BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (Sept.17, 2020) – Gaggle is launching a new service: Gaggle Therapy. Gaggle Therapy matches students who need mental health support with counselors licensed in their state for weekly teletherapy sessions.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a perfect storm, combining rising rates of depression and anxiety with a lack of resources to address those issues,” said Jeff Patterson, Gaggle’s founder and CEO. “School counseling departments are often understaffed, so school counselors need help with providing immediate or ongoing mental health care to students. That’s why we’ve launched Gaggle Therapy.”
“Therapy can have a number of positive outcomes for students, such as helping them develop effective communication skills, improve interpersonal relationships, and learn conflict resolution skills,” said Dr. Aida Vazin, a therapist with Gaggle Therapy. “Students are full of untapped potential. By addressing their mental health needs early, school districts can nurture that potential and empower students to be successful in school and in life.”
School counselors will identify students for therapy, and Gaggle will reach out to those students’ parents to explain the program and obtain informed consent. Gaggle will then match the students with licensed therapists and send a secure video login link for each session.
Students will participate in weekly 45-minute video therapy sessions for as long as their treatment plan states is necessary. Therapy sessions will be scheduled at convenient times for students, including evenings and weekends. Students will be able to log on for therapy sessions from home or at school.
Gaggle only partners with state-licensed therapists who have undergone a background check and who have a track record of providing mental health support to children and teens. Students’ records and documentation are managed through secure patient management software.
For more information about Gaggle Therapy, please visit https://news.gaggle.net/announcing-gaggle-therapy.
About Gaggle | www.gaggle.net
Since 1999, Gaggle has been the leader in helping K-12 districts manage student safety on school-provided technology. Using a powerful combination of artificial intelligence and trained safety experts, the safety solution proactively assists districts 24/7/365 in the prevention of student suicide, bullying, inappropriate behaviors, school violence, and other harmful situations. Most importantly, Gaggle continues to help hundreds of districts avoid tragedies and save lives, while also protecting their liability. During the 2019–20 academic year, Gaggle helped districts save the lives of 927 students who were planning or actually attempting suicide. For more information, visit www.gaggle.net and follow Gaggle on Twitter at @Gaggle_K12.