Mental Health & Wellness
With the safety and well-being of our students as a top priority, we recognize that strong mental health plays a vital role in a student's growth and success. Lakota offers a variety of services and supports to meet the mental health needs of our students.
If a person needs immediate assistance:
Immediate Crisis Response and Consultation
Mobile Response Stabilization Service: 844-427-4747
Consultation Support and Referral/Intake
Children’s Hospital Psychiatric Intake Response Center (PIRC): 513-636-4124
Crisis Numbers
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255
- Butler County Crisis Hotline: 844-427-4747 or call 911
- Ohio Crisis Text Line: Text 4HOPE to 741741
- School Based Therapy/ Solutions Community Counseling
- School Counselor
- Companions on a Journey Grief Support
- Our Therapy Dog
School Based Therapy/ Solutions Community Counseling
School Based Therapy
We want all of our students to be healthy and ready to learn, and we recognize that strong mental health and wellness play a vital role in a student's growth and success. Students who are struggling with stress, anxiety or other concerns cannot focus on school work. That's why we’ve partnered with Solutions Community Counseling, Catalyst Counseling, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital to help increase student access to high quality and affordable mental healthcare.
In addition to their network of school-based providers, MindPeace also manages a comprehensive community database of all the mental health providers in our region, along with other helpful resources to meet the needs of students and their families. Visit the MindPeace website to view the comprehensive list of providers and resources.
- What is MindPeace?
- How does treatment work?
- When should I make a referral?
- What costs are involved?
- Who are Lakota's partners?
- What if you are on a waitlist?
- How do I refer?
- Does my child's information remain confidential?
- What is the difference between a school counselor and a licensed therapist?
What is MindPeace?
MindPeace is a non-profit that serves as a facilitator for connecting its network of professional mental health providers with schools. This allows our district to offer School-Based Therapy through various agency partnerships.
MindPeace’s model involves a needs assessment in each school, followed by a rigorous interview and selection process by a team represented by MindPeace and school administrators, teachers, support staff and parents. Depending on each school's individual needs, the partner organization may be different from one school to the next. One a partnership is selected, the agency will find various therapist candidates to our buildings to make sure they are a good fit for the building.
How does treatment work?
Once a referral to the partnering agency is made, parents will be contacted by an agency staff member to discuss the process and how to get started. Students are able to see the school's licensed therapist during the school day, when it fits best for them within their schedule, or after school hours, as needed. For convenience and ease of access, there is no need for a student to leave school or for parents to miss work to get to another appointment. All services are confidential and are not part of your student's school records.
When should I make a referral?
If you notice any of the following warning signs, consider making a referral for your child:
- Excessive fidgeting
- Recurring or long lasting anxiety, worries, or fears
- A sudden behavior of isolation
- Forgetfulness
- Impulsivity
- Mood swings
- Oppositional/defiance
- Changes in eating habits
- Changes in appearance/dress
- Sleep disturbance/new sleep patterns
- Hygiene neglect or compulsion
- Body dysmorphia
- Self-image concerns
- Interrupting or having trouble paying attention
- Feels or fears judgment
- Stressful or traumatic experiences be it current, recent, or past
- Hyper-vigilance
- Change in friend groups
- Statements/negative comments about self
- Self-harm behavior
- Gender or sexuality is affecting daily normal functioning
What costs are involved?
Families can cover the cost of therapist visits through insurance, Medicaid or private pay options. Each partner accepts different insurance plans and has different costs and fee schedules. Parents will need to discuss payment options and details with our therapist.
For buildings partnered with Children’s Hospital, additional links are provided for financial questions. Please visit Cincinnati Children's website to view a list of frequently asked billing questions and options for financial assistance.
Who are Lakota's partners?
All buildings at Lakota have an in-school therapist available for treatment. See the list at the right to visit the website of any school with an active mental healthcare partner.
In addition to their network of school-based providers, MindPeace also manages a comprehensive community database of all the mental health providers in our region, along with other helpful resources to meet the needs of students and their families. Visit the MindPeace website to view the comprehensive list of providers and resources.
What if you are on a waitlist?
How do I refer?
Does my child's information remain confidential?
What is the difference between a school counselor and a licensed therapist?
School counselors serve the entire student population, supporting their social emotional needs while helping them prepare for their future.
Licensed Therapists, based in a school, are called School Based Therapists. The therapist serves students who have been referred for therapeutic services to provide more intensive 1:1 support based on the identified mental health, emotional and behavioral needs.
After a rigorous needs assessment and interview process, we identified Solutions Community Counseling as our partner to help increase student access to high quality and affordable mental healthcare.
Maddie McQueen is contracted through Solutions Community Counseling and Recovery Center , an in-network insurance Mental Health Federal Agency. She is in our building full-time providing services.
Maddie can provide diagnosis assessments, assistance and education around medication management, as well as provide individual and family mental health therapy services. Note that to be eligible for Solutions Therapy, you cannot be receiving mental health therapy elsewhere and you need to have a DSM-5 diagnosis (diagnosing is a part of the Solutions assessment process).
Maddie can provide individual services through inventions such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, assist with emotional regulation and recognition, and provide structural family therapy. Maddie can also help with in-classroom behaviors and inventions to ensure the student can be their most successful self.
Meet Our Therapist
Madeline Kenter
Maddie Kenter is our School Based Therapist. She works with Solutions CCRC to help students, parents, teachers and counselors build trusting relationships and provide meaningful support to all. Maddie has two years of experience working within the school setting and values open communication, as well as utilizing a strength-based approach with everyone to ensure the full potential is met.
Maddie is a licensed social worker with a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Cincinnati.
Maddie is married and has two very hyper dogs she takes care of.
School Counselor
Our school counselor see students in the classrooms and individually. She also runs small groups within the grade levels on different needs such as social skills, friendship skills, anxiety, and more. These groups depend on the needs that are brought up by teachers and parent/guardian(s).
Companions on a Journey Grief Support
Our Therapy Dog
Loxley is Woodland's Therapy Dog and has been trained, certified, and insured through Circle Tail on how to interact with children within a structured environment. Loxley has also undergone temperament and obedience training, and passed with flying colors.
Loxley brings joy to students everyday at school and provides many benefits:
Cognitive: Companionship with a dog stimulates memory, problem-solving and game- playing.
Social: A dog provides a positive mutual topic for discussion, encourages responsibility, wellbeing and focused interaction with others.
Emotional: A school dog improves self-esteem, acceptance from others and lifts mood, often provoking laughter and fun. Dogs can also teach compassion and respect for other living things as well as relieving anxiety.
Physical: Interaction with an animal reduces blood pressure, provides tactile stimulation, assists with pain management, gives motivation to move, walk and stimulates the senses.
Environmental: A dog in a school increases the sense of a family environment, with all of the above benefits continuing long after the school day is over.
*If your student has a significant dog allergy or fear of dogs, please contact our school counselor so she can work with your family to ensure the best experience for your child.