School-based therapist helps students access mental healthcare

For students who need mental health care during the school day, help may be just down the hall.

A mental health therapist working through Beatrice Community Hospital is now based in Beatrice Public Schools, giving students access to therapy without requiring families to schedule a separate trip to a clinic. 

The therapist, Carlina Grove, who previously worked in the district as a school counselor, said the role is different from school counseling because it allows for longer-term mental health support for students who need more than brief check-ins or classroom guidance lessons.

“I’m the therapist in the school instead,” she said. “The benefit is I’m right there.”

Being in the school setting helps remove barriers for students and families, she said. Students who ride the bus, for example, may have difficulty getting to an appointment outside the school day. With a therapist in the building, students can receive care while remaining connected to their regular school routine.

The arrangement also helps normalize therapy for students.

“Kids get to learn that mental health is important and it’s not something that’s scary,” she said. “You are not in trouble.”

The school-based role grew out of the district’s recognition that students needed more behavioral health support.

Carlina moved to Beatrice in 2021 to work as a school counselor at Lincoln and Stoddard elementary schools. She later transitioned into a newly created therapist role when the district opened a new building. A two-year grant initially helped support the position, but when additional grant funding was not available, the district and hospital worked together to continue the service through Beatrice Community Hospital.

Referrals come through primary care providers, with consent and paperwork handled through the health system rather than the school district. Grove is currently provisionally licensed and is finishing up requirements under the supervision of Dr. Allison Sand at BCH to become a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner.

Grove said collaboration remains a key part of her school day. School counselors may identify students who need additional support, while teachers and administrators can help reinforce strategies in the classroom. That can be especially important for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or other needs that affect learning.

“It’s integrated,” she said. “I get to be integrated with the academic part because that’s still also a very big part of a child’s life.”

She said many of the students she sees are working through anxiety, depression, trauma or ADHD, though she does not limit her work to one diagnosis or specialty. The goal, she said, is to make sure students know someone is willing to listen and help them find the right support.

“I just want the kids to know someone cares about them and that someone is willing to sit with you and help you through something,” she said. “And if it’s something I can’t help you with, then I’m going to help you figure out how to find someone who can.”

Parents also play a central role, she said. Many students begin therapy because a parent notices a concern and talks with a teacher, counselor or provider about available resources.

 “How can kids get in? How can more kids be seen?” she said. “That’s my goal.”