School-Based Counseling

How We Help

We have a school-based counselor available at three local Chicago schools: Association House of Chicago, Rowe Clark, and ASPIRA Antonio Pantoja. We provide a collaborative multi-tiered intervention designed to support students and their families as they transition back into fully in-person learning. The school we work with are high-need schools serving at-risk populations.

Our Schools

Our Approach

Our program offers a three tier approach that can be applied to high school staff, parents, and students. We focus on universal interventions, targeted strategies, and clinical interventions.

Tier 1: Universal Interventions

Consisting of teacher support, school-wide data use, and all student support activities such as mood charts, art, meditation yoga, etc.

Tier 2: Targeted Strategies

Consisting of small group sessions and “push in-pull out” supports in the classroom such as community building activities, social justice initiatives, etc.

Tier 3: Clinical Interventions

Consisting of one-on-one crises response and outside support referrals as needed. We refer them to outpatient or on-going therapy services and would be assigned to weekly therapy and help them get that service elsewhere.

"Focusing on school is hard when I have so much going on at home.Being able to meet with the school-based counselor helps me learn to cope with outside stress and get back to class."

- Student at Aspira

98% of counseling participants avoided psychiatric hospitalization and 89% increased or sustained functioning after six months of treatment.