We’re happy to highlight our rebooted collaboration with Latitude 38.7 High School, part of our partnership with Education for Change.  Located in Oakland’s Fruitvale district, Latitude serves students from all parts of Oakland and offers multiple opportunities for project based learning as adolescents prepare for early adulthood.  Seneca partnered previously with Latitude and after a 5 year hiatus, we have 2 full time clinicians and 1 full time Wellness Coach on site.

Our clinicians mainly provide Educationally Related Mental Health Services (ERMHS) for students with IEPs while also providing a variety of support to all students: risk assessments, wellness check ins during lunch and tier 2 counseling.  Our Wellness Coach was added to provide greater support, via individual check ins and group interventions for students in need who don’t have an IEP.  Bringing all of this to a new partnership requires lots of collaboration to integrate with pre-established systems and staff.  Latitude started the year with 2 internal clinicians and we collaborated on multiple levels so that the clinicians, Seneca and Latitude, are united as a clinical team even as the team composition has changed throughout the year.  The Wellness Coach role was new this year and required some “inventing the wheel” collaboration to define what the role looks at Latitude and get into a flow.

We look forward to continued collaboration next year as we add another Seneca clinician to the team.  Whatever new needs, challenges, opportunities emerge, we’ll have a strong foundation to build from.

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Blog By: Mark Thibedeau, Clinical Supervisor

​Also check out the Self-Care Board that Anna added on campus in the Fall 2024!

Blog By: Karina Gonzalez. Clinical Supervisor

Olympus High School located in downtown Tacoma, WA is one of Seneca Washington’s longest partnerships. Starting in 2015, Seneca began providing mental health and special education services to the Olympus community, who is part of the Summit Public School network. This year, we had a unique opportunity to pilot a traditional ‘community-based’ program into our school-based work with Olympus proving that integrated care of youth increases accessibility of care.  Therapeutic Case Management (TCM) began in Washington as a behavioral program based off of similar principles as TBS. The program serves youth up to 18 with intensive case management and behavioral support. Counselor staff provide both individual and family services to their clients in home, at school or within the community. Typically, referrals to TCM are made by our region’s WISe team, Outpatient team or school-based teams. 
 
This school year, we were able to embed a TCM Counselor, Bri Rumph, into Olympus High School. Bri integrated into the school and quickly became a safe person for students to visit for a quick check-in, support with resource finding or helping advocate for themselves in the classroom. Beyond Bri’s Tier 1 and 2 support, Bri also holds a small caseload of youth for more individualized TCM services.  
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Each youth enrolled in TCM completes a Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) and creates a treatment plan based on the identified needs. Bri can work individually with the students on her caseload while they are at school, while also scheduling family support sessions in the home or community. Students may also seek Bri’s support in attending appointments with other treatment providers or community support. This integrated model seeks to bridge the gap of community-based providers not always being able to access youth when they are at school. And as providers we know that school is one place many youth spend much of their time.  ​

Blog by: Alex Mehling, Regional Executive Director

In today’s rapidly changing world, education and mental health support are inseparable pillars that support young people’s growth and well-being. As we become more aware of the complex challenges facing students—especially those attending alternative high schools—collaborative efforts to address both academic and emotional needs are essential. One such partnership that is paving the way for positive change is Seneca’s longstanding partnership with OUSD’s Emiliano Zapata Street Academy. Together, we are not just working to improve academic outcomes but are also addressing the deep, often hidden, emotional and social struggles that students face. By fostering collaboration, social justice, and professional development, this partnership is making a lasting impact on the lives of students.​

Street Academy serves students who face unique challenges, such as trauma, mental health issues, socio-economic hardship, and a variety of other barriers that make traditional education a struggle. For these students, having access to mental health support isn’t just a luxury—it’s essential for their personal and academic growth. This is where Seneca comes into play. By partnering with Street Academy, the agency brings in specialized knowledge, resources, and services that complement the educational curriculum. Together, we create an environment that recognizes the importance of emotional well-being alongside academic achievement.

In practical terms, this collaboration looks like Seneca’s therapist working directly with students on an individual basis, offering counseling, therapy, and crisis management. She also participates on the CARE team, which triages students’ needs and helps them access supports at school and in the community. It has also involved group sessions that focus on social-emotional learning, coping mechanisms, and mindfulness techniques. In years past, therapists have facilitated groups for graduating seniors to help them navigate life after high school. These services, deeply integrated into the school environment, help students navigate their personal challenges while remaining focused on their education.

