Dr. Kristine Huseman of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department helps Lake Ridge Students learn to cope with stressful situations.
A program sponsored by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is helping some students at Calumet New Tech High School learn how to handle personal conflicts that may arise in school, at home, or in the workplace. The program, called the Police Assisted Recovery Initiative, was initiated a couple years ago by Sheriff Oscar Martinez in response to calls received by the police from people in distress who may be suffering from a range of non-criminal social issues, including depression and anxiety.
“Many of the individuals encountered by police officers don’t need to go to jail,” said Dr. Kristin Huseman, a licensed clinical social worker with the PARI program. “They require social services, and that is the majority of our calls.”
She also emphasized that age should not be a factor in seeking help for mental illness or stressors.
“I talk to students about how these problems might manifest and explain that everyone goes through times of struggle,” Dr. Huseman said. “Seeking support doesn’t make you weak.”
Dr. Huseman noted that the stigma around therapy is gradually fading: “It’s changing, and as a society, we are more willing to say ‘that bothers me.’ We have more language to talk about why ‘something bothers me.’”
Participation in the program is voluntary.
“Students who have experienced conflict with peers are selected for counseling sessions, but attendance is not mandatory,” said CNTHS Counselor Mariyah Martinez. “For the most part, students really enjoy the sessions. A lot of them request sessions because they know it is a safe environment. I rarely get pushback.”
Upon learning that the PARI program was available to serve schools, Lake Ridge Schools Superintendent Dr. Sharon Johnson-Shirley promptly partnered with the department for student interventions.
“While our schools have excellent counselors doing a great job, Dr. Huseman and her group offer an outside ear to support our students dealing with conflict resolution issues, vaping, and other personal matters,” Dr. Shirley said. “I support any initiative that helps our students lead positive, healthy, and productive lifestyles, and PARI does just that.”
PARI conducts four-week sessions at the high school on Thursdays, and the service is also offered to middle school and elementary school students.