CHRIS 180 provides mental health services to students at dozens of metro Atlanta schools

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a lot of focus has been placed on young people, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

One organization that is trying to address this issue where the children are is CHRIS 180 through its mental health program in the same schools.

“Our children still face all of the social challenges that characterize adolescence, but post-pandemic, all of these issues have been magnified due to the social skills deficits and increase in mental health issues that we are seeing,” said Brittany Walters, LCSW. , vice president of the CHRIS 180 school mental health program.

In Georgia, 10.4% of children ages 3 to 17 reported feeling anxious or depressed in 2020, up from 8.5% in 2016, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In 2021, nearly one in four Georgia children ages 3 to 17 reported experiencing emotional, behavioral or developmental problems, also according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

More and more young children are having difficulty managing their noise tolerance and exhibiting regression in their social skills, which may look like hitting or tantrums. Teenagers who relied on social media to make friends now face serious self-esteem issues when interacting with their peers in real life.

“It’s kind of like everyone in the world, or at least among young people, everyone has just a notch or two of mental health issues,” Walters said. “Those who were light are now moderate. Those that were moderate are now severe. Those who never had anxiety issues now have a tinge of anxiety.

Years ago, CHRIS 180 constructed physical buildings throughout the city to provide therapeutic services, skill development groups and after-school programs. But in 2013, it became clear that there were many barriers preventing students and families from attending their therapy sessions at the facilities, Walker said.

“Whether it was transportation or a caretaker’s work schedule, there were many issues preventing many of our children and clients from accessing the services they desperately needed,” he said. she declared.

The organization changed course and decided to find a way to get where the kids are: in school. In 2013, CHRIS 180 created its School Mental Health Program to bring therapists into schools. The first school he partnered with was Peachcrest Elementary in DeKalb County.

CHRIS 180’s school-based mental health program has grown rapidly thanks to federal and local grants and philanthropic dollars. In 2023, the organization partnered with 81 schools in Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton County Schools and Atlanta Public Schools.

In 2023, a team of dozens of therapists in schools counseled 2,091 students in 36,253 sessions, Walker said.

The program that places therapists in schools to be part of the community and counsel struggling students allows CHRIS 180 to “treat the entire school community as our client,” Walker said.

It gives therapists the opportunity to support initiatives such as Suicide Prevention Month, anti-bullying initiatives, violence prevention initiatives, and ADHD Awareness Month study skills, through example.

“Not only do we work with the 25 to 40 kids who really need that extra support throughout the year, but we also treat all 1,800 students and equip them with tools that can help them succeed the most possible. » said Walker.

To request information about CHRIS Kids School Mental Health or any of its other programs, call 800-896-4106.