Student Support

UCPS offers workshops to help parents with resources and tools to navigate tough situations. All parents are invited and encouraged these sessions.

Previous Parent Education Workshops

• Anxiety and Strategies
• Family Wellness
• Suicide Awareness
• Vaping

Social Media Dangers Presentation Resources

• Is your explicit content out there?
• No Filtr
• Resources for Survivors of Sexual Abuse Material
• Sextortion
• Take It Down
• Victim and Family Support

School-based mental health services are provided by licensed mental health clinicians during the school day to support students’ well-being. Services may include individual or group therapy, assessments, family support, crisis support, and collaboration with school staff and families.

How is mental health therapy different from school counseling?

Mental health therapy is provided by licensed clinicians who specialize in treating ongoing emotional, behavioral, or mental health needs. School counselors provide academic, social, emotional, and career support to help students succeed at school.

How can my student get connected with a school-based mental health therapist?

Parents or guardians can contact their child’s school counselor or school social worker to discuss concerns and available supports. A licensed mental health clinician can help determine whether school-based therapy is appropriate or if a community-based provider or another resource may better meet the student’s needs. Parent/guardian consent is required before school-based mental health therapy services can begin.

Mental health therapists can help with:

• Anxiety and stress
• Depression
• Grief and loss
• Self-esteem
• Attention and focus
• Family changes, including divorce

​​​​The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call 1-800-273-8255 (suicide prevention and crisis support)

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

To reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or text HOME to 741741 

NC Warmline

To reach the NC Warmline, call 855-733-7762 (non-clinical peer support from trained individuals with lived experience of mental health and recovery for only 18 years old and older)

Partners Crisis Line

Behavioral health crisis support; mental health referrals-multiple languages 1-888-235-HOPE (4673)

DayMark Mobile Engagement

Call 1-866-275-9552 (Mobile crisis response & intervention 24/7)

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Call 1-800-799-7233 or text LOVEIS to 22

SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline

Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 (TTY 1-800-846-8517) (Emotional support after disasters and emergencies)

School counselors are highly educated, professionally certified individuals who help students succeed in school and plan their careers.  An integral part of the total education system, school counselors help students form healthy goals, mindsets, and behaviors.  With the aid of a school counselor, students learn to develop effective collaboration and cooperative skills, to practice perseverance, to develop time management and study skills, and to learn self-motivation and self-direction habits. 

School counselors help all students:

• Apply academic achievement strategies
• Manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills
• Plan for postsecondary options

School counselors are trained to provide the following services:

• Individual student academic planning and goal setting
• School counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards
• Short-term counseling to students
• Referrals for long-term support
• Collaboration with families, teachers, and administrators/community for student success
• Advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
• Data analysis to identify student issues, needs, and challenges

School counselors play an essential role in creating an equitable, inclusive school culture promoting success for all.

• Roles of Elementary School Counselors 
• Roles of Middle School Counselors
• Roles of High School Counselors 

* Information has been obtained from the American School Counselor Association. 

School social workers employed by Union County Public Schools serve as liaisons between school, home and community. We consult with classroom teachers, school counselors, attendance personnel and school administrators to help eliminate barriers and to promote academic success for all students. We conduct home visits in order to gather pertinent information and to foster strong relationships between students, families and school personnel. Finally, in order to further assist students and families, we often collaborate with community agencies to access appropriate services not traditionally offered by the school system. 

Functions

School social workers support students in their academic success:

• Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Improve attendance
• Build self-esteem
• Resolve conflicts without violence
• Strengthen interpersonal and intrapersonal skills
• Improve communication skills
• Remain in school and graduate

School social workers support families to:

• Participate more fully in their children's education, through parent conferences and school visits
• Strengthen parenting skills
• Access school and community resources
• Develop realistic expectations and ways of caring for their children which are age and developmentally appropriate
• Seek solutions to barriers that inhibit familial involvement
• Identify and meet their children's social and emotional needs
• Monitor their children's homework and attendance
• Promote trust and understanding to build partnerships among school, home and community

School social workers assist educators to:

• Have a better understanding how factors such as family, culture, socioeconomic status, and physical and mental health can affect students' performance
• Discover new resources
• Respond to crisis situations
• Identify and report child abuse, neglect and dependency
• Obtain community resources to meet the needs of students
• Work with parents effectively