Mental and Behavioral Health  

Antonio Castro, Director of Behavioral and Mental Health  | 

Many children in the Colton Joint Unified School District are challenged to succeed in life and school due to a variety of converging social problems such as poverty, low level of parent’s education, domestic violence, substance abuse, child abuse, unmet mental health needs, acculturation issues, violence, and gangs.

Evidence of these problems can be seen in our neighborhoods, schools, and in homes. Often these problems are coupled with emotional and mental health issues ranging from depression, anxiety, severe panic attacks, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidal ideation or substance abuse problems. The following  is an overview of our department’s programs and supports for students and families in need:

School-Based Mental Health Counseling Services

CJUSDs Department of Behavioral & Mental Health is a comprehensive program (k-12th grade & Adult Ed.) that hopes to reduce barriers to treatment, making mental health services more accessible to our student population. The main goal of the program is to remove social/emotional barriers to educational success in children and families through mental health counseling and education, case  management, parent education, and linkage to community resources.  Ultimately, CJUSD is committed to providing children with essential building blocks to foster social, emotional, and physical health thereby  ensuring a truly resilient and successful future in the lives of our students.

Mental Health Prevention Services

Prevention services are intended to prevent mental illness from becoming severe and disabling, and to encourage wellness and resiliency in students. Strategies and activities are implemented early on to deter the onset of mental health conditions or relapse among individuals.  

Case Management Services

The Case Management Program is a district wide program established to provide social and emotional supports to individuals and families throughout the Colton Joint Unified School District. This program was officially launched in the 2018-2019 academic school year, and is complementary to the Mental Health/Counseling services being provided at all schools in the district.

The focus of this program is to connect children and families of our district to available community resources such as food, shoes, clothing, children’s programs, childcare, parenting supports, access to healthcare for physical and mental health needs, legal counsel, job hunting and much more.

CJUSD is committed to providing children and families with the essential building blocks to foster social, emotional, and physical health. By providing families with these building blocks, the CJUSD Case Management Program can ensure a resilient and successful future in the lives of our district’s children.