Hotlines / Crisis Resources
If you are facing a medical or public safety emergency, dial 9-1-1.
For a mental health emergency, the graphic below offers an overview of some of the more prominent hotline options.
One that we'd like to emphasize is 9-8-8. It's like 9-1-1 but specifically for mental health.
When you call or text 9-8-8, your contact will be directed to resources of the state you are calling from. Calls made from Georgia are directed through the Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL). GCAL services are free and available 24/7. GCAL can help with mental health emergencies or even if you just need someone to talk to on a rough day. If necessary, they can also dispatch a mobile crisis evaluator to determine if you or someone you love is a risk to self and/or others, and make appropriate recommendations/referrals for additional help.
A simple call to one of these resources can be a meaningful step towards recovery from a moment of distress, suicide risk, or a crisis related to mental health, substance use, or a developmental disability. Don't believe us? Listen to stories from Georgians like you who found hope and recovery through a 9-8-8 call at GARecovers.
One that we'd like to emphasize is 9-8-8. It's like 9-1-1 but specifically for mental health.
When you call or text 9-8-8, your contact will be directed to resources of the state you are calling from. Calls made from Georgia are directed through the Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL). GCAL services are free and available 24/7. GCAL can help with mental health emergencies or even if you just need someone to talk to on a rough day. If necessary, they can also dispatch a mobile crisis evaluator to determine if you or someone you love is a risk to self and/or others, and make appropriate recommendations/referrals for additional help.
A simple call to one of these resources can be a meaningful step towards recovery from a moment of distress, suicide risk, or a crisis related to mental health, substance use, or a developmental disability. Don't believe us? Listen to stories from Georgians like you who found hope and recovery through a 9-8-8 call at GARecovers.
Counseling Referrals and School-Based Mental Health (SBMH)
What about mental health service from my school counselor?
School counselors are trained to provide short-term counseling and crisis intervention.
This might look like working with a student to set some goals for personal or academic growth, plan action steps for that growth, and reconnect about progress towards those goals over about 4 or fewer visits.
Or, in the case of a crisis intervention (i.e., if the student is thinking of harming themselves or another), the school counselor can help de-escalate the student (if necessary) and contact the parent to discuss next steps.
Counseling service of a more therapeutic nature (i.e., deeper, more regular, with a longer period of service, etc.) is outside of a school counselor's scope of training and expertise. As those needs arise, let's talk about additional support from clinical mental health counseling resources.
If I/my child needs additional support beyond the school counselor...
For anyone interested in deeper and/or longer-term counseling for their student, reach out to your school counselor (see our Contact Us page) or school social worker and we will gladly offer our latest list of counseling resources in the area.
Also, Murray County Schools has a referral relationship with Georgia HOPE and Highland Rivers. This means we can submit a referral on your behalf upon request. To move forward with a referral, all we need is parent/guardian permission. It also helps if you let us know how your child is insured (something the referral forms ask that we don't already know without asking you).
School counselors are trained to provide short-term counseling and crisis intervention.
This might look like working with a student to set some goals for personal or academic growth, plan action steps for that growth, and reconnect about progress towards those goals over about 4 or fewer visits.
Or, in the case of a crisis intervention (i.e., if the student is thinking of harming themselves or another), the school counselor can help de-escalate the student (if necessary) and contact the parent to discuss next steps.
Counseling service of a more therapeutic nature (i.e., deeper, more regular, with a longer period of service, etc.) is outside of a school counselor's scope of training and expertise. As those needs arise, let's talk about additional support from clinical mental health counseling resources.
If I/my child needs additional support beyond the school counselor...
For anyone interested in deeper and/or longer-term counseling for their student, reach out to your school counselor (see our Contact Us page) or school social worker and we will gladly offer our latest list of counseling resources in the area.
Also, Murray County Schools has a referral relationship with Georgia HOPE and Highland Rivers. This means we can submit a referral on your behalf upon request. To move forward with a referral, all we need is parent/guardian permission. It also helps if you let us know how your child is insured (something the referral forms ask that we don't already know without asking you).
These local counseling agencies also partner with Murray County Schools to offer "school-based mental health" services.
What is School-Based Mental Health (SBMH)?
SBMH is when the clinical mental health counseling provider sends their staff to a partnering school, to work with clients who attend that school. The primary benefit of SBMH is that a student can receive their therapy or coping skill sessions discreetly in the school setting from qualified mental health professionals, without having to miss more instruction than necessary to make those regular appointments. Instead of missing half a day or so for a regular off-campus counseling appointment (and guardian missing their routine for that time, too), SBMH can reduce a student's missed class time to just the length of their appointment!
For SBMH appointments, a parent/guardian does need to be present for the intake meeting. After the intake meeting, the counseling provider can work independently with the student for regular appointments.
How can my child start clinical mental health counseling service?
Getting Started With Georgia HOPE or Highland Rivers: Murray County Schools has a referral relationship and SBMH partnership with both Georgia HOPE and Highland Rivers. Contact your school counselor or school social worker if you would like us to submit a referral to either agency for your child. Along the way, we'll discuss factors that can make a difference for which agency is a better fit for your child, and submit your preferred referral.
The fit between these counseling providers and your child can depend on things like...
Getting Started With Off-campus Counseling Services: The school counselor/social workers can still submit a referral on your behalf for Georgia HOPE or Highland Rivers, even if your service with them is off-campus for some reason. For other counseling resources on our latest resource list, it would be up to the parent/guardian to directly contact the provider for a self-referral.
How does my child's counseling service impact their attendance?
Off-campus counseling services can be excused in the same manner as doctor's visits. Return to school with an excuse note, or have the provider fax the note to the school (706-517-5526).
As with any excused absence, the student is still responsible for connecting with teachers to address any missed coursework.
What is School-Based Mental Health (SBMH)?
SBMH is when the clinical mental health counseling provider sends their staff to a partnering school, to work with clients who attend that school. The primary benefit of SBMH is that a student can receive their therapy or coping skill sessions discreetly in the school setting from qualified mental health professionals, without having to miss more instruction than necessary to make those regular appointments. Instead of missing half a day or so for a regular off-campus counseling appointment (and guardian missing their routine for that time, too), SBMH can reduce a student's missed class time to just the length of their appointment!
For SBMH appointments, a parent/guardian does need to be present for the intake meeting. After the intake meeting, the counseling provider can work independently with the student for regular appointments.
How can my child start clinical mental health counseling service?
Getting Started With Georgia HOPE or Highland Rivers: Murray County Schools has a referral relationship and SBMH partnership with both Georgia HOPE and Highland Rivers. Contact your school counselor or school social worker if you would like us to submit a referral to either agency for your child. Along the way, we'll discuss factors that can make a difference for which agency is a better fit for your child, and submit your preferred referral.
The fit between these counseling providers and your child can depend on things like...
- how your child is insured (e.g., Peachcare, private insurance, etc.)
- which provider you or your child has worked with before
- which provider currently has someone staffed to visit their clients at NMHS
Getting Started With Off-campus Counseling Services: The school counselor/social workers can still submit a referral on your behalf for Georgia HOPE or Highland Rivers, even if your service with them is off-campus for some reason. For other counseling resources on our latest resource list, it would be up to the parent/guardian to directly contact the provider for a self-referral.
How does my child's counseling service impact their attendance?
Off-campus counseling services can be excused in the same manner as doctor's visits. Return to school with an excuse note, or have the provider fax the note to the school (706-517-5526).
As with any excused absence, the student is still responsible for connecting with teachers to address any missed coursework.