elementary School
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School
  • Keystone Elementary School
  • Mill Creek Elementary School
  • Truman High School

Bristol Borough School District

  • Snyder Girotti Elementary School
  • Bristol Borough Middle School High School

Centennial School District

  • Log College Middle School
  • McDonald Elementary School
  • William Tennent High School

Morrisville School District

  • Grandview Elementary School
  • Morrisville High School
  • Morrisville Intermediate School

Neshaminy School District

  • Neshaminy High School

Pennsbury School District

  • Penn Valley Elementary School
  • Pennsbury High School
  • Pennwood Middle School
  • Walt Disney Elementary School

Quakertown School District

  • Quakertown Community High School
  • Quakertown Elementary School
  • The 6th Grade Center
  • Strayer Middle School

Our Staff

Licensed professional counselors, licensed clinical social workers and masters-level therapists provide on-site counseling and therapy services during regular school hours.

Special arrangements can be made with individual therapists to schedule appointments during after school hours for parents and caregivers who are not available during the day.

Eligibility

Any child with Medical Assistance in a partner school is eligible for this service.

Fees & Insurance

Medical Assistance covers the full cost of in-school counseling services for your child. Unfortunately, commercial insurance is not accepted at this time in our school-based program.

Confidentiality

Services are strictly confidential and adhere to Pennsylvania Mental Health and Drug and Alcohol licensing regulations and HIPAA regulations. Private information will be shared only upon written authorization.

Psychiatry Services

Sometimes children require medication to assist in managing behaviors or mood. Child psychiatrists are available in our Langhorne offices to provide consultation or ongoing medication management.

How to Obtain Services

If your school is one of our locations listed above, please contact your school guidance counselor to determine if your child is appropriate for in-school services. You can also call 215-757-6916 ext.159 and our Intake Department will assist you.

Program History

We have been partnering with schools for over fifteen years in different capacities. Our initial partnership began in the mid 1990’s, providing drug and alcohol prevention groups to elementary schools.

We received a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to provide therapy in a middle school for immigrant families. The program was very successful and demonstrated a clear need for counseling services for children in their school environment.

We continue to work closely with Bucks County Behavioral Health, The Bucks County Children and Youth Social Services Agency and Magellan Behavioral Health to expand this program, and we have additional satellite sites set to open in the next year.

Unfortunately, less than 20% of children and adolescents with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need. We can help.