- Albertville City School District
- Mental Health
Counseling & Advocacy
Page Navigation
-
Mental Health
At Albertville City Schools, we are deeply committed to the mental health and well-being of our students. Our goal is to provide comprehensive mental health resources and support to help students thrive. Through collaborative efforts with parents and tailored services, we aim to ensure that every student receives the care and guidance they need.
- Mental Health Facts: Children and Teens
- Getting the Right Start: A Student Guide to Mental Health
- The Teen Brain: 6 Things to Know
- The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction
- How to Respond to Self-Harm
- Mental Health Literacy
- Finding Help: When to Get It and Where to Go
Mental Health Services Permission
School systems across Alabama are now required to obtain written parent permission to allow students under the age of 14 to participate in school-based mental health services. While Albertville City Schools has historically followed the practice of obtaining written parent permission for ongoing counseling and/or mental health services, we now must have a specific "opt-In" document signed by parents. The information will go home with students in grades K-8 with orientation and beginning-of-the-year paperwork.
Parents can choose to opt-in to the services listed on the form. Please understand that checking the box and signing the form does not mean that your child will receive those services. It means that we can provide those services if they are needed. If a student is determined to need a mental health service listed on the form, parents will be contacted by the school counselor or other staff member. Specific information about the purpose and length of service will be provided to the parent, and the parent will sign additional paperwork giving specific permission.
We always want parents to be aware of how their student is doing in school and of ways in which the school and parents can work together to help students reach their full potential. Students will continue to receive classroom guidance lessons, crisis intervention and occasional as-needed counselor visits, regardless of opt-in status. Please direct any questions to your child's school counselor or Counseling and Mental Health Services Coordinator Kristi Rains at (256) 891-1183 or krains@albertk12.org.
Resources
-
Psychiatric Intake Response Center at Children's of Alabama
Navigating the mental health care system is challenging for patients, families, and providers. The Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC), located in the Emergency Department at Children’s of Alabama, is a free, confidential phone response center designed to help adult callers and community providers in finding the appropriate level of mental health care.These services are provided via telephone by licensed mental health clinicians trained to assess a child or teen’s mental, emotional, and behavioral needs and recommend the best treatment options.
-
SAMHSA's National Helpline
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357) (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), or TTY: 1-800-487-4889 is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.