2025 March Canopy and Impact Report - Flipbook - Page 9
Community Impact
CHS Makes Mental Health Resources
Accessible to Students Due to con昀椀dentiality laws, some information is limited
Imagine a student who experiences trauma at home and
feels like they have no one with whom they can con昀椀de.
Imagine a student feeling so overwhelmed that they cannot
concentrate on their studies.
For many students in our public schools, this is
an everyday reality.
Center for Human Services (CHS) School-Based Mental
Health program bridges the gap for these students in the
Edmonds School District. By making access to licensed
therapists easy and affordable during school hours,
the program greatly reduces barriers to mental health
resources. Family Resource Advocates working with
student families can start a referral for an assessment
appointment or families can also utilize CHS’ walk-in
assessment appointments.
“Without the school-based therapists, the fact is many
families simply would not access mental health services at
all. It can be overwhelming for parents to 昀椀nd an affordable
and high-quality therapist who is a good 昀椀t for their child,
and one who has appointment times that can accommodate
working parents. Accessing care through schools removes
those barriers. Over the years, we have seen many students
go from on the verge of dropping out to successfully
graduating with hopes and dreams intact,” Amanda Odell,
Associate Director of the Mental Health Department said.
“CHS provides a holistic approach to mental health services
and plugs into school systems to provide students with
care,” Sangare said.
CHS serves schools in Edmonds, Mukilteo, Seattle,
Northshore and Shoreline school districts.
Through funding from Verdant Health Commission, children
throughout the Edmonds School District have free access to
mental healthcare resources and more.
Outside of school-based services, CHS provides a multitude
of programs and services around mental health, family
support, substance use and more.
“We are extremely grateful for all CHS has offered us,” a
parent wrote, “In particular [our therapist] has gone above
and beyond to help our son. It means so much to us.”
Between October 2023 to April 2024, the CHS School-Based
program served 617 individuals within the Edmonds School
District, Odell said.
Therapists help clients work through issues such as
depression, relationship con昀氀icts, LGBTQIA+ struggles, selfimage, stress, suicidal thoughts and more. With the help of
grants, CHS can provide services at little to no cost.
Drissa Sangare, a Mountlake Terrace High School therapist,
said that it has been rewarding to watch the progress
students have made in the three years working with CHS.
Sangare works with students ages 14-19 and is also the CHS
Teams Group Coordinator. During his 昀椀rst year, he accepted
a case of a student with suicidal thoughts. When Sangare
昀椀rst met the student they identi昀椀ed as a straight male.
“The student got more comfortable with me and opened up
about their sexual identity,” Sangare said. Sangare said he
was able to help the student work through their trauma and
work with other services to provide gender-af昀椀rming care
after the student came out as a woman.
(Left) Amanda Odell, CHS Associate Director, Mental Health Department
(Right) Drissa Sangare, CHS Mental Health Therapist
Did you know?
It is estimated that more than one in 昀椀ve U.S. adults
live with a mental illness (57.8 million in 2021) –
National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Mental Health By the Numbers | NAMI*
It’s important to keep raising awareness around the
importance of mental health and how common the
challenges are. Verdant’s investments in mental health
seek to remove barriers and stigmas associated with it.
Mental health matters.
* https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/
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2024 Community Impact Report
