Written by Sandra Sirisoukh |
Photos by Sandra Sirisoukh |

The School-Based Health Center is a non-profit service offered to schools in Connecticut. Students can get medical, dental, or behavioral healthcare. Here at Morgan, only mental health services are offered. Students can receive 30-minute sessions once or twice weekly. The program provides services at a rate that is agreeable between insurance companies so that families do not have to pay.

Donna Olivieri, a licensed clinical social worker has lots of experience working with teenagers. Students at Morgan are free to talk to her when stressed. She is available at the school every day for individual, group and family sessions as needed. The School-Based Health Center is important to her mainly because it provides mental health services that are free of charge and easily accessible to the students at Morgan. Also, she feels that it’s important for people to learn coping skills at an early age.

Senior Ingrid Rodriguez said that this program is important to her because she gets to express herself without being judged. Senior Chelsie Lopez states that “the program helps me relieve stress and solve my problems in a way. It prevents me from keeping my feelings contained, and it allows me to express myself in many ways. I don’t feel like I have to hold anything back.” Ultimately, the Student Based Health Center is essential for some of the students here at Morgan and helps them talk about whatever they are dealing with.