Inspired by a February 2024 conversation at a youth mental health roundtable, facilitated by Governor Kathy Hochul, Northern Rivers Family of Services and Mohonasen partnered on a new NYS Office of Mental Health-licensed mental health clinic to serve the district’s youngest students.
The new clinic will have offices at Bradt and Pinewood and will provide outpatient mental health counseling services to up to 40 students and families. It will complement existing Northern Rivers Mohonasen clinics at the High School and Draper Middle School, bringing nearly 150 students and families served per year.
Grace Gutch, MSW, will see students at the Bradt and Pinewood locations. She completed social work internships with the Saratoga County Mental Health and Addictions Clinic and the Ohio Valley Health Clinic and Ohio Valley Counseling. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work from Franciscan University of Steubenville and her Master of Social Work from the University of Albany School of Social Welfare.
“Student mental health is linked to success in school and success in life. The best approach to this is early intervention and we are proud that we’ve been able to further enhance our mental health supports at the elementary level,” said Superintendent Shannon Shine.
“Our secondary clinics have effectively provided families with access to mental health and behavioral healthcare within the school environment, and we believe it is essential for K-5 families to receive similar support,” said Deborah Kavanaugh, Academic Administrator for APPR, Data, State Reporting, Mentoring and Instructional Leaders.
“This initiative will help our youngest students and their families obtain early intervention support to further develop the social-emotional and coping skills critical to their developmental and academic success. The comprehensive model we have developed as a school community with Northern Rivers has enabled us to provide timely access to mental health services within our own school community, decrease the escalation of potential crisis situations, and has helped reduce the stigma surrounding mental health,” she added.
