PSW: Social Emotional Support

The Psychiatric Social Worker (PSW) is present here at La Salle Avenue Elementary School for 5 days during the week.  The PSW assists students experiencing behavioral, social, and emotional problems that are impairing the students’ academic performance and their ability to socialize with peers in an appropriate manner.  The PSW provides a variety of services which include individual counseling, family support, and small therapeutic groups with targeted students to address specific topics (i.e. school adjustment, stress management, skill-building, social skills, bullying, etc.).  The PSW provides Crisis Support Services to students (i.e. suicide risk assessment, threat assessment, reentry, safety planning, brief counseling, and linkages), mental health consultations with teachers/support staff and during meetings (e.g. Safety, SSPT, SART, and IEP), referrals to community based and School Mental Health Wellness clinics, linkages to community resources for students and families (e.g. food banks, clothing, extracurricular activities, etc.), psycho-education, and parent support to address barriers and  encourage parent engagement in the educational process.  The PSW also promotes mental health awareness through campaigns and activities (e.g. Social Work Week).

Additionally, the PSW works conjointly with the Restorative Justice Teacher Advisor.  The Restorative Justice Teacher Advisor and the PSW oversee the activities conducted in the Reflection Room. During recess, the students have the option to engage in alternative play in the Reflection Room instead of playing on the school’s playground.  The activities available to the students are board games, puzzles, art supplies, books, and other fun activities.  As previously indicated, the PSW, along with the Restorative Justice Teacher Ad

visor facilitate groups for targeted students to improve positive behaviors, social skills, coping skills, and problem-solving skills; the groups are conducted in the Reflection Room.  Peer-conflict resolution sessions are also conducted in the Reflection Room facilitated by the Restorative Justice Teacher Advisor and the PSW.