Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

On Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, Dare County commissioners agreed to use opioid settlement funding to address the mental health needs of students in Dare County Schools.

The county’s Department of Health & Human Services director Sheila Davies presented information about the need for three licensed clinical social workers to address the mental health of students.

Earlier, the commissioners had not renewed a contract with Trillium for services provided by PORT Health. In the last six to eight months, that agency’s number of clients had declined from around 1,600 to 326. When the contract was pulled, one counselor was serving about 100 clients at First Flight High and Middle schools. That counselor resigned.

The county’s department stepped in and, using some available one-time funding, rehired the person part-time to continue adolescent services at the two First Flight schools.

The county’s plan for opioid settlement funds called for $340,000 for PORT services. Davies proposed hiring three licensed clinical social workers for $315,000. The three professionals would be assigned one each to the three geographic areas of the county: Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island and the beach including the First Flight schools and Nags Head and Kitty Hawk Elementary schools.

Like the Dare County Schools nurses, the three licensed clinical social workers would be employees of the county’s Health and Human Services Department and could help one another address high client counts.

In order for students to receive therapy, parental consent is required.

Davies reminded the commissioners that one of the recommendations from the 2024 State of the Child Conference was for school-based licensed clinical social workers.

From that conference came statistics. In 2019, elementary students receiving services numbered 19. Last year, that total was 174 elementary students.

Davies told the commissioners that Dare County Schools Superintendent Steve Basnight was supportive of the program.

County manager Robert L. Outten said that PORT Health had no issues with the withdrawal of funding.

Dare commissioner Rob Ross called the situation a “disaster” and asked “what’s going on?”

Davies replied that social and economic stressors and dysfunctional households are impacting students. Students first come to school nurses. Some 94% of the referred students are able to return to the classroom the same day.

Nurses, along with school social workers, will make up the referral system for licensed clinical social workers.

The student situation is not unique to Dare County, reported Davies. The state has just set up a new service for teenagers 13 years and older. Peer support specialists in their 20s will be available to talk around the clock and seven days a week.

The commissioners approved using $315,000 for the three licensed clinical social workers.

The remaining $25,000 is sent to a program called “Sound Minds.” That program addresses the mental health needs of uninsured or underinsured adults and children. Three agencies collaborated in setting up the program: Interfaith Community Outreach, Outer Banks Relief Foundation and the county’s department of Health and Human Services. Funding is provided through the Outer Banks Community Foundation. Davies said Sound Minds now has $100,000 to apply to mental health needs.

Some of the clinicians delivering services at PORT Health have set up private or group practices. Consult savinglivesobx.com/localtreatment for a list of private providers.

READ ABOUT MORE NEWS HERE.

SUBSCRIBE TO THE COASTLAND TIMES TODAY!