Fee-for-service licensed clinician will provide counseling to students and families
Today in the U.S., one in five adolescents face behavioral health disorders. Statistically, in Cohoes, that’s about 200 students across the middle and high schools. To effectively support our students with these challenges, the district has partnered with Northern Rivers to open a clinic in Cohoes Middle School.
Who is the clinic for?
The clinic is for any student K-12 in need of behavioral health counseling. Any school staff, community service or medical provider, parent or caregiver can make a referral for children and adolescents. The clinic accepts insurance and Medicare. A clinical social worker licensed by the New York State Office of Mental Health will be available to see students during and after the school day, during school vacations and over the summer. Please call 518-426-2687 to speak with an intake specialist, and ask for the Cohoes Clinic site.
What are “behavioral health disorders”?
Your child does not need a diagnosis to sign up for counseling. Some examples of behavioral health disorders are: anxiety, depression, eating disorders, mood disorders, addiction, problems with controlling impulses, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and thoughts of suicide, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD).
How do I sign-up my child to see the counselor?
Please call 518-426-2687 to speak with an intake specialist, and ask for the Cohoes Clinic site. If you’re having trouble or don’t know where to start, please reach out to your child’s school social worker.
- Dana Delgenio at Abram Lansing – ddelgeni@cohoes.org
- Kristie Calderon at Van Schaick – kcaldero@cohoes.org
- Amanda Regis at Harmony Hill – aregis@cohoes.org
- Tricia Kinns at Cohoes Middle School – tkinns@cohoes.org
- Angela Tommasini at Cohoes High School atommasi2@cohoes.org
Why is the clinic at Cohoes Middle School?
Research proves that students with access to behavioral health services in school-based health centers are ten times more likely to seek care for mental health or substance abuse than those who do not.
The middle school provides a central location for students and their families within Cohoes to access supports much more easily than traveling to Troy or Albany, preventing them from missing more school time.
Shifting to trauma-sensitive learning environment
The Cohoes City School District has worked to transform itself into a trauma-sensitive district where administrators, teachers and support staff are trained on how to form connections with students and create an environment that helps them feel safe and able to learn. Students from all socioeconomic backgrounds can experience traumatic events. These experiences can negatively impact a child’s development — from forming positive relationships to being able to learn and succeed academically.