SUN Behavioral Health Lexington will soon be offering its second school-based mental health service program through a new partnership with Clark County Public Schools.
A SUN Behavioral-operated center will open inside Conkwright Elementary and offer mental health services to kindergarten through 5th grade students throughout the district.
Focus On Youth Mental Health
The SUN Behavioral center will be open during school hours (7:40am – 2:40pm) Monday-Friday and managed on-site by a SUN therapist and mental health technician.
School faculty and administrators, parents, and other community referral sources can make referrals of students to the program, which includes free assessments.
To offer more personalized attention and care, only six to eight participants will be enrolled at a time.
“We just started our second school year with our middle school program in partnership with Fayette County Public Schools and are optimistic about the Clark County partnership,” said SUN Behavioral Health Kentucky CEO Jason Staats. “When delivering group-based outpatient therapy on a school campus, the fear some children may have about being in an unfamiliar treatment setting is lessened. The students receive the education, tools, and support to strengthen their wellbeing in the setting they will be returning to when our level of care is no longer needed.”
SUN Behavioral Lexington is an outpatient center for people who are working to recover from substance use and mental health disorders.
In addition to the Lexington center, SUN Behavioral Health operates a psychiatric hospital in Erlanger in partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare.
“SUN Behavioral will provide group-based psychotherapy for youth with mental health diagnoses including anxiety, depression, and behavioral disorders,” said Jared Dillow, LPP, Director of Outpatient Services for SUN Behavioral Lexington. “The aim of the therapy is to provide strategies to improve daily functioning and either prevent hospitalization or serve as an intensive step-down for patients that have recently been hospitalized.”
The center is expected to open in October.
“I feel like the partnership will benefit students and families by reducing barriers and increasing access to professional mental health services,” said Allison Nelson, Psy.S, District MTSS Specialist for Clark County Public Schools. “We are grateful to partner with SUN Behavioral Health to meet this critical need for students.”
For more information about SUN Behavioral Health Lexington, visit sunbehavioral.com.
