Under the Behavioral Health Services umbrella, SWWC’s Licensed School Nurse Team—Morgan Litzau, Tori Denegrud, and Danielle Brandt—provides nursing leadership and guidance to districts within the cooperative. Together, they continue to advance ongoing health initiatives while collaborating to develop new ones.

This fall, the team participated in several professional development trainings aimed at improving health service processes, supporting districts with Third Party Billing compliance, and enhancing collaboration through Health Office Communities of Practice. Additionally, our LSNs are providing support to five contracted school districts, helping them meet statutory health requirements and address student health needs.

At all of our Educational Learning Centers, the nursing staff—consisting of one Licensed School Nurse (LSN), four Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), and two health paraprofessionals—continues to deliver nursing and PCA support. Current priorities include ensuring immunization compliance, promoting student health, and maintaining proper medication administration procedures. The team is actively working to secure funding for a Spot Vision Screener, a valuable tool for screening students who cannot participate in traditional vision screenings, improving both accuracy and efficiency.

Work is also underway on implementing a Cardiovascular Emergency Response Plan (CERP) to meet recently enacted statutory requirements through strategic planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and thorough preparedness initiatives.

Finally, the team is beginning work on a substance abuse prevention program, funded in part through Southwest Health and Human Services Opioid Settlement Funding, focusing on prevention, awareness, and health education initiatives. Stay tuned for more information about PATH—coming soon!

• Behavior Analytic Services – Providing individualized behavioral interventions and support for students and staff.
• Mental Health Services – Offering mental health resources and support to promote emotional well-being.
• Translation and Interpretation Services – Ensuring language access for families and students to support clear communication and equitable services.
• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) - Statewide initiative to implement a framework of evidence-based tiered system to reinforce positive behaviors
• School Crisis Response Team (SCRT) — Providing support for districts and schools in the unfortunate event of a crisis situation
• The READY Clinic(s) — Providing early intervention services to young children diagnosed with autism and other developmental disorders. 

Behavioral Health Services is proud to announce the launch of our Youth Mental Health Navigator (YMHN) program, a pilot initiative developed in partnership with South Central Service Cooperative and supported by state funding.  This innovative service is designed to bridge the gap between students and the mental health resources they need. Our first two YMHN staff will be supporting students and families in our ELCs and ALCs. 

What Youth Mental Health Navigators Provide:

• Personalized guidance to access mental health services, community resources, and youth supports
• Help overcoming barriers such as coordination challenges with mental health services, county programs, and healthcare systems
• Direct caregiver support through education, advocacy, and ongoing assistance
• Continued communication and support throughout the service connection process

• A streamlined referral process for students needing external services
• Additional resource support for staff working directly with students
• Assistance for families with behavioral and crisis intervention strategies
• Support in facilitating family communication and engagement
  
  

How It Works:

School staff can refer any student who may benefit from external services, and Navigators will take on the complex coordination required to connect families with the right supports.

Get Connected: