School-Based Mental Health Programs
Helping students and their families grow and heal with mental health support in schools
We offer mental and behavioral health services through our school-based mental health programs available in some Saint Paul Public Schools, making it easier for students to get the help they need to succeed in school and at home. Your child will miss fewer classes because they won’t need to travel for appointments. They also will be more comfortable in a familiar setting. Our staff work closely with school teachers, counselors and administrators, building positive relationships among students and families.
- School-based mental health programs: call 651-325-2766 for more information.
- Children's and family mental health services: For children ages 0-17 and their families, call Wilder's Community Mental Health and Wellness Clinic at 651-280-2310.
Schools are a natural setting, where the kids already are.
Our Kofi services are available to African American youth and their families. Through a partnership with Saint Paul Public Schools, Kofi students receive services that encourages them to find strength in their cultural heritage.
Kofi students build positive self-worth through their cultural identity. As they grow more confident, they are more likely to attend school regularly, do better academically and display fewer disruptive behaviors.
Kofi is offered at these Saint Paul schools:
- Battle Creek Middle School
- Benjamin E. Mays IB World School
- Capitol Hill Gifted and Talented Magnet
- Central High School
- Crossroads Elementary Science and Montessori Schools
- Global Arts Plus Upper Campus
- High School for the Recording Arts
- Humboldt Middle and Senior High School
- Maxfield Elementary School
- Minnesota Math and Science Academy
- Obama Elementary School
- Ramsey Middle School
Call 651-325-2766 for more information about Kofi.
Bringing on a mental health professional in school can help destigmatize mental health.
Hlub Zoo (pronounced LOO-ZHONG, dual-meaning of love well, grow well in Hmong) is for Southeast Asian students and their families. Students learn to embrace and celebrate their Hmong identity. They are supported as they achieve academic success and learn how to build healthy personal relationships.
Hlub Zoo is available to Hmong and Karen students and their families at these Saint Paul schools:
- Community School for Excellence
- Harding Senior High School
- Jackson Elementary School
- Mississippi Elementary School
- Phalen Lake Elementary School
Call 651-325-2766 for more information about Hlub Zoo.
Families will have direct, convenient access.
Teachers will gain tools and techniques to promote emotional support and well-being.
Sembrando (meaning to plant or sow) is for students and families of Latinx descent. Students grow and find strength in their culture as a community. They are also supported as they continue to achieve academic success while learning how to build healthy personal relationships in school and at home.
Sembrando is available to Latinx students and their families at this Saint Paul school:
- Wellstone Elementary School
Call 651-325-2766 for more information about Sembrando.
It can help families navigate the mental health system.
Wilder therapists and counselors work with students of all cultural backgrounds in several Saint Paul schools. If your child is having social, emotional, behavioral or family problems, contact us at 651-325-2766.
All students and families have access to Wilder's school-based mental health services at the following schools:
- Cherokee Heights Elementary School
- Dayton's Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary School
- John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary Shool
- Riverview West Side School of Excellence
- Saint Paul Music Academy
- Washington Technology Magnet School
We have been partnering with educators to provide mental health and wellness services through school-based programs for 30 years!
Click the image to learn more about who we are and why we support mental wellness.
Wilder School-Based Mental Health Expands Beyond Elementary Schools in Saint Paul
Michael Brooks thinks every school would benefit from an on-site mental health professional. “Every school, nationwide,” says Michael, a school-based therapist with Wilder Community Mental Health and Wellness. “You cannot ignore the fact...More about this story »
School-Based Mental Health Participant Finds Hope and Healing With Persistence and Support
Emily was a smart and outgoing elementary school student. She was so high achieving that her teacher was initially reluctant to refer her to Hlub Zoo (pronounced LOO-ZHONG), Wilder’s school-based mental health service for students o...More about this story »
Wilder School-Based Therapists Support Latinx Mental Health Through Stronger Cultural Identities
Maria Rios knows from personal experience how a strong cultural identity can help foster a sense of belonging. Maria, a Wilder school-based mental health therapist, moved to the United States from Mexico at age 7 and attended school in W...More about this story »
10 Reasons Schools Should Have Youth Mental Health Services On-Site
Nearly 20 percent of youth in the United States experience a mental, emotional or behavioral health condition every year. Yet according to the Centers for ... Read the article »
Engaging Youth and Families in Ramsey County Mental Health Services
We gathered information to help Ramsey County Children's Mental Health Collaborative understand common challenges service providers experience in providing culturally appropriate services to youth and families of color, and promising practices used to address them. Read the report »
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant to the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a special legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.