Our Mission
Equity Associates is on a mission remove obstacles that hinder access to high-quality mental health services for schools & adolescents.
At Equity Associates, we know that a healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body. That’s why it is essential for schools to offer comprehensive mental health services to their students. Here are five reasons why mental health services are crucial for adolescents, backed by current statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
As an educator or school counselor you know, providing mental health services to students is essential for their overall well-being and academic success. While schools can offer a variety of resources, it’s important to also consider partnering with outside mental health providers, such as Equity Associates to get the best results for your students. Here are five reasons why:
Equity Associates can be used as a free counseling referral source for your students even if you don’t use our other services.
Equity Associates offer a fully customizable mental health solution for schools. With a free 30 minute consultation, all of our services can be tailored to fit the needs and level of desired service for your school or our services can be bundled in 3 tiered partnership levels:
Partnership Level 1Accessible to ALL of your students regardless of insurance status. |
|---|
| Service | Success Metrics | School Resources Needed | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
Equity Associates Evidence-Based Intervention
| Easy access system built in internally (e.g on website) so students can self-refer & your school can track analytics of who is self-referring & following through with attending sessions. | A school staff member to serve as school liaison. Release of Information (ROI) | Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can partner together to promote integrated mental health at your school. |
Collaborative Care
| Individual student data tracking shared at the meeting.
| A school staff member to serve as school liaison & other key stakeholders as desired. |
Partnership Level 1
Accessible to ALL of your students regardless of insurance status
Service
Equity Associates Evidence-Based Intervention
- Individual Counseling
Collaborative Care
- Monthly progress update meetings for students attending individual counseling sessions.
Success Metrics
Easy access system built in internally (e.g on website) so students can self-refer & your school can track analytics of who is self-referring & following through with attending sessions.
Individual student data tracking shared at the meeting.
- Baseline
- Progress monitoring
- Summative
School Resources Needed
A school staff member to serve as school liaison.
Release of Information (ROI)
A school staff member to serve as school liaison & other key stakeholders as desired.
Costs
Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure.
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can partner together to promote integrated mental health at your school.
Partnership Level 2Accessible to ALL of your students regardless of insurance status. |
|---|
| Service | Success Metrics | School Resources Needed | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
Equity Associates Evidence-Based Interventions
| Individual Counseling & Small Group Counseling:
| A school staff member to serve as school liaison. Release of Information (ROI) | Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can partner together to promote integrated mental health at your school. |
Collaborative Care
| Equity Associates & your school collaboratively designed student SMART Goals, including baseline data, progress monitoring data and summative data. Success metrics can be aligned with your school’s SUIP and other key performance indicators as applicable within the school’s improvement strategy. | A school staff member to serve as school liaison & other key stakeholders as desired. |
Partnership Level 2
Accessible to ALL of your students regardless of insurance status
Service
Equity Associates Evidence-Based Interventions
- Individual Counseling
- Small Group Counseling
Collaborative Care
- Bi-monthly Collaborative Care Meetings.
- Students’ individual & small group counseling schedules co-coordinated by Equity Associates & school liaison.
- Responsive scheduling as needed (e.g. if a student misses an appointment, Equity Associates offers another slot later in the day or week) and is designed in conjunction with school liaison so students can get access during the school day when they can be reminded to get to their appointments by school liaison.
Success Metrics
Individual Counseling & Small Group Counseling:
- Easy access system built in internally (e.g on website) so students can self-refer & your school can track analytics of who is self-referring & following through with attending sessions.
- School attendance, course completion and engagement data & aligned with counseling attendance and outcome data.
- Student & system perspective surveys collected and tracked.
- Access to students symptoms tracking dashboard.
Equity Associates & your school collaboratively designed student SMART Goals, including baseline data, progress monitoring data and summative data.
Success metrics can be aligned with your school’s SUIP and other key performance indicators as applicable within the school’s improvement strategy.
School Resources Needed
A school staff member to serve as school liaison.
