There is no doubt this past year has been challenging for everyone. It has been particularly hard on teens, said Rachel Barnhart. She knows firsthand what students have been facing because she's been working with middle-schoolers and high-schoolers at Elizabethtown Area School District as a crisis response counselor since the school year began. She is employed by Elizabethtown Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS) but contracted through the district.
"My job came into place because of the rise in crises in schools," she noted. "School counselors couldn't keep up with the numbers, and also their position really focuses on other things." While school counselors may meet with students to go over class schedules and sometimes touch on emotional issues, that's not their main job responsibility, she said.
"When they see a student with suicidal ideation or homicidal ideation or conflict at home, I get brought in," she explained. "I could get a referral from a school counselor or another student or a teacher or a family member."
Barnhart's job is to serve as a resource between what the school offers and outpatient or inpatient therapy. "My job is not to replace outpatient therapy but to create stability for students at the time," she said. "I'll refer them to outpatient therapy or, if they need inpatient, I'll refer them there. Then, I'm here to help them when they come back."
Hired in July, Barnhart has seen a steady increase in the number of students she's working with. In the first four months of the 2020-21 school year, she worked with 43 students, conducted 112 sessions and provided more than 70 hours of crisis counseling.
"This year has been really tough for teens," she said. "The pandemic has brought an increase in isolation, depression and anxiety."
Barnhart noted that her position is important not only because it serves students in need, but also because she can help keep students out of hospitals. "I get to reduce over-hospitalization, especially when it comes to conversations about suicidal ideation," she explained. "I'm able to prevent this in the middle of a pandemic when hospitals are already being flooded for other reasons."
She said this position has taught her not only that there's a need for her services, but also that students are stronger than she expected. "I've never been so impressed with teenagers and their resiliency and ability to adapt," she remarked. "This has not in any way been an easy year, but they are doing it, and I'm proud of them. I'm honored to work with them and be a part of their journey."
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