ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Hundreds of mountain students with mental health needs are on wait lists to see a school-based therapist. That’s because a majority of Western North Carolina counties fall within a mental health professional shortage area.
News 13 has uncovered an alternative approach one school system is taking to reach struggling kids before they’re waiting for help. It involves therapeutic adventure work and a willing community partner with a pro-active drive.
THE PROGRAM
“There’s actually research behind the amount of time you spend in nature connected to mental health,” said Kelley Adams, Student Services Program specialist with the Buncombe County Schools.
No one may know this better than a small group of A.C. Reynolds High School students. Weekly, they leave behind desktops and lectures for therapeutic adventures outdoors.
“They are released from school, and once a week for 10 weeks, get on a PIVOTPoint transportation to go out into the wilderness and work with the staff at PIVOTPoint to engage in the outdoors and also build the skills that they need through conversation and just through experiential learning opportunities,” said Adams.
ADVOCATES CALL FOR NATIONAL STANDARDS IN YOUTH THERAPY AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE
Matt Nannis is the founder of PIVOTPoint WNC Therapeutic Adventure Works. Years ago, hiking aided his own therapeutic recovery.
“For those six hours, I felt a degree of a kind calm, and I think, more importantly, self-acceptance that, at the time, I wasn’t finding in any other part of my day,” Nannis said.
PIVOTPOINT WNC
Why is the outdoors so supportive when it comes to mental health, questioned News 13.
“It’s an intimate relationship when someone is in the outdoors hiking, just sitting on a bench surrounded by trees in a park in the city or at a beautiful waterfall. There’s an intimacy there and its not personal,” said Nannis.
Which could allow students to open up about their struggles while participating.
“This is not therapy, but it is therapeutic, what’s the difference?” questioned News 13.
SPECIAL REPORT: WILDERNESS THERAPY TRAGEDY SPARKS CALLS FOR REFORM
“They are targeting skills. They’re targeting leadership skills, resiliency skills, self-management skills, but we know everyone has a different level of skills they need to work on,” explained Adams.
Students and staff talk about goals and challenges and learn about habits students are already aware of.
“It’s very intentional work,” said Dr. Shane Cassida, director of Student Services for Buncombe County Schools. “They’re realizing that they’re leaving that work feeling more like a leader or feeling like I am more prepared to reach out to my fellow students.”
“PIVOTPoint does a really great job of collecting data before they go out into the wilderness and when they come back,” said Adams.
‘WHY US KIDS?’ EVENT: 11-YEAR-OLD LEADS CHARGE FOR BETTER NC CHILD MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
THE DATA
That data is shared with school counselors and family members.
“Students have responded so well that they’re telling their friends about it and they’re saying, ‘Hey, I participated in this, I think that you would really benefit from it,’” Adams said. “They’re going to the school counselor and saying, ‘Have you talked to this student? I think they would really benefit from this opportunity.’”
“When you are looking out for someone else and their mental health and their well-being and I think well-being is a really good way of looking at it,” said Cassida.
While they’re still collecting data on the impact, the success means the program will continue and expand to community high schools in the fall.
“If the program is not yet at their high school, we actually want them to still call in because that lets us know the need and the desire for the program,” Cassida said, “and we can use that as expansion possibilities down the road.”
“It’s replicable, everything that we’re doing,” said Nannis.
Families interested in accessing services should contact a school counselor or school social worker. Both can assist in referral processes for services.