The Long Beach Unified School District announced recently that it will be providing free individual counseling to students “experiencing social, emotional, and behavioral health-related needs.”
The announcement comes as students are grappling with immense change during the pandemic, which forced an abrupt shift to digital learning.
The counseling and therapy service will be provided as part of the district’s Family Resource Centers, which have drastically increased the services they’re offering in recent years in an attempt to help deal with increasing economic disparity.
The FRCs are located at Chavez Elementary, Signal Hill Elementary, Lindbergh Middle and Stephens Middle.
The counseling services will be provided by LBUSD school counselors and psychologists, and include help for students experiencing anxious behaviors, depressive behaviors, trauma-related behaviors or disruptive behaviors.
Among the other services provided by the FRCs are parenting classes and training on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for parents, guardians, or caregivers. The FRCs also serve as community hubs for the four LBUSD regions, connecting students and their families to other community resources and non-profits in the city.
Those referrals include help with finding food and clothing in addition to mental health treatment, as well as health care resources, Medi-Cal for low income or uninsured families, and information on immigration-related processes.
The four FRCs are open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students and families looking for help can walk into the FRCs during those times—no appointment needed. Extended hours are available Wednesday by appointment, and there is a parent workshops on Saturday mornings.
For more information or to contact one of the FRCs via phone or online form, visit this link.