Mental Health
Please refer to the resources on this page for assistance in dealing with mental health needs. You are encouraged to reach out to your school counselor, social worker, nurse or psychologist for additional support if needed.
Worried about your mental health:
- Dakota County Crisis Response: Call 952-891-7171
- National Crisis Text Line: Text SCHOOL to 741741
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
Find additional mental health resources to meet your needs
- Community Resource Guide Dakota County
- FastTracker MN: A behavioral health search tool that allows you to filter services based on your search criteria, which can include free and sliding fee services available.
School social workers
The goal of the social work program is to partner directly with families, educators, students, and our communities to address and overcome barriers to academic achievement at the elementary level. Ultimately this partnership provides the necessary support and guidance that are essential to academic success and sound life decisions.
School social workers are licensed mental health professionals trained to provide support and interventions to children and families proactively and in times of emotional/mental health crisis.
They do this by providing individual, small group and family support. Sessions focus on:
- Improving social, emotional and academic functioning
- Positive reinforcement
- Behavior modification
- Specific skill development
- Building trusting connections with each student and their family
- Direct consultation and linkage to appropriate community resources for families
- Help children and their families meet basic needs and overcome barriers to education
Please note that social work settings are created around the ever-changing and unique needs of each school and may vary throughout the year and at each site. Please contact your child’s school social worker for more information.
School psychologist
School psychologists work with a team of people to help students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. School psychologists are trained in both education and mental health to know how to identify and lower barriers to learning. These barriers can include developmental or learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, unconventional learning styles, school or classroom climate, issues at home or with friends, violence, and mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
The services at the core of school psychologists’ work include prevention, consultation and evaluation, intervention, and research and planning.
For more information about school psychology, visit the National Association of School Psychologists website.
Resources for families are also available through the National Association of School Psychologists.
[Adapted from: “What Is a School Psychologist,” Andrea Canter, Helping Children at Home and School II: Handouts for Families and Educators, NASP 2004.]
Nicole Dibble
Psychologist
nicole.dibble@district196.org
Phone: 651-423-6969, VM #83539