We all know that financial resources for school districts continue to come up short of meeting the needs of students. One way Cambridge Schools makes up for a lack of funding is by pursuing mutually beneficial partnerships with other local entities.
Recently, CCSD partnered up with Allwell Behavioral Health Services to provide additional counselling and support to the students in the district. While the school district has cooperated with mental health agencies in the past, through this partnership, Allwell will provide a full-time licensed social worker dedicated exclusively to the Cambridge City School District.
Tina Hill started her role as a school-based clinician the first of the year and will be spending one day per week in each of the district's buildings. She will be at the Middle School on Tuesdays, the High School on Wednesdays, the Intermediate School on Thursdays and the Primary School on Fridays.
“This is significant for us to have a fulltime devoted licensed social worker in our district,” Superintendent Coffman said. “This is another example of the school partnering with a local organization to improve services for our students. Thanks to the leadership at Allwell for their willingness to work with our school district.”
Hill, an employee of Allwell, will spend most of her time offering preventative and direct counseling to students. She will work closely with the building’s school counselors and student support staff to coordinate these services. The purpose is to improve the well-being of students and alleviate stress by addressing social-emotional issues like anger management, depression, anxiety and drug and alcohol prevention.
“Having a school-based clinician on site will provide a convenient location for students to receive mental health, supportive and preventative services,” Hill said. “I also will help students bridge any gaps between home and school.”
Hill also provides life skills education by working with students to help them develop and improve social skills, self-esteem, and coping skills. She also helps students deal with challenges such as test anxiety, bullying, depression and drug and alcohol addictions.
“I want to stress that any information that is shared with me by the student is confidential,” Hill said. “Just because I work at the school doesn’t mean I share information with school officials.”
School staff can make student referrals for preventative services and crisis interventions by contacting their building counselor.
Hill graduated from Cambridge High School but received most of her education from neighboring Newcomerstown Schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and has 12-years’ experience working in social services with a good bit of experience with mental health and child welfare. She resides just outside of Newcomerstown with her husband for four children.