Pattonville partners with ReachOut to provide student crisis support

The Pattonville School District is launching a partnership with ReachOut to offer a 24/7 crisis line dedicated to providing immediate support and counseling for students in need. ReachOut gives students and families access to a trained professional counselor who can offer immediate support in real-time.

Students and families can connect directly with trained crisis counselors to receive support, emotional de-escalation and coping strategies. To make this resource easily accessible, ReachOut offers immediate around-the-clock support and counseling via three communication channels: 

• By Phone: Call or text 314-557-3732.
• Web Chat: Access the live chat feature by visiting the ReachOut page on the Pattonville website. A link to the web chat will also be pushed to student iPads as an icon on their home screen.

The support line is designed to assist individuals facing a variety of challenges, including stress, anxiety, depression, bullying, grief and navigating difficult circumstances such as family changes or divorce. Counselors may also conduct risk assessments and safety planning to ensure individuals receive the appropriate level of care. Local and national support resources will be available when needed.

ReachOut is available for students in grades 6-12. Families can also use ReachOut to discuss any concerns they may have regarding their students’ mental health and well-being.

"This program will help us continue to support our students’ mental health by providing individuals and families with immediate connection to trained crisis counselors after the school day ends, on weekends, over holidays and during the summer,” superintendent Dr. Barry Nelson said. “Whatever difficult or confusing situations a student may need help processing, this is one more resource to support the mental health of our school community.”

ReachOut, which will be available beginning Sept. 1, will complement the district’s existing in-school counseling support, helping to ensure the safety and well-being of all students.

In addition to immediate crisis care, ReachOut will provide regular, anonymous usage reports to help Pattonville leadership better understand the evolving mental health needs of the student body and help address those concerns at the local level.