Hendry Co. students get mental health support, life coaching with new resource

LABELLE, Fla. — Hendry County School District has launched a new mental health support and life-coaching tool to help middle and high school students navigate stress, relationship issues, and other daily challenges.

The grant-funded messaging service, Clayful Health, connects students and staff with live coaches, supervised by mental health counselors, within 60 seconds.

Hendry County launches a mental health and life-coaching tool for students and staff

"Their relationship topics, testing anxiety, stress anxiety, some bullying, and also grief. Even organizational skills, time management, productivity," said Lynnette White, director of ESE and Student Services for Hendry County School District.

White said the service addresses a critical gap for students who may not have access to adult support at home during evening hours.

"A lot of our children may not have access to an adult at home in the evening. Maybe that adult's working, and they're at home alone. Just having somebody immediate that they can respond and interact with, I think, is very helpful for them," White said.

Parents must fill out a consent form for their children to use it. The coaches have a protocol to follow in the case of a crisis.

Clayful Health posters — The Hendry County School District has placed posters in hallways and in areas where students might go during stressful times, such as bathrooms.

"If it does escalate where students are having a concern at that level - a crisis level - they would have someone on staff to be able to interact with them, help de-escalate that, and then make any referrals that they needed," White said.

Tammy Bass, principal at LaBelle High School, said the tool helps address accessibility barriers that many families face when seeking mental health support.

"People struggle with not having someone to talk to or being able to actually afford to be able to have someone to talk to," Bass said.

Clayful Health messaging platform — Clayful Health enables students and staff to ask questions and receive advice on a wide range of topics, including mental health support and life coaching.

White said the service can help provide support in rural areas that may lack options.

"Truly, having enough mental health providers in our community is an area that we continue to grow in and hope for more," White said.

The platform is available from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., including after-school hours, weekends, and winter and summer breaks.

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