School Counseling & Social Work at APS

School-based Mental Health Resources

Social Work & School Counseling in our Schools

Arlington Youth Counseling Cente r (AYCC) (Project SUCCESS) - contact your school counselor/social worker for help accessing this service
Cartwheel Care - contact your school counselor/social worker for help accessing this service
Advocates partners with APS to offer mobile crisis intervention services - 24/7 crisis intervention for those residing in Arlington and surrounding towns. Advocates also has a Waltham clinic (675 Main Street) which offers on-site care for routine and urgent concerns.
Boston Medical Center’s Community Behavioral Health Center - Mobile Crisis Intervention also offers crisis intervention for those who don't reside in Arlington.
Community Behavioral Health Centers
School Counseling/Guidance websites
Youth Mental Health First Aid Training - free mental health skills-based training for adults - school staff, parents, caregivers, community members can all receive free training!
Trails (tier 2)
Safety Care

School-based Support Programs

Harbor/ShortStop - inclusion programs at AHS for students with long-term and short-term mental health and medical issues. Contact Andrea Razi for more information.
Ottoson Bridge Program - provides clinical support, academic coordination, family support, and care coordination services to students who are reintegrating into a full schedule after missing extensive amounts of learning due to serious mental health, medical, and/or life transition challenges. The Ottoson Bridge Program is a short-term program with supports customized to each student’s needs that are culturally competent, clinically informed, and flexible. Program staff strive to coordinate resources within Ottoson Middle School and the wider community - and partner effectively with families to help each participating student reintegrate and finish the school year successfully.

Mental health Assessment & Outreach

The Arlington Public School Counseling/Social Work teams provide an annual, universal mental health screener to all Arlington Public School students grades 4-12. We use the screener to better understand how our students are coping with social issues, chronic stress, and how we can best support their mental health and wellbeing.

For more information, check out our 2023-2024 Mental Health Screener FAQs.

Resources for Families & Caregivers

Caregiver Support Resources

Bryt Parents Supporting Parents - free virtual support groups
Parents Helping Parents - nonprofit organization offering a range of free supports for parents and caregivers (24/7 parent stress line, virtual parent support groups, and a resource directory)
Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL) - grassroots family organization supporting families whose children have mental health needs.
Community mental health supports

Workshops & Trainings for Caregivers

Youth Mental Health First Aid training for adults - learn concrete skills and tools to identify, understand, and respond to an adolescent who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge.
Cartwheel webinars for caregivers and parents - free virtual webinars
- Upcoming webinars: Finding the words: How to effectively speak with kids and teens about suicide and mental health, May 7th at 7:30pm
SPACE workshops for caregivers
McLean's Leaders in Youth Mental Health Series - free webinars for families
- Upcoming webinars:
  - Understanding Pediatric Anxiety Disorders and OCD, May 15th at 12pm
- Watch previous webinars on demand:
  - Understanding Transgender and Non-Binary Youth
  - Crabby kids: What To Do When My Kid Starts Snapping
  - Partnering with Schools for Services and Supports
  - Addressing the National Emergency of Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Children and Teens
  - Helping Families Navigate The Mental Health System
  - Parenting in the Context of Anxiety: What Parents Need to Know to Support their Children and Themselves

Community Resources

BIPOC Mental Health Resources - specific mental health resources for the BIPOC community.

Resource sheet with a list of community, housing, food, and family support resources for Arlington residents and families.
Arlington EATS - provides fresh produce, meat, dairy products, and a wide variety of pantry staples to any Arlington resident in need of food.
Neighbors Eating All Together (NEAT) - free monthly community meals at Arlington Community Center.
Mystic Community Market in Medford - free groceries, open to anyone.
Homelessness Prevention Program through the Housing Corporation of Arlington - assistance with rent, moving expenses, or security deposit for eligible households.