PECOS, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – We’re looking at the lack of access to mental health resources in some rural communities, as a lack of resources can have a negative impact on a child’s development.
Well, now one local school district has partnered with a counseling app to provide 24/7 access to these students.
It’s called “Alongside,” and the district just launched the service in December.
“Mental health services are not as well-served in Pecos, so it’s nice to have them available to students 24/7,” said Lynn Price, head counselor and LPC for the district.
“We feel like mental health is something that’s always been a struggle, and since the pandemic, students that we know are struggling with their mental health,” said Chris Henson, executive director of student services.
The Alongside app has partnered with the Pecos-Barstow-Toya Independent School District to provide this service to students in grades 4 through 12.
Parents will be notified in December and can opt their children out if they wish. The app is aimed at students who are considered “Tier 1.”
“The first stage is low-level mental health issues that a student is having, so they might have issues with school, they might have issues with homework,” Henson said.
Lynn Price has counseled students professionally in the district for 18 years.
She says the more access to resources, the better.
“Students’ mental health needs are primarily addressed through the schools. They get all the mental health services that are available through the schools. So, we have 850 students at our high school, we have two guidance counselors, and it’s nice to have me there as a licensed professional counselor, but the volume of students that we have to deal with is huge,” Price said.
School counselors primarily meet face-to-face with tier 2 and 3 students with more severe mental health issues, and the app will notify mental health counselors, administrators and principals if a student shows signs of threatening self-harm or suicide.
“Students are able to open up to someone, to a llama, share things that they might not share with an adult, and that way they can get the help they need,” Price said.
So far, the app has been well received by students.
Developed by mental health counselors and psychologists, the app includes an AI chat feature, deep breathing techniques, journaling, a mood checker, and more.
Students can also share updates with their school counselors through the app.
“We’re in Pecos, Texas, and the closest big city is Odessa, which is 70 miles away and we’d have to go there to get any serious medical or mental health needs met, so being able to offer this to our students is really important here,” Henson said.
69% of schools report an increase in students seeking mental health services, yet only 13% are effectively meeting that need.
The app also allows students to speak in their native language and learn strategies to deal with many of the mental health issues they may face.