Release of Information (ROI)
A school staff member to serve as school liaison & other key stakeholders as desired.
Costs
Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure.
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can partner together to promote integrated mental health at your school.
Partnership Level 3Accessible to ALL of your students regardless of insurance status. |
|---|
| Service | Success Metrics | School Resources Needed | Costs |
|---|---|---|---|
Equity Associates & your school’s Collaboratively Designed Evidence-Based Interventions
| Individual Counseling & Small Group Counseling:
| School staff member to serve as school liaison and MTSS team representative. Release of Information (ROI) | Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure. Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can partner together to promote integrated mental health at your school. |
Collaborative Care
| Diagnostic review report including targeted action items. Universal Mental Health Screenings. Student, Staff & Stakeholder Perception Surveys collected and tracked. Equity Associates & school collaboratively designed student SMART Goals, including baseline data, progress monitoring data and summative data. Success metrics can be aligned with school’s SUIP and other key performance indicators as applicable within the school’s improvement strategy. Annual school-wide outcome reports. | School staff member to serve as school liaison, & MTSS Team. | |
Retroactive Funding Reimbursement Services
| School is reimbursed for costs retroactively through Medicaid/private insurance billing or an alternative funding stream. | School staff member to serve as school liaison. |
Partnership Level 3
Accessible to ALL of your students regardless of insurance status
Service
Equity Associates & your school’s Collaboratively Designed Evidence-Based Interventions
- School-goals & MTSS goals used to collaboratively design interventions
- Individual Counseling
- Small Group Counseling
- Potential Evidence-Based Intervention
Examples:- (e.g) Community Mentorship
- (e.g) Self-Regulated Strategy Development
- Potential Evidence-Based Intervention
Collaborative Care
- School-wide mental health diagnostic review
- Equity Associates Collaborative Care Liaison operates as a member of your MTSS Team.
- SEL/ MTSS Data Review
- Bi-monthly Collaborative Care Meetings
- Students individual & small group counseling schedules co-coordinated by Equity Associates & School Liason.
- Responsive scheduling as needed (e.g. if a student misses an appointment, Equity Associates offers another slot later in the day or week) and is designed in conjunction with school liaison so students can get access during the school day when they can be reminded to get to their appointments by school staff.
Retroactive Funding Reimbursement Services
- Covers customizable work with our School-Based Medicaid Billing Specialist, Private Insurance Billing Specialist, Funding Options Specialists & Grants Management Specialist.
Success Metrics
Individual Counseling & Small Group Counseling:
- Easy access system built in internally (e.g on website) so students can self-refer & school can track analytics of who is self-referring & following through with attending sessions.
- School attendance, course completion and engagement data & aligned with counseling attendance and outcome data.
- Student & system perspective data collected and tracked.
- Access to students symptoms tracking dashboard.
Diagnostic review report including targeted action items.
Universal Mental Health Screenings.
Student, Staff & Stakeholder Perception Surveys collected and tracked.
Equity Associates & school collaboratively designed student SMART Goals, including baseline data, progress monitoring data and summative data.
Success metrics can be aligned with school’s SUIP and other key performance indicators as applicable within the school’s improvement strategy.
Annual school-wide outcome reports.
School is reimbursed for costs retroactively through Medicaid/private insurance billing or an alternative funding stream.
School Resources Needed
School staff member to serve as school liaison and MTSS team representative.
Release of Information (ROI)
School staff member to serve as school liaison, & MTSS Team.
Costs
Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure.
Schedule a free consultation to learn more about how we can partner together to promote integrated mental health at your school.
Equity Associates wants to partner with your school!
One in three teenagers struggling with anxiety and depression do not seek mental health help. But why?
Top 4 Reasons Teens Don’t Seek Mental Health Help
- Little symptom insight: “I just thought I was my kind of normal.”
- Struggle to reveal their feelings: “I was scared of telling people how I felt… I thought they would judge me, and then they’ll think there’s something wrong with me.”
- Indecision: “There’s like a part of me that wants help and a part that doesn’t.”
