Here at Hemet Unified we are dedicated to supporting a student’s academic interests, athletic abilities, creativity, and offering support systems during challenging times; we call this supporting the whole child. While we are in the business of educating our students, our interest does not stop there. We want to provide a culture where students are not ashamed to speak up and ask for help.
Hemet Unified has a small department within Special Education for Behavioral and Mental Health Support for students and their families. This department has streamlined support services district-wide to ensure all students are receiving appropriate support for their specific needs.
The team provides a variety of services to all of our school sites. For instance, if a student is demonstrating behavioral issues, the team will provide a Behavioral Specialist that may include a Behavior Technician to support the classroom. They work with both the student and the teacher to provide a stable learning environment for everyone involved. The Behavioral Technician will provide the teacher with techniques and best practices and also work with the student to understand the root cause of their behavioral issue and work towards a resolution.
Special Education’s Behavioral and Mental Health team has presented five times in the last three years at statewide conferences. They have shared ideas on creating and providing a Crisis Response Team, delivery services for Mental Health Services for students in Special Education, and how to effectively use Behavioral Specialists and Technicians.
Last October, the Coordinator of Behavioral and Mental Health, Dr. Richard Kleindienst, and Behavioral and Mental Health Therapists Hope Anderson and Krystal Duncan, hosted a three-hour presentation on the importance of conducting a thorough assessment and its role in suicide prevention. The three of them simulated a role-play of a teen who indicated he was thinking about committing suicide. They stressed the importance of identifying the severity of threats and ensuring all students are getting the appropriate treatment as quickly as possible.
As a District, we are proud to provide additional resources to our students. If your student is displaying behavioral tendencies and you are unsure of what to do, please reach out to your school’s counseling department.