Crenshaw County Schools (CSS) has partnered with The Cook Center for Human Connection and their partner, ParentGuidance.org to provide mental health resources for caretakers and help them navigate mental health and other parenting challenges. 

Beverly Sport, the federal programs and curriculum director for the Crenshaw County Board of Education, said that the rise in anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns in young people not only impacts individuals, but also their families, schools and the community. 

“Crenshaw County Schools is committed to the well-being of our students and their families,” Sport said. “Accessing mental health professionals can be difficult, particularly in small, rural areas such as ours. We recognize this and are pleased to provide our families with access to the support they need.” 

A variety of programs are available to CCS parents through the partnership.

March Mental Health Series and Ask a Therapist Live are both a series of webinars aims to provide support and information for caregivers on a variety of issues, including grief, anxiety, suicide prevention and more. All webinars start at 6 and 8 p.m. Central Time, and caregivers can register for them at https://parentguidance.org/mhsindex. A full calendar of webinars can be found on the Crenshaw County Schools Facebook page or at the registration link. 

“Ask a Therapist Live is included in the Mental Health Series events,” Sport said. “This is your chance to get expert answers to any question about your child’s mental health or your parenting journey.
“You can submit questions anonymously in the webinar chat or through the interactive tools. Or you can just listen to other parents ask questions and hear the answers our live therapist shares.” 

Free on-demand courses and a well-being resource library offer over 70 on-demand courses are available through this partnership. Topics on anxiety, depression, self-harm, bullying social media, substance abuse and more. These courses are provided in both English and Spanish. 

There is also a free Parent Coaching service through this partnership. Caregivers have the option to meet with coaches to provide structure and ideas on how to handle challenges related to grief, anxiety, depression and general parenting. 

Options are available to connect virtually with the coach on a weekly basis or to text or email anytime with responses within 24-48 hours. Participation in this program is HIPAA protected. 

For more information on mental health resources with CCS and their partnership, look for the ParentGuidance.org logo on the district and school homepages, or visit the Crenshaw County Schools Facebook page.