- The role of others: “If it weren’t for X, I would still be suffering.”
Top 4 Ways You Can Help Within Your School
- Schools can conduct universal mental health screenings to identify at-risk students and offer early intervention.
- School-wide health assemblies can introduce warning signs of anxiety and depression, empower students with tools to respond and normalize mental health.
- Student surveys can offer opportunities to glean insight from students’ perspectives. Interventions developed with the input of young people are more likely to meet their needs.
- Since teens rarely seek help on their own and families often lack knowledge about adolescent mental health services, schools need to be well-connected with referral organizations. Schools can strive to create partnerships that provide accessible, specialized adolescent intervention while giving teens the autonomy to access support quickly and easily within their school settings.
* “Why don’t teenagers seek help for anxiety & depression”
Equity Associates is on a mission to eliminate barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural schools by creating customized, school-based mental health partnerships with schools.
- As a referral source for your school we can match your students with targeted mental health intervention within three days of completing our simplified, adolescent-friendly intake process. We accept most major insurances, including Medicaid.
- Equity Associates is a telemental health provider. Students anywhere, regardless of the geographic area, can get started with therapy just by going to the Get Started with Therapy Link on our website. They can also call or text an Equity Associates Intake Specialist to get started at 866-633-4288.
- If a student is hesitant, they can schedule a free consultation, and a staff member from your school or family member is welcome to join them. We’ve seen the value of a “warm hand-off!” You can find a link to schedule that on this page.
Thanks for being a champion for your student’s mental health. Let us know how Equity Associates can help!
Standalone Referral OptionAccessible to students and their families across Colorado who carry insurance in any geographic area. *We are credentialed with Medicaid and all major and most insurance companies in Colorado. |
|---|
| Service | Success Metrics | Costs | School Resources Needed | How to get Started with this Option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Associates will independently engage with students/families referred to us to provide individual counseling services to them separate from any connection with your school than the referral. Equity Associates will process all the paperwork & insurance billing just as any other community mental health partnership option would. | N/A | N/A | With a Release of Information (ROI) we can communicate with your school-based providers as they reach out to us. | Just start sharing our info! We will take care of the rest. Include us in any referral directories you may share school-wide. Include us in your referral resources or share our website/phone number/content we share with your families & students as a mental health provider option. Support staff awareness of Equity Associates as a resource when working with students/families. |
Standalone Referral Option
Accessible to students and their families across Colorado who carry insurance in any geographic area.
*We are credentialed with Medicaid and all major and most insurance companies in Colorado.
Service
Equity Associates will independently engage with students/families referred to us to provide individual counseling services to them separate from any connection with your school than the referral.
Equity Associates will process all the paperwork & insurance billing just as any other community mental health partnership option would.
Success Metrics
N/A
Costs
N/A
School Resources Needed
With a Release of Information (ROI) we can communicate with your school-based providers as they reach out to us.
How to get Started
with this Option
Just start sharing our info! We will take care of the rest.
Include us in any referral directories you may share school-wide. Include us in your referral resources or share our website/phone number/content we share with your families & students as a mental health provider option.
Support staff awareness of Equity Associates as a resource when working with students/families.
What is Group Therapy for Teens?
Teenage group therapy is when one or more therapists work with several teens at the same time. Teens can expect to share their feelings, experiences, and behaviors with those struggling with similar challenges. Groups can be as small as three or four but often involve around eight to 12 people. Usually, groups will meet once or twice a week (maybe more) for an hour or two.
There are many different types of group therapy, but the most common types include:
- Cognitive behavioral groups – this focuses on identifying and changing problematic thinking, emotional responses, and behaviors.
- Interpersonal groups – this focuses on interpersonal relationships and social interactions.
- Psychoeducational groups – focuses on educating and informing clients about their disorders and ways of coping, as well as the consequences of those behaviors.
- Skills development groups – focuses on improving skills based on the needs of the group.
- Support groups – as the name suggests, this focuses on providing support and care for members.
