By Megan Sayles
AFRO Business Writer
msayles@afro.com
BTST Services, a community-based mental health clinic, has brought its resources to Harlem Park Elementary/Middle School in West Baltimore. The agency, founded by serial entrepreneur and restaurateur Chris Simon, held the grand opening of its mental health suite at the school on Sept. 25.
AFRO Photo/Megan Sayles
With its new space, BTST Services will provide counseling, mentoring and other mental health support to students. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six children aged two to eight have a diagnosed mental, behavioral or developmental disorder. For those living below the federal poverty line, the percentage increases to 22 percent.
In Harlem Park, nearly 31 percent of families live below the line.
“A lot of times in our communities, they give us what they think we’re worth. They give us the leftovers and the hand-me-downs. They don’t provide for us the same thing they provide to our counterparts on another side of town,” said Simon. “We wanted to stop that. We wanted to make sure you know that we really invested in this space to show you that you’re worth it, your education is worth it and your wellness and health is worth it.”
The CDC reports that the incidence of depression and anxiety in children aged six to 17 is increasing over time. More than 36 percent of those aged 12 to 17 experience persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness and 18.8 percent have considered attempting suicide.
During an assembly to celebrate the grand opening, Principal Venus Jackson asked her students why they thought the school needed the mental health suite. The young people’s answers included helping people in need, having a safe space to communicate and express their feelings and having a place to cool down after conflict at home or in school.
She commended Simon’s team for being proactive in lending its services.
“Believe it or not, I did not have to ask them, ‘Can you come and create a wellness space for us?’ Mr. Simon came to me and said, ‘will you have us next year?’” said Jackson. “I thought about the fact that we had a new wing, and I said, ‘I think we have the perfect area for you.’”
The new mental health suite will provide individual and group therapy to students. BTST Services’ model includes providing young people with both a school-based and community-based therapist.
The former hosts biweekly or weekly counseling sessions and serves the school by attending family nights, facilitating parent support groups and training teachers. The latter meets with students weekly outside of school and leads family therapy sessions to manage challenges brought on by their environments.
The suite will also offer a psychiatric rehabilitation program and medication management. The space features bean bags, a TV, playstation and motivational rap lyrics.
“You might not even come see someone for formal therapy,” said Simon “You might just want to come sit in there and take a breather in between your classes.”
BTST Services COO Jada McCray explained that adults tend to forget the fact that children are people with their own feelings and experiences. She said, many times, they tell children that they are in the best years of their lives, which can minimize the challenges youth face.
She wants the suite to be a space where children can ask questions and sort out their emotions.
“You are worth someone going the extra mile,” said McCray. “You are worth someone putting effort, time and attention into something that belongs to you.”
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