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We hope our Frequently Asked Questions page helps you better understand the PUC Clinical Services program at PUC Schools. If you don't find an answer to your question in our FAQs, please feel free to contact PUC Schools and we will be happy to answer your questions.
Referral Process
Confidentiality
Treatment
Counselors
Trainings
Can the counseling program give trainings on child abuse, substance abuse, gang prevention, bullying, suicidal/homicidal ideation, self-mutilation, prevention education, child development, mind-body connection, sexual acting out, eating disorders, college preparedness etc.?
How do I make a Child Abuse Report?
What do I do if a student says they want to hurt themselves?
How can the Counseling Program help if there is a school wide crisis?
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How do students use the counseling program? |
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Students can use the counseling by simply referring themselves for individual, family or group therapy. They can approach a counselor directly or approach any school staff person and request counseling services. Counselors will assess the self referral and offer treatment as needed. |
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Who are those students who use the counseling program? |
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Any student can use counseling services. Typically those who are referred for counseling are those who have some kind of psychosocial emotional concern. Each year, the counselors follow up on those students who have received counseling services the year prior, and new referrals are made throughout the year. Referrals can be made by any school staff person, a family member or the student themselves. |
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What constitutes a referral? |
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Referrals are made when behavior starts to interfere with functioning. Referrals can be made for students who exhibit the following:
Severe behavioral disturbances, behavioral changes from extreme highs to lows, continued depressive symptoms, negative socialization issues/being an extreme extrovert or introvert, overly hyper behavior/unable to concentrate in class, low self esteem which interferes with social and academic performance, self-injurious behavior, continued sexualized behavior, aggressive behavior, severe weight changes, continued academic failure despite classroom intervention, etc.
Referrals can be made for students when school staff have become made aware of family issues (i.e. divorce, death in the family),abuse, suicidal/homicidal ideation, personal stresses, trauma etc.
If school staff are unsure as to whether they should make a referral for a student, guidance can be sought by a counseling staff person.
Referrals are made by completing a Counseling Request Form and giving it to the counselors. It is important that all areas of the Counseling Request Form are completed to ensure better communication and overall treatment of the student.
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What is the referral process? |
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Once a referral is made, the counselor follows up on the referral. The counselor has a checklist to complete: observation of the student in the classroom, reviewing the student's cumulative and counseling file, checking Powerschool, talking with school staff for clarification and further information about the referral, and making a phone call home to obtain consent. Consent for services must be obtained before treatment. The counselor will briefly meet with the student to notify him/her about the referral. Once consent is given, the counselor can proceed with treatment. |
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How are students pulled from class? |
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Students are seen in counseling throughout the school day. Sessions can be of varying times, up to one hour in length. Counselors get the students from the classroom for sessions. Counselors give Counseling Passes to teachers upon entering the classroom and the student is dismissed from class. The transition can be difficult for both the student and class. It can be embarrassing for the student. The counselor will process with the student their concerns about the classroom transition. For the students and teachers, it can be a disruption in learning. If significant problems arise, school staff can talk with the Counseling Program to problem solve. |
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How do students find out what they missed when they come back to the classroom? |
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Each school may have a different protocol for reviewing with the student what is missed during a counseling session. It is expected that the student is not penalized for what they missed and that the information is shared with them in some capacity. |
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What can be done for students who need counseling at the end of the year? |
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Students who have serious issues at the end of the year, can be seen briefly and given referrals for appropriate resources. Unfortunately, there are currently no in-house counseling services over the summer. If the student is returning to a PUC school, he/she can be seen immediately when school commences. |
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If a student is in counseling, can we discuss the student’s progress or problems and can we find out what is going on during treatment with the student? |
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A school staff person can share any information with a counselor. Unfortunately, what is said and done in a counseling session between a counselor and student is confidential. Unfortunately, counselors can not share information about a session. The counselor can only share a brief description about the students' state as well as help and support needed by school staff. The following is the limits to confidentiality:
There are exceptions to confidentiality of therapist-patient information set by California law:
If you tell your therapist you were abused as a child, and you are under 18 years of age at the time you tell your therapist, the therapist must report the abuse to a Child Protective Services agency. If you are over 18 when you tell the therapist, but there is a child at risk by the same abuser, then the therapist may be required to make a report. If you tell your therapist about being sexually assaulted, the therapist is not required to make a report unless you are under 18 at the time you tell the therapist. If you tell your therapist about elder abuse, the therapist may be required to make a report. If you tell your therapist that you actually intend to cause imminent, life-threatening harm to yourself, the therapist is legally obligated to take whatever actions seem necessary to protect you from harm. If you tell your therapist that you actually intend to do imminent bodily harm to a specific person(s), the law calls for your therapist to inform the authorities, intended victim(s) and take additional action if necessary. If a court of law orders a counselor or therapist to release information, that person is bound by law to comply with such an order.
