Behavioral/Emotional Support Referrals

Dorchester School District Two employs Master level social workers from accredited schools of social work education.  School social workers have varied backgrounds in Child and Family Welfare, Mental Health, Public Health and Advocacy as well as other areas related to children and families.  School social workers are governed by the Social Work Code of Ethics, affiliated with the National Association of Social Workers.

The Role of the School Social Worker
School social work is a specialized service that assists students with academic learning by providing interventions that identify and address the behavior-personal-emotional wellness that interfere with the education process.  Collaborating with parents/guardians, teachers, school administration, school counselors, school psychologist, and community-based resources, the school social worker implements strategies that promote students that are emotionally available for learning.  School Social Workers are members of the DD2 Special Services Department.

Services Provided

• School social workers are assigned to schools based upon the district’s overall strategic plan.  School social workers provide ongoing services at no cost, with parental notification to specific populations and interventions within the district such as, but not limited to:
• Serve on IEP, MTSS and other school teams
• Assist in developing intervention strategies and serve on crisis teams
• Conduct staff presentations on behavioral, emotional, developmental, environmental issues that impact student learning
• Locate available community resources to provide families with various supports
• Serve as liaison with community agencies
• Provide case management to students and/or their families
• Provide direct services to students and/or families (individual and group)
• Conduct risk assessments (suicidal and/or homicidal)
• Assess and intervene on student attendance

DDTwo School Social Workers:

• Al-Nisa Riley, Supervisor        
• Cheryl Andersen
• Bridget Bowens
• Alyssa Chirillo
• Candace Creel
• Katharine DeZerga
• Jocelyn Funchess
• April Woodard
• Kiana Washington        

Charleston Dorchester Mental Health Center/ School Mental Health Therapist

School Mental Health Therapists are employed by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. School Mental Health Therapists are mastered level therapists with years of clinical experience and training in various evidence-based practices such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), motivational interviewing (MI), and trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT), and cognitive processing therapy (CPT).

The Role of School Mental Health Therapist

The SC Department of Mental Health mission of School Mental Health is to identify and intervene at early points in emotional disturbances to assist our families in developing evidence-based strategies to resolve these disturbances. To make a school-based referral, ask your child’s principal, guidance counselor or teacher for a referral form.

Services Provided:

• Individual Therapy- We offer convenient and flexible therapy sessions that may be provided at school, home, at the clinic, or via telehealth.
• Group Therapy- We offer a variety of therapy groups to provide ongoing support and treatment for your child.
• Family treatment- School Mental Health Therapist works closely with the family to ensure all aspects of the child’s needs are addressed and supported.
• Evidence-Based Care- School Mental Health Therapist provide clinical interventions and programs that are empirically based and proven to produce positive results.
• Crisis Interventions- School Mental Health Therapist are trained to respond to crisis situations in real time, and they are able to access Dorchester Mental Health Center mobile crisis team if additional support is needed.
• Year-round Services- Services continue during the summer months. Children and families are encouraged to participate to maintain and build on progress made during the school year.
• Doctor’s and Nursing Appointments- Our medical team offers the very best in psychiatric care with treatment.