School-Based Therapy

The first step to access school-based therapy is talking with the school counselor at your school. They will fill out a referral form for your student. This prompts our school-based therapist to contact you and share details on getting the required documentation to you for review and signature.

The school-based therapist will set a time to meet with you and your student to complete a comprehensive assessment. This information is used to build a wellness plan with specific goals designed to meet the needs of your student and your family.

The Compass Health Network's school-based therapists meet with your student regularly at school and utilize a variety of evidence-based practices, including:
• Play therapy
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
• EMDR
• Solution-focused brief therapy

Parents/guardians are invited and encouraged to be active in the treatment process. The school-based therapist will work with your student’s school to help them be more successful in the classroom and understand how best to support your student.

The benefits of your student receiving therapy services in school include:

• Serving students in a familiar setting
• Eliminating barriers to receiving services, like transportation and taking off work 
• Reducing student time spent outside of the classroom
• Providing an additional resource for school staff working with students who are struggling in the classroom
• Giving families access to a full continuum of care through the Compass Health Network, including community psychiatric rehabilitation services, psychiatry, medical, dental and substance use services.

The Compass Health Network is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic, a Community Mental Health Center and a Federally Qualified Health Center offering a full continuum of health care including medical, dental, behavioral health, and substance use services. They are credentialed by the Missouri Department of Mental Health, accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities and recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

School-based therapy in the Belton School District is available to students who carry MO HealthNet (Medicaid) as a primary or secondary insurance. If you are unsure if you qualify, please speak with your school counselor.