Advantages of Group Therapy
Group therapy is another great option for teens that comes with advantages. These advantages include:
- Providing Support
Being in a group setting means providing much-needed support. Teens can see that others are going through the same thing, which can help them feel less alone. Whether dealing with panic attacks, depression, or another mental health challenge, it can provide a sense of relief to hear people going through the same thing. - Role Modeling
Another benefit is group members can serve as role models for other members of the group. Teens can observe someone coping with a problem successfully and not only use that person as a model but see that there is hope for improvement. As each person progresses, they can serve as a role model and support figure for others. This can help the group feel successful and accomplished. - Promoting Social Skills
The nature of group therapy means learning how to navigate situations and relationships with others. By engaging and re-engaging with others, teens can practice being in various social situations. For mental health challenges like social anxiety and depression, group therapy can be vital in breaking the cycle of withdrawing to a comfort zone and instead help build confidence in social interactions. - Practicing Using Their Voice
For some teens, it can be hard to find their voice and even harder to use it. Group sessions are the perfect place to try using their voice. The safe place found in group sessions means teens can try using their voice in an unfiltered manner without some of the stress or anxiety they may experience normally.
Let Equity Associates provide the help your teen needs.
Teen Therapy Services Make a Difference
Whether teenage group therapy or individual therapy, teen therapy services are necessary and help to make a difference. Teens go through many changes, and that often includes developing mental health challenges. 50% of mental challenges develop by age 14. By utilizing teenage group therapy or individual therapy, teens will be given the tools needed to handle their mental health challenges, which will benefit them well into adulthood.
We’d love to be able to provide the help your teen needs. At Equity Associates, our trained and experienced therapists help teens get the treatment they need. Our therapy services are highly personalized for one’s unique needs, and with our usage of telemental health, those seeking treatment can do so in the comfort of their home. We’re based in Ridgway, Colorado but can help those anywhere in the state. No matter what, we’re always here to support those who need us.
Costs to Clients and Families
Equity Associates is committed to eliminating barriers to accessing quality mental health services for youth in rural communities and this is reflected in our reasonable fee structure. We are in network with most major insurance providers across the state of Colorado, including Medicaid, CHP+ and Rocky Mountain Health Plans. If you are a member of any of these insurance companies, check with your insurance company to make sure behavioral health services are covered and if you have an associated co-pay. The fee for teletherapy services when a client chooses to self-pay is based on a sliding scale and depends on the household income. Please contact us for more information on self-pay rates.
Relevant Blog Articles
Equity Associates Collaborative Care model utilizes a team, student and strength based focused model, with emphasis on evidence-based data analysis and measurable interventions. The collaborative care model is an essential customizable mental health solution in order for Equity Associates to help your school decrease barriers to quality school-based mental health care.
The collaborative care model is a transferable, integrated care model frequently employed to facilitate the coordination between primary health care providers and mental health providers. There is a vast body of research indicating that youth involved in collaborative care models have substantially better treatment outcomes compared to usual care.
Equity Associates Collaborative Care model aligns itself with the work of the *ACCESS Project and in turn will support your school-based mental health team in through the following elements:
*Lyon, A. R., Whitaker, K., French, W. P., Richardson, L. P., Wasse, J. K., & McCauley, E. (2016). Collaborative care in schools: enhancing integration and impact in youth mental health. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion, 9(3-4), 148–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/1754730x.2016.1215928
This assessment will provide your school with a detailed analysis of where your school is along the continuum of school-based mental health programming. The continuum of school-based mental health programming includes the following areas: universal mental health screening, tiered support, evidence-based practice implementation, mental health practitioner staffing and accessibility, community resource integration, funding support and sustainability, and necessary data monitoring systems to support a comprehensive school-based mental health system.
Get in touch and we will be glad to help make sure you have all the information you need.
You can also call or text us at (866) 633-4288.
Get Started Today
Reach out to one of our representatives to learn how Equity Associates can remove obstacles that hinder access to high-quality mental health services for schools & adolescents.
