Hot Springs School District

School-Based Mental Health

The Hot Springs School District (HSSD) offers school-based mental health services as part of a comprehensive wellness initiative that brings essential community services directly to students within their school environment. By integrating mental health care into the school setting, HSSD strives to reduce barriers to access and ensure that more students receive the support they need. The HSSD Behavioral Health Clinic is committed to serving all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, in a non-discriminatory and inclusive manner. Through individual or group therapy and intervention services, the program helps students develop emotional resilience, manage stress effectively, and enhance their overall well-being. By prioritizing mental health as a fundamental part of student success, HSSD fosters a supportive and nurturing educational environment where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

Services Provided by the HSSD Behavioral Health Clinic:

Diagnostic Assessment – Comprehensive evaluation to determine mental health needs.
Treatment Plan – Personalized care plans tailored to each student’s needs.
Individual Therapy – One-on-one counseling sessions with a licensed therapist.
Family Therapy – Counseling to support family dynamics and improve communication.
Group Therapy – Peer-supported therapy sessions focusing on shared experiences and coping skills.
Classroom Observation – Behavioral assessments conducted in the school environment.
Consultation with Teachers – Collaboration with educators to support student mental health needs.
Attendance at AEP/504 Meetings – Participation in meetings to assist with academic and behavioral accommodations.
Reintegration after Hospitalization – Support for students transitioning back to school after a hospital stay.
Provision of Services During Summer Break – Continuation of care to ensure consistent mental health support.

We are located at 617 Main Street, Hot Springs, AR

Phone: 501-623-5661 | Fax: 870-205-0356

How to Sign Up for Therapy

Click this link for the School-Based Mental Health brochure.

A colorful illustration of handprint flowers with the text 'Children's Mental Health Matters!'

Commonly Asked Questions

Four teachers from Hot Springs, Arkansas, pose for a photo in front of a school banner.

Dr. Sandra Billie (center) and the Behavioral

Health Team from left to right: Nicole Meggers, Troy Gaines

and Marla Bankhead.

Mental health is a person's:

🠶 Emotional well-being

🠶 Psychological stability

🠶 Social well-being

🠶 It affects how people think, feel, and act

🠶 It helps them handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
🠶 It is normal to have mood and behavioral changes from time to time. It is not normal if:

🠶 If it persists over a long period of time

🠶 Interferes with relationships

🠶 Interferes with school or daily living

🠶 1 in 5 children has a diagnosable mental health problem

🠶 75% of mental illnesses may appear before the age of 14.
🠶 Untreated mental health problems can disrupt life at home, school and in the community.

🠶 Increased risk of school failure

🠶 Contact with criminal justice system

🠶 Dependence on social services

🠶 Suicide or other self harm
🠶 Decline in school performance

🠶 Poor grades despite strong efforts

🠶 Constant worry or anxiety (complain of stomach aches, headaches)

🠶 Sleep too much or too little

🠶 Not interesting in playing or doing activities any longer

🠶 Repeated refusal to go to school or to take part in normal activities

🠶 Hyperactivity or fidgeting

🠶 Persistent nightmares

🠶 Persistent disobedience or aggression

🠶 Frequent temper tantrums

🠶 Depression, sadness or irritability

🠶 Overactivity or difficulty paying attention

🠶 Problems with food or body image

🠶 Use of drugs or alcohol

🠶 Unusual thoughts or experiences.
🠶 Sudden life changes

🠶 Experiencing violence

🠶 Other life trauma

🠶 Genetic link in family/heredity

🠶 Biology: abnormal functioning of brain regions, or hormones, chemistry of the brain
🠶 Anxiety disorders

🠶 Autism Spectrum Disorders

🠶 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

🠶 Disruptive behavior disorder

🠶 Eating disorders

🠶 Elimination disorders

🠶 Learning and Communication Disorders

🠶 Mood disorders

🠶 Schizophrenia

🠶 Tic disorders

🠶 PTSD
🠶 Primary Care Physician (PCP)

🠶 Hospitalization

🠶 Outpatient clinic

🠶 Therapy: Individual, group, family

🠶 Medication: Done by PCP or psychiatrist

🠶 Art therapy, equine therapy
🠶 First appointment is the with family and child

🠶 Therapy services provided at school

🠶 No medication appts through our clinic

🠶 We do not charge families for services

🠶 Transportation from other district buildings is provided

🠶 Partnership with OBHAW, TFS and Experience Counseling who also see students on the campus but require Medicaid