South Pasadena Unified School District has selected Care Solace, an organization designed to calm the chaos of mental health-care coordination, to support behavioral and mental referrals for students, families and employees. Care Solace offers a web-based tool that makes it easier to connect with local mental health-care resources and providers.
“School is more than a place to learn. It’s a place where students come to feel embraced, included and supported,” said Dennis LeFevre, SPUSD executive director of Student Support Services. “Especially during times when our families, students and employees are facing unprecedented challenges, we are committed to offering solutions that strengthen the health and safety of our learning community.”
According to Child Trends, a leading research organization focused on the lives of the most vulnerable children, quick and easy access to evidence-based intervention offers the best opportunity to reduce the burden of economic and health costs associated with mental health disorders. Care Solace’s navigation system uses proprietary technology and the largest database of behavioral and mental health-care resources in California to find carefully vetted local therapists and programs in minutes.
SPUSD students and employees, including their family members, will also have access to an around-the-clock Care Concierge team, where experts guide families through processes related to insurance, provider availability, wait times and scheduling. Care Solace also offers its support in multiple languages such as English, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese. If an individual speaks a different language, Care Solace will find the translation services needed.
“By partnering with South Pasadena Unified, we’re paving a new path forward to connect individuals with verified community-based resources in times of need,” said Chad Castruita, founder of Care Solace. “There are many barriers that make it difficult for schools and families to get mental health care. We want to lift that burden so they can focus on what’s most important — getting well.”
Care Solace provides the network to help determine when support is needed and assists in coordinating community-based mental health-care options. Professional counseling also is available through online therapy sessions to assist people who may have limited access to behavioral and mental health-care resources and providers.
For more information, contact scarroll@spusd.netterventions.