This year, a critical aspect of our partnership is its focus on professional development. We recognize that to create lasting change, educators and mental health professionals must continuously evolve in their practices. Our program offers a menu of social/emotional and mental health trainings geared towards school professionals, including TIE (Trauma Informed Education). The initial TIE training was a resounding success, and the school has asked for additional trainings in the upcoming school year!

The longstanding partnership and deep collaboration between Street Academy and Seneca has a ripple effect that extends beyond the walls of the school. Students who receive the academic and mental health support they need are more likely to graduate, pursue higher education, or enter the workforce with a greater sense of confidence and well-being. By demonstrating the power of collaboration between schools and mental health agencies, this partnership provides a blueprint for how to approach the complex, interconnected issues of education and mental health. It serves as a reminder that true support for students goes beyond just academics—it’s about nurturing their emotional, social, and mental well-being so they can reach their full potential.

Blog By: Amy Blair, Clinical Supervisor

In the last year, UE Constellation – which serves partners San Lorenzo, Castro Valley, and Fremont – doubled in size. More cases? More staff? More problems? Perhaps. More grit? More resilience? More celebrations? Definitely.

Washington Manor Middle School, tucked away in the city of San Leandro, began with a rather lackluster start. In the fall of 2024, the counseling enriched classroom (CEC) welcomed exactly one student through its doors. Despite the low enrollment – and the notable absence of permanent teacher – our Seneca staff were determined to build a program that would meet it’s young scholars where they are in order to help guide them to where they want to be.
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The Washington Manor team is made up of our clinician, Sierra K., and two new mental health counselors, Judith H., and Whisper T. Our clinician has seen the silver lining of a small caseload and worked to create a therapeutic space that reflects the needs of the students, while simultaneously inspiring them to begin exploring the endless possibilities that lie ahead of them.

This team focused on providing continual counseling support, creating and maintaining a safe space for students to practice self-regulation and autonomy, as well as supporting a small rotation of guest teachers to implement consistent curriculum. During those first few months, we were extremely grateful to the Washington Manor administrators, Nicole Sandoval, school principal, and Andy Waranoff, assistant principal. Mrs. Sandoval and Mr. Waranoff not only expressed their interest in getting to know our growing group of students but also made intentional efforts to welcome UE Constellation into the ‘Wolf Pack.'

In December of 2024, the Washington Manor CEC was beyond elated to welcome an incredible long term guest teacher, Erik Guiterrez. His addition to the classroom helped to round out our incredible team, improving student participation and even managing to increase student time in the general education setting. These changes allowed the mental health counselors to bring the amazing work they do into more mainstream classes, which in turn, has served to create stronger relationships within the Washington Manor community.
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As the CEC continues to grow, this collaboration stands as an inspiring example of how strong partnerships can create meaningful change for students and foster a sense of community and support for everyone involved. With hard work and dedication, this team is setting the foundation for brighter futures, one student at a time.

Blog By: Tatiana Toscano, Assistant Director of School Partnerships

Clinicians in the Mosaic Outpatient Program provide a range of services to our school sites, students, and their families by utilizing a three-tier model of intervention that includes trainings, workshops, and other supports for the broader school community. Working together, we can significantly increase the opportunities for each student to make progress, advance academically, and meet their potential. Our clinicians are regularly asked by our school partners to conduct classroom and staff presentations. These topics include social and interpersonal skill building and mental health topics such as depression, anxiety or anger management.
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Searles Elementary School in Union City is one of the schools where Mosaic provides services.  In addition to providing individual and group therapy, Maritza Moreno, our clinician at Searles Elementary School, provides classroom presentations to address emerging social-emotional issues.  For example, after ongoing collaboration with school staff, principal Jessie Welcomer identified the topic of “Rumors and gossip” as an important topic that many of the older students were struggling with at school. To support the school, clinician Maritza Moreno organized and held 50-minute presentations for the 5th grade classes with the topic of Gossip and Rumors. This presentation included a hands-on activity involving transferring glitter from one person to another and noticing how glitter is hard to get rid of, easy to transfer, messy and yet appealing at the same time, much like gossip and rumors can be. Maritza then reminded students of opportunities to reach out to trusted adults for support or relying on a new phrase and gesture “No drama, Llama” to communicate neutrality and peace.

