For some of us, this year has been a time of transitions and new beginnings. Please take a few minutes to read about some of our new staff and upcoming programs at CCSD. Change can be both exciting and stressful, but it also can offer a chance to start fresh and take on new experiences and challenges.

Christian Tloczynski started in the middle of March as the District’s first K-12 Mental Health Counselor. Christian, originally a Bloom Panther, is a graduate of Penn State University’s Counselor Education Master of Education Program in the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health emphasis, as well as an alumnus of Bloomsburg University’s Psychology and History undergraduate programs. Christian is a Pennsylvania Licensed Professional Counselor, and previously worked as a Clinical Psychology Specialist for Geisinger Medical Center’s Pediatric Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) department. Christian has experience in working with adolescents and adults in various clinical and community settings and he brings to the district a wealth of knowledge on providing meaningful and holistic mental health care. Christian will be working in the following capacity:

· Tier 3 Students- Students who have been identified as needing more intense therapeutic interventions or with those students who have mental health needs that are significantly impacting their academics and/or social well-being. Tier 3 students will be referred through guidance, administration or through the SAP Process.

· Students in Crisis- Christian will be able to work with administration to assist any student who may be a threat to themselves or others. He is trained in assessing student needs’ and recommending appropriate level of treatment based on his evaluation. He will work closely with administration and be a member of the threat assessment team.

· Christian will also work with families in coordinating services outside of school through various agencies.

· Christian will also be available to meet with staff on a short-term basis to assist with providing acute care and referrals through EAP.

· A student does not need to be identified as having a disability or mental health diagnosis to receive services. Students who are of the age of 14 or older, can consent to their own treatment as per mental health laws. Students younger than age 14, will require parent permission to access his services.

Starting next school year, CCHS will have a new classroom designed to meet the needs of students with emotional and/or behavioral needs at the secondary level. This emotional support classroom will be run by Mr. Jim Dunkleberger. Mr. Dunkleberger has many years experience working with secondary students in a career setting and providing both vocational and employability skills for students with diverse needs. The amount of time spent in his classroom will be based on the needs of each individual student. Those students who require more support and structure, may receive all or most of their academics within this classroom, while others students may only attend for a part of the day or use this classroom as a check-in/ check out model. The goal would be to assist each student in accessing their post-secondary goals and skills needed to be an independent and productive member of our community.

Ms. Davenport will be joining us next year as the 8th grade learning support teacher. Megan comes to us with experience working with adolescents in a middle school setting. She has had a focus on working with other teachers on differentiating instruction and utilizing positive behavior supports across school settings. Ms Davenport attended Bloomsburg University and graduated with a Master's of Science in Special Education and she also was a member of the Bloomsburg University Field Hockey Team. We are excited to have Megan bring her energy and student-focused approach to the district!

Heather Higgins comes to the district with a wealth of experience working with students with disabilities including students on the autism spectrum and students with complex needs. Heather has a passion for ensuring the appropriate and meaningful inclusion of all students with disabilities while maintaining high academic and behavioral expectations. Heather is also extremely structured and organized and she has already scheduled times to come in to shadow the previous teacher to ensure there is a seamless transition between staff.

The district recently was awarded the opportunity to have a team of mental/behavioral providers in the elementary through Community and School Based Behavioral Supports (CSBBH).

We will be able to provide more specific details in the future, but here are the answers to questions regarding this program.

What is CSBBH?

• Community and School Based Behavioral Health service (CSBBH) helps children with emotional or behavioral problems, which are leading to issues at school, at home and in the community.

Who is the team composed of?

• The team will consist of a a mental health professional, with a master’s degree and a professional license and a a behavioral health worker with a college degree

Who funds this program?

• The staff are funded through Medical Access Funds through Community Care Behavioral Health Organization. There is no cost to to the district to implement or maintain the program.

How do you choose an agency to provide the services?

• The district can choose to partner with a known agency or CCBH will put a bid out to other mental health agencies. Although nothing is definite, we are hoping to work with a local agency in which we already have a professional relationship and understands our local demographics and school culture

What will services can this program provide?

• Mental health assessments
• Case management
• Crisis support
• individual and family therapy
• Parenting education and support
  
• Classroom support

Are there restrictions?

• Students must be eligible for Medical Assistance
• Students must be a resident of our district and be enrolled in CCES

What if a student does not have Medical Assistance?

• Student can receive services through our prevention specialist, Jen Haubert, or our mental health counselor, Christian Tloczynski
• Team will also assist families in applying for MA if deemed appropriate. In PA, a child can qualify for medical assistance based on their disability rather than financial needs.

For more information on obtaining Medical Access for a child with a disability, please click on the ink below:

https://www.phlp.org/uploads/attachments/ck2xjueg002dg5qu8w454mpbf-ph-95-guide-update-april-2019.pdf