Mental Health
Schools are an ideal place for students to receive social-emotional support to deal with challenges related to stress, mental health problems, trauma, bullying, family change, and learning challenges.
School social workers and school psychologists are some of the school staff who are trained to offer mental health services and have a specific skillset to understand school systems, learning, as well as how student’s behavior and mental health impact children’s overall wellbeing and academic functioning. While there are overlapping roles of each provider, school psychologists and social workers also have specific expertise which is outlined in further detail under the Student Services tab on the Southview Elementary website.
A continuum of mental health supports offered in schools includes but is not limited to the following:
● Building trusting connections with each student and their family
● Providing small group and individualized social-emotional skill development for students
● Direct consultation and linkage to appropriate community resources for families
● When further supports are warranted, connecting families to school linked mental health services or other outside mental health supports
During COVID-19, here is a website for students and families to offer mental health support. For additional information, feel free to contact the school social worker, Stacy Swenson, or the school psychologist, Michelle Thompson.
Talking about COVID-19
Information provided by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- I’m having a lot of anxiety because of the coronavirus. Please help.
- I’m quarantined or working from home – lonely and isolated even further – what can I do?
- I have a different question, where can I find more information?
I’m having a lot of anxiety because of the coronavirus. Please help.
I’m quarantined or working from home – lonely and isolated even further – what can I do?
I have a different question, where can I find more information?
Thoughts, Emotions and Coping with Stress
Resources
- CALM App
- Conscious Discipline: https://consciousdiscipline.com/covid-19-five-helpful-responses-for-families/
- Minnesota Department of Health Behavioral Health and Emergency Preparedness: https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/ep/behavioral/index.html#covid19
- National Association of School Psychologists "Helping Kids Cope with the Changes from COVID-19": https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-climate-safety-and-crisis/health-crisis-resources/helping-children-cope-with-changes-resulting-from-covid-19
- Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope With the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19: https://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/resources/fact-sheet/outbreak_factsheet_1.pdf
- Minnesota Department of Health "Supporting Mental Health during COVID-19: https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1586793971/district196org/auuaxcxxtmmehnvybxpg/MDHMentalWell-beingduringCOVID.pdf
Contacts

Stacy Swenson
Social Worker
Southview Elementary, Cedar Valley Learning Center, Dakota Valley Learning Center
School:
651-683-6969 x83928
jordyn goldschmidt
Social Worker
jordyn.goldschmidt@district196.org
Voicemail: 83568