Students have expressed that highlighting and bringing attention to the social struggles they’ve been experiencing as well as having tools to manage these struggles, has been helpful. Many students have been seen by school staff, putting up the peace sign while telling their friends “No Drama, Llama”.

The accompanying presentation of this workshop includes psychoeducation about how students that are impacted by rumors and gossip, can be affected psychologically as well as somatically due to stress. This is an opportunity to emphasize empathy. Students are educated about what gossip can look like to help them identify it when they see it. They learn ways they can stand up to students who are trying to spread rumors or take it upon themselves to end the cycle of a rumor themselves.
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This is just one example of the many ways clinicians provide Tier 1 interventions in our school communities while also strengthening their relationships with school staff with whom they work. We are so grateful for the collaboration with our teachers and the invitation to discuss mental health and wellness topics with students throughout the year!

Blog By: Mosaic Outpatient Team

For this week’s school highlight, I’d like to introduce one of our newest Los Angeles partner schools: Ararat Charter School! Ararat Charter School is an independent charter school located in the Van Nuys neighborhood in Los Angeles’s beautiful San Fernando Valley. 

Opened in 2010, Ararat serves 338 students, TK through 5th grade, with a mission “to educate students to their maximum potential in an environment that actively engages students in rigorous and relevant programs, promotes academic excellence and values cultural and linguistic diversity, and creative expression.” Ararat is the first school(!) to teach both Armenian and Spanish to all its students. Cultural awareness and understanding, as well as the six pillars of character are taught, emphasized, and valued at Ararat Charter School.

Seneca’s Unconditional Education partnership with Ararat is funded through the California Department of Education’s California Community Schools Partnership Program. After facilitating group supervision for Ararat’s special education aides two years ago, Seneca partnered with Ararat’s principal last year to write the grant that will fund our partnership at least through the 2027-28 school year. Our UE Coach, Marc Sahara, has been busy this fall semester, partnering with Ararat’s team to introduce and launch several new and exciting initiatives. Some of these highlights include:

• Conducting interviews and focus groups with all Ararat staff to hear their perspectives on school culture and climate, systems of student supports, and staff practices for responding to challenging behaviors
• Facilitating the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Tiered Fidelity Inventory and Trauma-Informed Index with Ararat’s PBIS team, to self-assess the school’s systems of positive behavioral support and develop an action plan to improve them
• Administering school climate surveys to all staff, students, and parents/caregivers (with responses from 248 families!) to inform Ararat’s culture and climate goals 
• Founding and launching Ararat’s Culture and Climate Committee (C3) to collaboratively plan and improve on the priorities identified in the fall assessment
• Launching Ararat’s COSST (Coordination of Student Supports Team) to identify students in need of additional support and develop responsive and individualized intervention plans
• Facilitating Ararat’s Student Council to develop student leadership and incorporate student voice in school decision-making
• Providing valuable direct support for several high-need students and classrooms 

We are thankful to have found a school leadership team and community so aligned to Seneca’s values and the goals of UE, as well as sustainable funding for a full four-year arc of partnership. We truly see the work this fall as the foundation for years of partnership to come and are looking forward to the work ahead!

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Blog by: Sean Murphy, Director of School Partnerships

​In 2021, Seneca and Valor Collegiate Academies co-developed a holistic short-term wraparound model to reduce chronic absenteeism. After a successful three-year pilot in Valor's three Nashville schools, Seneca was awarded an Education, Innovation, and Research (EIR) grant from the US Department of Education. The grant is designed to allow promising practices to expand their programming and to conduct rigorous research to evaluate their efficacy. The Los Angeles charter network Alliance signed on to partner with us and in the fall of 2024 we launched Compass Care partnerships at Virgil Roberts Leadership Academy (VRLA) middle school and Smidt Tech high school. At each of those schools, we have an embedded Compass Care Wellness Coach who serves a caseload of 15 chronically absent students and their families per cycle. Chronic absence is defined as missing 10% or more of school days. Intervention cycles are 10-11 weeks, with an opportunity to extend for students/families who need longer-term support. Since the causes of chronic absenteeism are so varied (including challenges with transportation, motivation, physical or mental health in students or family members, etc.), Compass Care staff provide customized, individualized supports tailored to each student and family.  
 
