Licensed Mental Health Professionals
Licensed Mental Health Professionals (LMHPs) have master's degrees in social work, mental health, or marriage and family counseling. LMHPs hold active licensure via the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling, under the Florida Department of Health. LMHPs adhere to all confidentiality guidelines as outlined by the Department of Health and Professional Code of Ethics.
In collaboration with the school-based mental health team, LMHPs work to:
- Provide direct support of mental health services, including school-based individual and group counseling
- Train and build the capacity of school personnel to respond to mental health challenges within our student population
- When needed, make referrals to outside agencies
- Respond to crises
School Counselors
Counseling and guidance programs have undergone an evolution over several decades and are critical to help prepare students to meet the challenges of the future. Lee County school counselors promote academic, college, and career readiness and social/emotional development for all students.
Classroom Guidance Lessons: Helps students understand themselves and others. Through classroom guidance, school counselors help students develop peer relationships; effective social, decision-making, and study skills; effective communication, conflict resolution, and coping strategies; and more.
Individual Student Planning: Helps students set goals, establish academic and career plans, understand their strengths and weaknesses, and prepare for the transition to the next stage of their lives.
Responsive Services: Assists students with particular needs, such as adjusting to a new school, coping with grief following a crisis, and dealing with substance abuse or other risky behaviors. These services are provided through individual and small group counseling, peer facilitation and consultation, and referrals to professionals trained in mental health, welfare, and other specialties.
System Support: Enhances school climate and relationships among members of the school community. School Counselors coordinate parent outreach services, community support services, and consultations with other faculty and staff.
School Social Workers
School Social Workers are highly trained professionals with a Master's Degree from an institution of higher learning. School Social Workers are itinerants, serving multiple different schools or programs either daily, weekly, or in an on-call capacity.
- Enforcement of compulsory school attendance laws
- Home visits and outreach services to students and families
- Completes social development histories to assist with a student's psycho-educational evaluation
- Serves on the Child Study Team at each school to assist students experiencing attendance, academic, social, emotional, and/or health problems
- Participates in staffing with school personnel, parents, and community agencies to provide coordinated evaluations and planning for students
- Coordinates services with other agencies to develop a comprehensive service delivery system, accessing community, medical, mental health, and social welfare services
- Crisis prevention and intervention
- Advocacy for students, parents, and the school system
School Psychologists
School Psychologists must be credentialed by the state in which they work and may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology Certification Board (NSPCB). The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) sets standards for graduate preparation, credentialing, professional practice, and ethics. The NASP Practice Model (2020) outlines the comprehensive services that school psychologists are encouraged to provide.
- Conduct comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations
- Conduct data analysis and problem-solving of student learning needs
- Provide social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health consultation
- Consult with families, teachers, administrators, and school-based mental health professionals
- Work to improve student support strategies
Review the School-Based Mental Health Services Resource Guide for more details.