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BIRMINGHAM. ERIN LLEWELLYN, WVTM 13. AARON, THANKS. WELL, BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS WILL SOON HAVE NEW THERAPISTS IN THEIR SCHOOLS. A $3 MILLION GRANT WILL HELP TO GIVE STUDENTS AN OUTLET. OUR WVTM 13 MAGDALA LOUISSAINT TELLS US WHY STUDENTS NEED IN SCHOOL THERAPISTS. STUDENTS ARE FACING A LOT OF ISSUES THESE DAYS, AND SOMETIMES THOSE ISSUES SPILL INTO THE HALLWAYS. SO THIS FEDERAL GRANT WOULD NOT ONLY JUST HIRED 22 MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS TO HELP THESE STUDENTS, BUT IT WILL ALLOW ONE ON ONE THERAPY SESSIONS FOR THEM. AND THAT’S SOMETHING THEY DON’T HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND I’M TOLD IT’S NEEDED. EVERYONE DOESN’T HAVE AN OUTLET, SO IT COULD BE NICE TO HAVE A SPECIFIC PERSON THAT IS FOR EVERYONE. TASHA COOPER, A HUFFMAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR, SAYS WHEN 22 CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS START SHOWING UP AT VARIOUS BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS, STUDENTS WILL SEEK THE THERAPY THEY NEED. SOMETIMES IT CAN BE BROUGHT INTO THE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT AND PLAY A PART ON THE STUDENTS BEHAVIORS AND THEIR ACTIONS, AND IT CAN BE OVERWHELMING TO THE STUDENTS THAT ARE ACTING THIS WAY AND TO THE STUDENTS THAT’S AROUND THEM. THE DISTRICT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST, SARAH BINGHAM, WROTE THE LETTER THAT CONVINCED THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO GIVE BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS A $3 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT. SHE SAYS CURRENTLY, THE CONTRACTED COUNSELORS COME INTO THE SCHOOLS ONCE A WEEK. WE’RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HIRE MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS BECAUSE THEY’LL BE ABLE TO ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES OF TRAUMA INFORMED CARE, COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND SUPPORTS RICHARD FRANKLIN REPRESENTS EDUCATORS ACROSS BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS. OUR COUNSELORS HAVE TRIED. THEY’VE DONE THEIR BEST. WE’VE TALKED TO SOME OF THEM. THEY’RE OVERWHELMED. SO THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER IT FOR MORE EXPERTS THAT CAN DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES. LAST WEEK, A JACKSONVILLE LYNN FOOTBALL PLAYER DIED IN A SHOOTING AFTER A BASKETBALL GAME AT WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL. FRANKLIN SAYS THAT INCIDENT IMPACTED THREE HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT. HE WAS A STUDENT AT JACKSON-OLIN, BUT HIS NINTH AND 10TH GRADE YEAR. HE ATTENDED PARKER HIGH SCHOOL AND IT HAPPENED AT WOODLAWN. SO THAT AFFECTS THREE OF OUR SCHOOLS. WITH THAT SITUATION. SO THIS IS JUST A SUPPORT SYSTEM, AND IT ALSO HELPS OUR STAFF HELP. THAT WILL LAST FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. BIRMINGHAM CITY SCHOOLS WILL POST THE JOB APPLICATION ON THEIR WEBSITE IN EARLY JANUARY
Birmingham City Schools getting ready to hire 22 new mental health therapists for students
Students are facing a lot of issues these days. Sometimes, these issues spill into the hallways. A $3 million federal grant will not only fund the hiring of 22 mental health counselors to help with one-on-one and group therapy sessions for students. It’s something the schools don't have right now, and it's something they need.“Not everyone has an outlet. It would be nice to have a specific person for everyone,” Ty'hja Cooper said.Cooper, a Huffman High School senior, says when 22 certified mental health counselors start showing up at various Birmingham schools, students will seek the therapy they need."Sometimes violence can be brought into the schools, and it can play a part on a student's behavior. It can be overwhelming to the students acting this way and the students who are there,” Cooper said.>> YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Community coverage from WVTM 13The district's school psychologist, Saterah Bigham, wrote the letter that convinced the U.S. Department of Education to give Birmingham City Schools the $3 million federal grant. She says that the contracted counselors currently come into the schools once a week. “We're really excited to be able to hire a mental health therapist because they'll be able to engage in activities of trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy and supports,” Bigham said.Richard Franklin represents educators across Birmingham City schools. “Our counselors have tried. They've done their best. We've talked to some, and they're overwhelmed. This offers an opportunity to experts who can deal with more of these issues,” Franklin said.Last week, a Jackson Olin High School football player died in a shooting after a basketball game at Woodlawn High School.>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube Franklin says that the incident impacted three high schools in the district. “He was a student at Jackson Olin High School, but his ninth and tenth grade year he attended Parker High School, and it happened at Woodlawn, so this is a support system, and it also helps our staff,” Franklin said.The one-time grant will last five years. In early January, BCS will post the jobs looking for the 22 certified mental health counselors.If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
Students are facing a lot of issues these days. Sometimes, these issues spill into the hallways. A $3 million federal grant will not only fund the hiring of 22 mental health counselors to help with one-on-one and group therapy sessions for students. It’s something the schools don't have right now, and it's something they need.
“Not everyone has an outlet. It would be nice to have a specific person for everyone,” Ty'hja Cooper said.
Cooper, a Huffman High School senior, says when 22 certified mental health counselors start showing up at various Birmingham schools, students will seek the therapy they need.
"Sometimes violence can be brought into the schools, and it can play a part on a student's behavior. It can be overwhelming to the students acting this way and the students who are there,” Cooper said.
>> YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Community coverage from WVTM 13
The district's school psychologist, Saterah Bigham, wrote the letter that convinced the U.S. Department of Education to give Birmingham City Schools the $3 million federal grant. She says that the contracted counselors currently come into the schools once a week.
“We're really excited to be able to hire a mental health therapist because they'll be able to engage in activities of trauma-informed care, cognitive behavioral therapy and supports,” Bigham said.
Richard Franklin represents educators across Birmingham City schools.
“Our counselors have tried. They've done their best. We've talked to some, and they're overwhelmed. This offers an opportunity to experts who can deal with more of these issues,” Franklin said.
Last week, a Jackson Olin High School football player died in a shooting after a basketball game at Woodlawn High School.
>> FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
Franklin says that the incident impacted three high schools in the district.
“He was a student at Jackson Olin High School, but his ninth and tenth grade year he attended Parker High School, and it happened at Woodlawn, so this is a support system, and it also helps our staff,” Franklin said.
The one-time grant will last five years. In early January, BCS will post the jobs looking for the 22 certified mental health counselors.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here.
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