Partnering with the team at VRLA has been a delight. This is a dynamic and deeply committed school staff and community. Our Compass Care Tier 3 attendance supports are integrated within the school's thoughtful MTSS supports and family engagement efforts. The VRLA community is oriented toward whole-student and whole-family wellness, hosting many community events and linking families with needed resources to promote equity, wellness, opportunity, and joy throughout their community. Please see the 'Staff Highlight' section for more information about our outstanding Compass Care Wellness Coach at VRLA, Danni Estrella Rojo. She has done powerful work in deeply connecting with students and families, learning about their hopes, dreams, and goals, as well as their struggles. With a heartful, empathic presence and a deep expertise in all aspects of case management, Danni is able to find and connect families to resources that impact their lives in a profound, positive way.  

Blog By: Jason Keppe, Director of School Partnerships

Harvey Green Elementary School, in Fremont California, is one of our oldest partnerships with Seneca. Constellation supports Harvey Green with a counseling enriched classroom (CEC). We currently have two schools we partner with the Fremont Unified District (FUSD). In this partnership, Constellation provides 2 mental health counselors and a classroom clinician, who works in collaboration with a district teacher. We have an amazing teacher, Dr. Samantha Davis, who we have been lucky to have for the past 5 years. Our team works to define individualized goals and strategies to address behaviors that are impacting the student’s ability to succeed in school and engage collaboratively with school staff and caregivers to develop a nurturing, structured setting to promote student success.

We have an amazing relationship with our principal Trisha Johnson who works very closely with our team and is always looking for ways to integrate our program to the whole school culture. Our CEC program at Harvey Green has been able to collaborate with more teachers in recent years than before. Constellation was able to help the school with donations to their Wellness Center and work closely with the school counselor.
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We are very fortunate to have a great space for our program that allows us to have welcoming spaces for our students and families. This year we saw an increase in our family counseling services which have made a great impact on our students’ progress. Our therapist has done a great job of making her office a fantasy creative place for our students to engage in therapeutic services. 

Blog By: Mariana Aranda, Assistant Director of School Partnerships

Nestled in the heart of Castro Valley, California, Castro Valley High School (CVHS) is a vibrant educational community known for its dedication to academic excellence, diverse extracurricular programs, and strong sense of school spirit. Home to the Trojans, CVHS serves a student body of over 2,800 learners and prides itself on preparing students for success in college, career, and beyond. CVHS has been a cornerstone of the Castro Valley community since its establishment in 1956. The school offers a robust curriculum, including Advanced Placement (AP) courses and career technical education pathways. From championship sports teams to award-winning arts programs and over 50 student-led clubs, there’s something for everyone. CVHS emphasizes civic engagement, with many students participating in volunteer projects and leadership activities. But beyond academics and extracurriculars, Castro Valley High School is committed to the well-being of its students, offering comprehensive mental health resources to support their emotional and social needs.  

Recognizing the importance of mental health in student success, CVHS has invested in creating a supportive environment through its Wellness Center. This safe and welcoming space provides students with access to: 

• Counseling Services: On-site counselors are available to address stress, anxiety, and other challenges. 

• Peer Support: Student-led initiatives promote mental health awareness and peer connection. 

• Workshops and Activities: Regular events focus on mindfulness, self-care, and stress management. 

Throughout Castro Valley there has historically only been Seneca support at the Credit Recovery High School (Redwood High School) and for students been placed at Non-Public Schools (NPS) when they struggled at the High School level. This year a CEC (Counseling Enriched Classroom) was opened at the middle school level, and a new set of interventions were introduced at the High School. We are now providing outpatient therapeutic services and targeted interventions around truancy.  

At the campus we have Farwah Sadat, our amazing clinician who works closely with the School Psychologists to support counseling students who need more intensive support than their caseloads allow. Currently holding approximately 18 clients as well as providing family supports, this has allowed students to be served and remain on that campus that may have previously needed a different placement.  

In addition, we have Christine Dorigo, a previous Counselor and Milieu Supervisor who is now piloting Wellness Coach supports within the SpEd department. Through this work, Christine is working directly with students and their families to address truancy challenges. Within the first cycle of students we have seen that the students and families that are engaging are seeing momentous results. In a recent meeting the Vice Principal praised the results she saw in many of the students.  We are really enjoying our partnership with CVHS and look forward to many other opportunities in the future.  
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As Castro Valley High School continues to grow and innovate, its focus on mental health and wellness serves as a testament to its dedication to the success of every student. By blending academic rigor with emotional support, CVHS exemplifies what it means to prepare students for a bright future, both inside and outside the classroom, while creating resources to prevent students from being supported elsewhere.  

Blog By: Anthone Jackson, Director of School Partnerships