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How do I support the Counselors? |
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Keeping in consistent communication with the counselors, honoring the individual, family and group sessions with students, making referrals when necessary, updating counselors on changes to baseline behavior and giving feedback to your administrative staff as well as to members of the Counseling Program provides much support. |
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How can communication be improved between the counselors and teachers? |
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The Counseling Program is making efforts each year to improve communications between the schools and the counselors. Throughout the year, there are individual meetings with school administrative staff and the counseling program as well as more presence in school staff meetings. Concerns/issues/questions can be shared at any time with the individual counselors or members of the Counseling Program. |
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What services are provided? |
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Individual, family and group therapy. Support services are also available for meetings with students (i.e. IEP, FST, Expulsion Hearings, etc.) Individual and family therapy is based on referrals. Groups are pre-designed (College Preparedness, New Student and Retained Student Groups) and others are designed by counselors based on individual interest and school need. Treatment is mental health based. It is based on the psychosocial needs of the student. |
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What is the process of counseling? |
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The process of counseling involves the building of the relationship between the counselor and the student, identifying a psychosocial emotional goal and developing interventions to meet that goal. |
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How can I provide family support? |
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Sharing any information about families, notifying the counselors when a family meeting is to take place, and reminding families that PUC schools offer family therapy (when appropriate) is supportive. |
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What about peer mediation? |
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Each school may have a different protocol for peer mediation. Counselors are available for some peer mediation depending on the seriousness of the situation. If parental consent is not obtained, the counselor can only see the students with the presence of another school staff. |
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How can I continue to support counseling after school ends in June? |
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Early intervention for students is key. Communicating needs for the upcoming school year and giving feedback on last year's counseling program helps the Counseling Program to prepare for the upcoming academic year. |
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Art Therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development. Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art. |
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What is sand tray therapy, music therapy, play therapy etc.? |
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Just like art therapy, it is the therapeutic use of sand, music and play toys in therapy. These are all mediums that help to connect to the unconscious material. |
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What about students who fail to demonstrate improved behavior despite continued counseling support? |
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Change can take a long time. Counseling does not "cure" individuals, it is a life long process. Continued negative functioning can be addressed by school administrative staff. |
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Who are the counselors and what are their schedules? |
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The counselors are students who are enrolled in either a marital and family therapy program, school counseling program, and/or art therapy program. They work on a non-paid basis for PUC for approximately one academic year. Each school is given approximately 1-3 counselors (based on need and enrollment). Each counselor works approximately 16 hours and is at the school site 1 to 2 days a week. |
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How available are the counselors? |
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The counselors are typically only available on their designated days. If needed outside the designated times and dates, the individual counselor may be asked personally if they can come in or provide assistance at another time. The Director of Clinical Services: Christine Sartiaguda, PPS Counselor: Kathryn Howard, and Clinical School Counselor: Melissa Springstead are full time employed staff persons and are available on call throughout the whole year. Office staff have contact numbers. |
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Is there tracking, measurements or outcomes on the success of the Counseling Program? |
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The success of the Counseling Program is based on self reports by students, families and school staff. Success can not be measured by student performance, since change takes place over time. |
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Can the counseling program give trainings on child abuse, substance abuse, gang prevention, bullying, suicidal/homicidal ideation, self-mutilation, prevention education, child development, mind-body connection, sexual acting out, eating disorders, college preparedness etc.? |
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The Counseling Program can provide some assistance and trainings in various topic areas such as those mentioned above. If there is a specific need by a school, administrative staff can request trainings and support. |
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How do I make a Child Abuse Report? |
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Any person working on a school is a mandated reporter for child abuse and are required my law to report abuse if information is shared directly with them related to child abuse. The Counseling Program can provide assistance with the Reporting Protocol. |
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What do I do if a student says they want to hurt themselves? |
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There is a suicidal and homicidal protocol. The Counseling Program can provide assistance with any student who is expressing suicidal and/or homicidal ideation. |
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How can the Counseling Program help if there is a school wide crisis? |
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The Counseling Program can provide an emergency response to any crisis event at a school campus. The Counseling Program can provide de-briefing, grief and loss support, individual and group crisis counseling, etc. The Counseling program will work collaboratively with administrative staff in the event of an emergency. |
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