Behavioral Health Department Overview
Behavioral Health Department Overview
The TSD Behavioral Health Team provides a range of services to students to help them achieve personal and academic success. The team-based approach to behavioral health involves collaborating between members to ensure students and families receive catered services based on their needs.
Referrals to the team should be made through school counselors who act as coordinators for services. At the same time, feel free to discuss behavioral health concerns with a staff member of your choice. Direct referrals can be made to School Counselors by reaching out via email, in person, or utilizing the following forms for TIS and TMHS. Flow of services following a referral are outlined in the chart found here.
Below are titles of Team members, their contact information, and a description of their services. Each individual specializes in a different aspect of behavioral health, comprising a robust delivery of services across all members.
Behavioral Health Team
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Alex Jones, TMHS School Counselor I provide academic counseling, postsecondary planning, and social emotional support for students in grades 7, 8 and 9. Services include classroom lessons, group counseling, individual counseling (short term), consultation, family support, and more. Students who work with me often improve academic standings and work through conflicts in their lives. In addition to my work for students, I am also the leader of the Behavioral Health Team, a 504 coordinator and grant manager. |
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Carley Jones, TIS School Counselor I provide academic and social emotional support for students in grades 3 through 6. Most notably, I provide classroom lessons, group counseling, individual student support (up to 6 sessions), homework support, and 504 coordination. |
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Cela White, Elementary School Counselor and MTSS/Behavior Coordinator As the Elementary School Counselor I provide social emotional support for grades Pre K - 2 for individual students and in small group settings. As district MTSS/Behavior Coordinator, I provide district wide support for PBIS initiatives at all grade levels and help guide the MTSS process. I work with student behavior support on a tier one (all students) and tier two basis (small group and individual students). |
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Laura Knight, School Social Worker As the school social worker, I provide a variety of support for students and families. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works with students in grades K through 12. Throughout the year, I engage by connecting families to community resources, providing consultation to staff, delivering SEL lessons, collaborating with MTSS teams, attending school field trips, supporting the Special Education Department, and delivering direct services to individual students, groups of students, and families in all District Schools. |
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Jim Riley, School-based Mental Health Therapist As a school-based mental health counselor, I help students develop a better understanding of experiences and challenges, and consciously explore personal goals. Counseling sessions facilitate student reflection, present appropriate challenges to thoughts, emotions and behaviors, and consider functional behavior to achieve student-identified goals. Elements of Person-Centered, SFBT, Motivational Interviewing, CBT, DBT and strengths based approaches are incorporated into sessions. Referrals may be made to me through a student’s school counselor. |
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Stephanie Velasco Nieto, School Nurse svelasconieto@telluride.k12.co.us I provide medical services for students in TIS and TMHS. Students may access my office whenever they have medical needs, need to do self care, and need support. I can assess their safety and collaborate with our behavioral health team. I often collaborate with families and providers when diagnosis arises and treatment plans need to be followed, especially involving medications and support plans. The TES School Nurse, Sheila Lawson, LPN, performs similar functions at TES. If your child needs medications in school or has a chronic medical condition please contact me and I will direct you on what needs to be done.
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Rex Lybrand, College Counselor I provide college counseling and post-secondary support. This includes sending counselor reports to universities, creating the school profile for colleges to review, helping students select and apply to colleges, supporting student financial aid aspirations, and managing scholarship opportunities. I also teach Junior Seminars and Senior Seminars--courses that support students in achieving post-secondary goals. My services are only available to high school students, and primarily students in 11th and 12th. |
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Emily Carlson, School Phsychologist I work to support students’ ability to learn by providing direct support and interventions to students, consulting with teachers, families, and other members of the Behavioral Health Team to help students succeed. I also conduct psychological assessments as part of the Special Education team and support students in both special education and general education with their mental health needs. I am a district-wide employee. |
