SCHOOL COUNSELORS ARE educatorS who:
- advocate for all students
- provide individual and small group counseling
- work with teachers and parents to provide suggestions and support for student needs
- create and implement classroom school counseling lessons
- help identify social-emotional and academic needs of students
- help children understand themselves and others
- make referrals to outside agencies
- manage 504 Accommodation Plans
- assist with schedule changes and coordinate clan placement
School Counseling vs. Therapy
School Counseling helps to address concerns that may be interfering with student learning and assists with situational and developmental problems. School Counseling does not provide involved therapy or the treatment of a diagnosis.
A student who has been referred to an outside agency for counseling services or sees a therapist due to other reasons cannot receive on-going individual services as it is a conflict of interest.
If the needs of a student require more assistance than the school counseling program can address, an outside referral to therapy may be necessary.
A student who has been referred to an outside agency for counseling services or sees a therapist due to other reasons cannot receive on-going individual services as it is a conflict of interest.
If the needs of a student require more assistance than the school counseling program can address, an outside referral to therapy may be necessary.
Confidentiality
The counseling relationship and information obtained must be kept confidential and consistent with the ethical obligations we have as a professional school counselors.
The following link directs you to an article written for the American School Counselor Association that describes the stance of a school counselor regarding confidentiality:
What Parents Need to Know About Confidentiality
The following link directs you to an article written for the American School Counselor Association that describes the stance of a school counselor regarding confidentiality:
What Parents Need to Know About Confidentiality
Mandated Reporting
Maine law states that, as educators, if we know or have reasonable cause to suspect that a child has been or is likely to be abused or neglected, we are required to file a report with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.
If you suspect the abuse or neglect of a child, please call DHHS at 1-800-452-1999
If you suspect the abuse or neglect of a child, please call DHHS at 1-800-452-1999