When a student’s mental health is taken care of, their school performance is significantly improved. A lot of students struggle with mental health, and their education is at risk as well as their overall wellbeing. Many people are not aware that help can be received through Karns High School, that help being Therapy. The partnership between schools in Knox County and Helen Ross Mcnabb is a way to give students resources they need to have an improved high school experience.

The counselors here at Karns are meant to help students with small worries and educational struggles. Because Helen Ross Mcnabb has a therapist work at Karns, that allows students to have a place to get deeper help while getting education. It is a safe process that puts in extra effort to keep students’ minds well.

“Our counselors are trained in academic components, but a lot of our students need more in depth than what our counselors are here to provide,” Dr. Hatfield said,  “There’s so many more aspects to students than just needing to be educated, we want them to be in the right frame of mind.”

How students get into therapy through the school is finding the paperwork from a counselor or principal. Some counselors or teachers will refer you to Helen Ross Mcnabb if they think you could benefit from it or if you ask. They will be taken out of a non-academic class and sent to the library. Likely, they will have the student visit their office once a week. 

“It’s a referral process, our counselors realize that the student needs more than what their job is and refer the student to Helen Ross Mcabb,” Dr. Hatfield said, “they would receive paperwork for the resource we offer.”

The process of being put into therapy is simple and kept private. All of the information stays in Helen Ross Mcnabb even though the therapist will take in students during class at Karns.

“Knowledge of students [in therapy] is kept very confidential since I don’t know, the counselors don’t know, and my administration doesn’t know who is in it”, Dr. Hatfield said. “Even though a referral could be put in, it all goes to Helen Ross Mcnabb.”

There are many positive outcomes for this partnership that allows students to find therapy through their school. It is important for students to be mentally well in order to be successful at school and to take care of themselves in all aspects.

“We’ve seen positive impacts through students having less personal crises at school, being able to get through their day without a meltdown occuring,” Dr. Hatfield said, “Having good mental health will help a student make better decisions, stay focused in class, and have healthy relationships with their peers.”

This partnership between Knox County Schools and Helen Ross Mcnabb has been incredibly beneficial to students at Karns because they are given help when they might not have been able to get it outside of school. A therapist that can truly help students with their larger problems is helpful to students because they will be less likely to make bad decisions and to have meltdowns. Students’ health and academic performances are greatly improved due to Helen Ross Mcnabb having a therapist at Karns.