High school welcomes mental health counselor

Columbia Falls High School will now have mental health counseling services available for its student body. In cooperation with North Valley Hospital, licensed clinical social worker Charley Jones will work with students and families in need through the hospital’s school-based clinic.

Jones grew up in Washington state and has been working with adolescents for the past 15 years, seven as a therapist. Jones will be at the school on Tuesdays.

In the past, students who have needed counseling would have to go to therapy outside the school and in the process, miss classes they’re probably already struggling with, Jones noted.

Being in-house should help with that problem, he noted.

Jones said he hopes to see about seven students a day, and can offer help with anxiety, depression, motivational challenges and home life.

Those problems are often amplified in today’s youth, particularly through social media.

Anxiety rates are up among teens and Montana leads the nation in per capita suicide rates.

Jones notes its often hard for teens to get away and “unplug” even in a place like Montana.

“It is a new age,” he said. “If (social media) is an issue (with a client) it will definitely be discussed.”

He notes that many social media platforms put a lot of value on a person’s popularity.

“Those are causing a lot of struggles,” he said.

This is the first generation to have to deal with it, he noted. It’s a unique generation in that regard.

“It’s important to get mental health (counseling) in the schools,” he said.

Social media isn’t the only ill, for sure. For example, more than 30 students at the high school are considered, by law, as homeless.

That doesn’t necessarily mean they have no roof over their head, but they don’t have a normal family life, either. They can be “couch surfers” living from friend’s house to friend’s house, or living with a relative, like a grandparent.

Jones as been in the valley for five years now. He previously worked with teens at Seattle’s Children Hospital.

He said the goal is to “build a trusting relationship with students, families and school staff.”

School principal Scott Gaiser said Jones will be a welcome addition.

“It’s another support piece for our kids,” he said. “He fulfills a need that’s there.”

Jones will be sharing office space with student and family advocate Tamara Sundberg.